AC+YA

I usually take the lake this time of year. Also, the lake was pretty smooth and fast a couple weeks back.

Glad you’re feeling better. You guys have a nice trip. I will be back through Dub Sunday. The weather looks to be putting some snow all the way around the northern loop for us which should help out those dry spots in towns. Heading up early tomorrow and grabbing the sleds we left in Searchmont. With shortcuts it’s about 120 miles to the Edson in Chapleau plus a couple more to Valentines. Indoor parking there so no mess to clean off in the morning.

They cut the banks so we could ride on the tops when I was up a couple weeks back. They did it last year also which really helps. I don’t care about a bit of dry road when spring riding as it happens in every town. If you’re not good with it, touring is not possible. I don’t like it, but very little consequence to the machines. Like you said Ox, lots were parking at the bus turnaround.

Did not have the Cat with that trip, but I’m sure it would go farther than the Doo’s because it has a much bigger tank to start with.

There are 4 wet spots past Hammer Lake going towards White River. Only some good cold temps will fix them. One was a pretty big one. The guys I talked with last Monday had gone to White River last Sunday. I always research the water issues on that part of the trail before heading west since the last time I went to Marathon. The water issues need to be fixed in a way to hold the trail all season or the trail will continue to be hit or miss. Too bad because Marathon guys work hard to connect it every season. It was groomed back in January and it looked good from the road as I trailered to Hearst, but the water issue kept it from opening. That was before Hornepayne opened trails.

I don’t think so, but saw many tracks into a cottage closest to the generator garage. The vehicles have been there for a long time. Saw another pickup stranded next to the trail/road heading up the power lines north of Halfway. Only the sled trail leads to and from Halfway. The road leading to Hwy101 was pure and not touched.

To better clear up the distance between points along a ride from Searchmont up to Dubreuilville I am going to post some more distances. If you open the ITG Map posted by the OFSC you can touch all segments of the official trails and add them together to get very accurate distances. I used the free Polaris app on my phone to monitor distances which proved to me that the ITG is good to use. My start from Searchmont was at the Driftwood Valley Lodge. D Trail north to split at the D201F Trail to Black creek 30 miles D Trail to split @ C101D to Chapleau 31 miles D Trail to Halfway 21 miles D Trail to split @ Wawa5 Trail 56 miles Wawa5 Trail to split @ D Trail 9 miles D Trail back towards Wawa to split @ Wawa7 Trail 2 miles Wawa7 Trail (continue past split @ Wawa6 Trail) to Dub5 Trail at Magpie River 6 miles Dub5 Trail on Magpie River to D Trail 19 miles D Trail to Dubreuilville via Green Lake 8 miles Just over 180 miles from Searchmont to Dub using OFSC Trails. Using the same route to Wawa Motor Inn or gas without scraping all around the city trails just stay on Wawa7 towards Wawa Lake and then across the lake to Wawa. This minimizes the street running. Just turn into the trail past the school and then turn right. It dumps you out at the Motor Inn. Part way through cut out at Wawa Retal and circle through to the Petrocan station for fuel. The total distance to Wawa gas is about 140 miles from Searchmont by these trails using Wawa Lake. We carry the LINQ 4 gallon extra can on our Doo’s which are 4-stroke Turbo Sleds plus we have and additional 2 gallons in our saddle bags for safety. Our 800 Cat only carries 3 gallons extra because the tank is much bigger. You need to know your sled and carry what gives you a safety margin. Do not plan on this if a blizzard is forecast. Watch the ITG for conditions of the trail. Spring time conditions are coming into play around towns, but that is just part of riding in warmer conditions. We plan to ride out of the Driftwood in Searchmont this coming Thursday March 16 mid-afternoon. Running up to Chapleau to start a loop around the top. Searchmont to Chapleau Thursday Chapleau to Cochrane Friday Cochrane to Hearst. Saturday Hearst to Dubreuilville Sunday Dubreuilville to Chapleau Monday Chapleau to Searchmont Tuesday

