Western U.P. Vacation Blogs

The trails are great and off trails the powder is deep and challanging.  The following are pictures from the Wakefield area of powder.  The hills and gorge pictures are from the Sturgeon River gorge near Sidnaw.  Traveled 224 miles Friday and locally around 100 on Sunday.

12-14-08  My cousin Steve and I took a ride Friday.  We sure are getting the ingredients for a great snowmobile season, snow and cold weather.  We left from my house near Indianhead Mountain/ Indianhead Valley and because of the closure of trial 11 N due to water not frozen in the swamp, we had to make our way through back country trails (Snow up to your butt) to trail 102 that goes from Bergland to the south Boundary Road trail to Silver City.  This trail is the best trail in the western U.P.  because it receives the most snow, has little standing water, and is groomed to perfection by the Lake Gogebic Trail Groomers.  I could ride this one all day back and forth, but we continued from Bergland to Rockland on trail 13, another deep snow trail that again was groomed well until we got to the Superior Trails club trail.  They must be having problems since they normally are groomed as well as Lake Gogebic Trails.

The Gogebic Range Trail Authority has done an excellent job on the old rail grade trails (2) between Ironwood and Marenisco if you are interested in that kind of riding.  I prefer the trails with curves, hills, trees etc.    The groomer operator told me that he is going to try and make it through the swamp tommorrow with the groomer on 11N .  The club with the help of our trail permit fees will be spending $80,000 on this trail this summer to get the water off of the trail. 

If you didn't get a chance to see the snowcross and Slednecks exibition in Ironwood this past weekend, you missed a great time.  The weather was great and the show was outstanding.

I hate to give safety advice on a blog, but watch the groomed trails for rocks and sticks this time of year.   Also don't be a dumb ass and take a break at the bottom of a hill or on a blind corner.  You and I will have a lot to lose if my 800 Renegade runs into you.   

12-07-08   My friend Mark and I went for our first snowmobile ride today.  We combined our ride with on and off trail riding.   Our 100 mile ride started at Indianhead Mountain, to Bergland and back.  It sure was nice to get back on our Ski Doo Renegades again. The best groomed trail is trail 102, groomed by Lake Gogebic groomers.  A trip from Indianhead Valley to Rockland would be a good ride.
Take 11 (when our guys finally get around to grooming it and turn south on 102 to Bergland, then 13 to Rockland.  This is the snow belt and a ride in higher ground, believe me. Snow at Silver City, Ontonagon  is non-existent.
Also there is no longer gas at Silver City so beware of that.  With this route
everyone should be able to make it.  These are the areas with the most snow and the least water. 

12-08-08  Called the trail boss at Gogebic Range Trail Authority and told him about the water on north trail 11. Said that they will be freezing and grooming it sometime this week.   That should make the trip to Bergland or Rockland a lot more enjoyable.

John Cox