3/29/08

I went out west last week and it snowed over 2 feet on us and we had a great time.  When I came back, it looks like somebody turned off the winter switch.  We are officially closing our trails for the season in order to comply with our PBG contract with the DNR.  See you next season.

3/12/08

Sorry about taking so long to update the conditions but I've been out of town on work.  Last week we got around 3" of snow and last weekend  the riding was good all over the county.  Trail 1 in Beltrami is still hosed up and with the warm weather the last two day it will be pretty much dirt and mud.  The ditch trails are in fair shape but the snow depth is dropping pretty fast.  We are not grooming until it cools down which is forecast to be Friday night.  It looks like some snow is in the forecast so that should help out with the trails.  Oh, a fellow trail rider asked me to point something out that creates poor trails and is totally avoidable - when it's warm and soggy out, please do not take off with the track spinning like crazy as you leave those piles of snow in the middle of the trail.  Then, in the morning, they are frozen hard and make for really uncomfortable riding.  We all want good trails and it takes a bit of effort on everyone's part to make them that way.

A bit of information on grooming this year so far:

Grooming mileage - over 2850 miles

Grooming hours - over 500 hours so far

Diesel used - over 2750 gallons

Have fun, keep the rubber side down, and I'll be back on March 24 after a week of mountain riding.

 

2/24/08

I'm a little late updating the trail conditions but here is the scoop.  On the East side, everything was groomed except for the Bay Trail and BISF Trail 1.  BISF 1 is still plowed and in general poor shape due to logging activity.  Also due to the cold, BISF 3 and 4 were missed but reports said they were in good shape for the weekend.  EDA 1, the Express, S313, and S310 were hit and are in pretty good shape.

On the west side, everything has been groomed except the East Park trail.  The Ray Morrissette has been groomed but remains pretty bumpy in the forest by the shelter.  C4, C2, C3, S32, C16 and the C2 club trails started out in good shape Friday morning.  S89 and C4 were even double wide in most spots.  On Saturday, the Fun Run provided plenty of traffic on the system but I think it held up fairly well considering the consistency of the snow. 

We'll be sending out the groomers on Monday to settle the trails down a bit o the high traffic areas and the remainder of the system will be ready by Friday.

Please remember that we don't groom when the temp gets below -20F as it is pretty hard on the equipment.  We had about 2 1/2 days of that weather last week which caused us to pick and choose which trails to finish for the weekend. 

2/14/08

The groomer drivers checked in to day and gave me the following information.  On the East side, every trail has been gone over from the Floyd Olson to Dewey's including the Beltrami trails, C12, C5, the Express trail and S313.  Roland is coming back on EDA1 tonight and finishing up on S310 and C16.  I believe Trail 1 in Beltrami is still in tough shape due to logging by Clear River and the Bednar Road has not had enough snow to recover from being plowed a few weeks ago.  The Bay trail has been mostly groomed except for a spot or two by Willow Creek. 

The west side will be finished by late tonight.  Every trail has been hit and Jordan is finishing up C4 and the Ray Morrissette tonight.  S89 is in good shape after being groomed but if the wind comes up it will be bit rough due to the usual drifting that occurs weekly.  The new snow that was forecast turned out to be about a half inch which is better than nothing but still a bit short of what we wanted.  If you're going out this weekend, have a good time and keep the rubber side down.

2/8/08

Well, after taking a beating from some of you last week, I have good news and bad news regarding trails.  First, everything on the west side has been done as of today including the Ray Morrissette.  On the East side, the drivers have confirmed that everything has been hit except for the Bay trail.  I went for a quick 100 mile ride today and EDA1 is great except for about 2 miles of trail where logging and gravel hauling is occurring.  Through Warroad and down C5, it is the best I have seen in years.  The west side of Beltrami is in great shape along with the Hayes Lake trails.  The bad news is that the East side of Beltrami is being logged and the Bednar Road was plowed recently.  So, everything east of Clear River is in poor shape.  I would stay away from this if possible and take the northern route if you are going to any LOW trails.  The other bad news is that we are supposed to get a little snow, a lot of wind and some real cold weather this weekend.  Tonite should be good riding and maybe a bit tomorrow but it sounds like it's going to blow a bit and make it tough on the ditch trails.  That's all for now so ride safe and keep the rubber side down.

1/31/08

Sorry for taking so long to update the trail conditions but it's been a hectic two weeks.  This week we had really high winds and the north-south ditch trails became very rough and have drifts I have never seen before.  The groomers are out right now and the system will be in as good as shape it can be for this weekend.  My wife and I were out last weekend in Beltrami and on the new trail and all of it was in good shape considering we could really use another foot of snow.  Our ASV groomer broke down last week so we rented a backup groomer to take care of things on the east side until we verify the ASV for use again.  On the west side, the East Park trail was a bit skinny on snow on the long east-west minimum maintenance road on the south side of the park.  Everything going north-south over there should be in good shape once the groomer goes through.  Same goes for S32 - there should be some new snow blown in the ditch on the west side of 32 but the east side may still be a bit hard and slippery.  So, come on out and put some miles on now that it isn't -20F (boy was my sled tough to start this morning) and have a safe, fun time in Roseau County!

