Snowmobile Trail Grooming Reports 2010

Thanks to New England Outdoor Center for the most up to date Katahdin Region Snowmobile Trail Reports.
New England Outdoor Center's own Twin Pines Snowmobile Club is on ITS-86 and operates 5 high-powered BR 400 groomers. NEOC offers gas from 7am to 7pm every day, trailside lunch Thursday to Sunday from 11 am to 2 pm, and the largest fleet of Ski-doo snowmobile rentals in Maine.

January 1, 2014: Extreme cold conditions - new record in Bangor of -10 F on January 1. Some areas are still clearing trees and restoring power after the ice storm on December 22. Nearly 20 inches of snow on the ground in this area, with two or more in the high country.

Caution: Ice on streams and lakes is not yet fully safe for snowmobiles. Check local conditions before crossing. One groomer has already broken though the ice in northern Maine.

Check out NOAA'a 24-hour snowfall map for Maine and other northeast snowmobile areas.

For more trail details, visit our snowmobile trail alerts page.

PLEASE - Stay on the marked trails unless you are absolutely positive you are permitted to ride off-trail. Don't be the reason for a trail being closed. RESPECT our landowner friends.

March 10, 2010:

Go high young man, go high! Sunny and warm last weekend weakened many areas. However, many high country areas still have great bases and off-trail riding opportunities. Grooming continues in these areas when nighttime temperatures are below freezing, which they have been for the last several nights. Areas that will be especially good next weekend are: the JoMary and Katahdin (south on ITS86 and east of Baxter Park to Shin Pond) areas; northern end of Moosehead, especially Kokadjo and Pittston Farm; Chesuncook Village. See Monday's rider report for the JoMary area (below).

Trail Closing Note: The Kokadjo club has closed some old trails in the Roach Ponds area -- this is not by choice, but at the request of the new landowner, the Appalachian Mountain Club. The AMC has also blocked the 110 connector trail from Greenville to Gulf Hagas because another landowner is plowing the road from the Ironworks gate for a logging operation. This leaves the B-52 trail with a loop that does reach the Hedgehog Gate. The trail from the KI Gate to B Pond is also closed due to this plowing operation. Hence, even with a big snowstorm you can't ride the 110 from Greenville to Brownville -- you must go to Kokadjo, then to JoMary, and take the 111 connector to Ebeemee and then to Brownville.

BEWARE OF OPEN WATER AND THIN ICE ON LAKES: As the cold weather approaches, be cautious for numerous slush holes, thin spots and open water areas. Contact a local snowmobile club for the most up to date conditions.

