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PLEASE - Stay
on the marked trails unless you are absolutely positive you are permitted to
ride off-trail. Don't be the reason for a trail being closed. RESPECT our
landowner friends.
December 20, 2007:
Still no real trail reports yet this
year, but most areas have already done some grooming to start building up a
base. Waterholes and flows across trails are still not forzen, so be prepared
for bare and soft spots.
BEWARE OF
OPEN WATER AND THIN ICE ON LAKES: There are no solidly frozen lakes yet. As the
cold weather approaches, be cautious for numerous slush holes, thin spots and open water areas. Contact a local snowmobile club for the most up to date conditions.
Here are some great reports from last winter. Trail riding extended
into April, with lots of excellent backcountry riding well into the spring.
Current trail reports will resume once the season starts.
-
Greenville Trail Report - 3/21/07: Riders Report the ITS from Kokadjo
to Greenville is near perfect. B-52 trail loop excellent, and crash site very
ride able with crust over deep snow. All previously plowed roads were
unplowed after the 3/17 storm, and excellent.
- 3/19/07: Sunday night groomed both North and South bound ITS 85 and 86. Trails came out great. North to Kokadjo has snow again on the Scammon Road and should be good until mid-week. Going to Blanchard there is one small area that has a little running water, the rest is good. Warman Road to Brouchu Road is also in good shape. The intown trails are in great shape.
- 3/14/07: Spring Conditions. ITS trails rough and skinny in sections, but worth the ride to access the back country trails. Conditions vary on trails, depends who you talk to and where you go. Guessing about 2 more weeks of riding in the backcountry as there is still snow drifts up to your waist for those who venture out.
- 2/16/07: 2 feet of new snow on top of 8-10 inch base. There is plenty of snow cover allowing snowmobilers to explore the snowmobile trails and towns around Moosehead Lake. All groomers are out on the trails as of today. Trail reports will be posted in the next day or two. The B-52 area is off limits currently due to major logging in that area. We are currently engaged in putting a new bridge in across No. Brook which will give us access to this area when completed. It will be signed when trail is ready. We have marked the trail across Moosehead Lake with used Christmas trees as we do each year. The lake is safe for riding along the trees and south of the trees. Use CAUTION north of the tree line, the weather has been very cold and the ice has finally had a chance to get a lot thicker, but there is always a couple of spots that are not safe.
- 2/5/07: ITS 85 North - Scammon Road is snow covered once again but it
is plowed and very boney for the first 4 miles. Some trails North are great and others only fair to good, the trail to Kokadjo has been groomed
and is fair to good. Blue Ridge, Young Trail, and Cranberry Brook trails are groomed with good riding and loose snow on the surface. Sandy Bay trail has been groomed. ITS 85 South -
No longer goes up over the rough and rocky gravel pit at the Junction. Boulders
were moved and the trail now goes out and down the side of the water company road. MUCH BETTER. All the way to Blanchard is good riding.
ITS 86 South - Taking the Warman Brook Road over to ITS 86 and on to the Forks is also good riding.
- 1/31/07: ITS 85S to Blanchard good riding except for skinny in the hills and ITS 86 to the Forks turnaround all groomed. In town trails boney, but passable. Conditions vary from outstanding to poor with some sections that should be avoided. Scenic pick, the Katahdin View Trail, a must see, and Side Trails off 85S. The ITS North is bad first 3 miles of the Scammon Road is bare from plowing. An alternitive route would the club trail behind the clubhouse up over Scammon Ridge. The Blue Ridge trail is holding up well with some bad spots on top, other than that there is plenty of snow and it is groomed. The Young Trail and the Cranberry Brook Trail have plenty of snow but very rough from heavy trasffic, this is caused by a lot of down time on the Bully's. ITS southbound from the clubhouse to the lake is very rough no snow. South to Blanchard and The Forks via Warman Camp Road and the Brouchu Road is good.
- 1/16/07: Up to 11 inches new snow on
Monday, over a 2-4 inch hard base. Groomers operating today. Annual B52
Ride is this Saturday. 
-
Greenville Junction/Squaw Mt. Area Trail Report - 3/19/07: The St. Patrick's Day storm put us back in great shape. ITS 88 from Wilsons on the East Outlet to the Junction around the backside of the Mountain has been groomed twice since Friday night's storm and will continue to be groomed on a regular basis as conditions allow. Please use caution - We have a logging operation on this trail and will be sharing a section. THEY have the right of way! Other than this section of plowed roads, the trail is in excellent condition.
- 3/4/07: ITS 88 from Wilsons on the East Outlet to the Junction around the backside of the Mountain was groomed last night and will continue to be groomed on a regular basis as conditions allow. Please use caution - We have a logging operation on this trail and will be sharing a section. THEY have the right of way. Other than this section of plowed roads, the trail is in excellent condition. Alt 88 (the front side of the mountain through the ski area) will be maintained as a club trail. It has about 8 miles of woods trail and very few road sections. This was groomed Saturday night and is in great shape other than a few steep hills south of the ski resort. We are doing everything we can to make the trails flat. Rockwood area fishing derby began Saturday March 3rd and runs for a week come on up and try your luck.
- 2/15/07: It will take a while to pack it all, but once the air is out of the powder, conditions will be great. We should have
good riding through March. ITS 88 from Wilsons on the East Outlet to the Junction around the back side of the Mountain has been packed and we'll be
making another run over it tonight. Please use caution - We have a logging operation on this trail and will be sharing a small section. They have the right of
way. Alt. 88 (the front side of the mountain through the ski area) will be maintained as a club trail. It has about 8 miles of woods trail and very few road
sections. As of Thursday afternoon, this section of trail has been packed north of the ski resort with plans to finish up on Friday. We will be out with the
groomer day and night prepping the trails for the holiday weekend, so please be on the lookout and use extreme caution.