1/17/08

The new Roseau-Warroad Express Trail is now open.  There were 7 of us that signed the trail last Saturday before the club meeting.  It sure does save time If you don't want to cruise the woods on the north or south side of the system.  My wife and I rode it that evening and once it gets groomed again (which should be today) it will be in great shape.  With the wind yesterday and today, the  ditches on the west and north sides of roads are drifted a bit and may get a bit firm before the groomers hit them so take it easy there.  EDA 1 has the usual bulldozed portion by the Johnston Cabin and now there is road work by the  new gravel pit south of the Norland road.  The Forest Service contacted me today and notified me of the potential trail hazard so take it easy in those areas as it gets really icy and rough after a trail gets bulldozed.  The Bay trail is in pretty good shape as we rode that to the club meeting last Saturday night.  This is another trail that will shape right up with one more grooming.  On S310 going north, there is a small bridge just after the skidder that may have loose plank.  We will be sending someone out tomorrow to take care of it but be careful until then.  It seems a pickup has been driving this trail which may have helped loosen the plank.  The East Park trails are now fully groomed as the DNR finally opened the gates by the lake.  The S32 ditch trails look ok from the highway and when the groomer hits them, they will be in really good shape.  On LOW, be careful on the trail to the Angle.  Someone plowed a road to their icehouse across the trail and a friend's father had a pretty bad get-off which sent him to the emergency room.  If you see anyone plowing or damaging a snowmobile trail, please contact me with any info like the date, time, a license number or other pertinent info so the proper actions can be taken for inconsiderate acts that endanger snowmobilers.  The fish are biting at the  South Tip so get outdoors this weekend, even though it may be a bit cold, and have a safe, fun time.

 

1/11/08

After last week's high winds, we had rain and temps in the upper 30's and rain on Sunday and Monday.  This will make for some thin areas on the top of crossings, the plowed area on EDA1 by the Johnston cabin and even part of S89 on the east side of the highway.  The little bit of snow (I measure about 3/4" of light fluffy stuff on my deck) we received Wednesday night and Thursday morning will help cool hyfax as it was really dry and hard earlier this week.  The whole west side has been groomed along with both sides of S89 and S310.  the north end of the Ray Morrissette is rough due to beaver dam issues and not quite enough snow in spots.  The Bay Trail has a soft spot and we are working to get the north end of the trail re-routed off the county road going to Arneson's.  Greg is also working with Lakewood Township people to route a connector trail between Arneson's and the LOW spur about 3 miles to the east.  I have been in contact with the DNR to get things done by the book so it may take a little time to get it done. We are also having a signing party for the new Roseau-Warroad Express trail.  If you can help out, call me at 463-4821 or get in touch with Buck as we will work towards the middle from each end.  C5 out of Warroad is ok and should be decent with another pass by the ASV.  Beltrami continues to pretty good from the reports I have heard.  The Morehouse road has been plowed a bit if you are going to Fourtown so be prepared to run on gravel for a bit.  Well, that's enough for now, have a good weekend and be safe on the trails and keep up your snow dances as we really need a foot of snow to cover up all the bare spots and smooth out the forest trails.

 

1/4/08

Happy New Year!  All the trails in our system have been gone over this week.  The guys did a great job and opened up the Bay Trail, the new Warroad-Roseau Connector Trail and the connector from Rocky Point to the LOW club trails.  Unfortunately, Mother Nature blew pretty good the night before and north south ditch trails have a bunch of finger drifts across them.  The good thing is trails like S89 and S310 are in much better shape than last week.  You need to be careful on the river by the golf course as there is a spring that keeps the ice a bit thin.  One unlucky person dropped their sled in but they are ok.  Where the Warroad-Roseau connector crosses the  river, it is safe - I even took my wife and friends across there.  On the west side, the  East Park trail has a glitch in that the DNR has not opened up the gates one each end of  the lake.  I am working with Trails and Waterways today to get it opened up so you can get to Karlstad from Strathcona.  The Beltrami trails are in good shape and so is EDA 1 but they could use a bit more snow.  The Ray Morrissette is in fair shape but has some hard and rough spots in it so take it easy through there.  Have fun and keep the rubber side down.

12/29/07

Hello everyone.   We have decent snow up here and the groomers are trying to keep up to smooth out the trails.  We are doing our best to keep our riders happy but sometimes it looks like we aren't doing enough.  Well, we are trying to sort out scheduling while trying to get the Pisten Bully back up to speed.  This makes for some delays that you see as ungroomed trails.  Couple that with the Holidays and you see that the trails are not meeting expectations.  The other issues I've had to deal with are swamps that are not frozen enough yet, the DNR with locked gates on the East Park Trail, an air filter full of cattails and what you get is a whole bunch of negative feedback.  So, after the New Year, the PB is getting its 100 hour service by the dealer and our groomer scheduling will address the whole system and the high traffic trails at least once a week.  Please bear with us while we get things sorted out. 