Groomers have the Right of Way

• Jo-Mary-Katahdin-Millinocket area Trail Report - 3/9/10: While we are still riding and grooming and there are still parts of our system with tons of snow, the hot sun of the weekend really took a toll on the trail sections that we have been just hanging on to for the past couple of weeks. Consider the trails to the hotels and the South Twin Bridge (Wiley Crossing) to be trails to be avoided unless we get 6 or 8 inches of snow. We will no longer be grooming them without additional snow. Also while the Pole line will get you to Millinocket Lake from town, we groomed it for the last time last Saturday, with out more snow. It is passable but will be a slow ride with lots of bobbing and weaving around dirt, rocks and other assorted challenges! As for the rest of the system, we are moving into spring riding conditions. The higher elevations backcountry riding is awesome with deep snow in most places above 1200 to 1500 feet of elevations. As for groomed trails we are still grooming ITS86 from Twin Pines west and the Timber Cruisers East. The first few miles from each starting point are thin on snow but it gets better and better as you gain elevation and distance. We are also grooming the Logan Pond trail and the Grant Brook Road but coverage is getting thin on both trails where they were plowed early in the winter. Both the Twin Pines Snowmobile Club and the Jo Mary Riders Club will be grooming tonight and again before the weekend if the weather and conditions warrant. I highly recommend a ride from our area out to Kakadjo and or Chesuncook village and the Chesuncook Lake House as the snow conditions and grooming in this direction continue to support great riding. Additionally the riding north to Bowlin and the Patten Shin Pond area is good and there is always snow on the ungroomed Baxter Park Road to Mattagamon! Expect the conditions on the trails we are grooming to be good to excellent with a few sections closer to town that will require a little careful riding and navigation to pass. Join us this week or weekend, gas, food (thursday through Sunday) and lodging are still available at Twin Pine Camps. And Remember what those that ride the Katahdin Region regularly know -- Its not how much snow you have, but what you do with it that counts! Ride here and benefit from the pride we take in making and keeping our trail system one of the very best in the state!
  - 3/08/10 Rider Report: Rode 139 miles from South Twin Lake to Chesuncook Village and back. Left at 10 am so 7 hours and 10 minutes, with a 1 1/2 hour break for lunch at the village. The ONLY bare spots we found were in the first 4 miles (have just opened up since saturday) and you can get around every one of them (maybe eight total spots). The word MOGUL does not exist in the Jo Mary Riders territory. They just don't allow them to develop. That being said, there are hardly any other bumps to speak of. We went out the Katahdin Loop Trail to Black Pond trail, Ragged lake trail to Spencer Mtn to newly opened/groomed Maxfield Brook road to Loop road to Little Lobster to Poulin road to Salmon Pond road to the village. Down Chesuncook Lake to the end of Caribou Lake, new shortcut trail (runs west of 10-40 pond) back to Black Pond trail. West to Farrar Mtn (ragged lake) trail south to 86 to B Pond and back to here. Even Kokadjo's B pond trail section was EXCELLENT. So all in all, JoMary trails are still very nice.
  - 3/02/10: Cold weather returns to the Katahdin Region with temps in the mid twenties Tuesday night and dipping down into the teens by Thursday and through the weekend. This will allow us to really work the new snow that we have received over the past week. The areas groomed by the three Katahdin area clubs; the East Branch Snow Rovers, Jo Mary Riders and Twin Pine Snowmobile Club received from a few inches to well over two feet of new snow. This means that while most of the trails in the area are very well covered, some are not and it is important that you plan your travel accordingly. As a general rule, it is the trails within the immediate boundaries' of town that are in poor shape. All of these trail sections can be avoided by starting your ride in the right place, generally within just a few miles of the in-town hotels. If you want to avoid riding on rough trail and are staying in a hotel, it is worth trailering a few miles. ITS 86 has places with over 2 feet of snow packed on the trail near Whetstone and for much of the trip from Nahmakanta Lake to Kakadjo. If you rode this section this weekend, we are sorry about the lack of grooming and trees in the trail from the heavy wet snow. We tried to groom it but lost a groomer of the side of the trail in deep snow and then spun a track trying to get it back on the trail. We tried to pull it out with a BR 160 that was in the area but had to wait a day until we could get another BR400 out to pull it out. Monday, after the "rescue" we ran both machines to Penobscot Pond and "broke open" the trail. We are back in the area today cutting out what's left of the blow downs and storm damaged trees. We will be back on it with groomers, Wednesday, and expect it to be in excellent shape by Friday.
  - 3/1/10: Grooming started yesterday on Staceyville Rd, Logan Pond Trail and half way to Penobscot Pond. We have a groomer that is broke down and off the trail near Nahmakanta Lake. Please use caution as we will have equipment in the area today getting the groomer back on the trail. Once this is completed we will continue grooming. Cold weather returns overnight from Tuesday right through the weekend with nice day time riding temps. We will return to grooming Tuesday night and the trails will continue to improve as the cold temperatures settle back in. In the meantime we suggest that you trailer out of town to the Millinocket Lake and Twin Pine Camps.