- 2/8/07: ITS 88 from the Junction around the back side of the Mountain
has been groomed and is in fair condition. Could still use some more snow as there
is thin cover. Please use caution - We have a logging operation on our trail and
will be sharing a small section. They have the right of way. Note: Alt. 88 will be
maintained as a club trail. It has about 8 miles of woods trail and very few road
sections and we still need more snow to open the front side of the mountain through the ski area.
- 1/30/07: Riders are reporting decent riding on unplowed road sections, but still early condition riding on wooded sections. We have a logging operation on our trail and will be sharing a section. THEY have the right of way! (Please note: A large section was plowed in error, this will not be the case for the remainder of the season.) ITS 88 is on the west side of Moose (Squaw) Mountain consisting of all roads and no woods trails and will be groomed more often then Alternate 88. Alt. 88 will be maintained as a club trail. It has about 8 miles of woods trail and very few road sections and we still need more snow to open the front side of the mountain through the ski area.
- Rockwood - 3/20/07: Received roughly 12 inches of snow and some sleet, 20-30 inch base. Trails are currently in good shape all trails are groomed. ITS 66 across Moosehead to Kineo is frozen and marked. Be sure to check with the locals before crossing. There is plenty of snow on the ground after the weekend storm and groomers have been out with the cold overnight temps. It is expected to be in the forties this weekend but freezing at night so the grooming will continue. We are not going to be short changed on this end of the season.
- 3/18/07Rockwood to Pittston Farm groomed last night to pack 12 inches
of fresh snow. Fresh snow not yet packed and smoothed, but riding very good.
No ice, lots of traffic.
- 3/15/07: Starting Friday (3/16) a big storm with heavy snow accumulation is expected. Then more cold to make it last a while. Drive through Rockwood today and you can see grass here and there on all the trails near the road crossings and the banks have melted. Temps well above freezing have made the trails quite slushy on the surface. Moosehead Lake is covered in slush and water. It is supposed to get cold enough to freeze that lake flat. No more moguls, great for spring cruising. Trails out of town a few miles in any direction will remind you that it is still winter and we have held onto the base. The groomers will be out tonight to drag the trail flat again before the big freeze and the big snow. Grooming schedules have lightened up this week. Rt 66 North of Rockwood toward Jackman and Pittston Farm and ITS 88 from Rt 66 to the Demo Yard will be groomed Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday night, then vary depending on temps. Snow depths in the woods are still well over 3 feet in most locations. Please note that the Carry Brook Trail off Rt 66 to Seboomook is closed, due to an active logging operation, possibly for the remainder of the season. Please seek an alternate route. Moosehead Lake is now getting quite slushy on the surface. There is stil plenty of ice, but it is best to stay on the marked trail. Trails are marked to Mt. Kineo from the Rockwood Public Landing, from the Moose River and also from the Birches Resort.
- 3/3/07: About a foot of snow fell on the Moosehead Lake Region during the day on Friday. This new snow is just in time to put a fresh look on things and provide us with a March full of excellent riding. It will take a few days to work the powder but come Monday AM, trail conditions should be ideal. With this new deep snow, our furry creatures will be using the trails more and more as it is so much easier to get around on. Be on the look our for fresh tracks in the trails - there could be a moose around any corner. There was a lot of traffic on the trails this weekend. This was a reminder that when it comes to weekends, the early rider gets the good trails. Mid week riding is worth waiting for, if you can. Rt 66 North of Rockwood toward Jackman and Pittston Farm and ITS 88 from Rt 66 to the Demo Yard will be groomed 7 nights a week as conditions allow. ITS 88 south from Rockwood to the East Outlet and north to the Demo Yard as well as the Blue Ridge Overpass will be groomed Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday again this week. Please note that the Carry Brook Trail off Rt 66 to Seboomook is closed due to an active logging operation, possibly for the remainder of the season. Please seek an alternate route. Moosehead Lake is frozen with a solid 24 inches of ice. Trails are marked to Mt. Kineo from the Rockwood Public Landing, from the Moose River and also from the Birches Resort. Please stay on the marked trail as ice conditions vary greatly depending on location.
- 2/15/07: 18-20 inches of snow fell during the day on Wednesday. Route 66 North of Rockwood was partially groomed last night and will be groomed
again nightly beginning tonight. It will take a while to pack this snow, but conditions will be great once the air is out of the powder. Get out and enjoy! Strong
winds are making large drifts on the lake and on the trail, please beware. Moosehead Lake is frozen a solid 14+ inches, and trails are marked to Mt. Kineo
from the Rockwood Public Landing, from the Moose River and also from the Birches Resort. Please stay on the mark trail as ice conditions vary greatly
depending on location.
- 2/8/07: 5-6 inches new snow. Base now stands
at about 10 inches. ITS 88 (old ITS 86) from Rockwood to Jackman and Greenville
has been groomed. Route 66 to Jackman is groomed. Route 66 to Kineo and on to
Kokadjo across Moosehead Lake is marked and safe to cross. Stay on marked trail. The
riding on Route 66 from Rockwood to Kokadjo is much better than from Greenville
to Kokadjo. The Moosehead Trail to Pittston Farm is open and groomed. ITS to the
Forks from Greenville taking the Warman Brook Road to ITS 86 has good riding.
- 1/16/07: ITS 88 (old ITS 86) from Rockwood to Jackman and Greenville has been groomed. Route 66 to Jackman is groomed. The Moosehead Trail to Pittston Farm is open and groomed. A three mile section of ITS toward Greenville is down to gravel but an alternate club route is open. ITS to the Forks from Greenville is groomed and good after the Warman Camp Road. Route 66 is now frozen solid to Mount Kineo and the trail is marked.
- 1/16/07: About 6 inches of new snow. Now grooming on the
entire Blue Ridge system, and should connect all the way to Pittston Farm's
area. ITS 88 (old ITS 86) will be completely groomed by Wednesday night.