In the mean time, keep a watchful eye out for an exposed culvert going south on S89 just past County 2.  Also watch for washouts going south on S310 from the Ray Morrissette - they are rough but are marked with Caution signs so slow down and you will be safe.  The Beltrami system was re-routed around Indian lands and there are a few spots that are light on signs just south of Bemis that might cause some confusion.  Buck is going to take care of that this weekend so it shouldn't be a problem later.  Beltrami Trail  3 to the Penturen Church has not been groomed fully yet until the swamps freeze to avoid sinking the groomer.  Lastly, the Bay Trail will be packed this weekend and should be groomed next week.

So, please bear with us until we get the PB fixed and a bit more snow falls.  We want to give the best trails in NW Minnesota and we aim to please.

12/18/07

Everyone has been asking, "When ya gonna groom the trails?"  Well, the PB has made the rounds on all the trails west of 89 and even groomed 310.  We are going to get to the East side trails later this week so our whole system should be groomed by the weekend.  This is the earliest we have groomed since December of 1996 so we are off to a good start with groomed trails for Christmas.  I'll make one more update before Saturday as I get reports back from the groomer drivers so stay tuned and get your sleds out of storage as it's sledding season again!

12/15/07

We got out last Wednesday and put 12 hours on the new Pisten Bully.  S89 was groomed form Wannaska to Roseau on both sides and C2 was groomed from S89 to Badger.  Unfortunately, it snowed a little and blew a lot which filled up the west side of S89 and made it look like a typical ungroomed trail.  We are putting new tracks on the ASV so both groomers will be going full time next Monday.  Today we finished up the EDA1/310 bridge and put up a few signs for the new Corridor trail system and some trouble spots on S89.  With all the new culverts, it is a challenge to mark them all to keep our riders safe.  Anyway, we are starting the season at least two weeks early this year and that is a good thing.  Keep hoping for more snow and if you have any spare time, we could really use you to help with trail work and moving in a few new shelters this year.  See you at the meeting tonite.

12/9/07

Hi everyone.  We have been pretty busy with getting the trails in shape for the upcoming season.  So far, the club has spent over 90 hours signing trails and spent over $5500 on signs, hardware, sign posts, insurance and supplies.  We are very close to opening the trails but there are a few items we want to get done after muzzleloader season ends tonite.  We are going to have another work day on the 15th to place the last bridge pole on the 310 bridge.  We also need to move the bridge we replaced to the highline on EDA 1, continue signing the new Corridor Trail, move the new shelter to the Ray Morrissette and prepare the EDA 1 shelter to be replaced later this season.  We will be having a groomer driver meeting early next week to help out with scheduling and initial trail prep.  We still need to knock down the cattails in the ditches and there is some mowing to do on EDA1.  The DNR has been installing the permanent re-routes around Indian Lands in Beltrami so I will post a new map online soon so you can keep up with the changes.  The new cross-county trail also needs signing and a few more Landowner permission contracts and it will be complete.  Another noteworthy item is the bike trail from the corner of Hwy 11 and 89 straight south to the Pizza Ranch.  The club has been informed that the City will leave snow on it in order to accommodate snowmobile traffic even though there are signs that say NO MOTOR VEHICLES. 

11/11/07

We still have some clean-up work on 310 to get some culverts signed and put up some "One-Way" signs.  We hope to have decent weather and a few members help us out this coming Saturday to sign 89 and maybe even C2.  All the new culvert work has left a few dozen new signposts with black tops that need to be marked with yellow reflectors.  Also, with the  road work and phone line work, several signs and posts have been rendered inoperable so they need replacing.  So, come on out and help us put our trails in tip top shape.

10/10/07

Hi folks.  We have started trail maintenance already by signing S310 last weekend.  We have a lot more to sign and if you can help out, give me a call or send an email from here.  Our new groomer should be here by the beginning of December and this time it has the big tracks and all-way blade for making great trails.  See you at the membership banquet on the 19th at Gene's.

3/28/07

I took my family out west for a snowmobile vacation last week.  We had good weather, good riding and had a great time with a bunch of our friends.  When we came back, the trails looked pretty bleak and with today's rain, the season can officially be proclaimed "Over".  To satisfy the requirements of our PBG with the DNR, we have to officially close the trails we are responsible for.  So, the Roseau County Trails and the Beltrami Island State Forest Trails are closed for the season.  We'll see you next season and if you wish to contact us, fell free to email us at the address on the front page of the site.

