SAULT STE. MARIE UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association – 01/24
Update 1/24 Good evening!
A few things going on around here today.
1st, we had a brand new volunteer start today, welcome Jeff! He went on a ride along in the Kinross area with groomer Dave. Unfortunately, we had a track failure (NOT due to either of the operators) so the run was short lived. Heck of a first day, eh? This particular machine already had one track replaced with a spare earlier this season and this is another failure. We had given a track to Seney last year so we’re out of spares now. We have had tracks on order for some time with no ETA. Fortunately, our buddy Rex with Chippewa Snowchasers got word of our troubles and enlisted the help of DNR trail specialist PJ to track one down. Big thanks to Rex, PJ, and Grand Marais Sno-Trails Assoc. for helping us out! Tom and Mike will be on their way to Grand Marais in the AM to get the track.
Meanwhile, several other of our volunteers are working this evening to unhook the drag on #8 that is down, get it back to the Soo barn, and get the old #7 groomer down to Kinross until we can get #8 fixed up. Both will have to go via flatbed since trail 49 is still impassible via groomer south of the Soo all the way to Kinross. We appologize if 472, 480, 49 south of Gaines Hwy and 494 are a little rough until we can make the swap and get them groomed.
Additionally, we’ve made arrangements with a local farmer to pick up some straw to fill in our trouble spot water holes along 472 near 480 in the coming days. We’ll have volunteers out placing the straw and using the groomer to cover them with snow. I’ll share pics and update how it goes. Never had to do this before but we have seen Les Cheneaux have success with it.
Otherwise, trails are really in great shape. 8 from the Soo all the way through Raco, 480, 889, and the city trail system are all holding up really well. We got a little snow last night, a little more today, and temps are about to drop for an extended period of time…finally! With some luck, maybe we can get 49 all the way open in a couple of weeks.
Race week begins next week so it’ll be a fun and exciting time to be in the Soo and surrounding area!
Thanks again to our fellow clubs for helping us out!
We really are all in it together, all for the love of the sport and what it brings to our local economy.
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Quiet weather is expected today as highs climb into the 40s with increasing clouds through the day. A cold front will bring light showers to the area tonight, with a wintry mix of precipitation types possible, but not much snow or ice accumulation is expected as lows fall near 30. #miweather #keweenaw#westernup#marquette#munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaQuiet weather is expected today as highs climb into the 40s with increasing clouds through the day. A cold front will bring light showers to the area tonight, with a wintry mix of precipitation types possible, but not much snow or ice accumulation is expected as lows fall near 30. ... See MoreSee Less
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> A breezy day is expected today, with westerly gusts to 30 mph expected and a few gusts to 45 mph along the Great Lakes, but otherwise expect showers and fog to clear out in the morning and breaks in the clouds this evening through Friday. Light showers return to the forecast for Saturday. #miweather #keweenaw#westernup#marquette#munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaA breezy day is expected today, with westerly gusts to 30 mph expected and a few gusts to 45 mph along the Great Lakes, but otherwise expect showers and fog to clear out in the morning and breaks in the clouds this evening through Friday. Light showers return to the forecast for Saturday. ... See MoreSee Less
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> A wintry mix of freezing drizzle and snow/sleet is expected. Warming temperatures into this evening will change the wintry mix into rain by this evening. Widespread strong southeast gusts to 25 to 35 mph are expected into tonight. Gusts of 40 to 45 mph are possible on the Keweenaw and the eastern sections of the U.P. Light lake effect snow showers are possible for the northwest wind snowbelts on Thursday. #miweather #keweenaw#westernup#marquette#munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaA wintry mix of freezing drizzle and snow/sleet is expected. Warming temperatures into this evening will change the wintry mix into rain by this evening. Widespread strong southeast gusts to 25 to 35 mph are expected into tonight. Gusts of 40 to 45 mph are possible on the Keweenaw and the eastern sections of the U.P. Light lake effect snow showers are possible for the northwest wind snowbelts on Thursday. ... See MoreSee Less
