Rain Yesterday, Freeze Today

The last of the snowshoe trail signs were retrieved today.  On a frozen morning the trails are sidewalks with few ice patches best for boot hiking, ice biking, and crust snowshoeing.  Ski trails all have snow and should soften as the day goes on.

What a Day!

Duck Lake

Lookout Mountain

A beautiful day and a lot of snow.  Snowshoeing from Turtle Lake Road to Highway B on the Ice Age Trail is tough.

Underdown ski trails are perfect - fast but not too icy yet.  Loop Road has a fast track for skating.   Snowshoe trails are solid for fat bikes.

South to Rib Mountain

Lookout Mountain

North to Rhinelander

First Day of Spring

• Whatever that means.
• Underdown got even more snow, and it will still be hanging around in April.  Ski trails were all groomed for classic skiing today.
• Snowshoe trails have tracks all the way around the Mist Lake loop, and lakes are all very solid.
• I predict that the Ice Age Trail from Turtle Lake Road to Highway B will have a well established track by noon on Saturday.  The RASTA gravel ride is called off, but there should be some interesting fat biking by Good Friday.

It's Snowing Now

• On Monday the Underdown got 6 inches of snow that has now settled substantially.  Ski trails were groomed today including a nice skate lane around Loop Road.  
• Snowshoe trails have tracks at least around the Big Bog loop.  Dog Lake will be a nice hike, but the Mist Lake loop has no signs and possible slush.
• Somehow Steve rode the 9Zero7 to Dog Lake  today.  It must have been very tough.  Fat biking should be great by Sunday and buried again on Monday.  I'm riding dirt roads and snowmobile trails.

It Didn't Snow Here

Ski trails are still all groomed with progressive icing.   Snowshoe trails all are well established with boot hiking on the horizon.  The trail to Dog Lake is a twisty skinny sidewalk for fat bikes or regular bikes with the right tires.

RASTA Gravel Ride

Sunday March 24th east of Gleason
Details on the Facebook here

I don't do the Facebook but I did post this kitty cat video.

Last Perfect Weekend?

• Underdown trails are in perfect condition right now, just in time for things to melt.  Ski trails were all groomed today including a firm skate path around Loop Road.
• Snowshoe trails are well established and firm.  Steve already rode a couple fat bike laps around the race course to Dog Lake today.  An owl was hanging out there tonight.  Mist Lake could get ridden this weekend, but more likely Sunday night than Saturday morning.  Fat bike gatherings go at 11 on Saturday and 4 on Sunday.  I retrieved the signs from the Mist Lake loop because I don't know when I'll get another chance.
• By the way, my brother ran the Mist Lake loop in 1:45 last weekend which has to be some kind of record.  I've hardly hiked it in under 3:00.  The bike record is 1:15, but that won't happen this weekend.  With luck the trail will be a sidewalk next weekend.
• The Beaver Trail area in Harrison has two loops over 13 lakes established for snowshoe, fat bike, and back country skiing.  Find the lake 4.8 miles north of J on Turtle Lake Road.

New Snow

• About 3 inches of powder fell on Underdown Friday.  
• Underdown is best for snowshoes right now.  Trails have tracks all the way to Mist Lake.  Lakes are solid with some creepy slush on Mist Lake.
• Ski trails were tracked late yesterday so there is only an inch of powder over the track.
• Nothing is ready for fat bikes at the moment.

Solid

Underdown ski trails are all groomed.  Loop Road is as solid as it's ever been for skating, and the road is bermed so trucks can't get in and wreck it again.
Snowshoe trails are well established and are even more solid for fat bikes than on race day last weekend.

2013 WEMS Championship at the Thunderdown

Snowbound

Time for Some Skiing

Of course you should get to the Abominable Fat Bike Race in Tomahawk Saturday, but biking in Harrison is probably done for the year.  I went out to drag some trail tonight.  It was a good workout, but I don't think it was too productive.  The snow had some moisture and the hills set up well when I rode the sled down, but too much snow has accumulated on the lakes for a bike to be ridden off a beaten path.