Last week Friday we drove up to Searchmont and parked at Driftwood Valley which was a first this season. We rode out at 1:00pm sharp and arrived at the gas pumps in Dubreuilville at 6:05pm with the GPS saying we had gone 180.3 miles. We stopped at the warming shack where all 3 groomers come together from different directions and a few more times for breaks and once to dump our 4 gallon cans of fuel. We did not go into Wawa and saved miles and time. We took the Magpie which was perfect. After a night in Hearst we were back for a 2nd night in Dub. Then we had breakfast in Wawa the following morning and gassed up for the trip to Chapleau. We stopped at Halfway just to look around and then continued towards the Chapleau turnoff which is no longer 8.6 miles south of Halfway but rather 21 miles south at the warming shack. This is where all three groomers drive to. When Halfway suddenly left hundreds of sledders hanging last season, the Chapleau and Soo clubs changed the Chapleau run to hookup with the Soo so at least some could sled through Chapleau from points south. from this point 21 miles south of Halfway the Chapleau trail distance is 71 miles into the gas station. Moose horn Lodge is quite a bit less. I am guessing maybe 20 miles? spent the night at Valentines and shot down to Searchmont to head home Tuesday morning. The run from the gas station to the Driftwood left the gas gauge reading over a quarter tank so no extra gas needed that day with beautiful trails. We did put 1 gallon of extra fuel in to go from Wawa to Chapleau although it might not have been needed. We were on Doo 900 Turbo R Renegades which can get 15 mpg when not hammering the throttle. All those trails were fantastic and in better shape than I can ever remember. We both carried the LINQ 4 gallon extra gas tank and 2 one gallon cans in our saddle bags so we each had 6 gallons of extra gas. Depending on conditions you may need the extra, but perfect trails meant that if you stop at Wawa only the 4 gallon would ever be needed. 900 plus miles of the BEST TRAILS ever.

My dealer was a big Cat dealer years ago and now has no Cats on the floor and only sold 2 sleds this season. They told me that Cat shut down all sled dealers in the state of Indiana and some wanted to continue. it seems like Cats are very high priced and I have a hard time ordering what I have only read about and can’t sit on.

Rode out of Hearst last Friday through Monday. Great trails almost everywhere up there. The yellow section from the end of the Hearst/Hornepayne at Mooseland over to the west is the only issue. The snow is fine, but this section has not been given enough grooming over the last few seasons to successfully break the saplings off. When it is cold and the drag cuts into the trail a bit, they are broken/cut off. The current state is to the point of causing many to turn back to Hearst. My group continued and found the best trail conditions I’ve seen since its reopening in I think 2018-2019 season. We’ve ridden it every season except the 2020-2021. We met a guy trying to cut some of the growth with a homemade sled-knife he was dragging, but it really wasn’t working. Other than a few low areas (bottom of the hills) where water cut through during warm temps, the trail is real good once past the long bridge on Hwy11. The trail is green at that point. Really liked staying at the “Between the Bridges Inn” on Hwy11 in Geraldton. Park in front of your room. Moonbeam Clubhouse was cranking on Saturday afternoon and ran into Dennis and his group from Hearst. Too bad it’s such a long drive. Great 750 miles. Scott

Any information on the duration of this closure yet? I was planning my trip next week (leaving tomorrow) and this will force a change. My buddy no longer accepts more than 200 miles per day and this will put us over….. Thanks for any updates. Scott

I use furniture polish like Pledge or a store brand. Seems to help on all the rubber seals. If already frozen, a waist basket of hot water and repeat. leave open until re-frozen or dried.

We were planning the 17th - 27th, but my buddy lost his sister over the weekend and due to elevated deaths (Covid) the funeral home, and cemetery are backed up so the service will be delayed until the week of the 21st sometime. Now we may come on the 25th or March 3rd?

The lookout is at the black arrow, but as you go under the lines on the trail, you have to turn and go up the hill to the top. When groomed it is easy to ride up. only about 7 minutes past the Mystic Isle Motel running south on the D trail. About another 7 minutes to the split at Wawa 5. Then about 15 minutes to the Dam. BTW there is still Hydro Line work close to the substation/rail tracks so it gets plowed sometimes and trucks are moving around so go slow after the little dam.