  - 2/26/2010: The Katahdin Area Trails received from a low of a few inches right in town to a high of 18 inches to 2 feet in the higher elevations like the B Pond area. There is some minor impact with ice and snow on trees in the Gun Barrel stretch between Whitehouse Landing and Three Corners. But a little wind will quickly take care of this and the trails are fine for riding and grooming. We are also not grooming tonight as the snow is still too wet and temps are not forecast to drop below 30 all night. The base was flat and the riding today was great but if we get a lot of use this weekend things will get bumpy. As of today it looks like things will be cool enough to groom Sunday night and more snow may well be on the way for Monday. Cold temps return Tuesday and most of our trail system should be in excellent condition and easy to keep that way through next weekend and beyond. Still forecasting 3-5 more inches tonight and 1- 3 for tomorrow night and flurries for the rest of the weekend.
  - 2/17/10: Rode and/or groomed from one end of ITS 85/86 (Whetstone to Penobscot Pond) yesterday and last night and took side trips on the Logan Pond Trail, The Stratton Trail and about 15 miles of ITS 83 and all were in very good condition. We still have plenty of snow and support great riding. Temps at or below freezing and a forecast of light snow or flurries for the rest of the week should keep it on the ground and we will continue to groom almost everything nightly. Most of ITS 85 / 86 is in very good shape with even the Pole Line stretch decent with a few short rough spots. The Jo Mary and Whetstone ends of our system still support the best riding and hold plenty of snow.
  - 2/15/10: Webmaster rode through the JoMary area from South Twin to the Nahmakanta Unit and ITS 86 via the Katahdin Loop. The new trail was in perfect condition with a smooth hard base topped with cold packed powder. ITS 86 west to Penobscot Pond very good even after the holiday weekend traffic. Most of this area is no longer running on the plowed road so it should hold up much better at the end of the season. Penobscot Pond to B Pond also very good, and from B Pond back to South Twin was excellent. A detour on this stretch avoids a steep hill that always gets thin, plus the detour has some fantastic views of Mt. Katahdin. Note: the Kokadjo club has closed some old trails in the Roach Ponds area -- this is not by choice but at the request of the new landowner, the Appalachian Mountain Club. The AMC has also blocked the 110 connector trail from Greenville to Gulf Hagas because another landowner at the Ironworks end is plowing the road for a logging operation. The trail from the KI Gate to B Pond is also closed due to this operation. Hence, even with a big snowstorm you can't ride the 110 from Greenville to Brownville -- you must go to Kokadjo, then to JoMary, and take the 111 connector to Ebeemee and then to Brownville.
  - 1/26/10: Well were still standing here in the Katahdin Region. We got a good dose of rain late Monday through Monday night and it has had an impact on our system ranging from substantial on the poorly bedded trail sections to "relevant but not a disaster" on our well bedded trails and roads. 1) First, things to be avoided for the next couple of days: All trails leaving downtown Millinocket, right in-town, as they have serious water issues that will require a day or two to drain off or be addressed. The exceptions to this are the Stacyville road (ITS 86 East from town) which has coverage but is icy in some spots in the first 10 miles and the new Multi use trail leading to South Twin from the end of the Golden Road. Please note if you try to access this from the pole line there is at least one spot in the trail with over a foot of water in it (pictures on our web site trail report http://www.neoc.com/trips/maine-snowmobile-trail-report.php) and likely other areas with water on the pole line. Additionally, the Dolby trail has a number of stream crossings and wet areas now once again covering the trail. 2) Trails that are decent and will be easily put back into good shape with a couple of nights of cold and grooming include: ITS 86 from Whetstone to Penobscot Pond with the exception of the pole line stretch which should be avoided for at least a couple of days. The Logan Pond Trail. This can be used to avoid the pole line if you are traveling on ITS 86. The Grant Brook Road to ITS 86 from Millinocket Lake to Whitehouse. Good Riding should be available and continue to improve as things cool down and continue to dry out in the JoMary country and over towards Kokadjo. We plan to groom all groomable trail sections Wednesday night as the cold really starts to settle in. In closing, we still have a great base and snow to work with in most of our system. If you trailer out of town a few miles things improve dramatically. Trails are soft and flat today and we will groom again starting on Wednesday as the trails firm up with the cold. We are confident that we can produce good riding by Friday with the exception of the trails listed above that are close to town. If you come to ride today or tomorrow use caution as there will be unmarked hazards including the possibility of blow downs and water crossings. It is also possible that areas that currently hold water will become icy as things cool down and drain off. We have pictures taken this morning on our web site of typical snow coverage and conditions in the area.
• Bowlin-Matagamon-Shin Pond - 3/8/10: We are still riding and grooming out of Shin Pond, Bowlin and Matagamon area! How are the trails? Yes it is spring like riding conditions but with the cold temps at night the grooming continues and yes by late afternoon the trails are mushy but the riding is still good. We welcome you to trailer to Shin Pond Village and ride from here. Our 50 mile loop Shin Pond to Bowlin and then onto Matagamon is good and 71D to Grand Lake Seboeis is great. Club trail 64 is also good. ITS 85 North to Oxbow, Ashland and Portage is all still good.
