Sault Ste. Marie Area Trail Report – 01/14
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 01/14
1/14/25 trail 49 update-
🚨🚨As you can see, there are some areas that opened back up. This is on 49 between 12 mile and Gaines Hwy. Please use extreme caution!!!
We have a couple of days of warmer temps coming, then back to a deep freeze. This will freeze up solid in the coming days, but we wanted to get the word out for our weekday riders.
Thanks all! Be safe!
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1/14/25
Hello everyone! Steve, Chris, and Dennis ran the Soo to Kinross route on 49 last night. I always look forward to Steve’s reports, and it’s always an adventure on this trail!
Here’s what he had to say-
“Last night Passenger Chris and I headed out to groom Trail 49 from the Soo to Kinross. There was light snow falling and we had some recent snow to work with. It was setting up to be a nice night.
Before leaving town, we opened up the courtesy trail to Chippewa Motors. We made one pass and panned the powerline where all the recent utility work has been done. Snow is thin but the trail is useable.
We then headed south and made use of our Limbmasher in places that needed trimming. We took down a lot of limbs on our way through.
We stopped at the M-28 crossing to check things over and clean off the drag. Chris tripped on something while walking behind the drag and we realized we were tangled in a bunch of old fencing and dragging a stop sign. We were not able to undue the mess so we set it all on top of the drag and continued on.
Things went well until we dropped into the swamp south of 12 Mile. The same couple hundred yard stretch we have been battling all winter opened up again and is open water. We made our way through working with the little bit of snow we had leveling up the best we could. Trail is rough but is getting better. There are thin spots with dirt showing.
We crossed Gaines Hwy and headed towards our turnaround in Kinross. I did not realize it, but while crossing the Hwy, I dropped some snow and large ice chunks off the drag. I apologize to the vehicles that hit the mess.
We made the return trip and had plans to meet Groomer Dennis at the 7 Mile Rd crossing to help remove the wire from the drag. We had the stop sign we were dragging labeled with the road name so we knew where it had to be reinstalled. We were able to replace the stop sign and get the wire removed from the drag.
Dennis continued from there back to the barn. His return trip was uneventful.
Overall, the trail is coming along good. It is still a work in progress. The ditches are still showing water and the snow is thin in places. We are working with what we have and just need some more cold weather. The ground is still melting the trail base from the bottom up in our bad spots. Hopefully we keep making improvements as we go along.
Steve Lawson
Chippewa Motors, Inc.”
Definitely always a story on trail 49. We sure will be grateful when this trail receives the approval from the state for much needed permanent improvements to mitigate the water issues. Still way ahead of where we normally are on that stretch in early January👍🏼
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Postings From Regional Pages On Facebook
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Isolated light lake effect snow showers are possible Friday and Friday night, however better chances for widespread wet snow holds off until late in the day on Saturday. Widespread 3" to 5" inches of wet snow is possible from Saturday night through Sunday. Slippery road conditions are possible on Sunday morning. Rain may mix in with the snow over the southern sections of the U.P. on Sunday afternoon. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaIsolated light lake effect snow showers are possible Friday and Friday night, however better chances for widespread wet snow holds off until late in the day on Saturday. Widespread 3" to 5" inches of wet snow is possible from Saturday night through Sunday. Slippery road conditions are possible on Sunday morning. Rain may mix in with the snow over the southern sections of the U.P. on Sunday afternoon.
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Anyone order clear skies?!? Most of Upper Michigan has seen plenty of sunshine today and many places have seen temperatures respond. So far Menominee has hit 46! How warm has it gotten at your place? #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Skies have cleared out over much of the UP this afternoon! Check out the views of the brilliant blue skies from these selected webcams. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaSkies have cleared out over much of the UP this afternoon! Check out the views of the brilliant blue skies from these selected webcams.
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Old Soo Line Grade Lodge >> 01/30/25 - Trail system is looking great. Continue to follow Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association for the latest updates.
Ride safe, stay right … enjoy the i500 race week if you are in the area. #soo #snowphotos
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 1/30/25
Tired of seeing these beautiful trails yet? We sure aren’t! Thank you Warren! Looking beautiful in the Raco and Bay Mills area, as always! ❄️❄️❄️ #soo #snowphotos1/30/25
Tired of seeing these beautiful trails yet? We sure aren’t! Thank you Warren! Looking beautiful in the Raco and Bay Mills area, as always! ❄️❄️❄️
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Lingering snow this morning lifts northeast away from Upper Michigan with plenty of sunshine expected by this afternoon. Expect warm highs today in the 30s to mid 40s! Some light lake effect snow is possible Friday and Friday night, however better chances for widespread light snow hold off until late in the day Saturday... #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaLingering snow this morning lifts northeast away from Upper Michigan with plenty of sunshine expected by this afternoon. Expect warm highs today in the 30s to mid 40s! Some light lake effect snow is possible Friday and Friday night, however better chances for widespread light snow hold off until late in the day Saturday.
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 1/29/25
From groomer Dennis P this morning on his run on the Kinross west route. 472 west from Kinross to 480 through the Spile Dam, and to the turn around at the maple syrup farm. He says there’s at least 6” new snow down that way. Looking awesome! ❄️❄️❄️ #soo #snowphotos
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Old Soo Line Grade Lodge >> 01/29/25 - Trail 8 in Brimley, MI
We got dumped on!
Pushing 22” on the ground, undisturbed.
FYI … we just had a cancellation. The lodge is available February 12th to February 20th. Please share! The conditions are the best they have been. #soo #snowphotos
WEATHER UPDATE via Meteorologist Brad Sugden >> There will be some melting before the weekend, but, if you are heading north the current snowpack is looking decent for many winter sport areas! Some areas of the UP that have had excessive lake effect this season are pushing 5-6ft of snow depth! #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea #gaylord #cadillac #benzie #traversecity #petoskey
Too bad that color is 40-50 inches, not 50-75 lol and its 1-2 ft not 3-4 ft
This supposed to be current snow depth? I’m 7 miles south of pine stump and we’ve gotten well over 2 foot in the last 48 hours alone. There’s way more than 50” out there. Way more than 75 even.
Oliver Griepentrog Bruce Griepentrog
Brookelynn Natrop
Yep
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 1/29/25
Just in from Groomer Warren on his run on part of 8, part of 480, and 889 in the Raco and Bay Mills area. He said easily 10” of new snow. Looking beautiful! Thank you, Warren! ❄️❄️❄️ #soo #snowphotos
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