Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,502
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    Weathernoob335
    Newest Member
    Weathernoob335
    Joined

2017 - 2018 Winter Sports Thread


Jonger
 Share

Recommended Posts

23 hours ago, Hoosier said:

I hate driving in snow.

I'm not a big fan of it either.

You wouldn't believe how many times LES has turned a 5 hour haul into an 8 hour haul.

I really don't even want to be where the snow is falling while on a snowmobile, I want it already on the ground and settled.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
9 hours ago, Jonger said:

Probably 8 inches of snow on the ground here. Took the sled out and put 25 miles on in about an hour.

How was the snowmobiling last weekend and where did you guys end up going? I'll prolly take my new sled out tonight for a bit, the snow is pretty fluffy with no base to it so won't go far. We're heading up tomorrow afternoon to blow out the driveway up at the cabin and ride saturday for a while. Not sure how it will be but I just hope we don't get a big melt down before or during christmas week up there. Don't really care what happens south of West Branch weather wise but up there they need cold and snow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, slow poke said:

How was the snowmobiling last weekend and where did you guys end up going? I'll prolly take my new sled out tonight for a bit, the snow is pretty fluffy with no base to it so won't go far. We're heading up tomorrow afternoon to blow out the driveway up at the cabin and ride saturday for a while. Not sure how it will be but I just hope we don't get a big melt down before or during christmas week up there. Don't really care what happens south of West Branch weather wise but up there they need cold and snow.

I still have over a foot otg, however trails are still a no go as the snow has been pure les the past week. The cold s certainly starting to help now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just got back from up sledding, great snow north of M72. Rode from our place at Higgins Lake to Starvation Lake and back. Only about 8" or so by our place but 16"+ up by Starvation Lake. Groomers are out running from Houghton Lake north, not sure about Graylings groomers though. We did a little over 100 miles today with only about 25 of them miles on groomed trails. It was a good trip to break in 3 new sleds, two 850 Skidoos and a 800 Polaris assault.   The 850 doo's are stupid fast! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It looks like all scenarios this coming week are good for Grayling north. This morning it had the whole lower peninsula getting snow, now the GFS is back to showing this to be a double shot to northern lower and the UP. I'd be ok with this, but it looks like we are going to grinch things out to achieve our annual christmas meltdown.

It always seems that Dec 20th through the 24th is the hardest period to escape sh-tty warmth to screw things up.

Looks like a solid week for northern lower and the yoop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Jonger said:

It looks like all scenarios this coming week are good for Grayling north. This morning it had the whole lower peninsula getting snow, now the GFS is back to showing this to be a double shot to northern lower and the UP. I'd be ok with this, but it looks like we are going to grinch things out to achieve our annual christmas meltdown.

It always seems that Dec 20th through the 24th is the hardest period to escape sh-tty warmth to screw things up.

Looks like a solid week for northern lower and the yoop.

Looking like for the first time in several years the northwoods are going to have a good X-Mas  and New Years. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, josh_4184 said:

Looking like for the first time in several years the northwoods are going to have a good X-Mas  and New Years. 

That would be good, hope it turns out that way. Kinda surprised at the snowpack MI has right now, good snow pretty much everywhere. We found some really deep untouched snow this morning north of M72 on a few of the gas lines that I normally hit. I wanted to take some pictures but my phone shut down because of the cold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, josh_4184 said:

Looking like for the first time in several years the northwoods are going to have a good X-Mas  and New Years. 

There are no trails around here, so it doesn't completely break my heart, but I am getting sick of the pre-christmas melt-downs we seem to be plagued with recently.

I'm tempted to throw the 2018 Gade-X in the back of the truck and rocket up there in the morning. I don't have a cover yet and I don't want to pay for the gas to haul the in-line trailer up.

What a conundrum. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, slow poke said:

That would be good, hope it turns out that way. Kinda surprised at the snowpack MI has right now, good snow pretty much everywhere. We found some really deep untouched snow this morning north of M72 on a few of the gas lines that I normally hit. I wanted to take some pictures but my phone shut down because of the cold.