  - 3/2/10: We got 11-12 inches of wet heavy snow over the weekend. The predicted colder temps at night will help hold our snow pack. We are still riding and grooming out of our area. You can still ride out of Medway (ITS 83) and Millinocket (ITS 85) to ITS 83 Whetstone then North on ITS85 to Bowlin - Matagamon and Shin Pond and then ITS 85 North to Oxbow, Ashland and Portage is still good snow cover and grooming continues. It is best to stay west and north. ITS 85 North from Seboeis Bridge to Bowlin Camps and onto Matagamon Camps is groomed and in good shape. Connector trail 114 to Shin Pond groomed and also good. (some low areas have lighter snow cover). 71D to Grand Lake Seboeis is in excellent condition. Club Trail 64 will be groomed tonight. You are welcome to trailer to Shin Pond Village and ride out of Shin Pond.
  - 2/18/10: The riding is very good. The storm predicted for last Tuesday missed all of us! But it is snowing here at Shin Pond as I write this trail report at 6:30 am Thursday. Groomers have been out every night during this busy week and sledders are happy with the results. The Lookout Mt. trail is groomed through Bowlin Camps. The new owners have purchased a mogul master drag and are doing a great job keeping this trail groomed. ITS 85 north to Bowlin Camps and onto to Matagamon Camps and Shin Pond is excellent riding. 71D to Grand Lake Seboeis is very good. Connector trail 114 to Shin Pond is also good. Scenic trail 64 around Sugarloaf Mt. is a great ride with views of Mt. Katahdin.
  - 1/26/10: Our trails in this area are still in good condition. There are a few reported spring-like water issues but our base was over 3 feet of snow! We did lose snow from the rain and warm weather. All of our trails were groomed Saturday night. We will groom again on Wed (just too warm still at 3:30 Tuesday) Lakes will be slushy and cross at your own risk.
• Rockwood - 3/1/10: All trails will be groomed tonight with the new snow. We have had 18 inches in the last few days. Great conditions.
  - 2/26/10: All trails will be groomed tonight for the weekend with the new snow. Great conditions now. Seven inches of heavy powder so far today will set up for great snowmobiling this weekend coming. More snow expected tonight. ITS 88 and most other trails in the Rockwood area system are very good. Groomers will be out on ITS 88 tomorrow.
  - 1/26/10: Lost some snow but still have decent riding. The lake is slushy. Use caution until it gets cold again. Cold air coming by Friday. ITS 88 - Grooming: Ok Riding waiting for trails to freeze up again; Rt 66 -Grooming: OK waiting for report.xxPittston Farm - 1/26/10: We checked our snowmobile trail conditions this morning after the rain yesterday. They held up very well! Our groomers worked on preparing the trails for the rain by pulling snow from the edges and packing the snow into the trail, anticipating it would freeze and hold our base. Their plan worked great! We discovered a few icy spots, but that was it, so watch out for the ice. They are snow-covered and very rideable. The Seboomook trail (Moosehead Trail) is in good condition. Our Jackman Trail is in good condition too. We just had 2 snowmobiles come for lunch and said they had a good ride. It's snowing currently; maybe it will give us a new covering of snow. The changes to the Jackman trail were ones made as a result of logging operations in the Soldiertown Twp. The new trail has some great views and varied terrain, we think you'll enjoy the ride here. The Seboomook Road trail is groomed to the dam, heading toward Northeast Carry for 13 miles. Please remember none of the bodies of water around us are safe to snowmobile on.
  - 1/25/10: The snow is taking a hard hit today with temps hovering around 40 degrees as steady rains continue to fall. Temps tonight will make the difference in trail conditions tomorrow. Groomers are parked until temps go well below the freezing mark. Route 66 north of Rockwood towards Pittston Farm and Jackman will be groomed on a regular schedule 5 times per week. Please note that we will be connecting with the Pittston Farm system at the old intersection near Demo Rd (ie spur trail) Please look for signs. Also the new trail to Brassua Lake is open and has been groomed once. It is a bit windy in spots, but it is a great short cut for those who like to go boon-docking or fishing on the lake. Access to the Brassua Lake Trail is off of the Ridge Trail toward Gray Ghost Camps. Also, note that there are some major re-routes taking place this year so please understand that clubs are doing their best to get the work done and the signs up. ICE REPORT: Moosehead Lake is now completely covered with ice, but the ice depths are not safe. The north bay was just reported frozen over 4 days ago. The trail has been marked from The Birches Resort to Mt. Kineo. Please stay on the marked trail. There is word of an open hole near Farm Island. The trail is still not marked from the Public Landing. Depths were measured and there is still only 5 inches of ice in some spots. Maybe less in others. Protected coves will offer more ice for fishing. Brassua Lake is completely covered with ice with 12-15 inches reported in most places. The snowmobile trail across Long Pond has been marked and is safe for crossing. Ice conditions vary greatly depending on the body of water and location. With all the recent rain, outlets and inlets have strong currents that lessen the ice amounts.
• Pittston Farm - 2/27/10: Received about 20 inches of new wet-heavy snow. Groomers are out working on the trails currently to improve the riding. Trails conditions on the Seboomook Trail and the Jackman trail are good, to very good in some places. Because of the large amount we received it will take a few groomings to get the trails in top notch shape. If the temperatures stay freezing, allowing us to groom, we should have "excellent trails" by the middle to end of next week. The wind has been blowing hard and has caused some large drifts and gullies on the trails so we wanted to get onto the trails as soon as possible to make smoother riding for everyone. Note: The are changes to the Jackman trail as a result of logging operations in the Soldiertown Twp. The new trail has some great views and varied terrain, we think you'll enjoy the ride here. The Seboomook Road trail is groomed to the dam, heading toward Northeast Carry for 13 miles.
