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Please let those who are interested in snowmobiling or ice fishing know that the snwomobile trail conditions are like "springtime riding" at best at this time. Significant rainfall and warm weather have made many sections of trail flood over with standing water even at this time. The Moosehead Riders Snowmobiole Club and the Town of Greenville are working together to try to open these ITS trails and re-route water and push down "soft ice" to allow for a solid base over which to develop a trail. Currently, the railroad bed to Shirley and south to Blanchard is open but has several wet spots. The route to the Forks has open water in places which are being worked on at this time: it is hoped this trail, too, will be opened by the weekend, weather permitting. The trail north to Kokadjo is not open at this time due to standing water and some washouts. Two sleds went through the ice over the bog near Higgins Road next to the clubhouse recently: this section of trail is marked closed at this time. The groomer is going south to Blanchard this afternoon and will go to the Forks Thursday or Friday, once "snow bridges" can be built over some of the open water sections. The trail to Kokadjo is being worked on: the exact route is still being determined due to delayed woodcutting operations. Overall, the trails in the woods have enough snow to handle a sled: riders should expect srping conditions, which include some washouts of the trail and, unfortunately, standing water in places. In terms of ICE, EVERYONE SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN CROSSING FROZEN WATER BODIES!!!!! Test holes in East Cove of Moosehead Lake today show a range of 6" to 12" in depth. There is open water on Moosehead Lake north of Greenville, stretching from Northeast Carry to Hedgehog Island. The ITS trail across East Cove is not open at this time due to the limited ice conditions: we hope that the weather will turn cold and the lake will become safe to cross. Other water bodies, expecially streams and rivers, are most likely UNSAFE if there is any moving water beneath the ice. PLEASE USE EXTREME CAUTION ON THE ICE THIS WINTER!!! If you question the ice condtions, STAY OFF THE ICE!!! We are hoping for colder weather in the next week or two. The GOOD news is that when the weather turns cold all of this water will turn to ice and give us a solid base for our snowmobile trails. Even a limited snowfall on top of this frozen base should give us EXCELLENT trail riding this winter. So let's hope for some cold and some snow soon! For more up to date trail conditions on Greenville's ITS trails, please contact Paul Fichtner at 695-4487. Thanks. |