Getting to the Merrill Memorial Forest

To volunteer and enjoy on the Underdown-Dells trail project turn west on Heineman Road a mile south of Bloomville.  The forest entrance is about two miles from Highway 17 where County R and Spring Lake Road meet Heineman Road.

Trail building begins Monday, June 20th.

Underdown Dells Project Starts in a Week!

Follow here: https://www.facebook.com/underdowndells

Join us for an amazing volunteer project that will create 5 to 6 new miles of hike-bike trail from the existing Underdown trail system to the brink of the Prairie Dells. Be there to connect the ice marginal ridges above Anderson Lake to the beautiful Manthei Wetland and Precambrian Prairie Dells.

When: Most days and evenings from June 20th to August 12th
Where: Merrill Memorial Forest at the intersection of Heineman Road and County R. Follow the entrance road a quarter mile to the first gate. Construction begins less than a quarter mile past that gate.
What: Although an excavator will do much of the heavy lifting, handwork is essential to finish the trail tread. This is often done with shears and rakes. Boardwalk building could begin in the first week!

Trail Mowing Season

Roundtop (Trail G) and Trail X were mowed last night.  More to come this week to set the Underdown up for great riding this summer.

Trails are Great

Four downed trees were removed.  Oktoberfest and Trail U were cleaned.  Pickers are getting mowed, and post holes left by a horse or two are being dealt with.

It Rained A Lot

Lincoln County trail open Saturday, May 7th.  No need to rush into anything.  I'm going to Levis this weekend anyway.

1949 Plymouth

Trails open May 1st.

I'm Melting

TreacherIce

Mist Lake

Trails were indeed solid and beautiful
 all the way to Mist Lake and I took advantage of the opportunity to explore the lakes, nut it took some icy trails to get there.  Ice is common on trails A and Z plus the Ice Age Trails from Dog Lake to collarbone corner.  Fat bikers should be ready to walk or take serious risks, and hikers will want to bring spiky shoes to those areas.  There wasn't enough snow to groom ski trails this week.  It feels like winter is about over.

Dog Lake

Ride Mist Lake

The Mist Lake loop has not been this solid for fat biking in 4 or 5 years.  Just enough new powder fell to give the ice some grip.  Lakes and bog fringes are clear of deep snow and ready to explore at will. The loop only took about 1:20 at a moderate pace.

• Group ride at 10AM Saturday if the forecast holds.
• Ski trails are icy with powder in the tracks over some dirt patches.
  

Last Night was the Night

The Mist Lake loop was finally solid enough to ride all the way around last night.  It's bumpier than the Dog Lake loop because some of us jumped the gun this weekend, but you won't have to walk.  Be alert on A and Z.  Ice is slippery.  Joe and I found an interesting new loop out the back of Luecks Lake all the way to the junction of Copper Lake Road and the Ice Age Trail.

Wait Until Sunday

As of 8AM this morning the trails were OK but deteriorating.

• Trails A and Z are still open to snowshoes. 
• Ski trails will be soft today and icy tomorrow.
• Fat biking should be a treat Sunday except for some ice patches on the sunny sides.  A group will attempt the Mist Lake loop at 10AM.

This Might Be The Weekend

Underdown had an inch or two of new fluff.

• All 20 miles of classic ski trails were tracked Wednesday.
• All 8 miles of snowshoe trails have tracks since the last snow.
• Dog Lake is already a great fat bike ride, and Mist Lake was dragged so Saturday morning could be the time we can finally ride all the way around.
• Coyotes were calling on three sides as I approached Mist Lake tonight.  A nice moonlight let me see across the lake so I didn't have to guess my heading.

Drifty

Underdown has had a little bit of snow and some good winds.

• Ski trails have some snow and the tracks and will probably get groomed Friday.
• Snowshoe trails all have tracks and easy to follow except for the trip across Mist Lake itself which might have drifted over again.
• Fat biking is fun to Dog Lake and will be at least 50% rideable around the Mist Lake loop.  Open areas will be some kind of adventure.

Super Weekend

Underdown only got about 3 inches of new snow from that much-hyped blizzard so it's pretty, but not buried.

• Ski trails are already tracked.
• Snowshoe trails have new tracks around the Big Bog Loop, with an easy to follow trail to Dog Lake.  Don't head all the way to Mist Lake unless you know the way.  There should be tracks that far by Saturday.  This will be real snowshoeing instead of that sidewalk boot hiking we have been having.
• Some fat biking will be viable by this weekend.

Great Hikers and a Kitty

47 hikers came out to the Underdown snowshoe trails on Saturday including seven fast ladies who made it around the Mist Lake loop with me.  I had to work to keep from slowing them down.  For the first time we were able to boot hike to Dog Lake on our Ice Age hike day with no will effects on the trail.

The trail was as fast and grippy as a sidewalk on the fat bike tonight.  I attempted to follow the tracks of an earlier rider around Mist Lake, but it was still too soft even after I let a lot of air out.  Bike tracks ended just over the first hill, and I was debating whether I should push it into the dark hemlocks up the next when out of the stillness I heard the scream of a juvenile sasquatch that people tell me is a bobcat screech.  I know they can't hurt me, but that incongruous yowl can give you the feeling that something is watching.  I headed back to Dog Lake remembering the only other time I've heard that sound, alone after dark on Turtle Lake Road after hours of silence.  I know that exact spot just like the exact location of the four times I've seen wolves in the wild are imprinted in my head.  Bears and owls I can forget, but some critters stay with you.

The bobcat I heard was something like this, but a bit less raspy, more a cross between a coyote and a crane.  Sorry for the guy cursing, but that sound can freak you out, especially in the dark a few miles from the car.

Tracked

• Underdown ski trails have tracks set now.
• Snowshoe trails are solid.  There are many tracks to Dog Lake and I'll get signs and tracks out to Mist Lake on Saturday.
• Pat and I rode to Dog Lake again tonight.  It's not a plush ride like Mud Lake, but I was able to climb Heartbreak Ridge clean.

Ride

I rode the fat bike to Dog Lake last night and it was nice.

• A little bumpy from animal tracks, but plenty grippy
• Not fast, but a rideable challenge

Snow Report, so to speak

Underdown has a couple inches of pretty new snow.

• Ski trails have enough snow for bushwack skiing, but not enough for setting a track.
• Snowshoe trails are very good to Dog Lake with fresh tracks and all signs.  Lakes are solid and bogs are lumpy.  The Mist Lake look will have tracks and signs soon.
• Fat biking to Dog Lake would be a sketchy, but not impossible ride.

Northwoods Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance Snowshoe Hike

January 23, 2016

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 23, 2015 starting at 10:00 A.M.   Meet at the  Underdown Parking Lot 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 difficulty. 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 ,though donations will be accepted.

For more information, contact Ruby Jaecks at 715-551-1118 cell phone

or brjaecks@airrun.net

Directions:  51 to K north of Merrill.  K right to H.  H right to Copper Lake Road.

Copper Lake Road to Underdown Parking Lot

Directions from Rhinelander:  Take Highway 17 South to Hiway J at Bloomville . Go right on J to Copper Lake Road. Turn left on Copper Lake Road to Underdown Parking Lot.

Follow the Ice Age Trail  signs

Thirty-Some Features

Click to enlarge.