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Questions???????????

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Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
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  • #17520
    07XRS
    Participant

    Delete if this is not the right spot.

    Coming up this friday with my wife and 6 yr old daughter for her first trip ever. Ive only been snowmobiling in Speculator once 2 years ago and loved the area but didnt really explore much as i was by myself. What are some good loops to do, sights to see along the trails? The run up to Indian Lake, if even possible would be to long of a trip for my Daughter. Can i get down the lake to Oxbow Inn? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks

    #17521
    500ss
    Participant

    Just my opinion, but I would not ride Indian Lake or any of the large lakes yet, especially with a 6 yr old. I have heard that people have started riding them, but cold weather came late this year and some of the larger lakes only recently froze over. Oxbow has been frozen for a while, so that may be OK.

    I believe it is due to get colder later this week, so if it were me taking a 6 yr old I would prioritize making sure she didn’t get too cold, even if I rode a tiny portion of what I would normally like to ride. This comes from experience taking my own kids years ago, starting at an even younger age. I found that it was important to make it a fun experience and not turn them off by letting them get cold and miserable.

    I assume you are trailering? You can pick up an updated trail map and any of the local stores. Some trails are closed to logging, so an updated map will be important. I would suggest starting at the ball field parking lot in Speculator. You could head out to the tree farm and take Hatchery Brook trail to Perkins Clearing. Between the tree farm and Perkins you can do a lot of loops without riding lakes. You could come out of Perkins on the Big Brook trail and make your way to Oxbow Inn since you mentioned that. Not sure I would come back to town over Sacandaga and Lake Pleasant though. You could always backtrack and go through Perkins again back to town.

    I would pack extra gloves, hand/feet warmers, hats, snacks and maybe some hot chocolate for your daughter. Stop a lot because she will be freezing before she ever says she is cold. Stop often, have snacks and maybe lunch on the side of the trail, maybe roast a hot dog to make it a real fun time for her. Get her hooked young! When she is 10 she can take the safety course and ride her own sled. I used to love riding with my kids regardless of how many miles we were able to get in – lots of happy memories and they still love to come ride with me when they can.

    Good luck and happy riding.

    #17522
    07XRS
    Participant

    Thanks 500ss! I really want nothing to do with the lakes ever, even more so having her with us. I really want her to enjoy this so we can continue to do it as a family. Her safety and being warm are top priorities. We are trailering and staying at the Lake Pleasant Lodge. Do you know if the River trail is open? I dont plan on getting big miles with her but i always say “its not about the miles its about the smiles” Thanks again!

    #17525
    500ss
    Participant

    Haven’t been out riding yet, so not sure about the river trail, but given the weather we’ve had so far it may be iffy even if it is open. There is a bypass trail that you can use to avoid the river trail.

    #17527
    Ron Rybicki
    Participant

    Should mention that if you ride any of the lakes before we get the freeze coming this week end that you can encounter slush and you dont want to get stuck with a 6 year old. It sounds like he’s staying off the lakes any way.
    Ron

    #17560
    Hennessy82
    Participant

    The River trail is open, a couple of rough spots.

    #17731
    jmpalma127
    Participant

    This is a “trail pass” question. Has anyone in these forums been up to the top of north pine mountain? The very end of fly creek road?

    #17742

    People attempted Upper Pine a couple of weeks ago but no one got past the rocks and ruts at the bottom of the first big hill on the skidder road. I tried last Saturday but the snow was way too light. I spent over an hour walking up the hill with my shovel filling in the ruts and packing. Next day I came back with my Tundra. 2 guys had just made it up to where I stopped packing and filling but they didn’t know where to go after that. I rode to the top then made an extra trip to pack and widen the trail. I may get the chance to go back again after this snow.

    #17778

    Thanks Pete,

    Last week, I had gotten to the point where the tracks stopped on Upper Pine… And I didn’t have the kind to sled to make it any further.

    Darrin

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