• Greenville - 2/27/10: All trails have adequate snow cover, most hazards are covered. Look for possible water holes opening due to heavy wet snow. Trails have been groomed and are in good condition. Snow is slushy so use caution. The New Wilson pond trail has been opened and packed, groomed 2/25/10 - watch for new signs. Scammon Ridge Trail to Sandpiper Trail is open, groomed 2/25/10 packed and signed. NOTE: This is a difficult trail experienced riders only. Russ Dodge trail to Washington St. Downtown - Groomed watch for water holes. Lily Bay Mt trail opened and packed, access this trail via ITS 85 north to Worsters Bridge trail, follow signs. Mt pond, Horseshoe Pond trails opened and packed - groomed 2/25/10.
  - 2/14/10: Trail to The Forks was groomed, Warman Camp Rd. had dirt and rocky spots, though the straight-aways are good and hard packed. The Indian Hill power lines are rocky and bumpy. The Masonic Temple Trail is almost down to bare dirt. The railroad bed to Shirley is in good shape. The trail from Shirley to Blanchard has washouts and spots w/ gravel showing (in the woods there's a lot of dirt and it's pretty rocky). Blanchard Road is in pretty good shape, hard packed. Cry Baby Hill Trail has gone from making you want to cry to giving you nightmares. Note: Caution: Greenville ITS Grooming reporting two good sized pressure ridges on Moosehead Lake.
  - 1/25/10: Good base, hard packed, some spots have small open water. A few bare spots. PLEASE use caution in these areas. NOTE: 110 CONNECTOR TO BROWNVILLE IS CLOSED. 110 conn. to Blue Ridge/Katahdin View and Hedgehog gate is now a LOOP Trail. The New Wilson pond trail has been opened and packed, signed and groomed. Scammon Ridge Trail to Sandpiper Trail is open, packed, signed and groomed -- NOTE: This is a difficult trail experienced riders ONLY. Russ Dodge trail to Washington St. Downtown: Packed and groomed, watch for water holes. Lily Bay Mt trail opened and packed, access this trail via ITS 85 north to Worsters bridge trail. Mt pond, Horseshoe pond trails open, packed, groomed.
  - 1/24/10: Groomers went out last night. 110 Connector, B52 and Blueridge in good shape w/ beautiful views. The Indian Hill Power Line is rocky w/ thin snow. Masonic Temple Trail is also rocky. Railroad Bed Trails are in good shape. Trail from Shirley to Blanchard has water holes and is rocky. Cry Baby Hill Trail is very rocky. South to The Forks has thin snow and is Rocky. ITS 85 North to Kokadjo Trail is decent, but there is still a water hole north of Worsters Bridge. Greenville needs more snow, but there is still decent riding out there.
• Greenville Jct - 1/21/10: Received another 4-6 inches of fresh snow Tuesday night into Wednesday. After the busy holiday weekend, we needed this to clean up the trails. We had a breakdown earlier in the week, but it's now back up and running. We have a small section of trail that was a re-route last year that could still use some more snow, please use caution. Other than that small stretch, we are in great shape. The groomer went out last night and ITS 88 from Wilsons at the East Outlet around the back side of Squaw Mountain to the intersection with the Greenville and Forks Trail Systems (ITS 86) will be groomed on a regular schedule. Area clubs have been working hard signing and preparing the trails, yet it is still early season. Please stay off bodies of water. The lake is completely covered in ice, but there are still some unsafe areas, so please use the marked trails. Protected coves like ours offer perfect ice fishing opportunities.
• Guilford - 1/22/10: We have been on a regular grooming schedule and after that last little "refresher" we now have some snow to work with to make our trails even better. The cold weather and snow has sealed up almost every water hole on our entire trail system except for the stretch of power line heading towards Harlow Pond. The Pond now has 18 inches of ice and if we can keep the cold weather going we should be able to take the groomer across eventually. It is still advised to stay on the marked trail on the pond, fields, and powerline because there are many rocks and other hazards just off the side of the trail.
• Jackman - 3/2/10: We got slammed with snow last week and weekend. We ended up with a total of 36 inches. In town (lower elevation) had 32 inches. The 3 feet of new snow was a very heavy wet snow and has now settled down to about 26/28 inches. All trails have been groomed continuous since last Thursday, and due to the warm weather it is hard to keep the trail flat. So, yes, trails have been groomed and will continue to be groomed daily. ITS 89 North - There is plenty of snow and the reports are the trails are in good condition. ITS 89 South - Snow covered, in good condition. We groomed the original ITS 89 South and will continue as along as there is sufficient snow. Border Riders Club Trail North - In very good condition. ITS 88 East to Rockwood - Plenty of snow and in good condition. We groomed the bald mountain trail and will continue to do so, we cannot open the Sugar Loop due to wood harvesting, so we will stay on the new ITS 88 East. ITS - In-Town Jackman Trails - Good snow, groomers will pack everything down again today.
