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Riding North out of Searchmont without Halfway


AC+YA

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28 minutes ago, skidooboy said:

That would be part of it, for sure. you will have to run close to 5 miles of plowed sanded logging road to get between the 2 sled trails. The loggers do not want us on that road at all. if, you try it stay to the far right of the road, mind your manners, and call Jeremy at the Fishing Moose way prior to you going. They are not open for service, due to all of this. they are not prepared for guests, for food or drink. Then you need to worry about, due to the warm ups, has the 4 holes opened up between Hammer lake, and White River, that @AC+YAdescribes above. with another warm up tomorrow, and Thursday, with a big dump of snow Friday. and understand, I think the last time the Hammer Rd 12 trail to White river was groomed, would have been valentine's day week. have you decided where you are starting, or staying at yet? Ski

 

Haven't decided anything yet, except we are driving somewhere tomorrow.

 

Our sleds and trailers are parked just south of Lake Michigan. Right now I'm thinking about going up to MN or NW Wisconsin instead. They got hammered with snow last weekend. Used to ride out of Searchmont once or twice a year but haven't gone since COVID, so I was really looking forward to it. I enjoy northern Ontario a lot more and it's an easier drive to get there, but I'm starting to be concerned about conditions. I see Luc is out grooming all over and that area looks good. If we go Ontario, I'd be leaning towards starting in Searchmont and then staying in Wawa, accessing it from the lake trail, or maybe Dubreuilville, if rooms are available. I really like the trail going out to Marathon, and we've never done the part going up to Manitouwadge, but if the trail is closed we won't mess with it. Could go up towards Hearst after that or the other way out towards Longlac but that looks like it might just be a straight away for most of it (we've done the loop going towards Hearst but haven't gone West on A before). Or could just look for places to play between or around Dubreuilville. 

 

We're not too picky and like the adventure and low traffic of Ontario

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depending on what sleds you have and option for carrying fuel, start in Searchmont, ride to wawa, or Dub for the first day depending on rooms, then up to hearst for the second day, then head back... that is 4 days of riding. just understand, tomorrow and thursday it is going to be warm, and friday, they are expecting a big dump of snow. they still dont know how far it will track north, or where the majority of the snow will fall but, friday it will be snowing in algoma hard, might not be a great day in the truck, or on a sled, trying to navigate. Sunday looks like an awesome sunny day to be on a sled. be safe, wherever you decide. Ski

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If you stage out of Searchmont, you may want to park up at the trailhead/turn-around, and not at Carl's, so that you don't have to ride all that pavement.

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10 minutes ago, Ox said:

If you stage out of Searchmont, you may want to park up at the trailhead/turn-around, and not at Carl's, so that you don't have to ride all that pavement.

 

If the road is that bad, I would trailer, and drop the sleds, and leave the rigs at Carl's for safety reasons. walk back to the sleds, if need be. too many horror stories of coming back to broken windows, stolen items on Whitman dam road... I aint leavin my rig like that. even if you just pay carl the "parking fee" it is worth it. your results may vary. Ski

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17 minutes ago, skidooboy said:

 

If the road is that bad, I would trailer, and drop the sleds, and leave the rigs at Carl's for safety reasons. walk back to the sleds, if need be. too many horror stories of coming back to broken windows, stolen items on Whitman dam road... I aint leavin my rig like that. even if you just pay carl the "parking fee" it is worth it. your results may vary. Ski

 

Well, that's an option as well.

Just wouldn't want to come back and run a klick of pavement...

 

I have heard of some trouble there over the years as well, but then you see 30 rigs parked there when you drop there, so, it must not be quite as bad as all that. But I understand safe/sorry...

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22 hours ago, Hoosier said:

Got it. Yeah we'd pay the small fee to leave the truck and trailer at Carl's quite a few times.

Make sure you are watching the weather, calling for 18" in 36 hours, starting tomorrow. I would bet, if you aren't in wawa by midnight Thursday,  you aren't getting there until late Saturday or Sunday. Understand that storm is going to make fuel mileage on sleds suffer. Not to mention poor or no visibility of the established trails... Be smart, be safe. On our way up now, to beat the mess. Ski

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On 3/12/2023 at 10:05 PM, Hoosier said:

Thanks so much for the details. Did you run the 180 miles from Searchmont to Dub on the cat 800 with only the 3 extra gallons?

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. 

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23 hours ago, Ox said:

 

Well, that's an option as well.

Just wouldn't want to come back and run a klick of pavement...

 

I have heard of some trouble there over the years as well, but then you see 30 rigs parked there when you drop there, so, it must not be quite as bad as all that. But I understand safe/sorry...


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. 

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1 hour ago, skidooboy said:

Make sure you are watching the weather, calling for 18" in 36 hours, starting tomorrow. I would bet, if you aren't in wawa by midnight Thursday,  you aren't getting there until late Saturday or Sunday. Understand that storm is going to make fuel mileage on sleds suffer. Not to mention poor or no visibility of the established trails... Be smart, be safe. On our way up now, to beat the mess. Ski


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. 