Most wash-outs now starting to freeze up.ICE CONDITIONS - Moosehead
Lake's ice is still too thin to cross. Pole trails
across Moosehead Lake will go up when the ice is safe.
- Pittston Farm Trail Report - 3/18/07: Pittston Farm
trails groomed last night to pack 12 inches
of fresh snow. Fresh snow not yet packed and smoothed, but riding very good. No ice, lots of traffic. Grooming today with colder temps
to smooth trails.
- 3/13/07: Trails are in very good condition currently with plenty of snow. Jackman trail was groomed yesterday. If temperatures allow grooming will take place again tomorrow on our Seboomook trail to Northeast Carry. We rode trails today with snowmobiles and trails are very well snow covered in the area. The Seboomook Trail is still in very good condition through to Northeast Carry, and past Northeast Carry to the Kokajo turn off. The new Jackman Trail is still in good condition. This new trail is about 10 miles longer than the original Soldiertown Road Trail, so keep the distance in mind when heading out. Trails will continue to be groomed each night as long as the temperatures stays cold enough to freeze. The Carry Brook trail is closed due to logging operations on the Rockwood end of the trail. Drive to our lodge where we have plenty of parking for your trailer and sleds and unload your machine here.
- 2/1/07: Trail to Northeast Carry good riding and groomed. Jackman trail groomed and in fair condition,
some rough and thin spots on trail in the woods. Good riding on all unplowed logging roads in the area. Interior
wooded trails are in need of more snow to be groomed. Carry Brook trail is ride able, but has not been groomed
due to low snow conditions and is very rough. The new Jackman trail has beautiful scenic views of the Western
Mountains (1800 feet) and is well marked. This is the replacement for the Soldiertown Road trail. Wagner Forest Mgt
requested it be closed due to possible logging operations going on in that area.
- Kokadjo Trail Report - 3/21/07:
Riders report best
conditions they have ever seen around Kokadjo. ITS eastward so good it is hard to believe.
Grooming in progress Wednesday afternoon and night. Gas price same as in
town. We had to buy some at that price.
- 3/19/07: Received about 10 inches total snow, rain and sleet over the weekend. Heavy crust cover. Trail conditions are very good, being groomed regularly. Logging operations remain on Farrar Mtn trail last 3 miles to junction with ITS 86.
- 3/7/07: Received nearly 6 inches of powder snow on Monday, on top of last week's storm. All trails are excellent with the exception of the ITS 86 end of Farrar Mtn trail where logging operation is in high gear. The Spencer Mtn trail logging operation is completed and the cold temps that came in today are nicely setting up the regularly groomed trails.
- 2/1/07: Rt. 66, Kokadjo to Rockwood is open - light on snow the first couple of miles out of Kokadjo, but
gets better as you go out - and riders are crossing from Mt. Kineo to Rockwood, trail is marked. The trail from
Kokadjo south to Greenville is lacking snow - not recommended. ITS 86 east to Millinocket is open, plowed road
and light on snow leaving Kokadjo, with some active logging along first several miles. Gets better as you go out. B
Pond Trail to KI off ITS 86 is good. NFG Trail is good, but light on snow through the woods. The Lost Skidder Trail
is good, but first section off ITS86 is very light on snow and rough in the woods. Then to Cow Pond Trail is good
up to the Greenville Road where logging is taking place.
- Brownville Trail Report - 3/21/07:
Riders report KI to B Pond not groomed but very ride able. Moguls slowed you
down but not extreme. Solid crust off the trail, so be cautious. 110
Connector from Greenville straight, flat and hard. Perfect. Katahdin View
route had large drift at top making it difficult for westbound riders.
Consider the Blue Ridge Trail instead.
- 3/6/07: 10 inches of fresh snow last Friday and a couple more yesterday. All trails are being groomed regularly. This should extend the season for another week or two depending on how fast it warms. Connector 110 south of Junction is as good as it has been all season. 100 north is good, B-Pond has issues on some sharp corners.
- 2/15/07: Around 16-18 inches of snow Wednesday. Expect a groomer on the trail as we try to prepare for the weekend. This should keep us riding
into March. Connector 110 North of Brownville Junction will be groomed Friday Night. South of town an attempt will be made tonight but I cant guarantee
the Track truck will work in this depth of snow until it gets packed.
- 2/5/07: About 5 inches of fresh snow
Friday night. The trails got rough over the weekend but we were out again on Sunday and the B-Pond
trail is looking good. Connector 110 north of Junction run will be groomed Tuesday and both B-pond
and 110 will be groomed Friday night. Watch out for the sled dog race on connector 110 this
weekend. Connector 110 south of Junction will be groomed but there still isn't enough snow to
help much, expect rocks and slow going.
- Jo-Mary-Katahdin area Trail Report - 3/21/07:
What can I say, all riders give this area an A+ for grooming. No better
trails exist on this date. As one rider said, "Once you get to the Jo-Mary
Trails, you know the riding will be good."
- 3/6/07: Groomed South Twin Lake to ITS 86 (Katahdin Loop Troop); South Twin to Schoodic Rail Bed (Connector 111); B Pond Trail loop; and the 4-Ponds Club Trail to ITS 86. All in excellent shape.
- 3/5/07 Note: Rode this area for three days. Trails are perfect. Got even better as the cold set
for Sunday night's ride and riding Monday. Moose are also out and on the trails.
Grooming crew was even out during the day Sunday clearing brush and making
the trails even more perfect.
- 2/8/07: The last storm on the 3rd brought 6 inches and access trails from the club
are now good with interior trails excellent. The access trail from the club
to Partridge Brook were excavated, graveled and graded last fall and this
makes all the difference with good riding even with the low snowfall.
Grooming continues regularly. Note: White House is not open this
winter.
- 1/31/07: Trails west of JoMary Road are good. B Pond good. Trails east need snow.