3/6/07

It might have seemed like the trails weren't groomed last weekend but that is due to a few inches of new snow and a lot of wind.  Jordan ran twice last week to help cut down some of the drifts on the ditch trails and it helped but the wind never quit.  That basically erased the work we did.  Anyway, having enough snow to blow around is a good thing and all the trails were open last weekend.  Thanks to some great work by Roland and Mitch, all the East side trails were open, including Beltrami.  For those not familiar with the situation, the Red Lake Band said that no trails are allowed on their lands.  Several of the State trails in BISF touch or cross Indian Land as their land is scattered all over the forest in little tracts here and there.  As of today, everything in Beltrami that is groomed by us, Fourtown/Grygla and LOW clubs will be re-routed and open again.  See this map for where the new parts of the  trails are.  For trails in the middle of our system, S89 is good both north and south.  Be careful on crossings as the  plows are banking up the sides and it makes things a bit tricky getting up to the roads.  Watch for a hole by the culvert just north of 9 mile corner.  The trail follows the tree line, then cuts across an approach and goes into the bottom of the road ditch.  If you miss the approach (slow down!) you end up in  big hole.  I'll try to get it signed for the weekend.  My wife and I rode the Ray Morrissette and it is in ok shape.  One more run with the groomer and it should be pretty good except for the logging on the border.  The trail is plowed up to Minnesota Hill and it is pretty slick.  S89 North is good and so is the Cty 16 club trail.  The C2 Club trail has a lot of finger drifts and you need to be careful if you're not familiar with trail.  There are two caoution signs by the Hedlund driveway - PAY ATTENTION - there is a big pipe to avoid on the west side of the driveway on your right.  The south side of C2 is flat and smooth.  Reports from the Forest are good.  The trails are in good shape and should even better for this weekend.  We'll be out again this week and working the trails for your enjoyment.  Have fun and keep the rubber side down.

2/28/07

It was a great relief as we finally got snow last weekend. We received over a foot of new snow almost county wide.  East of here they got up to 18" so we finally have a great base to groom.  The west side has been groomed already and the east side guys will be going through Trail 1 to Roosevelt and hitting the Bay Trail on the return part of the loop.  They will also be signing and grooming on Trails 3 and 4 in BISF to re-open them to the public as they will now go around Indian Lands.  I will have a new map up on Friday so you  can download it and print it out to see where the reroutes will be in BISF.  We are being told that Thursday and Friday will be bringing us another foot of snow so it looks like sledding season will be going full blast by the weekend.  Ride safe and keep the rubber side down.

2/13/07

Hi again.  I just got back from Bear Lodge in the Bighorns and it was way warmer out there than it is here.  They actually had pretty good snow too.  Back to news for our trails.  Due to a little oops on my part, we didn't get out grooming last week but it seems that the ditch trails didn't suffer too much from it.  If you are wondering if we are going to groom Beltrami I have some disappointing news.  I just got word from the DNR that we are not allowed to groom Beltrami due to a request by Mr. Jourdain of the Red Lake Chippewa band.  Mary Broten said we will get reimbursed for our grant but the trails are basically closed for the rest of the season.  I'm saddened to give you this news but I believe that the minimal reroutes of the trails to get them off Indian lands will be completed by next season. 

On Friday, I will be talking with our Pisten Bully dealer about upgrading to a wide track machine as Jordan got stuck the first time out with it and it appears we can get a decent deal to get what we really need.

Well, keep thinking snow and hope that we get some new white stuff to help freshen up our trails. 

2/5/07

This is a quick update before I go out of town to Bear Lodge for some mountain riding.  The west side of the system will be groomed as soon as it warms up above -20F.  I will also be sending the ASV to do C5 and the Beltrami trails in our system.  So, with decent weather we should be able to make the trails reasonably smooth for the upcoming weekend.  As always, be safe out there as the trails are hard and kinda bumpy.  The ditch trails have approaches that are still sharp and hard on the back sides which means a caution is the best way to travel to keep the rubber side down.  Have a great week and better weekend and I'll update the progress of trail grooming next week.

2/1/07

Since Sunday we have received about 1 inch of snow and a bunch of wind.  That has helped fill in east-west ditches and Walsh boys have been out grooming.  The whole west side has been hit with the exception of a sketchy report on S32.  I'll find out about that and report later.  The Ray Morrissette is kinda rough through the woods west of the shelter until you get past Minnesota Hill.  EDA1 is still painfully rough so take your time when using that trail.  C4 going to Beltrami from S89 is so-so and the approaches are still pretty square so take your time and keep an eye out for any culverts and field rocks.  On a lot of the culverts, the Watershed Board has laid out rock and just kind of pushed them around.  This leaves "rock traps" like on Cty Ditch 8 south of town, about 2 miles west on C2 from S89 and a few other spots.  Please be careful and slow down through those areas. There is enough snow to get through Beltrami but the groomer won't go through there until there is a bit more snow.  If they go through Beltrami, they might pull up some dirt which ends up shortening the season by about a week when the late winter sun hits it.  The Bay Trail is still needing snow but the Angle Trail just outside Springsteel is marked and fairly smooth.  It's looks to be a decent weekend for sleddin' but dress warm as it will be a touch on the cool side. 

The Angle Edge Riders sent me this notice today.  Please heed its advice and drive the speed limit on the lake as best you can.

 

1/28/07

We finally got our Pisten Bully back from the dealer and everything works on it, hooray!  Well, until Jordan got stuck a few miles from his shop.  It doesn't float as well with the stock narrow tracks and it takes a bit of finesse to keep up on top of the snow.  We did get C2, C4 and C7 groomed along with S89 north and C16.  The ASV made a run up and back on EDA 1 but there is still not enough snow to fill in the ruts.  In the big picture, we still need a bunch more snow so we can complete a full round on our trails.  It is a bit better west of here in Kittson County so at least the connection can be made form our system.  I wish I had better news but without any new snow to speak of for the last month, ice fishing looks to be a better play right now.  See you in a week.