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Snow this morning may create sloppy road conditions for the AM commute. Warming temperatures today will change snow to freezing rain/sleet this afternoon, and then to rain by this evening. Widespread strong southeast gusts to 35 mph expected today. 40 to 45 mph possible in the Keweenaw Peninsula and eastern UP. #miweather #keweenaw#westernup#marquette#munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaSnow this morning may create sloppy road conditions for the AM commute. Warming temperatures today will change snow to freezing rain/sleet this afternoon, and then to rain by this evening. Widespread strong southeast gusts to 35 mph expected today. 40 to 45 mph possible in the Keweenaw Peninsula and eastern UP. ... See MoreSee Less
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Gaylord Michigan >> Sunny skies this morning give way to clouds and snow by tonight as another winter weather system heads into Upper Michigan. Continue to monitor the forecast for any changes, and prepare for changes in travel plans, especially in the south central. #miweather #keweenaw#westernup#marquette#munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaSunny skies this morning give way to clouds and snow by tonight as another winter weather system heads into Upper Michigan. Continue to monitor the forecast for any changes, and prepare for changes in travel plans, especially in the south central. #906wx #miwx ... See MoreSee Less
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 3/31/25 A couple of our volunteers, Lane and Dennis, made it out for an 180 mile ride from the Pickford area all the way to Cut River and places in between today, even up trail 49 from Kinross! They definitely encountered some low hanging branches, but no major downed trees and they were surprised how well the trails have held up! Love to see our hard working volunteers out enjoying themselves on this last official day of an amazing season! Are you done riding for the season? Where was your last ride? #soo #snowphotos... See MoreSee Less
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Clear skies are expected overnight. Lows tonight will fall into the single digits over the interior western sections of Upper Michigan. Power outages caused be the ice storm continue over portions of south-central Upper Michigan and may last through the night. Remember to be safe with any type of space heaters and have a working carbon monoxide detector. Please consider checking on your neighbors! #miweather #keweenaw#westernup#marquette#munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaClear skies are expected overnight. Lows tonight will fall into the single digits over the interior western sections of Upper Michigan. Power outages caused be the ice storm continue over portions of south-central Upper Michigan and may last through the night. Remember to be safe with any type of space heaters and have a working carbon monoxide detector. Please consider checking on your neighbors! #906wx #MIwx ... See MoreSee Less
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 3/31/25 Last day of the official season, and oh what a season it has been! We did see significant icing last night, followed by about 2” of snow. I’m sure the trails are icy under the snow. It looks like areas to our northwest such as Paradise and Pine Stump got mostly snow. I would imagine that there are low hanging and broken branches and downed trees in spots, but we were very fortunate based on what I have seen in the Gaylord and Alpena areas. Please keep your eye on those clubs pages. They may need some assistance in the coming weeks. I’ll share if I hear of anything. We got very lucky here. If you’re out and about getting those last rides in, please be safe! Remember, trails on public lands do not close, but will not be groomed. After today, please be mindful of where you are riding to be sure you are not trespassing. We will get gates closed as soon as we can on private property. Ride safe! Thank you to all who have visited our area and supported or local businesses, to all of our members, donors, our volunteers, and especially the landowners who so graciously allow access on their property! We appreciate you all! Thank you for helping make it a great season!! #soo #snowphotos3/31/25
Last day of the official season, and oh what a season it has been!
We did see significant icing last night, followed by about 2” of snow. I’m sure the trails are icy under the snow. It looks like areas to our northwest such as Paradise and Pine Stump got mostly snow. I would imagine that there are low hanging and broken branches and downed trees in spots, but we were very fortunate based on what I have seen in the Gaylord and Alpena areas.
Please keep your eye on those clubs pages. They may need some assistance in the coming weeks. I’ll share if I hear of anything.
We got very lucky here. If you’re out and about getting those last rides in, please be safe!
Remember, trails on public lands do not close, but will not be groomed. After today, please be mindful of where you are riding to be sure you are not trespassing. We will get gates closed as soon as we can on private property.
Ride safe! Thank you to all who have visited our area and supported or local businesses, to all of our members, donors, our volunteers, and especially the landowners who so graciously allow access on their property! We appreciate you all!
Thank you for helping make it a great season!! ... See MoreSee Less