- Katahdin Region-Millinocket area Trail Report - 3/20/07: Light snow is falling this morning. 18-30 inches of base depth. Groomed the entire system last night and will be out again on the 21st. Trails are in near perfect condition in most of our system from our grooming on the 19th.
- 3/15/07: Expecting an inch of slushy snow today. The high Friday is expected to be in the 20's and a big late winter storm of 12 inches plus is forecast for Friday night into Saturday. Have been unable to groom this week due to warm temperatures. With teens expected tonight we'll be out grooming. A few bare spots are beginning to show up and some open water bars. The melt should be halted over the weekend. 12-18 inches of base depth. Wadleigh Pond Trail now closed for logging operation. Expect to groom 80% of trails beginning tonight.
- 3/7/07: Trails are well covered, flat and hard and this Friday, Saturday and Sunday should offer some of the very best riding of the season. We are grooming nightly and will continue to do so until the snow is gone. Join us for some great spring, (wait a minute its 3 below zero) winter, riding.
- 2/16/07: Heavy blowing and drifting snow is regularly forming 8 to 10 foot drifts on the Logan Pond Trail
between Upper and Lower Togue Pond at the entrance of Baxter State Park. While we groomed through this last night, 3 hours later the site had already
drifted back in and was barely passable. We plan to open the area back up by mid morning today Friday the 16th and will groom it again Friday night but
sledders should be prepared for a possible impasse at this site. It is worth a ride to see the drifts! Grooming on the night of the 15th was a treat, nice to
have snow to work with again. We regularly encountered 2 to 4 foot drifts and even in the woods now have a deep base of snow on the trails. Things are
going to be bumpy for a few days as the trails get ridden and the air comes out of the snow but hang in there we will groom every night. Help us by parking
your sleds when the sun sets. This kind of snow needs hours to set up and a few sleds on a trail right after a groomer can undo all the hard work that
everyone would have enjoyed the next day. Visit NEOC for individual trail reports.
- 2/8/07: 4 inches of new snow in town
and 6 inches in higher elevations. Pretty much everything groomed last night. ITS 86 has shared road
near 3 Corners, use caution. Linkletter Road (New Stratton Trail) now open. All trails
west of Jo Mary Road are excellent. The Park Perimeter Road has good riding. The route
around the Park has changed around Bowlin and Shin Pond. Be sure to pick up a new map
or stop and check for directions. Abol Store is open mid-day from Wednesday through
Saturday for gas and light food. Note: White House is not open this
winter.
- 1/31/07: The entire system has been groomed and continues to be groomed nightly. Despite heavy
traffic over the past weekend, trails on roads are in great shape and short wooded sections off road are a little
light on snow but very ride able. The Park Perimeter Road has great riding. The route east of the Park has changed
around Bowlin and Shin Pond. Be sure to pick up a new map or stop and check for directions. There will be an
aggressive grooming schedule for the remainder of the season to make up for lost time.
- 1/16/07: This area received 5 to 8 inches of snow Monday on top
of a 2-4 inch crusty base. ITS 86 from Whetstone to Penobscot Pond will be
groomed this week, and possibly the Wild Kingdom Trail and Logan Pond Trail.
The Pole Line will need another 8-10 inches for good riding.
- Shin Pond-Bowlin Matagamon Trail Report - 3/14/07: Trail reports from sledders yesterday
indicate the trails are holding quite well. The three groups we have staying here all rode over 100 miles with good conditions. We will continue to groom when the temperatures go below 32. Looks like Thursday and Friday night the temps will drop.
- 3/7/07: 18 below at Shin Pond this morning but it has warmed up to 5 below at 10:00 am, and the wind has settled down. This is some of the best riding you will get. Trails are well groomed and no chance of moguls for a few days so get out and ride, ride, ride. For the rider that likes it warmer this weekend will be warm but remember the trails do take a beating in the warm weather. The Famous Lookout Mtn trail near Bowlin Camps is groomed and open through Bowlin Camps so take your camera and get some pics of the view (it is beautiful on a clear day). This may be the last year you will access this scenic view by snowmobile! ITS 85 N (off ITS 83) is great riding all through Bowlin, Matagamon and onto to Shin Pond and points North. Connector trail 114 to Shin Pond is good. This is the trail to ride. 71D to Grand Lake Seboeis and the Scraggly Lake Loop is excellent.
- 2/16/07: 18 inches of snow in the Valentine's Day Storm. Shin Pond and Matagamon Groomers were on the trails for 12
hours yesterday. All trails are open and groomed. It doesn't get any better than this. ITS 85 (off ITS 83) to Bowlin Camps and onto Matagamon Camps and
North is groomed with excellent conditions. Connector trail 114 groomed and in great shape - there are still a few miles of plowed road that we are
sharing. 71D to Grand Lake Seboeis and the Scraggly Lake Loop is groomed and in excellent condition. Watch for deer on this trail. Club trail "Sugarloaf
Mtn" is groomed. Helmets off to Johnny and Alan for spending all day and half the night yesterday in the groomers.
- 2/5/07: We have
opened the Scraggly Lake Loop Trail. 71D is partially groomed (there is still some plowed
road on 71D) ITS 85 starting at the new Seboeis Bridge is groomed all the way to
Bowlin Camps and onto Matagamon and Shin Pond, this is good to excellent. Connector
Trail 114 to Shin Pond is good, a few miles of plowed road, use caution the landowner
may be done cutting this week. We will open the Sugarloaf trail today.
- 1/30/07: ITS 85 Bowlin Camps to Matagamon and onto Shin Pond is good to excellent
conditions, the roads being the best... ITS85 North from ITS 83 to Bowlin Camps is fair, this is the new re routed
trail and it just needs more snow. ITS 85 has been rerouted across the Whetstone Bridge and you will be riding on
the east side of the Penobscot River.....keep that in mind as well as the fact that there is a new bridge over the
Seboeis River which is part of this reroute. Connector trail 114 to Shin Pond is good. CAUTION: There are a few
miles of plowed road, the landowner is sharing the road with us... 71D is not open yet.