1/15/07

Hello again.  I have been taking a little heat from eager riders that want to get out on the trails.  With the little skiff of snow last week and the  wind some ditches have filled in enough to start grooming.  Unfortunately, our Pisten Bully was sent back to Burnsville with hydraulic problems and the BR180 that was left to cover for it would have a hernia pulling our 12 foot wide drag.  I've talked to the groomer drivers and the ASV went out this afternoon on S89 both north and south.  I rode S310 and  EDA1 to the lake and the bottom line is that there isn't enough snow for that trail so avoid going there if possible.  I did see some government dog tracks and an owl so that was something to break up the monotony of the rough trails.  S310 is really rough going north once you get to the logging road north of Sprague Creek.  S310 south is so-so but watch the washout at the end of the woods.  The Ray Morrissette has had the bridge put back over the ditch so we are in good shape there. Out west,  the Marshall County groomer fell through the ice in a ditch be the Pelan Park Trail and sunk their new Pisten Bully so we are going to make darn sure ditches are good to go in before we send out our shiny new groomer.  In Beltrami, there is good snow so we will send the small groomer there later this week.  the Bay Trail has been packed but there is not enough snow to groom yet.  So, please have patience and keep snow dancing 'cause we need about 10 more inches of snow to make the trails smooth and fast.

1/05/07

Happy New Year!!  Well, we got our Christmas Week snow but it wasn't what we were expecting, especially the rain.  We have started grooming the west side of the system where the ditches filled in a bit.  The east side is looking a bit shy on snow and several of the trails aren't very good to ride on due to ruts and ice.  We'll keep pecking away putting hours on the groomers in the hope that when more snow falls, our trails will be in tip top shape.

I have to remind everyone to STAY OUT OF THE INTERCEPTOR DITCH!!!!!  There are a lot of tracks in it and this is exactly what we don't want to have happen.  The seeded areas are fragile until the plants and vegetation take root and it won't happen if you keep riding in the ditch, especially in the bottom.

If you are out riding, there is a torn culvert about 7 miles south of town on the east side of Hwy 89.  Please be careful and avoid the middle of approaches and we will get a caution sign out shortly.

Thanks and have a safe ride.

12/12/06

Hello again everybody!  By the DNR, we could open our trails as of the 1st but there are a few things that need to be taken care of first.  As of last weekend, we have rebuilt two bridges and located one that floated away over a year ago.  We also have a few downed trees to take care of and several signs to replace and then we will be very close to opening for business.  The final part is getting enough snow to groom.  We were close until it warmed up and we need at least 10 inches snow before we turn the groomers loose.  Have patience, we typically don't have enough snow until Christmas week so you have time to finish your shopping and getting your sleds ready for winter. 

Safety Announcement: I have to make a safety announcement concerning the West Interceptor Ditch one mile west of Roseau.  It looks tempting to ride in but you need to STAY OUT OF THE INTERCEPTOR DITCH.  The Watershed Board needs to keep the snow from being compacted in the bottom of the ditch so the seeded vegetation can take hold in the spring.  Also, there are at least four rip-rap walls that will do great harm to your sled and yourself.  They are marked with red stakes and reflectors but you need to pay attention and stay clear of the ditch.  Up on the north end of the ditch at Cty 16 and 370th, the ditch is very steep on the SE and NW corners by the stop signs.  So, stay clear of those corners and have a safe ride.

4/17/2006

Well everyone, it's time to officially close the trails as it is past April 15th.  I know, we haven't had snow for two weeks but this notice completes an obligation to the DNR for our trail maintenance grants.  Heck, the DNR even closed LOW due to one of the Arctic Cat test drivers dunking one of their test sleds.  Oh well, I hope everyone had a great season and we will be hard at work behind the scenes working on getting improvement grants, trying to add a new trail, purchasing a newer groomer and all the infrastructure work it takes to run a trail system and have fun doing it.  Have a great summer and see you next winter!!!

3/24/06

Well, it looks like this will be the last good weekend for riding up here.  The warm temps have settled the snow  in the ditches and bare spots are appearing on some corners and plowed logging roads.  I just got done riding EDA 1 and the logging and cabin moving has taken its toll.  The sun has hit the dark spots and there are several areas where it's nothing but dirt and grass and mud.  The first area is just before the bridge by Sprague Creek about 8 miles in from 310.  Then where the gravel was laid down, it's bare for about a mile and then before you get to the highline after the shelter it's bare again for about a half mile.  The short stub to the lake is good but 313 has some water in the bottom of the ditches.  C5 is kinda marginal coming south out of Warroad and gets better after about two miles.  Clear River to Dewey's is great except for the little bare spot left by logging about 3 miles east on 4.  89 is real good as is C4 from Dewey's.  So, if you want to get those last miles in this weekend, come on up and have a ball.  The Can-Am is in good shape as are most of the Edge Riders NW Angle trails.  I think the  trails to Woodridge and Sandilands are in pretty good shape as they had even more snow than we did.  Have a safe, fun ride and keep the rubber side down.

