Northern wisconsin trail opening dates

[bryan t]

hERE IS WHEN THE CLUBS WILL OPEN IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN!!


Land o Lakes is open and report their trails to be in good condition.

Price County (phiilips, prentice, and park falls areas) Open today

Hurley (Iron County) Open Today

Hodag trails (Rhinelander area), Cross Country Cruisers (Minocqua area),Knight Owls (TOmahawk area East and South) will open December 15th

The rest of the Vilas county trails (Eagle River, St Germain, Conover, Presque Isle, and Boulder JCT) are scheduled to open wednesday morning Dec 16th at 8 am..also on the 16th Northern Trails Unlimited (north of Tomahawk area) will open.

Merrill, and southern Lincoln County (south of Hwy 86)..no word on opening date...Merrill chamber says december 31st..can't be right.

Marathon County, and Langlade county also has not set an opening date

No word from Taylor (Though most of their trails were panned around the medford area on friday), Florence or Forest County

***All clubs are cautioning that ice is thin on many area lakes, and that the trails are in good early season condition***

***AGAIN ICE IS NOT SAFE AT THIS POINT ON MANY AREA LAKES PLEASE USE CAUTION****

HAVE A FUN SAFE RIDE!!!!

[bryan t]

btw FOR those who don't know...the Buffalo Spirit north of Merrill (a resturant/gas station..right on the snowmobile trail) burned to the ground this fall...so you either need to go into merrill or head north to tomahawk if you need gas.

I also heard there was a minor fire at the BIG Moose south of tomahawk...not sure of damage, or if it's open or closed...sounded like they will be ok, and hopefully open soon for snowmobilers.

[srt20]

Thanks for the info! Hopefully I can run into you sometime and buy you a beer or soda. Thanks again!

[racerx]

btw FOR those who don't know...the Buffalo Spirit north of Merrill (a resturant/gas station..right on the snowmobile trail) burned to the ground this fall...so you either need to go into merrill or head north to tomahawk if you need gas.


Just went by there yesterday and saw the pumps standing by themselves but the building was gone. Thanx for the info

[skidoodoug]

Was the Buffalo gas station on 51? I was up there in October and thought it was there. Must have been after that. Hope nobody got hurt.

[bryan t]

Was the Buffalo gas station on 51? I was up there in October and thought it was there. Must have been after that. Hope nobody got hurt.

I believe nobody was injuried..but yes it was right on hwy 51, just north of Merrill..I think fire was halloween weekend.

[bryan t]

Thanks for the info! Hopefully I can run into you sometime and buy you a beer or soda. Thanks again!

Beer?? Once in awhile...otherwise I like crown royal...lol I am always up to meeting other sledders...if the wife lets me (she's a crabby german who controls the money...lol..anybody whos married knows how this works)

[skdoo500adr]

Merrill, and southern Lincoln County (south of Hwy 86)..no word on opening date...Merrill chamber says december 31st..can't be right.




Talked to my brother(Lincoln County Sheriff) in Merrill a couple days ago and he stated trails are closed till Dec 31st. Not a typo.

[lx700kev]

Asking about the conditions around Tomahawk. I assume the trails are to open on the 15th or 16th? How is the ice and/or are the lakes marked? Would like to go riding opening weekend.

[bryan t]

Asking about the conditions around Tomahawk. I assume the trails are to open on the 15th or 16th? How is the ice and/or are the lakes marked? Would like to go riding opening weekend.

Northwoods passage have not posted when they will open...though Knight Owls and Northern Trails Unlimited willl be open by mid week. IMO the ice in the tomahawk area is not safe...I highly doubt the lakes will be marked...and even if they were, I would not be caught on any lakes this weekend. We have only had ice for about 1 week...last week sunday the lakes were wide open.

[bryan t]

Merrill, and southern Lincoln County (south of Hwy 86)..no word on opening date...Merrill chamber says december 31st..can't be right.




