Giddy UP Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Well folks....sitting here all weekend....watching the weather network and snow squalls all around us...but alas....Anten Mills only gets about 8 inches of the stuff (that's a REAL 8 inches btw!)... Anyway.......the trails are still officially temporarily closed around these parts....but I do notice that "Limited" conditions are being reported around the Midland area....and I also know....from very reliable sources that there was a good dumping of the "precious" white gold these last few days up there.........SOOOOOOOOOOO.....I kick Mr. Giddy out of his lazy boy, and tell him to "Giddy Up" were goin out to check out the conditions for ourselves. Not far from our home is B trail and this is what I saw!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowTouringGuy Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 SWEET looking picture ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giddy UP Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 Then............we hit the junction of B/C and it had been groomed as well!!! Giddy Up...let's see how far we goooooooooooooooooo..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giddy UP Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 Here's the last pic.....apparently there is now a maximum of "5" pics you are allowed to post on this new forum!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Great report. But I got those boxes with red 'x' in corner, instead of image Thanks again for heads up on Midland. That will likely be our destination this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowTouringGuy Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Giddy/Canuck, What do you know about the C trail re-route through Midland. Hole in the Wall to Henry's and around to the Crab Shack by way of the Harbour. Is the ice ok yet? Is the club going to stake it or stick with their "ice crossing not maintained by the club" position? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Giddy/Canuck,What do you know about the C trail re-route through Midland. Hole in the Wall to Henry's and around to the Crab Shack by way of the Harbour. Is the ice ok yet? Is the club going to stake it or stick with their "ice crossing not maintained by the club" position? I'll call a friend in Perkinsfield (groomer.. maybe the guy GiddyUp saw) and ask him about it. I have always taken C trail south to Honey Harbour. Then west across ice to Beasoulier Island (sp?). DO NOT take trail thru Beaus Island as it is narrow, twisty, rough. Simply veer left (south) and head to most southern point of island, then choose between Midland (left) or Penetang (right/due west). I realize your question is re: land trail.. but I only do that during Midland Poker Run. Will ask Perkinsfield friend asap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 He was n/a, probably sledding. But I spoke to local gas station rep. To his knowledge, ice on Midland Bay is not safe, yet. "Was marked" - he thinks deteriorated. The bad Sledders have lost right to rail bed in Tay township. It's the paved trail from Midland to Victoria Harbour. The good One groomer is now kept at Henry's - it goes to Coldwater/Moonstone. Hole in Wall should be groomed. As Giddy Up said, they groomed today from Barrie today to Tiny 7 From Tiny 7 north to Maple Valley club has been groomed ( Tiny Conc 17th). If Port Severn is groomed, you should have a good run south. _____________ He is not sure if Port Severn groomers have been out, if you are coming from North / Six Mile lake / C trail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giddy UP Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 We saw another sledder today and asked about that re-route. He said that you need to run Hwy #12 to get around the closed section. He also said their is a tree line that is marked on the ice...BUT!!! BEWARE....THE ICE IS NOT SAFE YET! I think that tree line was there before the "melt down". He said that he met other sledders today as well...all were of the same opinion....the ice is not safe!!!! I'm not sure why you are getting red x boxes on the pics....it seems I am not too???? Very wierd! Also.....one of my friends grooms the SMART trails around Severn Falls/Coldwater area....there are still lots of swamps in that area that need to freeze up before they can groom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richy1010 Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 The groomer has gone North of Port Severn, through Six Mile Park and up to the B105 junction. At this time they did not use a groomer drag. I guess we have so much snow that they decided to pack it first.I will report tomorrow if they get it groomed. We easily have a legitimate 3ft since Friday at midnight. It is still snowing and we are expecting another ft by the end of the week. The ice trail from Midland to Beausoleil was maintained (staked) last year by a group of riders (I think the Gbay Mavericks or something close to that). It is not staked yet. They put a sign at Midland Harbour stating that it is not an official trail blah blah blah. It was not staked this year before the meltdown. A few trees were laid out around the bend in the ice breakers tracks to help navigation but definitely not a trail all the way to Beausoleil. The ice MAY be safe at this point for some but the 3ft of snow and slush underneath would make it an interesting voyage to say the least. I spend a lot of time on Georgian Bay and I will be waiting till all this snow settles. My own lake ( Little Go Home Bay ) is not worth the effort to play on because of the slush underneath and shear volume of snow. Don't know about the new C trail detour. I will check tomorrow and see if any stakes are up at either end. Take Canucks idea about Beausoleil trail. That is my favorite trail. Nice change of pace and some beautiful forest.The less traffic the better. If you want to venture out onto Georgian Bay(February/March) the north end of the island is a good launching spot. Follow tracks north across the Big Bay (Caugnashene) and the GBay highway is fairly well tracked. Wear a floater suit, take your boat charts, and follow other commen sense as it applies to you. Isn't "THE HOLE IN THE WALL" a land mark in San Souci that leads to that Henry's ... not the Henry's in Midland? