2022' Winter Rec thread

[Up_north_MI]

22 minutes ago, josh_4184 said:

The UP  has no reason to complain this year, LES been great up there along with a couple synoptic events. Northern Lower needs some snow especially for the businesses and is more than due.  The past few years have been brutal, unless your a ski resort and can make it. 

I was thinking about all the businesses in northern lower yesterday and how tough it must be for many of them that rely on the snow to bring them business. The UP businesses have definitely been fortunate especially the places north of M28. Unfortunately I feel at least for the snowmobile businesses in the lower it’s going to be to little to late if we get a couple weeks of rideable snow to finish out the season. Usually by March it’s mostly the diehard snowmobilers left riding and many of them are probably willing to chase the snow to the UP I would bet. The lower may become the place to ride side x side’s for 10+ months a year and the upper may become the only area to go for reliable snow for snowmobiling unfortunately.

[josh_4184]

8 hours ago, Up_north_MI said:

I was thinking about all the businesses in northern lower yesterday and how tough it must be for many of them that rely on the snow to bring them business. The UP businesses have definitely been fortunate especially the places north of M28. Unfortunately I feel at least for the snowmobile businesses in the lower it’s going to be to little to late if we get a couple weeks of rideable snow to finish out the season. Usually by March it’s mostly the diehard snowmobilers left riding and many of them are probably willing to chase the snow to the UP I would bet. The lower may become the place to ride side x side’s for 10+ months a year and the upper may become the only area to go for reliable snow for snowmobiling unfortunately.

Yea I feel the same way, I have ridden in good snow imby quite a bit though end of March early April but that was several years back. Definitely don't like the tends for weather /climo in this area. Hence why I already go rid of most my winter sports toys and moved towards camping and boating. Would like to get a sxs as well as that is path forward even though in winter not nearly as fun as a sled. But you can use a sxs all year, in my area you maybe have 1-2 months of sledding. Although these areas will need to change their laws and regulations regarding atvsxs as most aren't permitted of many trail systems up here. I think in the next several years that will begin to change as businesses start voicing their frustrations. 

[josh_4184]

You know its been a bad couple of winters when APX is issuing winter storm warnings for 3-6" of snow . Nice to see some fresh white to go along with our glacier. 

[Up_north_MI]

Spent the past few days snowmobiling out of Deer Park, would say snow depths range from 36-40 inches pretty much everywhere we’ve been. Without a huge long warmup people will be riding well into April up here especially north of M28.

[Up_north_MI]

Just got back from snowmobiling the past few days in the Huron Mts, stayed in Big Bay. It’s been years since the last time I’ve rode up in that area and forgot how beautiful it is. To me it has without a doubt the most scenic snowmobile trails in the state of MI. I’m not a big trail riding guy but this past weekend was a couple’s trip and there’s no way our wives could have rode off trail in that area with the current snow depths they have currently so we stuck to the trails. We’re already planning a guys off trail trip to that area for next season, can’t wait. I would say snow depths ranged from maybe 16” down low close to lake level to maybe 40” or more above 1500 feet in elevation. The entire UP still has a crap load of snow that will be around for a while I would bet. You definitely have to be a tough person to live up there throughout a entire winter, no way I could handle it, I’m a wimp and by March I’m ready to start seeing my lawn and grass again, up there it’s probably closer to May in many areas. 

[Up_north_MI]

Ended up having a decent ride Friday night to dinner to Grayling and a really nice ride all day yesterday. We picked up some much needed fresh lake effect Friday night and most of yesterday till early afternoon. Probably picked up close to 3” of fresh at our place at Higgins but we rode north and west and the there was closer to 5” of fresh snow out that way. Snow depths vary a lot because of the strength of the sun this time of year but I did step off my sled and sank up to my knee on a wooded shaded untouched two track, still lots of snow in the woods in north west lower. The groomed trails we did ride were really nice for mid March but looking at the forecast for the next week or so I would say it’s time to put the sleds away unless you were heading to the UP where it’s going to to be decent for a while yet north of M28 other then getting into and out of towns I’m sure. With how warm winter started out I wouldn’t be shocked to see it trying to hold on through April to make up for it but we’ll see, I’ve seen some pretty big snow storms in northern MI in April over the years so it’s a definite possibility.

[Geez150]

Well i can't complain about winter too much. We had some good rides around home here in WNY, for the first time in several seasons. Then the last day of February I finally got my 2022 Polaris Snow Check. Then a week later I found myself in the U.P. first timer for the U.P. we stayed in Newberry, had a blast! Put on just under 700 miles. Would have been more but we lost a day due to a break down. You guys have have some nice riding up in the U.P. can't wait to go back and try riding the western part of the U.P.