- Jackman Trail Report - 3/14/07: Trails are still in good shape however it is recommended to trailer north of town just a couple miles and start off at the Border Riders Snowmobile Clubhouse.
- 2/16/07: About 24 inches new snow. All trails are open and have been groomed, are good condition. Canada is groomed to St. Georges,
Rockwood is groomed and The Forks are groomed. Travel with care. Received mega snow over this week, they say trails north of town are nice. South
trails are much better.
- 2/2/07: The alternate trail out of town is now
open (this does cross the lake-plenty of ice 12-15 inches) and in great shape.
Follow the reflectors to the alternate trail. The riding north to Canada is still good.
Border Riders Club Trail (40 mile loop) - Good. Pittston Farm/Northeast Carry
area - fair, but watch for detour. Suggest Route 88 to 66 heading to
Rockwood. ITS89 North - Good. In town trail - poor. Alternate trail across
lake. ITS88/Rockwood Trail conditions - fair to good. ITS89 South to Eustis
- fair to poor.
- 1/16/07: Received up to 7 inches snow on Monday. Border Riders Club Trail (40 mile loop) is open.
ITS 89 to north is open.
- Bingham Trail Report - 2/8/07: Trails are in
the best shape that we have seen in a long time. ITS 84 from Athens to North Anson
is in excellent shape. ITS 87 from Solon to Bingham is in excellent shape also. From
Bingham to the Forks, ITS 87 has good to excellent conditions. There is a 4 or 5 mile
section of pole line that is a little rough in places, so take it easy on that section.
- 1/16/07:
Groomers now in operation. By Thursday night will have ITS 87 open from
Solon to The Forks, and ITS 84 to Athens.
- The Forks/West Forks/Parlin Pond Trail Report - 3/19/07: Received around 10 of snow of Saturday. This has put our trail system back into real good shape by eliminating the bare spots that started showing up during last week's warm up. All 130 miles of our trail system are being groomed, and our groomer operators report that all sections have plenty of snow to work with and are in great shape. With little traffic, the trails are holding up
very well.
- 3/15/07: Currently have anywhere from 18 to 30 inches of snow on the ground, depending on the exact location. All 130 miles of our trail system are open and passable, but we were unable to groom on Tuesday and Wednesday nights due to warm temperatures. The warmer temps have opened up a number of bare spots, particularly around town and out a few miles. Everything is passable, you just need to do some bobbing and weaving in places. Things are better as you get out of town a ways. With the predicted cooling temperatures, all 130 miles of the trail system will be groomed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Forecast is for 3-5 inches on Thursday, and a bigger storm coming in on Friday night and into Saturday. The coming snows and colder temperatures will certainly take care of any problem areas.
- 3/7/07: We have anywhere from 24 to 40 inches of snow on the ground, depending on the exact location. All 130 miles of our trail system are being groomed on a regular basis, with 4 turbodiesel Snowcats. Our groomer operators report that there is plenty of snow to work with, and the trails are in very good to excellent shape. Intown trails are good. Cold temperatures this week have allowed the trails to set up very firm, and they are holding up to traffic nicely. All 4 Snowcats will be grooming all sections of our trail system on Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights, barring any breakdowns. The sledding right now is fantastic in the Forks area. Barring a major meltdown, we should have riding for at least a couple more weeks with the snow base that we now have. March is a great time to ride, but spring is coming, so you better get out there while you can.
- 2/15/07: Received about 2 feet of snow Wednesday. All 4 turbodiesel snowcats will be out on Thursday, Friday, Saturday
and Sunday nights. All 130 miles of our trail system will be broken through and packed by Friday morning, barring any breakdowns. Because of the
amount of snow, trails will be soft for a couple of days, until the snow settles and packs. Once the trails firm up, there should be great riding everywhere,
even on intown trails and wooded sections. There is a lot of drifting, so keep the speed down and ride with caution at all times.
- 2/6/07: All 130 miles of our trail system are being groomed on a
regular basis, with 4 turbodiesel snowcats. Friday's snow helped improve things
greatly. Generally speaking, the sections on logging roads are good to very good. The
sections on woods trails still need more snow and are fair. All sections are passable,
and the cold temperatures have solidified most water problems. ITS 86 East/ITS 87 South
from Berry's Store toward Greenville. Road trails are good, woods trails are fair. Trail
is sharing the Boise Road for 2 miles, which is plowed. Hard snowpack on road. Go
slow, keep right and watch for trucks. From Moxie Pond to Greenville has very good
riding. ITS 87 South toward Bingham. There are about 3 miles of plowed road from the
Shirley Road heading south. Hard snowpack on road, but watch for vehicles. This section
will not be plowed after future snowstorms. A 1 mile section through the woods is
rough - the rest is very good. Breakneck Ridge Trail to Blanchard will not be open
this season, due to several miles of plowed roads. ITS 86 West from Berry's Store to
ITS 89 has fair to good riding. ITS 89 South toward Grand Falls is fair to good. Short
section through the woods is very bumpy. Lower Enchanted Road section is pretty good. ITS
89 North over Coburn Mountain toward Parlin Pond ranges from fair to good. The trail to
the repeater tower on Coburn Mt is being groomed. The trail from the tower to the summit
is not groomed until we get more snow. This section is windblown with numerous stumps
showing. Shutdown Loop Club Trail has decent riding, with a couple windblown spots. Great
views! ITS 87 North from Berry's Store to ITS 88 Junction has some good riding. From
Berry's to Capitol Road ranges from fair to good. North of Capitol Road all the way to
ITS 88 is very good. Great scenery from atop Cold Stream Mountain! Parlin Pond Connector
Trail from ITS 87 to ITS 89 is in good shape. North Road Connector Trail from ITS 87 to
ITS 89 is generally in good shape and is being groomed. Rough for a couple of miles on
woods trail. Road is being plowed and shared with logging trucks for 2 miles. Hard snowpack
on road. Keep right and watch for vehicles. Enchanted Loop Trail is groomed with fair to
good riding. Couple of short, rough spots.
