Sault Ste. Marie Trail Report – 02/16
SAULT STE. MARIE UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association – 02/16
2/16 7pm update-
Lane just got back after pulling a double route on what we call Kinross east and Kinross west. Trail 49 South of Kinross, 494, and 472 west to the Rudyard turn around. Not a lot of pics as he was solo and had a long day as it was.
Here’s what he had to say-
“There are 2 water hazards south of airport on 494, should freeze over tonight. Looks like a truck broke through them. There are some thin snow spots but the lake effect on top is nice. Definitely not ideal, but gets better west and north”
Thanks Lane!!
Turbo should be done soon and I’ll have another update.
<>
This literally never happens! 2 of our groomers met at an intersection a bit ago. I promise I will have reports from both. They are on some LONG runs, pulling double duty before it gets busy. For sure better conditions west and north than south of Kinross and in the Soo. That much I can tell you with certainty. We are just on the edge of the lake effect today, so not much of anything is falling in the Soo yet, but I can see the bands just west.
We’ll have our 3rd machine out tonight too. Reports will come as I get them. Please watch for our groomers if you’re in our area! Lane is heading back to Kinross from south of the Spile Dam on 472, and Turbo is heading back to Raco on 480, from north of the Spile Dam.
Ride safe! Some hazards are around, and they are working on them.
<>
2/16- update. Quick look at how things are coming out with panning. Much more detail later on. Let’s give them a chance to set up, please.
<>
2/16 Good morning all! I show a solid 8” on the ground here in the Soo after what we got yesterday has settled. Light snow is falling now. A few more inches are expected today. I am still waiting to hear back from our groomer bosses, so I do not know if we will have groomers out panning yet or not. You often hear us and other clubs say that we need a foot or more to groom. This is because 10” of snow compresses to about an inch on the trail.
In areas where this is zero base, you can see why we would want more snow. Our Raco/Bay Mills area had a base left in many spots, so I can see this being the first area to be panned. Please give us the chance to assess and get out there. If you do ride, some throttle control goes a long way to helping preserve the surface. As always, ride safe and be prepared for what we would consider early season conditions.
🚨 As a reminder, trail 49 from Alberta Lane all the way to Gaines Hwy remains closed due to excessive water. Also, gates on trail 480 are also closed from the Spile Dam to Tilson Rd, but we’ll try to get those open once it’s panned to smooth the truck ruts🚨
I’ll keep you posted, as always!
<>
<>
Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association Facebook Page
<>
Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association Trail Report on MSA
<>
Postings From Regional Pages On Facebook
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 1/14/26
Good evening!
We saw a huge temperature swing today, after wet snow and rain later in the day yesterday. 35 last night, 1 tonight with negative windchills🥶
Lane and Randy went on a mission today to work on trail 49 where some water holes opened up during the warm up.
Here’s what Lane had to say, and photos to give you all a visual-
“I took 49 north out of Kinross to try to work on a water hole just south of 9 mile. I took Randy along with me and I was glad I did, he was a big help. That hole is a very deep hole. We filled it with as much ice and snow as we could. It is not pretty, but should freeze in good with these temps. We also worked on a few other water spots that filled in great. The bridge just south of 8 mile had a trench of water on the bridge. That filled in good and will freeze up good also. All the rest of the trail is great. The swamp south of 12 mile held up great and groomed really nice.”
Thank you, Lane and Randy! The timing for this work could not be better. Mid week traffic is light, temps are frigid, and there’s not any significant snow forecasted, so these spots should really lock up now.
The work that our operators put in to the spot south of 11 mile, and near Devils Hill are holding up awesome, even after the warm up the last few days.
This trail continues to improve with each run, and is still so far ahead of where we normally are this time in the season.
Ride safe and stay warm! ❄️❄️❄️ #soo #soo0114b #snowphotos
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 1/14/26
Brimley Bill did the Brimley to Raco route tonight, which is 8 between Brimley and Ranger Rd, and 480 from the Spile Dam Turnaround to 8.