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogan Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Before the melt down, we rode from Barrie to Collingwood to Midland to Honey Harbour and had to find our way around the closed section of the rail bed in Midland after dark. I think we spent 2 hours trying to get around the closed section and finally got some instructions from a local rider and the groomer operator in Midland. The 2008 M.O.S.T trail map shows the "C" trail now crossing the ice from Midland over to Henry's but there was no signage (that we could see anyway) where the "C" goes up onto the rail bed at hwy 12 (the green iron bridge just east the Best Western and the Comfort Inn) directing you left into Midland to the new ice route rather than the traditional right down the railbed to Coldwater. This new ice route starts where the usual Honey Harbour tree line starts in Midland but travels South East over to Henry's. Once on the new ice route, signage for the "C" is good. Before the melt down, that new section of the "C" across the ice was staked with the usual OFSC "Ice Crossing Warning" sign and the groomer operator said it was good to go. We took that route which takes you back onto the rail bed just past the closed section. It's very unfortunate that the Tay township folks decided to take away that short section of trail and push sledders onto the ice. This was all before the melt down so who knows what the ice conditions are like there now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Isn't "THE HOLE IN THE WALL" a land mark in San Souci that leads to that Henry's ... not the Henry's in Midland? Hole in the Wall - the concrete bridge on Hwy 12, between Hwy 400 and Midland. Basically a chunk of concrete with a hole on it, on your left side as you drive along Hwy 12 from 400 to Midland. Just a big piece of ugly concrete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 It's very unfortunate that the Tay township folks decided to take away that short section of trail and push sledders onto the ice. They claimed sledders were tearing up the "asphalt nature trail". Oxymoron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowTouringGuy Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Thanks Dogan, Richy1010, Canuck and GiddyUp. Yup, it's the 'cross the ice to Henry's' reroute I was inquiring about. Thanks for update on conditions. It's a couple of weeks before I will be coming through from Gravenhurst and I'll want to loop out home through Coldwater/Orillia. I imagine by that time (in the absence of another major meltdown) the ice in front of Henry's/Doral will be better. You can bet I'm going to check again though. I know what you mean, Canuck, about that trail down Beausoleil Island. And when it is groomed it is a delight. (I think that was '77). And really pretty through there. Ashpalt walking trails. That should be really popular for the hikers. Harder on the feet and shins and hotter than all get out in the summer sun. I guess wood chips are just too much of a clash with Nature (or somebody's brother has a paving company). We could start another thread discussing this Flash of Genius by the Tay Township Council or I could just write to them and tell them that the Seventeen (17) of us that are coming by sled to Midland for Three (3) days to spend money are going to choose another town because we don't want to risk an ice trail. Of course, if that's too risky, we could always sled down Highway 12 instead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giddy UP Posted January 23, 2008 Author Share Posted January 23, 2008 Thanks Dogan, Richy1010, Canuck and GiddyUp.Yup, it's the 'cross the ice to Henry's' reroute I was inquiring about. Thanks for update on conditions. It's a couple of weeks before I will be coming through from Gravenhurst and I'll want to loop out home through Coldwater/Orillia. I imagine by that time (in the absence of another major meltdown) the ice in front of Henry's/Doral will be better. You can bet I'm going to check again though. I know what you mean, Canuck, about that trail down Beausoleil Island. And when it is groomed it is a delight. (I think that was '77). And really pretty through there. Ashpalt walking trails. That should be really popular for the hikers. Harder on the feet and shins and hotter than all get out in the summer sun. I guess wood chips are just too much of a clash with Nature (or somebody's brother has a paving company). We could start another thread discussing this Flash of Genius by the Tay Township Council or I could just write to them and tell them that the Seventeen (17) of us that are coming by sled to Midland for Three (3) days to spend money are going to choose another town because we don't want to risk an ice trail. Of course, if that's too risky, we could always sled down Highway 12 instead Mr. Mouse that's a GREAT idea in fact!!! Write that letter! Seriously! Some of my group who live just outside Midland close to where the re-route is - told me that there has been a lot of controversy about the whole thing and they think the town is "re-thinking" the idea. It sure couldn't hurt to have a letter like that before them to refer to when the next council meeting is in session! Maybe next year they will get their s*it together! BEFORE some unknowing sledder is forced onto the ice and goes through it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogan Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Following our trip through there, we called the Tay township office and voiced our concern about the situtation with the closed trail section. While they listened to our concerns of riding on highways and crossing ice, I'm not sure anyone was dispatched to open the trail again. We have traditionally liked Midland as a sledding destination but that trip really put us off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingpin006 Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Hey Giddy Up have you been south of Anton Mills at all? I'm on the trail south of the rail line that goes straight south towards Alliston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giddy UP Posted January 23, 2008 Author Share Posted January 23, 2008 Hey Giddy Up have you been south of Anton Mills at all? I'm on the trail south of the rail line that goes straight south towards Alliston. Hey Kingpin! Not yet this year. I have been sticking to the trails right near home and towards Midland/Penetang as they are showing as open riding so far. We didn't get as much snow as they have further north. I was just out again today...and they are still grooming and trying to get the trails ready for the weekend I think. The base is still a bit thin....especially over the open fields where they have been plowed. We got more snow today about 6 inches or so this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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