Hopefully everyone has recovered from this past weekend, which had to have been the busiest ever here in The County. I am hoping this weekend will be another good one.
Most projects that still have snow to groom will be out once the temperatures drop. The window of grooming will become limited as the temps will be warming up quickly over the weekend, so please consider this before complaining that a trail is not perfect. It takes most projects 8-10 hours to do sections of their trails, so with the temps being where they are it will be difficult to cover everything.
Some trails in the central parts of the County are starting to show their inability to absorb any more water, so please keep this in mind.
Caution: River crossing in the Fort Fairfield area is not advised due to unsafe ice conditions on the Aroostook. The Madawaska River as well is unsafe. Trail 71a in the Oxbow area crossing the Aroostook River is not advised.
Trail Info
ITS 92: This trail will be in good condition. Watch for signs.
ITS 90: Caribou and Portage will be out once the temps drop. This trail is in good shape. There is a water hole before the Trail 88 intersection on the Caribou section. Remember that the upper end of Caribou’s section is not open and the best way to go is to trail 105 and head North and pick up 90.
ITS 120, also known as the Deboullie Trail, is groomed and in very good condition. Remember to get gas out of Portage, Eagle Lake or St. Francis. Stop by Deboullie pond for great pictures.
ITS 83: From Presque Isle north this trail will be in very good condition. There is a small water hole behind the old MDOT garage in Axle Siding. With cold temps this area should be safe. Through Washburn and Caribou all the way to the rooftop of The County this trail is in great shape.
ITS 81: Unfortunately, anything South of Fort Fairfield has very limited snow cover, but the farther north you travel the trail is holding up well. Remember that this trail goes through a lot of open ground in the central part of The County, so you might travel over some brown snow.
ITS 85: This trail definitely got the brunt of the past weekend’s traffic, but all clubs were out in full force taking care of it before the warm temps and will be out again once it cools down. Down in the Oxbow area, the trails are rideable but grooming will be very limited. Ashland, Portage, Eagle Lake, Fort Kent, Frenchville and Madawaska will all be out again. Portage is reporting a small reroute on their section just leaving town going north; please follow the signs.
ITS 105: This trail is setting up in very good shape and as you go north the better the snow cover.
ITS 88: Ashland has groomed their section and it is holding up well.
ITS 86: Not groomed.
Trail 100 will be groomed and is in good shape.
Trail 81 in New Sweden will also be groomed once temps drop.
71A is closed from Oxbow to Ashland as the Aroostook River is not safe to cross.
71D: The crossing on Grand Lake Seboies will be changing as the warmer weather sets in. Riders should always check the ice conditions before crossing.
On the Social Side
St. Francis Sno Angels: Saturday meals at the clubhouse, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Presque Isle Snowmobile Club: Friday night stew at the clubhouse.
Washburn Trailrunners: Clubhouse open Saturday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m., and Sunday 7 a.m.-12 noon.
Pleasant Ridge Riders of Caswell: Club ride on Saturday, March 19, meeting at the clubhouse at 9 a.m. and travelling to Lakeview.
Houlton: Breakfast every Saturday at the clubhouse, 6-9 a.m.
Bite the Bullet & Battle Big Rock, Saturday, March 19. Registration at 3 p.m.; racing starts at 5:30 p.m.
Fort Kent Sno-Riders Snowmobile Club: King of the Mountain Hill Climbs Saturday, April 9. Check out their Facebook page.
On March 19, the MSA northern region board of directors meeting will be held in Caribou at the Caribou Friends of Scouting Hall, located off US. Rt. 89. More details to come.