Here’s what he had to say-
“The base is real solid. There were sections of trail with a lot of drifts on the edges. I was able to cut into all the drifts with the Dubie wings, and pull the snow back into the trail. The result is trails that are smooth and flat across the width of the trail.“
Looks awesome, thank you Bill!! 🙌🏼 #soo #soo0114 #snowphotos
WEATHER UPDATE via Michigan Storm Chasers >> Here is your final look at snowfall totals over a 36-hour period from tonight, through midday Thursday, January 14th through 15th, 2026. NOTE, snow will start overnight for the UP, but later tomorrow morning into the afternoon for the LP.
Discussion
Lake effect snow is the rave with this one. Winds almost directly out of the north coupled with low-level DGZ and strong forcing will allow for many of the areas in dark blue, and especially pink pick up well over half a foot of fresh snow with this event. Hyper-localized banding is expected, which is when the span of 20 miles sees a difference in snow accumulation of 1", to perhaps 12-18". A 1° change in wind direction will help, or hurt your chances at significant snowfall if you're right along the lakeshore areas, especially SW Michigan.
Inland areas will only see under an inch within an initial snow squall and light lake effect afterward. We are not confident that the stretch from Lansing to Port Huron will get more than 1.5", but we put 1-3" just in case. Lake Huron will also show off lake effect snow, with parts of Huron county seeing 4-8". To the north, northwest lower Michigan will see 2-5" and 4-8", with a localized swath of 6"+ near Manistee and points surrounding. Lastly, the UP will see its highest totals along the higher elevation areas of the central portion of the peninsula.
Wind gusts up to 30 mph, even 40-45 mph are likely with this snow, and as a result, near-zero visibilities and drifted roads may occur near each lakeshore. Allow extra travel time when driving on Wednesday in the 4-8", or 6-12"/6-18" zones. We will have radar, weather camera, and traffic updates coming tomorrow as the snow comes down, so drop a follow here at Michigan Storm Chasers for coverage. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea #gaylord #cadillac #benzie #traversecity #petoskeyHere is your final look at snowfall totals over a 36-hour period from tonight, through midday Thursday, January 14th through 15th, 2026. NOTE, snow will start overnight for the UP, but later tomorrow morning into the afternoon for the LP.
Discussion
Lake effect snow is the rave with this one. Winds almost directly out of the north coupled with low-level DGZ and strong forcing will allow for many of the areas in dark blue, and especially pink pick up well over half a foot of fresh snow with this event. Hyper-localized banding is expected, which is when the span of 20 miles sees a difference in snow accumulation of 1", to perhaps 12-18". A 1° change in wind direction will help, or hurt your chances at significant snowfall if you're right along the lakeshore areas, especially SW Michigan.
Inland areas will only see under an inch within an initial snow squall and light lake effect afterward. We are not confident that the stretch from Lansing to Port Huron will get more than 1.5", but we put 1-3" just in case. Lake Huron will also show off lake effect snow, with parts of Huron county seeing 4-8". To the north, northwest lower Michigan will see 2-5" and 4-8", with a localized swath of 6"+ near Manistee and points surrounding. Lastly, the UP will see its highest totals along the higher elevation areas of the central portion of the peninsula.
Wind gusts up to 30 mph, even 40-45 mph are likely with this snow, and as a result, near-zero visibilities and drifted roads may occur near each lakeshore. Allow extra travel time when driving on Wednesday in the 4-8", or 6-12"/6-18" zones. We will have radar, weather camera, and traffic updates coming tomorrow as the snow comes down, so drop a follow here at Michigan Storm Chasers for coverage.
-- Trusted Partner on Wednesday --
Top Gun Roofing & Exteriors | 616-900-8033, call today for all exterior home needs across the Grand Rapids area!
WEATHER UPDATE via Meteorologist Brad Sugden >> SNOW TIME!! Lake effect areas, you're about to be buried in some locations! This is purely lake effect that kicks in Wednesday morning and lasts through Thursday afternoon. Thursday afternoon the lake effect subsides as another clipper system moves in.
Temperatures are warmest Wednesday morning then drop significantly into the late afternoon and evening. Many will have wind chills below zero.
Snow will be fluffy and BLOWING. Gusts near 40mph can be expected. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #munising #newberry #soo #gaylord #cadillac #benzie #traversecity #petoskey
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Old Soo Line Grade Lodge >> 🎉❄️ TRAIL 480 IS OFFICIALLY REOPENED! ❄️🎉
The bridge is in, the trail is groomed, and Trail 480 is back in action in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula! 💨 This is a HUGE win for riders and a key connection for our local trail system.
