Moved

For trail updates visit Facebook.
For race details visit The Underdown.
For gravel visit BURGR95.
For registration visit Wisconsin Endurance Mountain Bike Series.

Moving

This page is history.

For trail updates visit Facebook.
For race details visit The Underdown.
For gravel visit BURGR95.

Hundred Down

Ride Wisconsin's Ultimate Lap

August 19th, 2017 at the WEMS Thunderdown in the Underdown

Location: Underdown Main Parking Lot on Copper Lake Road between Irma and Gleason

Course: A 33 mile single track loop that combines the best of the old school with zippy machine built renovations.  Ride past 4 lakes, 5 bermed boardwalks and 64 hills all the way to the Prairie Dells overlook and back.  Guaranteed that there will be something you haven't seen before.  Mechanical updates are in progress to keep your momentum high.

WEMS Categories:

• 8AM Start:
• Long-distance solo: 3 laps completed between 8AM and Midnight
• 11AM Start:
• Mid-distance solo: 2 laps completed between 11AM and 9PM
• Long-distance duo: 2 laps completed by both riders between 11AM and 9PM
• This is not a relay.  You will start with your buddy and could ride together the whole way if you want.  Lap times of both riders will be added together to calculate total time.
• 1PM Start:
• Mid-distance duo: 1 lap completed by both riders between 1PM and 7PM
• This is not a relay.  You will start with your buddy and could ride together the whole way.  Lap times of both riders will be added together to calculate total time.
• Long-distance team: 1 lap completed by each rider between 1PM and 7PM
• This is not a relay.  You will start with your buddies and could ride together the whole way if you want.  Lap times of your three fastest riders will be added together to calculate total time.
• 2PM Start: 
• Short-distance solo: 1 lap completed between 2PM and 8PM

Points and placing:

• Riders/duos/teams who complete a lap will still receive their WEMS points and place even if they do not complete all of their laps.  For example, all of the long-distance solo riders who finish three laps by midnight will be placed ahead of riders who finish two laps who will be placed ahead of riders who finish one.

Thunderdown Cup: Which town will turn the most laps?  Turn in your roster by 2PM.

Support: Numerous aid stations on course

Post-Race:  Campfire and Keg

Camping: Available on site

Trail Pass: Free on race day thanks to Lincoln County

Opening Ride Saturday May 6th

10AM at the Copper Lake Road Parking Lot

Underdown trails are cleaned up and ready to ride.

Closed

Underdown trails are closed until May 1st.
Plenty of downed trees to cut until then.
Trails volunteers needed in June and July.
Races in August.

Great Weekend

Ski trails are groomed.
Snowshoe trails are tracked and in good shape.
The Big Bog Loop was a different kind of fat bike ride today.  Dog Lake was a viable ride too, and Mist Lake is an adventure as always.

The Prairie Dells loop from Heineman Road  is incredibly fast right now.  The forecast looks good for more great riding, but give it a break if it gets too melty.

Melting, but not Melted

Underdown trails are soft, but there is still plenty of snow.

• Ski trails are tracked.
• Snowshoe trails have tracks all the way around the Mist Lake loop with new sign posts in place across the Long Bog. 
• The Prairie Dells loop is waiting for a freeze to be a great ride again.

UNDERDOWN TRAIL WEEKEND next weekend has a great forecast.

Saturday 10AM: Guided snowshoe hikes from Copper Lake Road from one to four hours.

Sunday 10AM: Fat bike ride from Copper Lake Road.

Underdown ski trails and Prairie Dells fat bike trails open all weekend.

Tons of Snow

Copper Lake Road:

• Ski Trails: Groomed and tracked beautifully, except for Loop Road as of Thursday.
• Snowshoe Trails: Tracks at least to Dog Lake.  Lakes are solid and bog bumps are filling in.  Challenging fat biking by this weekend.

Heineman Road Dells Loop:

• Great snowshoeing right now!
• Marginal fat biking on snowmobile track.  Drifting above the marsh.  Grooming will resume Saturday once the track sets up enough to allow the machine to pull something.  Sunday looks promising for a nice ride.

Northwoods Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance Snowshoe Hike

Saturday January 28, 2017

10:00 A.M. 

The Northwoods Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance will host  a

guided snowshoe hike in the Underdown area of the Lincoln County Forest on Saturday,  January 28, 2017 starting at 10:00 A.M.   Meet at the  Underdown Recreation Parking Lot on Copper Lake Road.

Come and enjoy the wonderful landscape created by the Great Wisconsin Glacier about ten

thousand years ago.  A UW geology and geophysics professor described the Underdown as a

“world class hummocky feature” of glacial topography.  In simpler terms, the area has swamps,

lakes, bogs and hills abundantly.

The snowshoe trail layout and design has been done by chapter member, Chris Schotz. The trail

is well marked and packed.  Hikers can chose between distances of one to four hours depending 

on your ability, experience and endurance.  The trail is “moderately difficult”.  Bring your

snowshoes, drink and weather appropriate clothing.

Hot cider, hot chocolate, cookies and a blazing fire will await you after the hike.  There is no charge for this event.  Donations to the chapter will be accepted.

Underdown Dells

Great Weekend Coming

Copper Lake Road
Underdown Ski Trails:  Groomed and tracked including Loop Road which is groomed wide for skating.
Underdown Snowshoe Trails: No more slush because it's COLD.