Ice is 99.9% solid, but I did find a thin spot on Lake #7 near something rotten we'd ridden right over in January.  The water was surprisingly warm and foul smelling.  I didn't go in too far past my knees and was able to crawl out and head back the other way.

Harrison is now the domain of fat skis, snowshoes and the otter I saw on the hill between Lake #1 and Beaver Lake.  Underdown should have a few more good fat bike weekends here and there this winter.

Snowbound in the Underdown

Photos Here

	Solo Men
1	0:40:53	Justin Piontek
2	0:43:03	Scott Veldhuizen
3	0:44:21	Shane Veldhuizen
4	0:45:35	Steve Engel
5	0:46:10	Gary Barden
6	0:46:32	Mark Cole
7	0:48:00	Luke Schuttenhelm
8	0:48:15	Paul Wagner
9	0:49:04	Kevin Eickelberger
10	0:49:40	Chris Scotch
11	0:52:25	Mark Scotch
12	0:53:19	Butch Piontek
13	0:56:15	David Williamson
14	0:56:16	Andy Oleson
15	1:00:15	Kevin Nowack
16	1:00:20	Mark Haferman
17	1:00:57	Phil White
18	1:03:00	Matt Haduik
	Solo Women
1	0:48:35	Jen Barden
2	0:55:55	Beth Wagner
3	1:06:52	Karen Piontek
4	1:14:00	Lauren Haiduk
	Teams
1	12 laps @2:54 Just For Fun Scott and Shane
2	12 laps @2:56 Chris, Gary & Paul
3	11 laps @2:50 Justin Time for a Double Scotch
4	9 laps @2:47 Mark, Karen & Butch
5	8 laps @2:38 Beth & Jen
6	7 laps @2:42 Bacon

Trail Conditions

• The fat bike race course to Dog Lake is in great shape.
• The snowshoe trail has tracks all the way to Mist Lake.
• Underdown ski trails were all groomed today with the new machine.
• The Beaver Trail area in Harrison is just for back country skis and snowshoes right now.

Race Saturday

• A group ride has been called for 6:45PM on Friday night at the Underdown, but it could be a hike instead.  Check for updates.
• The Snowboud in the Underdown is on for Saturday!  Nothing in the forecast indicates otherwise.  Trails were perfect last Sunday and the few inches of new snow will be knocked down and ridden in by Friday.
• The 10AM solo course will likely be using the Dog Lake Loop which takes about an hour.  The 1PM team race will use trails Z and A which is about 2 miles.
• Sunday's 10AM group ride in Harrison should make it to all 16 lakes with a little bit of hiking on some of the climbs.

Snowshoe Hike

Photo by Mike Ziemke

Good Trail

Fat biking is great to Dog Lake, but soft to Mist Lake and in Harrison.

Underdown ski trails are all tracked.  Harrison is great for back country skiing with tracks to 16 lakes.
All Underdown snowshoe trails have prominent tracks.

A Weekend for Skis and Snowshoes

Underdown got over 4 inches of new snow this week.  Ski trails are all tracked.  Snowshoe trails all have tracks.

Underdown snowshoe hike: 10AM Saturday
Harrison snowshoe hike: 10AM Sunday at the lake on the left side of Turtle Lake Road about 4.8 miles north of J.  If you hit the north end of Beaver Trail Road you've gone a bit too far.

Good Stuff All Around

Underdown  got 4 inches of snow on Friday.  Ski trails are all tracked.  Snowshoe trails all have tracks.  Trails A and Z are well established.   Bogs could still use a bit more snow, but conditions look good for a fat bike race to Dog Lake in 2 weeks.

Harrison has solid tracks to 14 lakes - a bit tough on a fat bike now but rideableish.  Conditions will improve over the next few days.  Great for back country ski and snowshoe.

Beaver Trail Perfect Day