  - 3/1/10: Lots of new heavy snow and the groomers have been working steadily since last Thursday. Colder weather this week will help to keep the trails flat. The wind has picked up today causing blowing snow and drifting in higher elevations. With all of the new snowfall, areas that were rough have been re-opened so watch for signage. Use caution on the ponds and lakes around the shoreline as some areas near open water may have thinned out. Border Riders Club 40 Mile Loop - This trail is in very good condition and a great ride. Best access is off the lake trail although with the last snow, in town trails are improved. Stop in at the clubhouse for lunch on the weekends. ITS 89 North to Border - Some bumpy areas but in good condition. The Old Bald Mountain trail was reopened and will take you up to fish pond and over to ITS 88. Sugar Camp Loop is closed due to logging. Armstrong Canada Club Trails - Report from visitors said that this trail, at least to the first clubhouse was "beautiful" Don't forget your passports! ITS 88 East to Rockwood - Groomers have been going out and most reports are that these trails are really good to excellent. The Pittston Farm and the Seboomook Trail to Northeast Carry has been groomed to the damn. So much heavy snow at once will take the groomers a few days to make them perfect but still some great rides. Reminder: Sugar Camp Loop is closed due to logging. Use the Bald Mountain Trail. ITS 89 South to the Forks - Trails are much improved. A section of the trail has been rerouted due to logging and it is signed. Another new trail has been established "Old Red Buck Trail" which will take you to Parlin Pond and on to Hardscrabble road. Plenty of snow!
  - 2/28/10: Received 12 inches snow on Friday, and 7 inches Friday night. All trails are open.
  - 2/27/10: We have new snow and it is still snowing. Border Riders Club 40 Mile Loop - very good condition and a great ride. Best access is off the lake trail although with the last snow, in town trails are improved. Stop in at the clubhouse for lunch on the weekends. ITS 89 North to Border Great! The Old Bald Mountain trail was made to avoid some rough areas on ITS 88 but with this last snow, ITS 88 will be groomed. Old Bald Mountain Trail will take you up to fish pond and over to ITS 88. Sugar Camp Loop is closed due to logging. Armstrong Canada Club Trails Report from visitors said that this trail, at least to the first clubhouse was "beautiful" Don't forget your passports! ITS 88 East to Rockwood and beyond Groomers have gone out and as soon as we get an update, we will let you know. Should be excellent. ITS 89 South to the Forks - these trails will be showing great improvement today also. We have not heard snow amounts in the Forks. A section of the trail has been rerouted due to logging. It is signed. Another new trail has been established 'Old Red Buck Trail' which will take you to Parlin Pond and on to Hardscrabble road. In-Town Trails - This snowfall has helped a lot. Groomers worked on in town trails last night. You can also access trails north via the lake trail. Access is next to the Northland - please note, the club put a lot of work into this access trail to the lake-let them know you appreciate them.
  - 2/16/10: In town trails are showing wear and tear however the cold weather is helping and as soon as you get out of town a few miles they are still in good shape. Trails eastward to Pittston Farm and Rockwood are in very good condition. Trails to south need more snow.
  - 1/26/10: Trails are still open. We did receive about 3/4 inch of rain but the trail base seems to have held nicely. The snow seemed to absorb most of rain. Groomers did not go out last night because of the warm weather however they are going out tonight. Grooming schedule is Thursday thru Monday - ITS 89 North: There is still plenty of snow and the reports are the trails are in still good condition. ITS 89 South: Still snow covered, in decent condition. Border Riders Club Trail North: In good condition. ITS 88 East to Rockwood: Reports are that there is still plenty of snow and in good condition. ITS - In Town Jackman Trails: Snow is marginal in some areas, but good for the most part.
• The Forks - 1/21/10: About 8" of snow over the past 3 days. This will help the groomers fill most of the remaining trouble spots, especially on woods trails. All 100 miles of The Forks Trail System are open and being groomed regularly. Generally speaking, trail sections on unplowed roads are very good and woods trails are fair. Again, this new snow will help greatly. Our trail system is about 85% roads and 15% woods trails. There may still be a few hazards out there especially on the woods trails, such as wet spots and rocks poking through, so be careful. For the remainder of the week, groomers will be out Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. ITS 86 from Berrys Store heading east toward Greenville is scheduled to be groomed Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights. The 1 mile of Intown trail is roughed up, but this new snow will help to improve things. The 1 mile Power Line section near Moxie Lake is rough, with some wet spots. Brochu Road section is flat and fast. ITS 87 heading south toward Bingham will be groomed Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights. There is an active logging operation for 2 miles along the Divide Road section, but there is a solid hard packed base on the road. Go slow and yield to equipment. The 3 mile spur trail up to the Moxie Mountain Overlook is open and groomed... outstanding views of Sugarloaf Mountain and the Bigelow Range. Kennebec River Trail from Northern Outdoors to Berrys Store will be groomed on Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights. The last 1 mile section as you approach town was rough, but should groom out ok with the new snow. Nice views of the Kennebec River. Bald Mountain Trail connecting ITS 86 and ITS 87 will be groomed on Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights. There is an active logging operation along this route and the road is shared for 1 mile. Go easy through there and yield to equipment. Everywhere else is flat and fast. Breakneck Ridge Trail to Blanchard is now open and groomed with good riding. Pleasant Pond Trail (club trail) will be groomed on Thursday. There is a 1/4 mile stretch along the back side of Pleasant Pond that is rough. Other than that,it's clear sailing. This trail and ITS 87 make a nice loop around Moxie Mountain.
