Snowmobile trail conditions

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Editor’s note: The following trail conditions report is compiled by members of the Maine Snowmobile Association. Those seeking the complete report may visit www.mesnow.com

Aroostook County

Benedicta 2/13: Please remember two things if you are riding in these extreme cold conditions. Tell someone where you are riding, and do not ride alone. Also, if you are able, carry a cell phone with you. Slow down, and avoid any chance of a mishap.

ITS 81, Sherman, Mattawamkeag Cutoff: groomed, excellent conditions.

ITS 83, Sherman, Whetstone Falls: groomed, excellent conditions.

Municipal Trail 70, Benedicta, Whetstone Falls: groomed, good/excellent conditions.

All club trails groomed, excellent conditions.

Special note: No gas in Benedicta.

Aroostook Report from Caribou Rec.: If you see a groomer operator, shake his or her hand for the great job they did recovering trails from the recent blizzard. Groomer operators put in hundreds of hours last week and suffered with equipment breakdowns, groomers being stuck on the trail and a number of other less than pleasant conditions to give us good trails by the weekend. This week trails are hard packed but high winds Thursday will cause drifting so sledders should use caution in fields or on lakes.

The Debouille Loop, Rte. 85D is reported in excellent condition and gas is available in Allagash this year. ITS 92 is only groomed to Big Black, there is no through route to St. Pamphile and it is unlikely this route will be open this year so if you are traveling to Quebec, plan accordingly.

Penobscot, Piscataquis

Millinocket area 2/13: With the extreme cold of the past few nights the trails are once again hard and flat. It took awhile to tame the 30-plus inches of snow we got all at once the first week of the month.

The pump houses on Millinocket Lake and Ambajesus Lake are operating and riders are urged to stay clear of these areas as ice conditions will vary. This will cause hazardous, thin ice conditions in these areas. Please avoid these locations.

Charleston 2/13: Cold weather and some more light snow have put the Charleston trails in the best condition of the season.

Another 3-4 inches of powder fell this week on top of a solid 10- to 12-inch base. Grooming is ongoing, all trails have been groomed at least twice this week, and ITS 83 is being done again tonight.

Conditions on the ITS trail may deteriorate some later in the day, but overall, trails should stay in good to excellent shape.

The Powerline/ITS bypass and Bradford Connector trails are groomed and in super condition. ITS 83 south of the village to the Corinth line has finally smoothed up nicely, but the occasional bump is still there. ITS 83 north of town toward Atkinson and points north is excellent condition, and flat for the most part. The Dover/85 connector is also in great shape. The Hudson connector may be rough on the far east end due to poor groomer access, but is passable.

There are woods operations on the Lower Bradford connector trail, and a section of 83 North in the Shute Road-Davis Hill section is plowed, with trucks and equipment in the trail at any time. There is also a plowed road across 83S at Crane’s farm, trucks may be encountered occasionally. Use caution and be alert in these areas at all times.

Burlington/Lowell 2/11: The snow we got last week has improved our trails greatly. ITS 81 from our clubhouse in Burlington to the Gilman Field on the Nicatous Road is groomed and great. We’re hoping to soon be able to open the Rocky Dundee Trail out toward Lincoln and Lee – but as of 2/11 they’re still hauling out of there.

Brownville 2/11: Our trails are as good as they can get without more snow. The K.I. railbed and trail to Greenville are in excellent shape, be cautious of ice on the railbed. We have two sections where the ice is covering the snow. Slow down here because a dip in the Pleasant River at this time of year would not be too pleasant. The Williamsburg trail from Milo to the K.I. railbed is excellent except where it leaves the roads and enters the woods, we still don’t have enough snow to totally flatten these sections.

The ball field trail is excellent, and the Beech Ridge Trail and Lakeview Trail are as good as they can be with the logging going on in this section.

Bangor, coast

Hampden 2/13: Received a few inches of light snow Tuesday and Wednesday, trails in great shape.

Bangor 2/12: The riding does not get much better than it is now. The trails are being groomed daily, and are really in good shape.

Lamoine 2/12: Frenchman’s Bay Riders SC reporter: with our many storms and the continued grooming, the trails have been in great shape.

Bucksport, Orland 2/11: Trail conditions are some of the best riding along the coast in years. Grooming ongoing almost every day. Grooming crews reported trail 51 and trail 5 groomed Monday. Trail 2, 4, 10 groomed Tuesday. Trails 4 & 5 intown will be groomed before the weekend. Trails to the top of Togus Mountain & Great Pond Mountain also groomed Tuesday.

Rockland, Thomaston, Warren 2/10: Ninety percent of our trails have been groomed and are in fine shape. We’ve got an upset landowner and we’ve lost a small section of trail on Rte. 1 in Warren, we went out yesterday and did a reroute to get us through the season. It’s not the answer but it is connected by road so go slow.

Northport 2/10: Northport Ridge Riders Web site reporting that as of Feb. 10 the trails in Northport have been groomed and are in great shape. Grooming will take place again Friday night, please drive safe.

Moosehead region

Pittston Farm 2/12: Looks like grooming will be done daily now, through vacation week. Please, watch for grooming equipment at any time, day or night.

Jackman Connector Trail, Pittston Farm to Jct. St-20 (ITS 86 Jackman Trail System): Very good. The snow last week really helped this trail out. Watch for some exposed ledge around the Miller’s Crossing area. Also, there is a trail reroute. There is an active logging operation along this trail. Use only the section of plowed road we have permission to use and watch for trucks.

Rockwood Connector Trail (JCT ST-27 to the Demo Road): Excellent. Watch for a trail change along this route. Use caution over Soldiertown Ridge. Keep right, and slow down.

North East Carry, Seboomook Connector Trails (Pittston Farm to about 11/2 miles past the Seboomook turnoff): Good. This trail now starts at the Farm and uses about 4 miles of plowed road. Please use the trail where directed to do so. Watch for vehicle traffic along the road. Slow down and keep to the right. Our Alternate Trail from Seboomook to the Rockwood Trail System is closed this season due to logging.

North East Carry 2/11: The North East Carry Trails are in excellent condition. Grooming is an ongoing activity so the trails have been freshly groomed. The section of the North East Carry Trail that connects with the Seboomook Bypass, better known as the Meat Locker, and the Dark Side of the Moon have also been groomed.

Greenville 2/10: Our groomers are out on the ITS trails on a nightly basis. With the warmer temps over the weekend and the heavy traffic, the ITS was pretty well beaten by noon. Hopefully the upcoming colder temps will help the trails to set up and hold for longer periods.

Rockwood 2/10: Gray Ghost Camps Web site reporting trail conditions are excellent. Every groomer in the area is doing a great job. The 20 inches that we received last week is now packed flat and the cold temps at night have allowed the trail to set up hard.

Route 201 corridor

The Forks 2/14: We currently have anywhere from 24 to 46 inches of snow on the ground, depending on the exact location.

The ITS Connector Trail from Berry’s Store to ITS 87 is in excellent shape.

ITS 87 north to Greenville, Moosehead Lake is in very good condition, including the Power Line sections.

ITS 87 south toward Bingham is in very good shape.