- 2/26/06: 6 inches of new snow received on Thursday and Friday in The
Forks. Groomers have been out north of town and about 50 miles of trail network is
in really good shape. Jackman has been grooming south to join up with the system. Trail
network south of the Forks picked up 2-4 inches of snow and still needs more to be passable. he summit (3,700 ft.) is open and groomed. Spectacular views!
ITS 86 west/89 south toward Grand Falls and Eustis is in excellent
condition. The 35 foot high ice bound Grand Falls is a great photo spot!
-
Aroostook County / Caribou Trail Report - 3/22/07: Spring sledding has arrived and despite cold temperatures and snow fall there are still lots of icy conditions, water holes and bare ground in places. ITS 85 is spotty but has a good snow pack. OxBow, Ashland, Portage, Eagle Lake and Ft Kent have been out this week. 85D has been groomed this week and is in pretty good shape with a good snow pack. ITS 83 a bit weak on the southern end up to the Presque Isle but then conditions improve but there are bare spots in open fields. ITS 81 is a bit loggy from Ashland up to Hamlin then improves further north. ITS 92 has been groomed through to Escourt. ITS 90 is closed due to water between Rt 88 to the Rt. 61 intersection. If you try to sneak through you will get your feet wet. Use Rt. 61 out of Washburn to connect to 90 going and coming from Portage. ITS 88 has lots of water between Presque Isle and Caribou however west towards Chapman and Ashland conditions improve. ITS 86 still holding a good snow pack and has been groomed on the Ox Bow end. RT 105 Connector Trail has been groomed at least once through this week. Red Arrow, Sly Brook and Daigle was in mint condition today. RT 94 groomed but remember you can not connect to Rt 89 as Halfway Brook is overflowing. Rt 89 open only to the Rt. 100 intersection. Lakes and Rivers have open water and slush.
- 3/7/07: ITS 85 has been groomed this week and agreeably there are some problem areas but overall from Oxbow/Masardis to Ashland is in good shape. North of Ashland conditions may be a bit below the high end of the curve but then from Carter Brook into the Fort Kent area reports are the trail is in excellent shape. 85D has been groomed this week and is in great shape. ITS 83 all sections have been groomed this week but traffic on this route is always high, especially north, so try some of the smaller connector trails. ITS 92 is in great shape and open to Escourt. Sorry but someone keeps tearing down signs for Chamberlainšs which is your last gas stop. No gas in Allagash. On ITS 90 increased snow amounts have improved conditions significantly. However you will hit plowed road between Rt. 105 and the Rt. 61 intersection. If you wish to avoid that section take a longer ride into Washburn and use Route 61. ITS 88 has been groomed this week. ITS 86 groomed with limited traffic providing a great alternative trip for sledders that donšt travel the southern reaches of the County very often. RT 105 Connector Trail is in good shape with higher traffic volumed in the central and northern reaches. Between Linneus and Danforth this trail connects with some great smaller club trails with minimal traffic. Red Arrow, Sly Brook and Daigle good shape despite heavy traffic volumes. RT 94 is a good alternative to Rt. 105 and drops folks into the central region a bit quicker via the Rt. 89 connector. Has been in good shape all winter. Rt 89 groomed and in good shape through to the Rt. 94 intersection. You may hit a bit of slush on the river crossing later in the day.
- 2/15/07: 10-18 inches in some places. Most groomers are attempting to pack today but high winds and poor visibility will minimize much of
the grooming until late tonight. Drifting snow and road crossings will be problematic until at least Saturday, but by Saturday afternoon and Sunday trails
should be taking shape. Larger projects may take a bit longer to finish up packing and actually begin grooming. Sledders please use caution at road
crossings because the landscape has certainly changed. ITS 85 Ox Bow /Marsardis area conditions remain very good up through Ashland where snow
will be most welcome through the woods up to just south of Carter Brook. Remember there is logging between Portage and Eagle Lake and Portage and
Carter Broom so please heed signs. REROUTE NOTE: If you are in the Shin Pond /Mattagamon area ITS 85 has been rerouted across the Whetstone
Bridge and you will be riding on the east side of the Penobscot River. Keep that in mind as well as the fact that there is a new bridge over the Seboeis
River which is part of this reroute. 85D should be open, if not by the weekend then at least by the first of the week. There is still lots of active logging so
please use caution. ITS 83 will be much improved in field areas with this snow and is open from northern Penobscot County to the far north of Aroostook
County. ITS 81 from the ITS 85 intersection east will be much improved after grooming operations and from Mars Hill north the same will apply. All
operations will be out Thursday to begin to pack. ITS 92 from Ft Kent to Escourt remains in good shape and should be done by the end of the weekend.
Remember... no gas in Allagash . Chamberlain's is your last gas stop. ITS 90 has been plagued with difficulties this winter however this snowfall should
cure the problem area between Rt. 88 and Rt 105 that has been closed up until now and also the area from the Rt. 61 intersection through to the Portage
connection. ITS 88 has been groomed all week and will benefit from this snow. All three projects expect to hit the trail Thursday to pack and commence
grooming. ITS 86 is open and good from Littleton through to Oxbow. RT 105 Connector Trail has been in good shape and will be up to better conditions by
Sunday. Red Arrow, Sly Brook and Daigle will be out Thursday to begin grooming this new snowfall and should have their systems up by Saturday. RT 94
from Van Buren to Rt 105 should be back by Saturday and provides a great ride. Rt 89 from Caribou north to Rt. 94 will benefit from this new snow and
should be redone by Saturday.