• West Forks: 1/21/10: ITS 87 - From town to ITS 88 is groomed and riding is great there is a small section of logging for a short distance on the north end on plowed section of road use extreme caution and ride right. The power line of this trail has some rocks still poking though a very short distance; ITS 86 - From town to ITS 89 junction is groomed riding is good there are still some obstacles; ITS 86/89 - from the junction south groomed and great riding; ITS 89 - From the ITS86 junction is groomed riding is great; Enchanted loop trail is open and groomed riding is great; COBURN MT TRAIL - is groomed to the half way point and is the best it has EVER been once we get some more snow we will groom the upper section; EAST SIDE IN TOWN CLUB TRAIL - is groomed and signed this is a narrow wooded trail watch your speed riding is great; All other club trails are not groomed at this time, use extreme caution and watch for obstacles. With the 8 inches of new snow we received we are finally able to groom out some wooded section of trail.
• Benedicta - 1/25/10: With 1-2" of rain expected, all grooming operations have been suspended at this time. All Snowgang trails will be looked at after this rain event is over to determine which, and how many, WATERHOLES have opened up. I would assume, at this time, that we will be looking at starting from "square one" from a grooming standpoint. A major snow event will have to occur, along with some really cold temps to get things frozen down again. With all this being said my trail report is as follows: ALL SNOWGANG TRAILS ARE "RIDE AT YOUR OWN RISK" at this time. I have already had one report of a "STOP AHEAD" sign missing at Route 11 on Trail #70. This situation has been addressed and being fixed as I write, but drivers need to realize that with "big wind" conditions" as they are, that signs are going to be blown down or blown away. Our trailmasters will be riding all Snowgang trails ASAP to replace signs that will be missing.
• Caribou/Aroostook - 2/17/10: ITS 81 section west of Bridgewater is now open for the rest of the winter. Going south through to Oxbow, Shin Pond and Mattagamon conditions are holding with good reports from folks traveling in those areas. Rt. 71D over Grand Lake Sebois is open offering a loop ride. ITS 83 has a reroute north of Stockholm due to plowed roads so follow signs. In Caribou RT 83A across the Aroostook River to hookup with ITS 88 out of Ft. Fairfield and Presque Isle has been opened. The southern sections have all been groomed this week with lots of traffic and great reports. Rt. 71A loop off 85 between Oxbow and Ashland is still open, groomed and offering a good loop trail. Up north Twin Lakes and Sly Brook still out grooming with good conditions on all the connector trails. ITS 88 is in good shape with no reports of any problems and it makes a great connection between ITS 81 and ITS 85 in the central region but keep in mind you do have some low lying areas on the powerline section so use caution. ITS 90 Portage is grooming both the northern and the southern sections west of Rt 105 at least until the end of this vacation week. Flurries have helped the eastern sections capture some snow in the fields. Also there is a new logging operation opening just west of the Rt. 105 intersection. ITS 92 open and groomed and the reports are good coming in. There has been a little loop trail opened from St. Francis to give some rider options. Customs is open for limited hours so check ahead before you venture out as there are no services for about 42 miles once you leave Allagash. 92B remains closed due to logging but 92A is open and groomed. ITS 105 is in good shape from Van Buren to the Squa Pan area and beyond with good connections to ITS 81 and 85 if you are heading to or from Shin Pond. Rt 94 off 105 is open and groomed as well as Rt. 89 which runs from 94 to Caribou and ITS 83. Pleasant Ridge Runners have their trails open including 100 which connects to Rt 89 as well as 81A between Limestone and Hamlin making for some nice small loops. You will run into a small logging operation on Rt. 89 in Connor. ITS 120 is groomed in its entirety but remember you will run into plowed road on the Red River Rd so use caution. Rt 92B is closed.
  - 1/19/10: ITS 81 has been open and groomed all the way from Madawaska to Shin Pond and south just remember that there is a reroute south of Mars Hill if you are heading west on 81 you will use the Number Nine Lake Trail this winter. ITS 83 is in good shape from northern Penobscot County to the top of the Crown. ITS 85 is in good shape but remember you have active logging north of Portage and south of Ox Bow. Ox Bow has Rt. 71A open and packed now for a great loop run out of Ashland. ITS 88 is open and yes they all could use more snow but projects have done a good job here and it is well marked including the reroute on the Ashland end. ITS 90 has seen lots of traffic and is in good shape... remember to stay on the marked trail. Washburn has opened Rt 61 to connect with 90. ITS 92 is open to Escourt. Remember there are restrictions at the border so plan ahead. Also 92A is open and groomed but 92B remains closed due to logging. ITS 105 is in good shape but you will look at logging on 81 and 75 around Squa Pan so use caution. For sledders heading out on ITS 120 the Debouille Trail, you will run into a five mile stretch open but not groomed. And please watch for active logging in the vicinity of the Red River Camp Road. All other trail systems are open and groomed but sledders are advised that limited snow cover makes for less than ideal conditions in wooded and low lying areas as well as fields so use caution. Moose are also on the loose so sledders use caution especially when night riding. Active logging: ITS 81 west of Mars Hill this section closed... see above. Rt. 81A and Rt. 74 around Squa Pan; ITS 86 west of St. Croix Lake; ITS 85 north of Portage and south of Oxbow.