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On 3/12/2023 at 11:43 PM, Hoosier said:

From the OFSC online map, I got 153 miles going from Driftwood to Wawa using Wawa Lake, or 150 running D into Wawa. Sounds like we'd better off going into town off the lake?

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

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5 hours ago, AC+YA said:


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. 

 

 

Sounds super!

 

But y'all have to understand that I haven't had to replace a set of worn sliders in over 20 years, and I've only bought one new sled in that time, so ...

 

 

.

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made it up to Dub. town streets are bare in dub and wawa. just waiting out the storm now. sunny and 38 most of the way up, from soo on. @AC+YA we may be here sunday night. sunday looks like the best day to ride, so I am pushing to stay and ride that day... may go to Hornepayne for lunch. we will just have to leave at the crack of dawn on monday to get the mrs to her flight in Detroit, monday afternoon. Ski

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Come on Ski.... This is a family friendly site here....

 

No more talk aboot Dawn's crack!

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On 3/15/2023 at 1:04 PM, skidooboy said:

Make sure you are watching the weather, calling for 18" in 36 hours, starting tomorrow. I would bet, if you aren't in wawa by midnight Thursday,  you aren't getting there until late Saturday or Sunday. Understand that storm is going to make fuel mileage on sleds suffer. Not to mention poor or no visibility of the established trails... Be smart, be safe. On our way up now, to beat the mess. Ski

We ended up going to NW Wisconsin, mainly due to the storm. We would have been able to get to Wawa by mid-afternoon Thursday, but I wasn't sure if we would have been able to get back Saturday with all the fresh snow and I didn't want to take a chance on that. NW Wisconsin was awesome as they got the same storm but a bit earlier. No traffic and tons of snow.

 

We'll hopefully be back in Ontario next season. Thanks all for the input and answering questions. 

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  • 6 months later...

Any news on halfway haven this year? I assume if there isn't any news at this point, they aren't going to be open. I hope the clubs can keep the trail open. I'd assume that is a lot of effort to groom that without a stopping point

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They (Halfway Haven) posted on FB today, they will not be open this season. Ski

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I assume that HH is on leased land?    They probably dont "own" the ground that it is on.   

 

Sadly, that place will just fall apart with no one using it.    An empty building deteriorates fast.   Between the bears and the redneck locals breaking into it, I think we will never see it open again.    I was actually there the last day it was officially open.   

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From the Sault club on FB: Unfortunately, Halfway Haven has confirmed that they will not be opened for this coming season due to various challenges. The good news is they’re not going anywhere and hope to reopen for the winter season in the future. The other good news is that we along with our neighbouring Clubs to the north, Wawa Sno Riders and Chapleau Artic Watershed SC, will keep the trails open for the coming season similar to last year.

 

Ski

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9 hours ago, scottyr said:

I assume that HH is on leased land?    They probably dont "own" the ground that it is on.   

 

Sadly, that place will just fall apart with no one using it.    An empty building deteriorates fast.   Between the bears and the redneck locals breaking into it, I think we will never see it open again.    I was actually there the last day it was officially open.   

Your right, I thought they said it needed a million dollars a few years ago in repairs and that’s one reason they closed.
Wanted dollars from Canadian government. Maybe it be heritage site soon and it will qualify 🙏

longer it sites bigger that bill will be to bring it back. 

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8 hours ago, Hoosier said:

That's too bad. The bookface post seems to say they are taking care of the place so hopefully that means there is still some hope.

Without heat in winter those buildings will rot fast.
No way to heat them without fuel and that means keeping road open to bring in fuel and check place. Thats a big expense without any revenue. 
They really need a new location closer to a road to be viable. 

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A) I hope that it never qualifies for Gov aid.

If they git aid, then forty-leven others will only rightfully qualify as well.

Let supply/demand determine what's open.

 

Yes, it is on The Queens land.

 

 

b) I still think that the road could be left closed, and skid in fuel right down the trail behind a groomer (retired?) on week nights. Or in from Much Lake/101

 

They could park trucks at Anjigami, the top of Tic, or the top of Much Lake, and run snowmachines or [retired] groomer out as needed.

 

I just don't see the need to plow 60+ klicks of road for just Halfway. That is a full time job, as well as big equipment, and big fuel expenses.

 

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Removing the plowing piece and you have a better shot at it.

But you still need weekly food supplies & hired help to get there as well.

Could flying supplies in be a cost effective option.

 

I think this was discussed, but would a modern plow/snow blower attachment not make road maintenance less of a huge task?

 

We stayed at what I consider a nice hunt camp in QC last year, it was on an island and they needed to barge their stuff over, groom their own trail to the camp through the bush and across the lake, etc, etc.....on leased land, like most of them are, and they seem to make it work.

They had been slowly improving all the cabins as well, making things better, more efficient, newer gas heaters, etc......,

There fees for hunting season were not cheap, but sounds like on par with others for off season business.....I do not recall what we paid for the night, but all things considering that included the cabin, fuel, dinner, breakfast, etc......I do not think it was more than the norm.

 

How or what makes things so much different for them compared to a place like HH in what I would say are in the same type of area/enviroment?

 

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