- 1/31/07: ITS 85 Ox Bow /Marsardis has some great
conditions up through Ashland. From Ashland north you will run into limited grooming
due to more woods sections. Portage has not been through to the Eagle Lake turn
around...they need about another 6-8 inches. When it come they will go. You will
find active logging near Ox Bow and between Portage and Eagle Lake. These areas
include plowed road over 1 mile in both areas. 85D... is closed until further
notice...please stay off. St Francis is working to reopen the Lincoln Trail
or 85B off 85 for those wishing to hit Allagash. ITS 83 has been groomed
this week from Houlton /Monticello north to Madawaska and is really in decent
shape excepting skimpy field snow. The powerline from Stockholm to Mud Lake
has been opened and is reported to be in decent shape. ITS 81 from Mars Hill
north to the valley has had all projects reporting some grooming but still
urging sledders to use caution as fields and woods are skimpy. ITS 92 from
Ft Kent to Escourt is in good shape and has been groomed this week. There
is no gas in Allagash. Chamberlain's is your last gas stop. ITS 90 is good
on the Portage end however there is a section between the Rt. 61 connection
and the Portage turnaround that has not been groomed yet. Also the trail
has not been opened between Rt. 105 and Rt. 88...not enough snow. There
is logging between Rt. 105 and the Rt. 61 intersection so you will hit
plowed road. ITS 88 has been groomed...again skimpy in fields and open
sections. ITS 86 is open and is ok. RT 105 Connector Trail is in pretty
good shape from Van Buren to Squa Pan with a skimpy snow cover in fields
but groomed just the same between 85 and 83 in the Shin Pond/Dyer Brook
area. Red Arrow, Sly Brook and Daigle sections are decent just not a lot
of snow in fields. RT 94 from Van Buren to Rt 105 is open. Rt 89 from
Caribou north to Rt. 94 has been opened all the way.
- Oxbow/Masardis Trail Report - 3/5/07: Definitely the best riding of the season. ITS 85 and ITS 86 and the club trails have been groomed. Subzero temperatures this week should set up a solid base on the trails. The groomer may be on the trail at any time so use extreme caution. Caution: A logging operation is taking place on ITS 85 between the Oxbow Road and the Trout Brook Road in T9 R5 near Oxbow. The road is plowed for about 3 miles. Log trucks have the right of way. Keep to the right and slow down.
- 1/16/07: MOOSE ALERT - Be alert for moose on the trails. Several signs have been vandalized by
moose. Although we have signed all of the trails, some markers may be missing because of the moose problem.
Grooming continues on a daily basis. ITS 85 is rated good to very good depending on location. ITS 86 has the
best riding east of Route 11. Club trails 71B and 71D are groomed to Grand Lake Sebois. Signing has been
completed on Club Trail 71A IMPORTANT: A logging operation is taking place on ITS 85 between the Oxbow
Road and the Trout Brook Road in T9 R5 near Oxbow. The road is plowed for about 3 miles. Log trucks have the
right of way. Keep to the right and slow down.
- Benedicta Trail Report - 3/21/07: ITS 81 Sherman/ Mattawamkeag Cutoff is groomed with good to excellent conditions. Be aware of deer and moose using this trail. Municipal Trail 70 Benedicta/Whetstone Falls is NOT groomed but is still flat as a floor from last weeks efforts. This is good ride all the way - just a couple of waterholes opening up. ITS 83/85N Sherman/ Whetstone Falls is being groomed tonight Have water problems on this trail, but confident with temps falling that we can get this trail flattened tonight. Worse case, the groomer turns around and comes home. NO Snowgang club trails will be groomed for the remainder of the season due to low snow conditions.
- 3/7/07: ITS 83/85N - Sherman/Whetstone Falls: Groomed with good conditions. Have a section of trail approximately 6 miles from Whetstone to where 85N intersects with ITS#83 that, due to major traffic, needs some more snow at this time. ITS# 81 - Sherman/Mattawamkeag Cuttoff: groomed with excellent conditions. Be aware of moose and deer travelling this trail on the south end from town to the cuttoff. ITS # 70 - Benedicta/ Whetstone Falls: groomed, with excellent conditions. NOTE: With winds in excess of 30 mph severe drifting will occur. Slow down on all trails as drifts will be prevalent. Some grooming will take place on Wednesday (daytime) to take care of drifting problems.
- 2/16/07: 18-20 inches new snow. Groomers will start at daylight on Friday morning to take the air out of this snow and pack it for most of the
weekend. Plans as of this moment are to run both groomers for at least 36 hours straight to get trails back in place. With that in mind, sledders should be
aware that both Snowgang groomers will be running during daylight. All Snowgang trails should be open and groomed by late Friday night. Club trails will
be groomed at the discretion of the Trailmaster. Remember that moose and deer will be using these packed trails.