Yea I have a couple "honey" holes by my house that I am saving for next week when we add to the snow pack, probably have 18-20" right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Jonger said:

Well.... there goes our synoptic snow.

I guess it's all about the lakes again as usual. 

Yea, sh#t happens I suppose, I am just grateful we didn't get a western lakes cutter and get washed out with an inch of rain. We still may get a few inches 4-6" through the strung out low, but the main player looks like an apps runner now. LES prospects look good, but with this cold there will be no moisture at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This warm up was good thing to help create a base that the lake effect snow wasn't doing. The groomed trails that we were on Saturday needed it as long as we get some fresh snow on top. John Dee is still going with 12"+ for a big chunk of northern lower, I'm sure your area Josh will have some really good snow by Christmas. My place 25 miles south of you should be ok also but south of M55 it might be tough sleding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, josh_4184 said:

Wishful thinking, that had such a low chance of verifying but it was fun to look at. Next week looks like another shot towards end of the week in fantasy land, I guess we shall see.

Yeah, a nicely phased, dare I say Big Dog storm in the 2nd half of December seems virtually impossible for any part of the Lwr Lakes at least. I'm sure NMI has scored some over the decades, but don't bother looking for the one-in-a-hundred years event down here.. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

APX still pretty bullish on the LES chances, but will be really determined by the flow pattern as usual but with such low temps gonna get the talcum powder snow which does not accumulate as well.

Quote

LONG TERM...(Friday night through Tuesday)
Issued at 326 AM EST Wed Dec 20 2017

...Cold then really cold with lake effect/enhanced snow at times...

As weak surface low pressure moves by to the southeast, more mainly
light snow may spread back north into the region Friday night
(models differ on this with the gfs the most bullish for this to
happen). The GFS then has lingering moisture along with a northern
stream short wave moving through Saturday (while other models
don`t). Regardless, progressively colder air will increase over lake
instability and start up the lake effect snow machine Saturday.
Colder air continues to steadily advect into the region over a
prolonged period so lake effect snow is expected well into next
week. Daytime highs may struggle to reach into the teens above
zero in some spots early next week. All of northern Michigan should
have a white Christmas at least!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're thinking of busting ass up to Cadillac-Gaylord-Kalkaska tomorrow evening to throw some quick miles on before having to head back the next evening for lame holiday parties.

After the 4-6 inches, I'm guessing this region should be decent. It looks like east of 75 is pretty wiped out. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Jonger said:

We're thinking of busting ass up to Cadillac-Gaylord-Kalkaska tomorrow evening to throw some quick miles on before having to head back the next evening for lame holiday parties.

After the 4-6 inches, I'm guessing this region should be decent. It looks like east of 75 is pretty wiped out. 

Gonna be tough going, trails are destroyed a lot of traffic last week with the little LES we got, combined with the previous warm ground, not very good riding. Maybe two tracks and off trail may be reasonable. Though I could be wrong and if a couple spots picked 6-8" and you are the first on it would be decent. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, Jonger said:

Decided not to go.

I spend $500 a month between the sled, trailer, insurance and storage. What's another 2 weeks.

Christ...

Oh yea... a big F-you to mother nature for that **** warmup earlier this week.

We picked up about 4" last night but not nearly enough to get the trails even in okay shape.  I am still gonna head out to some of my play areas luckily I live up here so its a no brainier although still need a trial permit.  Unfortunately snowmobiling is not one of the "cheaper" hobbies especially for the short play window we have. Alot of my friends have switched over to SxS's, not as fun in the snow but way more usable throughout the year. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, josh_4184 said:

We picked up about 4" last night but not nearly enough to get the trails even in okay shape.  I am still gonna head out to some of my play areas luckily I live up here so its a no brainier although still need a trial permit.  Unfortunately snowmobiling is not one of the "cheaper" hobbies especially for the short play window we have. Alot of my friends have switched over to SxS's, not as fun in the snow but way more usable throughout the year. 

Not even close to as fun. In fact, I find them boring. Would rather ride a motorcycle.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...