Current snow depths.

3/16/06

Hey, we have cold weather and the snow is still dang near even with the roads in a lot of the county.  It was -4F Tuesday morning so our snow is hanging in there and the groomers will be done with almost all of the trails by tomorrow afternoon.  The Ray Morrissette has not been hit as one of our drivers is taking a well earned vacation and Brian is doing the best he can to hit the rest of the west side of the county.  EDA 1 was plowed hopefully for the last time as the DNR removed the last of the cabins on Monday and Tuesday.  Mitch did hit EDA 1 afterwards to pull snow back on the trail so the plowing effect was minimized.  Beltrami is in great shape with one spot of 1 near Roosevelt plowed for logging in the area.  Please be careful in the plowed areas as it gets icy and slippery in the corners.  In town here, the river is in marginal shape with a bunch of water on top of the ice making slush and icy bumps everywhere.  The dam in town is still not passable so you have to get off north of the railroad bridge and get back on north of the fairgrounds.  I hope everyone has had a great season and don't forget to connect to our neighboring trail systems in Kittson, Middle River, Fourtown, LOW, Baudette and in Manitoba.  The Canadian trails to Woodridge, Falcon Lake and pretty much everything within 50-100 miles is in great snowmobiling shape with tons of snow for off trail excursions.  Keep the rubber side down, ride smart and most of all have FUN!

Here's where the snow is in Minnesota.  If you check out Roseau County, we are purple for the first time in over 9 years.  Woo hoo!Current snow depths.

3/12/06

It's been a warm week with temps in the 40s on Thursday and Friday.  The groomers made the rounds and did the best they could even though the snow didn't set up all week.  Enough of the bad news.  For good news, we still have a great base and received at least two inches of snow today with light snow still falling as I type this.  The ride to the club meeting last Friday night was great except for the fog on the way home.  All in all, we are still having a GREAT season up here and if the temps hold out, we will be sledding for at least a few more weeks.  The Forest Service called me up on Friday and said they were going to plow up some more of EDA 1 to remove two cabins on Monday.  With any luck, the trail will be put back in shape by Wednesday so it won't affect next weekend.  Beltrami and the East side continue to be in great shape.  We completed the grooming contract for Beltrami but threw in an extra round trip last week.  The DNR has found monies fro two more trips as soon as I get the paperwork and send it back to Bemidji.  In the meantime, here are the grooming statistics for the last two months so you can  see how much is done behind the scenes.  Our groomer drivers do a great job for us so  feel free to compliment them next time you run into one of them - Jordan, Brian, Mitch and Roland are their names.

I just got through about 7 hours of bookwork that covers the last two months and here is a short summary on what we've done since the first report in January:

Grooming:  East side and Beltrami - 229 hours and 1044 miles
 of grooming

               West side:  328 hours and 1684 miles of grooming             

Trail Work:  29 hours of signing and trail maintenance. 

So, the next time you get on the trails, remember we are working very hard to make them as smooth as possible. 

Here's where the snow is in Minnesota.  Current snow depths.

 

3/07/06

It's been a little topsy turvy lately as we got over a foot of snow in the last 9 days.  We weren't able to groom much before the weekend so the trails kinda had too much loose snow on them.  That is not a bad thing but we pride ourselves in having the trails ready for the weekend.  Anyway, the guys are in the groomers right now and the system will be ready for this weekend.  With the warm temps, it looks like a bunch of settling will happen.  For the most part, Beltrami is in great shape, EDA 1 is getting better as the snow filled in the trails that have been plowed by the logging activity.  I rode EDA 1 to the club meeting on Friday night and the loggers have been doing pretty good at leaving snow on the trail lately and I have to give them credit for helping out.  The west side trails are shaping up as my buddy Randy has let me know how S32 and the trails from Middle River have been.  I wish everyone a great ride and come on up as we have more snow now than we've had in over 9 years.  Keep the rubber side down.

Here's where the snow is in Minnesota.  Notice that we have some of the best snow in the state!!!  Current snow depths.

2/28/06

Due to popular demand, I am going to update the conditions a little more often.  We were missed by the majority of the snow last Friday and received about 1" of new stuff.  The groomers are out right now and have the majority of the system ready for the weekend.  This is going to change, though, as the Weather Service says we might be getting up to 6" tonite.  Yeee Hawww!!!!!!!!!  One rider from the Middle River area says that the S-32 and C-4 trails are in good shape as they were groomed today.  On the East side, there is improving conditions on EDA 1 by the cabin removals and Beltrami continues to be some of the best trails around.  Remember, there is a new connector to LOW club trails just to the east coming out of Arneson's.  If you are riding south and west of here, the Oklee area all the way to Bemidji area got the bulk of the new snow and the new Z-1's were taking advantage of it last Friday.  Well, that's it for now.  I may be going out of town soon so it may be a week for a new report.  Have fun and keep the rubber side down.