Talked to my brother(Lincoln County Sheriff) in Merrill a couple days ago and he stated trails are closed till Dec 31st. Not a typo.

That is a bummer...I wonder why??? Everything north of 86 will be open soon...I like heading south through merrill, when all the tourists are ripping up the tomahawk trails between xmas and new years..It's nice going south...low traffic..good grooming...nice pit stops...again...bummer

[cemmer]

As of last Wednesday nights at the snowmobile council meeting, Lincoln county has no plans to open anything up until there is more cold and snow. The swamps and lakes are a big mess, also there is some areas of standing corn in the fields. I was out riding in the fields Saturday and there is not much out there.

[skidoo mxz]

Latest info on vilas and oneida county:

Trails are set to open in Oneida and Vilas County on Wednesday, December 16 @ noon. We will be grooming but some swamps are not froze yet so we need people to ride and keep packing them down....then the groomers will be able to get through.

[longtrack]

Official Lincoln County Site

http://www.co.lincoln.wi.us/departments/announcements/?department=01dbebcab494&i=6553aa51da70

[CatsOnly]

rode forest road and maybe tad part of phelps trails to get to land o lakes trails today, and WOW, 5-6 inches overnight on fresh groomed trails, could not have asked for anything better. Got some sweet pics from today and sunday up in houghton, where there was great conditions.

Practically rode everything I would want to ride, power lines, BFH(not straight up but I made my way to the top first time being there pretty sweet), fresh groomed trails in keweenaw, to forest rodes on the lightest snow I have riden on.

Great 2 day get away!!

[bryan t]

Well...I can't ride either guys unless I get a trailer...Lincoln County has decided to stay closed!!!!! So I am land locked in Irma with no legally open trails....I will not break the laws when it comes to snowmobiling, and do not want to pizz land owners off so I will have to either get a trailer, and trailer my sled 10 miles to get trail access...or pound ditches. I am sooooo steamed at Lincoln County right now!!! But I will leave it alone....and just ride where I can...and SPEND MY MONEY...where I am welcome.

I wish I could tell you to stay in Merrill or Tomahawk...but I can not, and do not want any of you to get a ticket...so trailer further north into Oneida County (at least for this weekend). IMO THE ICE ON THE LAKES IS NOT SAFE YET!!!...so stay off the lakes!!! It has been cold and I am sure the lakes are making ice...but why take the chance??? Nobody needs to die that way...be safe and have fun!!!

[cemmer]

Bryan, I am glad to see you wont ride and piss off landowners, we work hard to get the trails ready and figure out where we can run them. We have to deal with property getting sold, people late season deer hunting and not wanting their land disturbed while they are hunting. There just isn't enough snow! I'm not sure if you are a club member, but if you are not I suggest joining one and get involved and find out what goes into the trails.

[bryan t]

I have been a member of 3 different clubs over the past 20 yrs..I helped mark lake nokomis 10 yrs straight, and I helped brush trails for several years.


I have my reasons for being a bit pizzy towards lincoln co...but I will leave it at that.

[longtrack]

Bryan, I think we are going to go to Mi Saturday, we may have room in the Trailer if you want to ride along. we will leave Merrill around 8Am and will be back around 8Pm, I think we have 4 already and have room for 1 more. I could pick you up in Irma. I think I met you last year at the Buffalo when I was Grooming the 39 Trail. Let me Know if your interested. Kurt

[bryan t]

Thank-you for the offer...yep..that was me on the crossfire at buffalo spirit..(now where am I gonna get gas, that was the closest one to my house) I have end of year inventory saturday..so I have to work all day. I plan on heading out saturday night...somewhere locally.

Thanks again Longtrack

[longtrack]

The only Place is to come into Merrill and get it at the Cenex or Murphy's on the North side of Town both have No Ethanol choices and Credit Card Pumps. Where am I going to get a Hot Corn Dog when Grooming. Luckily we removed them from the new Map.

Kurt