• Big Bog Loop (3.5 miles): Solid and interesting - a technical fat bike ride.  Coyotes were finishing a deer on the Bumpy Bog.
• Dog Lake (5.5 miles): Tracks - a tougher fat bike ride.
• Mist Lake (8.5 miles): Adventure

Heinemann Road

• The Dells Loop is riding well on fat bikes.  Snowshoes welcome.

The Ice Age Trail Snowshoe Hike will start at 10AM from Copper Lake Road on Saturday, January 28th.

Out in the Snow

Underdown from Copper Lake Road:

• Snowshoe paradise with tracks to Dog Lake.  Lakes are solid.
• Not ready for fat bikes or skis yet.
• Parking lot just got plowed.

Dells Loop from Heineman Road:

• Beautifully ready for fat bikes and snowshoes.
• Group ride Tuesday at 5:30.
  

Snow Time

The Dells Loop and Connector trail were well ridden in on fat bikes yesterday.  Grooming should start this week after more snow and a good freeze.  Be careful on the Underdown lakes until they are good and solid.

We won't be waiting long for snow!

There might be a group ride on Thursday, but after that it's time to give the Underdown trails a break until December.  Let them freeze solid and let the hunters have some space.

It's been a great year with volunteers putting in 288 hours of work on the county trails in addition to a comparable amount on the city property!  On to the Hundred Down!

Coyote Cross Enduro and Ghost Ride

Saturday, October 29th at the Merrill Memorial Forest on Heinemann Road

A free ride and gathering

5PM Classes

• 5 and 10 miles
• Drop bar bikes with tires 40mm and skinnier
• Mountain bikes

7PM Ghost ride and squatch hunt

2016 Thunderdown in the Underdown and WEMS Championship

October 8th, 2016

NEW LOCATION: 95% of this year's 11 mile course has never been raced.  You will want to stop and admire the views!  You will want to ride the descents over and over!



Find the Merrill Memorial Forest by taking Heinemann Road for 2.5 miles west from Highway 17 or County R 3.5 miles east from County K.
Registration: 8AM or Registration
10 Hour Race: 10AM (Finish before 8PM. Bring a light.)
6 Hour Race: 1PM
3 Hour Race: 3PM

Camping will be allowed this weekend.
Racer Refreshment: Chili, cookies, and Festbier!
Awards: Pints and Growlers to category winners!

Giant Giveaway: Be there for the huge racer-selected prize package sponsored by Giant.
Additional Goodies from Hammer Nutrition and Silent Sports!

Thunderdown Cup: Sign up your town by 3PM.  Which town will turn the most laps?  Will the cup return to Wausau or stay up in Rhinelander?

Course: This brand new course will incorporate the 5.1 mile Dells Loop in the Merrill Memorial Forest before taking rustic Horn Lake Road to the enhanced Oktoberfest heights and returning over the extensive hills on the 2.2 mile connector. VIDEO

Sights: Prairie Dells Gorge!  Marvelous Manthei Marsh! Twenty Turn Ice Ridge Descent!

Other Events:
October 1st: 10AM Trail Grand Opening and Ice Age Trail Fall Hike at the Merrill Memorial Forest
October 1st: 2PM to 6PM Lincoln Lager Barleyfest at the Smith Center in Merrill
October 2nd: 10AM Group Ride at Merrill Memorial Forest
October 7th, 8th and 9th: 10AM to 5PM Northwoods Art Tour  Visit local artists including the bike inspired jewelry of the Outback Studio in Irma.
October 29th: 5PM Prairie Dells Coyote-Cross Enduro Ghost Ride
2017: Hundred Down in the Underdown, BURGR 95, Fork Horners 47, TTT 103, Run Around the Underdown

Great Food nearby: Just follow Heinemann Road east all the way to County X to find Fork Horners just a bit south.  This is what you deserve after a day on the trail.
Great Snacks and Bulk Food nearby: Follow Highway 17 north through Gleason to Prairie Pines Country Store.

This is how it all comes together!

At least that's a rough map of all 30 or so miles.  A work in progress, but Grand Opening this October!

Map

The Underdown trails will be connected to the Prairie Dells in some form on Wednesday!  A good amount of hand work will remain.  Grand opening October 1st!

To the Dells and Back

Merrill Memorial Forest: Take Heineman Road west from 17 about a mile south of Bloomville, or take Spring Lake Road east from County K about 6 miles north of Merrill.

The new trail is in all the way to Prairie Dells and back.  About half is still a rough bike ride and boardwalks have yet to be built, but it's a great hike for exploring.  Find the Merrill Memorial Forest on Heineman Road south of the Underdown.

And the DNR just started closing the spillway so the marsh will be filling and the birds will be happy.

News

• A silver mini-pump was lost while wrestling a tree off the trail.  If found please put it in the bike map box.
• The Underdown-Dells trail is ready to ride from the trail head to the clear cut hill except for the 100' boardwalk we should build in August.  Root cutters should work from the milk truck to the Dells.
• Ride the BURGR95 or Fork Horners 47 this Saturday!  It's customer appreciation day at Fork Horners so there will be specials and a band.
• Next group work day on the Underdown-Dells project at the Merrill Memorial Forest is July 30th, but come and go as you please any day you want to cut roots.