Here's where the snow is in Minnesota.  Current snow depths.

2/24/06

Sorry its been so long but I was out west last week having a good time in the Bighorns.  We have received about 4-5 inches of snow since the 4th and the trails are in great condition.  Only EDA 1 by the cabin removal area is in sorta poor shape.  The ditch trails are the fullest I have seen in over 9 years and it's fun sledding this year.  Stop by and see Moose at the Ray Morrissette shelter on Saturday for a hot dog and some hot chocolate between 11:00 and 1:00. 

The river in town froze pretty good last week so travel is fairly good but be careful by the dam in town.

KCPro is having a race on March 4 so stop by and see some great Kitty Cat and 120 racing action.

Ride smart and keep the rubber side down!!

Here's where the snow is in Minnesota.  Current snow depths.

2/4/06

We received about 2-3" of new snow on Sunday and Monday which helped out after the warm spell last week.  The groomers have made it around the whole system and luckily one of the tires on the big groomer went down after the rounds were completed.  We didn't get the big groomer onto EDA 1 so the west side of 313 is still going to be rough due to drifting and the settled ice just north of the Springsteel Road.  The plowed parts of the trail in Lost River are going to be improved a little as we will pull the banks down a bit to get at least a little snow over the dirt and ice.  This situation will be present for at least two weeks as there is still wrangling between the cabin owners and the FS so please bear with us on this issue.  If you find the trail conditions unsatisfactory, please call me at 463-4821 with the date you rode and the location of the bad spot in the trail and I will make sure it gets attention before the next weekend.

We had a good meeting with the DNR and the FS Friday and things will improve, I will guarantee that.  With most issues, good communication is the key to making sure that all involved parties are heard and air their respective positions.  It was a very positive meeting and I am optimistic that improvements will be made this year and for sure into the next season also.

Please be careful out there, have fun and ride safe. 

Here's where the snow is in Minnesota.  Current snow depths.

1/27/06

The groomers have made all their rounds this week and we are going to try to get the big one through EDA 1 and down the west side of S-313.  That part of S-313 is kinda rough for about two miles north of the Springsteel Road. It got real warm yesterday and today but the trails are holding up real well.  S-89 is in great shape, going to Fourtown through Hayes lake is good, and everywhere there isn't logging or plowed trails, the trails are excellent. The Ray Morrissette is in really good shape finally and with the last round of grooming most of the bumps should be gone.  We went to Minnesota Hill last Sunday and it was pretty good.  The trail shelter needs some firewood but other than that, it was very enjoyable.

I just rode EDA 1 today and I have to say that where the Forest Service or loggers haven't plowed, the trail is awesome.  The bad news is that at least two to three miles of trail is plowed up for either logging or moving cabins out of Lost River State Forest.  I have been in loose contact with the Forest Service through the DNR Trails and Waterways and it is not an easy situation to remedy.  The bottom line is that EDA 1 will lose its rideability at least two to three weeks sooner this season in the spots where it has been plowed down.  I will work on getting a meeting with the DNR and Forest Service to try to salvage our riding on this trail so we don't lose an East-West connection prematurely.  It may not be in the loggers or Forest Service' best interests but it would be fairly easy to have the big groomer pull the snow back on the trail in two passes.  I'm sure that would cause some friction so I will try to work out a reasonable solution with the two state entities.

Our neighbor club to the north, the Angle Edge Riders have some of the smoothest lake trails so far this year.  My son and I have been up there fishing the last three weekends and last Sunday was the best riding so far.  If you have a chance, check out the Northwest Angle and visit some of the resorts and pubs up there.

Here's where the snow is in Minnesota.  Current snow depths.

1/23/06

For the second week in a row, 6" of snow fell on us.  This is terrific and our trails are going to be in great shape once the groomers can make their rounds.  Some crossings are still a bit abrupt but they are really shaping up with the extra work the drivers are doing.  I still need to remind everyone about logging and plowed trails.  On EDA 1, the Forest Service plowed up about a mile of trail so the evicted cabins could be moved out of the Lost River State Forest.  They tried to keep snow on the trail but it didn't work.  there is some logging going on in Beltrami and some up on Ray M so slow down when you see "Trucks Hauling" signs.

I want to thank Tim and the gang at REC for marking guy wires on Cty 2 and for smoothing out some rough spots on S-310 where they buried power lines before deer season.  Thanks guys for helping out.

I just got through about 4 hours of bookwork for this season and here is a short summary on what we've done so far this year:

Grooming:  East side and Beltrami - 91 hours and 364 miles of grooming

               West side:  100 hours and 383 miles of grooming             

Trail Work:  120 hours of clearing, signing and packing trails. 

So, the next time you get on the trails, remember we are working very hard to make them as smooth as possible.  Oh, one last thing, Moosie, we need wood in the Ray M shelter. 

Here's where the snow is in Minnesota.  Current snow depths.

 

1/18/06:

Folks, even though we have new snow and the groomers are going around the clock, we still have to be aware of trail conditions, especially on ALL crossings.  A lot of crossings have square edges or are fairly steep which means that you need to slow down to avoid "checking your headlight."  We will be working on the crossings and pulling in more snow to smooth them out in the next week but I ask that you use caution until we get more snow.  See you at the meeting tonite!

