Buckhorn 2025

[yamadan700]

The Buckhorn trails we have open are in very nice shape. Flat but you will hear a few carbide ticks from the Canadian Shield. The further south, the worse the ticks. The coming snow will alleviate that.

 

We are going out tmo to finish brushing the 503 and hopefully stake most of the lakes. Mississauga Lake will not be one of them. Will have to do that another day. Should see some colour soon on the ITG.

 

Went for a ride today up to Harcourt via Gooderham and back via E/E108. Trails were good to excellent other than the 607(fair). There is a solution for the missing link between the 607 and the 606 but do so at your own risk.. Follow the 607(from the west) until you hit the boat launch at Billings Lake(can't miss it). Hop on the lake and look for the small island to the right. Stay to the right of the island and go to the boat launch at the end of Eureka Road.(There's lots of tracks as of today). Follow Eureka Road(approx 1km) to the end and turn right on to Glamor Lake Road.  Follow until the sharp right hand turn(approx 1 km) and look to the left. There is a trail there and it will take you to the 606(rail line). Decent snow on the roads today. Would suck on a warm sunny day tho.

 

 

[yamadan700]

The 503 has not been groomed.

The Snow Rabbit, we share with Stoney Lake, is down. That's what we use to groom the 503.  Apparently, it doesn't like deep snow as the air intake likes to ingest snow and freeze up. A new intake is being built.

 

We have been packing with the BR and then grooming with the T6 all week.  Most trails are groomed. Some trails are just packed. Overall, the trails are good/excellent.  

 

Mississauga Lake is not staked. Too much slush.

[yamadan700]

We staked and signed the swamps on the 501 all the way to Big Bald Lake. Needed snow shoes to pack some of it first. Saw some deep holes where others got stuck.

Should see some colour soon. Snow is deep. Stay on the packed trail.

[yamadan700]

501 is now fully open to Big Bald Lake.

 

502 is now fully open. A bit of road running along hwy 36 between the 501 and the 502A. Can't get the groomer down some of the trail on the west side. Should be okay with the snow falling as long as the plows are conservative with the shoulder plowing. 

 

503 is still closed. Haven't been able to get the Rabbit as of yet so no grooming has been done in well over a week. May get the Rabbit tmo so may see colour sometime this weekend.

Mississauga Lake is not staked and won't be this year. Too late now. Juice is not worth the squeeze.

 

506 North from P2 to the E108 was packed before the warmup and is now yellow. First time in years!

 

509 hasn't been touched for a week. May get touched tmo or Sunday.

 

We've been grooming for the last 2 days so many, but not all, trails will be groomed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[yamadan700]

We groomed most of our trails smooth and flat before the warmup and they mostly stayed that way after the freeze up. We did receive 2-3" of snow in some areas so there is some fluff for cooling and sliders.

 

There is a few slushy areas where we have gone through and I'm sure there will be some water issues but most of the trails that are open are looking pretty good/excellent.

 

No idea on the lake conditions.  I would expect slush out there. Don't know, don't go.

 

It's been very windy here so there may be some branches/trees down. Had a big tree down on the E211 that was cleaned up today.

 

Truck and trailer on the 502 close to the E211 intersection.

 

Road running will be marginal.