Here comes the rain on Monday.

too much base wont hurt a ting!!

Just showers Monday then cold and snow showers the rest of the week. I had to shovel like mad to get to our front door tonight and we was here just four days ago.

It will suck riding in the rain again this year - but that's why we have a maytag dryer at the house!

Maybe where you live. But here in the NEK, it COULD rain for a week and not put a dent in the amount of snow thats on the ground. Not that I even think the NEK will even see rain, just a wet heavy snow. I don't think will see ground until June. But I do have a thought. What is going to happen during spring thaw?? Maple sugaring? I don't think I will be this year, just getting through the snow to hang buckets, never mind, as the snow melts, the'll be over my head. The taps will be so high. I think there will be severe flooding Mudd season will last forever, as the ground didn't really get to freeze up with the early snowfall. So ride now, but we will pay later. Just looking ahead

its going to take alot more than Mondays rain to put a damper on conditions in the NEK

Hell yea heading up on thursday!!!

My big concern is that the waterbars may open again. Much of the ground underneath is not deeply frozen.

Long range is calling for upper 30s to low 40s next weekend, guess I'm about done riding then, we'll be tapping this week I'll bet, no timeto ride after that

No way in hell! The most I got yesterday and over night, was extremely high winds, but nothing in the form of precipatation. Temps are at around 28. Must have gone south of us. As far as waterbars, MAYBE in heavy traffic areas, but the snow is way too deep here, and now with the cold front moving in, it's going to turn the snow to concrete. There is so much riding left, and way to much snow to waste. Maybe in March you might have to pull out the fan cooled sled, should we get mild temps, but this shit is here for AWHILE. A LONG WHILE.

heavy downpours in westmore all night and continuing this morning. base is shrinking but when it freezes up weds will become a cement highway. snow showers for tuesday night, wed and thu will refresh the surface should be good to go

The fields are brown again in St. Albans and the ditches are flooded. It's going to have to get very cold to overcome this.

All,
It is raining lightly here in Newark this morning however the forecast says the temps are going to start falling back thru the 30's this afternoon with snow showers and cold temps at nite. This rain is the best thing that could happen to us here in the Kingdom, especially since the temps are going back down to 0's afterwards. Look for fantastic riding after this.
Gfool

Do you promise? I'm on vacation with the family next week and want to hit 114 through Newark again. I only ride those trails durring the week when the boys are with me. I'm sure if we will make it as far south as St. Jay but plan on a 100 mile loop from Averill. That's about as far as the boys usually want to ride before they get sick of it. Unless of course they are driving, then we seem to go further.

Gfool is right, the rain soaking into the base then cold temps coming back should turn the pack into concreat. Just sucks that it had to happen at all.

Downtown IP this morning:




The result of the "wintery mix" last night:

Been raining for a bit here in Stowe, and it's definitely compacted our base, but hopefully it will set up nicely. The only downside is that all of the parking lots (dirt ones anyway) are like ice rinks.

Yeah, any non-paved surface is glass, even down here this morning.

Some jackass with a loud can on his sled is out riding the trail behind where I work. Sounds like he is doing his best to tear up the trails while they are in a fragile state.

again if people would just use their heads and wait a day or 2 and let the guys on the groomers have a chance to catch a break for a couple days because they certainly aren't going out during rain and give the temps a chance drop below freezing and have the guys in the groomers(all in the NEK) that know what they are doing get to the trails before all the a-holes tear them up and it takes them a couple days to get them back in shape,
my personal feeling is that the groomer men should tell us when it is reasonable to go back on the trails
I know that probably doesn't set well with alot of people but the true snowmobiler i am sure will agree! !

People are riding. Seen them in IP, Derby and Norton from the road. Almost 50 in downtown IP at 11am this morning.

That'a a Ski Doo thermometer though! They read high just their speedometers! haha!

Mike

Great pics heading up thursday riding from nh to camp in lunenburg 100 miles from my house in plymouth to truck stop in lancaster the boys at camp for 3 nights should be great riding

the trails by then should be back to A+ form. Happy trails

I am heading to the NEK, staying in IP, Wednesday evening for a 4 day stay. I am bringing some first timers to the area, so I am concerned about taking them in the best directions. I would be very grateful for condition updates around Saint J, toward Derby, Newport, Jay, Montgomery, etc. I like to do big loops. If those in the know could comment late today or wednesday, we will all be grateful. We had 66 degrees Monday in Albany, NY. Just plain sickening!

I'll be heading up shortly here for the rest of the week also. Now, you say 1st timers, does that mean to the area, or on sleds? If on sleds, you might want to stay north and east of I.P. Less traffic, and the trails are for the most part wider and more swooping inthe turns. Being this is school vacation week in a lot of localaties, I'm thinking the sled count will be higher than a normal week. Just remind everybody to stay right.

catrider - thanks for the response - what I mean by first timers is new to the area, total of 4 experienced riders. These are guys that frequent Quebec and Maine but have not experienced the NEK. I have been riding the NEK for 15 years and know my way around, most areas now without a map, but the guys I am bringing are taking my word on how nice the NEK is and I want to impress them with the trail quality and my "knowledge of the area". I am a big proponent of safe riding, although I am by no means a slow poke, I like to ride hard, but "smart", like actually staying on the right side of the trail and respect other sledders and those who take care of the trails. I like to plan big loops of around 200 miles per day out of IP. Leave early and come back at dark.

O.k. wasn't sure. Head for Caanan up throught the preserve, 96 or 97 up to 105. You can eat in town there, gas up, and head across 105 w. I like 105a or the northern route of this trail due to some great huge open cornfields and views. When you get down into Derby, stop at the Palace of Cow and eat drink and be merry. Gas up (if you should need) and head west on 105, and follow the map and head for Jay peak. Or you could head down through Newport, down to Irasburg and down over Sutton Mt. on 122. That'll dump you off on to 5s and you can ride down to Burke, or even down to lyndon. That's part of a loop I'll be doing one day this week. Not sure where you are starting from, but the riding will be great all over. Have fun and keep looking way ahead.