1/17/06:

Wooohooo!!! We got around 6 inches of snow yesterday and a little wind and it's just what we needed.  The west is almost all groomed and the  the little groomer headed up EDA 1 and is going to the Bay Trail next.  In the next two days, we will have super trails for the weekend.  I need to remind everyone that S-89 trails are ONE-WAY.  That means the west side is southbound and the east side is northbound.  S-310 is the same way.  Be courteous to cars and dim your brights at night. Please be careful out there and ride safe.

1/11/06:

Well, we had a little trouble getting out before Christmas and even before New Years.  Since then, we have gone over most of the system twice.  Specifically, S-89 has been groomed twice and is in really good shape.  S-310 has also been hit twice up to the border and back to town.  EDA 1 has been groomed once and is rough in some spots.  Due to the DNR removing the hunting shacks out of Lost River, they have plowed out trail down to the dirt for about 400 yards.  S-313 has been mostly groomed - it is a bit deep on the west side north of Springsteel and there is ice ledges in the ditch.  the latest reports I have are the drivers were going to hit the ungroomed section today.  We got the big groomer through all of the Ray Morrissette yesterday and the trail is in decent shape right now. The Bay Trail has been groomed from Warroad to Arneson's but it is lacking snow to cover the grass and reeds right now.  Beltrami has been groomed once and will be hit again before the weekend.  It is in real good shape right now with the connection to Fourtown fully groomed and smooth.  C-4 is being gone over and I'm waiting to see if it is still wet.  This morning's rain probably didn't help things out.  Jordan and Brian are going to hit Pelan Park and then head to Strathcona to help out with the kid's races this weekend.  S-32 needs more snow on the west side ditches before we can go through there so the east side is being groomed for two-way traffic.  C-7 is in good shape so the loop from S-89 to Greenbush to C-4 back to Wannaska should be fully open.  That's it for now, sorry for the lack of reporting and I will do a better job for the rest of the season. 

Rick - Trail Administrator

In the meantime, here's where the snow is in Minnesota.  Current snow depths.

12/24/05: 

Well, it was looking pretty good for a few days and now it is in the mid 30's and light rain is falling intermittently.  We finally got the big groomer going with new tracks and drive wheels and the Walsh boys ran as much of the west side of the system until the snow got too wet.  Basically, the west of S-89 has been done twice, C-2 has been gone over to Badger and that is all I have reports on right now.

The East side guys have been working on clearing and packing EDA 1 and the Ray Morrissette Trails.  EDA 1 is clear but is wet for the first 5 miles until it hits high ground.  It is also a bit rough so be please be careful.  The Ray Morrissette is pretty wet right now and there were a lot of big blowdowns from the wind this Fall.  It is getting cleared but they need to get the groomer to push the cut trees back away from the trail.  We don't recommend any riding on Ray Morrissette until we get some consistent cold weather.

The Bay Trail has been packed and just needs more snow before it is really rideable.

Some of the Polaris test riders have been riding south and then over to Dewey's and through the Beltrami West Trails.  The Hayes Lake Spur has decent snow on it and is pretty good for not being groomed yet.  The trail to Bemis and Clear River has been cleared by the DNR but there may be some big tree parts still down on the trail that haven't been pushed back yet.  There is also a bunch of logging east and west of Clear River.  They have plowed the trails down to the dirt and are putting water on some spots to freeze the ground.  Forestry rules are fairly clear for instructing loggers how to use snowmobile trails.  They are supposed to leave 3" of snow on the trails if they use them for logging.  I have already contacted the DNR and will be contacting the Forest Service after the Holidays.  On the east end of Beltrami, if you get out of the single track, you need to keep the throttle on or you will start pushing slush or breaking through to the swamp underneath the trail.  Until we get over to pack and widen the trails, be careful here.

There has been some changing directions on the method of reimbursement to groom the Beltrami Trails.  We usually bid a contract that was sent out in October/November which gave us enough time to fill out the paperwork and get ready for the season.  The DNR first hinted about having the three clubs that groom Beltrami take over the trails as GIA grooming grants for this year.  We filled out this paperwork and sent it in and then received word and email that it was going back to the contract grooming method for this season.  All this happened between Thanksgiving and December 22.  We filled out the contract forms and sent them back with a 10% increase due to fuel and increased equipment rates as distributed by  the DNR.  This is why there has been no grooming efforts in Beltrami yet this year.  We hope to get this taken care of by New Year's so we can get out there and at least get the high ground groomed.

Have a happy holiday season and ride safely!

In the meantime, here's where the snow is in Minnesota.  Current snow depths.

Remember to get your trail permit before you hit the trails.  You can find more info here.

 

 

Private landowners are people who make snowmobile trails possible. The trails on this map cross the property of many private citizens and business firms, as well as much land that is administered by various levels of government. Without the cooperation of these people, no snowmobile trails would be possible. We owe the landowners our THANKS and we must RESPECT their property.