The Maine Snowmobile Association posts a weekly report on snowmobile trail conditions each week. The complete report is available at www.mesnow.com.

Overview

Be very cautious, ride slowly and keep an eye out for uncovered hazards. Most of the state really does need more snow to groom a good, safe trail, although a couple of trail reporters did find some fairly decent riding in their areas.

Despite recent cold temperatures, ice is not safe. If you are riding off the trail system, be certain that snowmobiles are allowed where you are riding.

A word to the wise: Do not snowmobile in the slash – the cleared area along the U.S.-Canadian border. It should be extremely clear to anyone that after the events of Sep. 11 and the resulting increased security at our borders, no one, including snomobilers, will be cut any slack if they wander across the border without passing through customs. This reminder was provided from folks in the Rangeley area, but it applies to every area of Maine sharing a border with Canada. For more details, see the Border Guide supplied by the United States Border Patrol at Rangeley Station.

Please respect all landowners wishes while riding. Snowmobilers in Maine are the guests of Maine landowners who allow access. It is a snowmobiler’s privilege to be allowed access to some private property and a snowmobiler’s responsibility to protect that access for others by acting responsibly.

Riders who operate on plowed paper company roads threaten access for everyone, and endanger themselves and the employees operating vehicles on those roads.

Aroostook County

Benedicta: No riding being done on Snowgang trail system.

Caribou: No reported grooming as of Wednesday.

Greater Katahdin region: No reported grooming as of Wednesday, although there have been a few sleds out of the State Road and by Sandy Stream. There is about 8 inches on the ground and ice is not yet safe. Note that water in area lakes and ponds is low due to drought, leaving shoreline rocks, etc. exposed. Use caution when ice is safe.

Piscataquis-Penobscot-Somerset

Sebec: ITS 82 and most club trails have been packed. The woods roads are your best bet. There still is not enough snow to groom.

If you ride use caution. There are still rocks and stumps exposed on many trails.

Charleston: After the Christmas Eve rain, the snow pack has dropped to 4-8 inches and is more ice than snow on the trails. This will make an excellent base with more snow forecast this week. But in the meantime, trail conditions are still very marginal, but passable.

ITS 83 has been packed its full length from Corinth to Atkinson at least once, and grooming will continue if the weather cooperates and conditions don’t deteriorate further. Major club trails have also been done. With colder weather and some snow forecast, conditions should improve. Many obstacles exist, including some water holes due to the lack of cold weather. Rocks, stumps, bumps, and ruts abound, so extreme caution is advsied.

Also, be advised of a large woodcutting operation on ITS 83 north of the village going toward Atkinson. Heavy truck traffic and machinery will be encountered on the road at any time, and large ruts are evident in the trail.

Greater Moosehead Region

Greenville: The Greenville area has about 6 inches of snow with no grooming as of yet. Sleds are coming into town for the weekend. Riding will be marginal. Our trails are not officially open as of yet and we urge you not to even think about riding any bodies of water.

West Shore/Moosehead: Eugene Ritchie of the Blue Ridge Riders called in with a report of conditions on the west shore of Moosehead. He says Linwood Stone has dragged from Pittston Farm to Jackma. A few sleds are coming through. So long as they’re on road sections riding’s OK. In the woods is not good. Kokadjo hasn’t started grooming yet. Rockwood may go out just to start packing the base down. We need more snow.

Route 66, Pittston Farm, Jackman: Left the Jackman area and headed out toward Pittston Farms in search of good riding.

Found some pretty decent riding on older trails. Snow cover near Pittston was pretty thin. On the way back the riding on Route 66 here was pretty darn good. In town trails are marginal.

Route 201 Corridor

The Forks: Currently have six to eight inches of snow on the ground. It’s not enough to start grooming, but there are a number of folks out there riding. All sections of the 110-mile Forks Area Trail System are passable, with logging roads having decent riding. Woods trails are scratchy. Because of lack of snow, watch for hazards on all sections. We need another six inches in order to start grooming.

Note: ITS 89 from Eustis to Jackman, has been rerouted through The Forks System (up and over Coburn Mountain). The four Sno-Cat groomers are ready to go.

Jackman: There is riding in the area although conditions are very early. The ITS trails have been groomed and we will continue to work the base. Off trail riding has been popular this week with a lot more snow cover in higher elevations and in the woods.

Note: There has been a route change on ITS 89 south. Please pick up a map to plan your trip. They are available at local businesses free of charge.

ITS89 north: thin snow conditions; ITS89 south: new trail with thin snow conditions; ITS86: thin snow conditions; in-town trails: boney

Rangeley/Western Mountains

Rangeley: Rangeley has six to eight inches on the ground. There is some limited riding on unplowed roads but not enough snow for trail grooming. There are exposed hazards, unsafe ice and the lake is still open.

Mexico: The Mexico Trailblazers are ready to groom as soon as another decent storm arrives.

Hebron/Jay: The groomers were out in Hebron and the railroad bed was almost excellent. There are still some hazards and you need to pay attention but thre is some good early season riding.

Central Maine

Manchester: All trails open. Most everything froze up over the last week. Limited grooming ongoing. Watch for rocks and stumps. Pick up a branch or two off the trail, it will allow quicker grooming once there is more snow

Benton/Albion/Winslow: More snow than some areas. The Benton, Albion, Winslow and surrounding clubs are all out hitting what snow is there. Caution is advised, but there is fair riding available, but stay off the ice.