• Oxbow-Masardis - 1/16/10: Grooming operations are ongoing from the suspension bridge in Masardis to the Camp Violette road in Penobscot county. There is a new crossing on Route 11 between Masardis and Oxbow. USE EXTREME CAUTION IN THIS AREA. There is a logging operation 8 miles south of Oxbow. The Carey Lake road has been plowed in two different sections. Roads have been marked with caution signs. Log trucks have the right of way. Proceed with caution in this area. Grooming operations continue from the PT 19 intersection south of Oxbow east to the St Croix River bridge. Club trail 71A will not be officially open until the Aroostook River ice has formed enough to make a safe crossing. Club trail 71D has been groomed to Grand Lake Seboeis. A new Club Loop trail has been established in the Oxbow area. The trail map has been updated to show the new trail.
• Eustis/Stratton - 1/21/10: A Sugarloaf foot (8") since Monday for snow fall. This has really helped the grooming on all trails. Expect great January riding here with all trails groomed and ready to ride. Rangeley - Groomed and open - use caution as trail has changed on Eustis end over last year. Forks - Groomed and open. Canada - Groomed and open - be advised beginging of trail does not use Airport Road. Please follow signs and stay off plowed ROADS. Carabbasset - Groomed and open.
• Newry - 1/26/10: After all of the rain yesterday ALL NEWRY TRAILS ARE CLOSED until we get a good freeze and snow to work with. Trail 13 to ITS 82 and the Mt. Will trails are all CLOSED until further notice.
• Rangeley - 3/10/10: Trails Remain Open. We are now in Spring Conditions where it has been a little below freezing at night and above freezing during the day. Trails are firm early and then get slushy by afternoon. We continue to groom as conditions permit. Trail conditions remain GOOD away from Rangeley and Oquossoc and fair and in some cases poor near town, food and gas. Off trail riding in the higher elevations is very good. Consider gassing up with your trailer and then parking along Route 16 in Oquossoc. In Rangeley, there are some limited parking areas along the trail crossings and at Langtown and Redington trail crossings. There is some limited parking available at our Groomer Barn on Loon Lake Road (do not block the grooming equipment in, as we will have to tow you). Important Reroute/Detour/Changes: If you are going to NH. It is a little rough getting out of Oquossoc, but then the riding is good. One other problem area is the plowed road section of ITS 84 as you approach the trail to NH is bare and muddy. We will try to get a little snow on the edge of the road to make it more passable. Bosebuck Camps - If you are riding to Bosebuck Camps, use the marked short cut trail with its junction on ITS 84. It is marked with signs. It requires a short lake crossing but the owners have marked the route. It will save you several miles and it avoids the long plowed Shared Use trail which is now an awful ride.
  - 2/28/10: It snowed about 9 over the past three nights with 3 fluffy inches last night. We expect more snow tonight with the forecast calling for 4-6 inches. Temperatures continue to hover around 32 degrees. Not the best for grooming but we will take all the snow we can get.
  - 2/26/10: Received about 7 inches of snow since Wednesday. We have been packing the new snow each night with our groomers. Light snow is forecast through the weekend. We currently have some of the best riding conditions in Maine. Trail conditions are GOOD. Just take it easy as there may be areas of thin cover and icy spots under the new snow. People are riding the lakes. No major ice ridges or hazards have been reported. Note: New trail maps are available at local business and the Chamber of Commerce. There are a number of logging operations on our trails this year. Look for 'Logging Ahead' signs. If logging truck or equipment are on the trail, please be sure the operators see you and signal you to pass. Important Reroute/Detour - Be especially careful when passing through the logging operation on the Oquossoc Railbed Trail. There is now a reroute for traffic heading to and from Bosebuck and NH and another reroute for traffic to and from Rangeley and points east. Signs are posted. Bosebuck - If you are riding to Bosebuck Camps, there is now a short cut trail with its junction on ITS 84. It is marked. It requires a short lake crossing but the owners have marked the route. It will save you several miles and it avoids the long plowed Shared Use trail. Quill Hill Overlook - Look for this amazing overlook about a mile west of the ITS 89 junction with the Stratton Trail.
  - 1/19/10: Trails Are Open - It's Snodeo. Riding remains good but some thin cover is developing because of a lack of new snow. Lakes have only frozen over recently and are still unsafe. We have picked up three inches of new snow yesterday and today. TRAIL CONDITIONS: Trails are open and being groomed at least three times per week. Conditions are in general, good to very good. Be alert to trail hazards such as open water bars, rocks and thin spots. NOTICES: Lake riding is never safe! If you are not experienced and comfortable with riding on lakes. Don't do it! The Rangeley Lakes Snowmobile Club has no trails on any lakes, ponds, rivers or streams. There are a number of logging operations on our trails this year. Look for 'Logging Ahead' signs and please be sure the operators see you and signal you to pass. Be especially careful when passing through the logging operation on the Oquossoc Railbed Trail. It is narrow and there is logging debris in the trail. We are going to cut a by-pass soon. We have posted a number of 'Shared Use' signs on plowed roads. Please watch for trucks and logging equipment on these trails and go slow.

Other Trail Reports:

Here are some great reports from other winter seasons to wet your appetite and give you some trip planning ideas. During winters when there was so much snow, many areas gave up making reports so they could put all their manpower into dealing with all the new snow.

Check out these previous trail grooming reports:

• 2010 season Snowmobile Trail Reports.
• 2009 season Snowmobile Trail Reports.
• 2008 season Snowmobile Trail Reports.
• 2007 season Snowmobile Trail Reports.