- Linneus Trail Report - 2/16/07: ITS 83 Open and groomed all the way from Houlton to the Island Falls-Oakfield turnarounds. Watch for Moose in
the woods on Lower 83. Connector Trail 87 Open and groomed from Linneus to Hodgdon and on to the meeting point in Houlton with the Meduxneakeag
Ramblers SC. Use caution in the swamp areas as there is some light logging going on. Trail 9 Open and groomed from ITS 83 in Houlton to Connector
Trail 87 in Hodgdon. Trail 10 Closed for the 06-07 season. Trail 64 Open and groomed all the way to Smoki-Haulers SC territory in Oakfield. Connector
Trail 105 (pipeline) Open and groomed all the way through to where East Grand SC in Danforth picks up at the Outhouse and beyond. WATCH FOR
MOOSE! There are a lot of them on Connector Trail 105. The Haynesville Spur is also groomed to the Rt. 2a Highway bridge in Haynesville, enabling
sledders to access Trail 1 of the Eastern Maine Snow Riders in Haynesville. Alternate 105 Open and groomed from Connector Trail 105 (Soldier Hill rd,
Forkstown) south back to Connector Trail 105 (Denmark rd, Haynesville). Trail 61 Open and groomed from ITS 83 all the way to Connector Trail 105. Trail
61B Open and groomed from Trail 61 to Connector Trail 105. Trail 8 South of Drew's Lake Open and groomed at this time. This trail has been relocated to
a more suitable location for access to Drew's (Meduxnekeag) Lake. The starting point for this trail is now on ITS 83 approximately 1.5 miles south of the
old intersection. Trail 8 North of Drew's Lake Open but not groomed at this time. Trail 8 North of Trail 64 is closed until further notice. A reroute is
necessary to circumvent a new subdivision, and this will not be happening this season. Trails 1 Open and groomed from Connector Trail 87 in Hodgdon to
the intersection of Trail 3 in Cary. Below this point it is currently being groomed by Sleds. Trail 2 Open and groomed from Trail 1 through to Trail 3. The
woods section in by Nesbitt's Camp is being done with sleds. Trail 3 Open and groomed from Connector Trail 105 to the intersection with Trail 1.
Trail 11 (Power line in Haynesville) Open and Groomed. This is the first pass with the groomer for the season. There is logging activity and some of the
Powerline Road is plowed. Watch for hazards. Trail 70 Open and groomed with sleds from the intersection with Connector Trail 105 to Trail 11 and down to
Bartlett's Store in Orient.
- Rangeley Trail Report - 2/15/07: There is between 20-30 inches of new snow. The groomer crews have been going out with only short breaks to pack and then groom the
snow. We will update trail conditions tonight once the reports are in. Wind and drifting will be an issue for the next 24 hours. We are grooming today to
pack, level and widen the trail system. The Trail Conditions list will be updated tonight (Feb 15th) when the grooming reports are in. Be cautious on
exposed sections of the trails for large drifts. They may be difficult to see in the blowing snow. The wind is supposed to decrease later this evening.
- 2/2/07: Trails Hotline: 207-864-7336. Groomers are working on a diminishing base in many areas so they are pulling rocks, sticks and dirt along with existing snow. The cold, dry weather prevents the snow from firming so it does not take long for a groomed trail to develop ruts, bumps and icy corners. Trails segments on gravel roads offer the best riding. Trails in the woods have rough spots and get rougher with traffic. Go slow and use caution in the rough sections. Inexperienced riders and young riders should try to avoid riding over Daddy's Ridge on ITS 84 W and over Bald Mt. on ITS 84 E until we get more snow. We have done what we can with the available snow but these sections remain in fair to poor riding condition. There is so much good riding that your trip plans should avoid these trail segments unless you have to use them. There is plenty of good riding out of both Rangeley and Oquossoc. Be cautious, as there are some dips, wet spots and exposed rocks. Best bets for a ride are between Rangeley and Oquossoc passing through Junctions R4, R6 and R7 or from either town heading out to East Kennebago Mountain and out to the start of the Eustis Trail (ITS 89). The trail to the summit of the mountain is in great shape and it is a scenic ride up into the frost zone. If you can endure the hard ride over Daddy's Ridge on ITS 84, the rest of the ride up to the Bosebuck area is very good. WARNING: We have had several days of cold weather so ice on the lakes should be thickening. Please check with local merchants or riders about ice conditions before venturing onto the major lakes. Several sleds have broken through the ice in mid-January. A snowmobile track on a lake is not a reliable sign that the lake is safe for travel. There are no lake trails that are part of the RLSC's trail system.
- Kingfield Trail Report - 2/15/07: Received 24 inches of snow on Wednesday. The groomers are out packing the trails, and will be grooming for the weekend. This much
needed snow will give all our trails the cover needed for excellent conditions.
- Eustis/Stratton - 2/15/07: Received 2+ feet of snow on Valentine's Day. Please don't expect perfect trails overnight, our groomers are all out breaking through
and packing the trails. ITS 89 Southwest to Rangeley was groomed Thursday.
- Fryeburg Trail Report - 2/16/07: Received almost 20 inches of snow across our region on Wednesday into Thursday. The snow is still blowing and drifting due to the high
winds.
- Rumford - 2/15/07: We got 20 inches from the storm. The Tucker has been out all day and most of the night packing the snow and filling in water bars. Groomed
from the Phillips Trail to Trail 17, Trail 17 to ITS 82, ITS 82 west to the Swain Pond Trail, and the Swain Pond Trail to Swain Pond. From there, turned
around and backtracked to Trail 12 and packed Trail 12 to Rumford Center. From there packed the trails back to the Park and Ride. Next the Tucker
packed Trail 17 to ITS 82, ITS 82 to Black Bridge, the Swain Pond Trail to Swain Pond, and from there backtracked back to the gas plant on Trail 17. Also
packed and groomed the High School Trail with a small drag.
- Waterboro - 2/15/07: About a foot of snow has fallen from the Valentine's Day storm. Groom teams will start grooming and opening trails on Thursday evening
and we should be in great shape for the weekend. There is plenty of free parking at the clubhouse and direct access to ITS89. This Sunday is the 8th
annual FET Inc, fishing derby on Little Ossipee Lake so expect heavy traffic all weekend.
- Sanford-Springvale - 2/15/07: 10-11 inches of snow was delivered on Wednesday. Crews will begin grooming by the weekend. There may be some minor
signage left to do, so be sure of where you are going. Please stay on the marked trails and respect our landowners. Watch out for any down trees as a
result of the high winds from the last two day.
Other Trail Reports:
Here are some great reports from
other winter seasons to wet your appetite and give you some trip planning ideas. During winters when
there was so much snow, many areas gave up making reports so
they could put all their manpower into dealing with all the new snow.
Check out these previous trail grooming reports:
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