A big THANK YOU goes out to the Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association for their tireless work grooming and advocating for our trails, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for their coordination and support, and the contractor who delivered a solid bridge that will serve riders for years to come. 👏👏👏
This project took teamwork, patience, and dedication—and it shows. We’re proud to see riders safely crossing once again and enjoying everything the U.P. has to offer.
If you’re riding through the area, fuel up, ride safe, and enjoy the fresh trail!
** There is still exposed stone at the bridge …. Please see the updates on the associations page!
Stay Safe …
📍 Trail 480 | Eastern U.P.
🏁 Open • Groomed • Ready to Ride #soo🎉❄️ TRAIL 480 IS OFFICIALLY REOPENED! ❄️🎉
The bridge is in, the trail is groomed, and Trail 480 is back in action in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula! 💨 This is a HUGE win for riders and a key connection for our local trail system.
A big THANK YOU goes out to the Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association for their tireless work grooming and advocating for our trails, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for their coordination and support, and the contractor who delivered a solid bridge that will serve riders for years to come. 👏👏👏
This project took teamwork, patience, and dedication—and it shows. We’re proud to see riders safely crossing once again and enjoying everything the U.P. has to offer.
If you’re riding through the area, fuel up, ride safe, and enjoy the fresh trail!
** There is still exposed stone at the bridge …. Please see the updates on the associations page!
Stay Safe …
📍 Trail 480 | Eastern U.P.
🏁 Open • Groomed • Ready to Ride
#Trail480 #UPSnowmobiling #BackOnTheTrail #SaultSnowmobile #OldSooLineGrade #RideTheUP #SnowmobilingMichigan #ThankYouGroomers #MIDNR
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 1/13/26
Good morning everyone! 23” in the Soo currently with snow showers. Temps are a little higher than we’d like, just above freezing, but that changes drastically tomorrow night.
Here’s what I know-
❄️ Trail 8- Soo to Raco- good to excellent
❄️ ‼️ City Trails - part of 49, 449, 497, and the I500 trail- good with with the exception of 449 right by the 497 intersection with 449, and 497 is very, very wet. It’s a dead end trail to the high school, but worth mentioning for our locals especially!
❄️Trail 49- Soo to Kinross- fair to good. All water holes are packed and panned. Do not get off of the trail as you will encounter water in spots if you do.
❄️ Trail 49 south of M80 and the 494 loop- excellent
❄️ Trail 472 west of Kinross to Tilson Rd- good
🔔 Trail 472 to 480 to the Raco gate- please see the pinned post. We HAVE groomed it, and we’re awaiting the DNR inspection of the new bridge to be able to officially give the green light🙌🏼
❄️ 480 from the Spile Dam turnaround to the Raco Powerline ( trail 8 ) - excellent
❄️ Raco Powerline- excellent
❄️ Trail 889 The Mission Hill Loop- excellent
Remember, we are on Groomer Tracker!
Ride safe everyone!
***to join or donate, please visit www.sootrails.org*** #soo #sooo113 #snowphotos
www.sootrails.org
It has been a great season so far. For the most part, trails are in excellent condition but we do still have a few problem areas. To see what's been happening since the trails opened and for complete up to date information, please follow us on facebook.BRIMLEY - SAULT STE. MARIE ARE UPDATE via Old Soo Line Grade Lodge >> 01/13/26 - looks like it’s staying cold for a while!
Stay safe … #soo #snowphotos
WEATHER UPDATE via Michigan Storm Chasers >> Two forecasts for today, January 13th, 2026, and Wednesday, January 14th, 2026, regarding system snow, then lake effect snow.
Graphic #1
A clipper moves through today, bringing rain/freezing drizzle to portions of northern Michigan and the UP, especially north of M-55, with some light rain as far south as I-94. This will change over to a rain/snow mix later this afternoon and evening. Brief accumulation amounts will generally be in the T-1" range, although a couple spots could exceed 1", which are areas highlighted by the 1-3" zone. Air temperatures today will generally be at or above freezing in the UP, but evaporative cooling will still keep the ground cooler than the air.
Graphic #2
Lake effect snow ramps up beyond midnight tonight, heading into tomorrow, the 14th. Early indications are that the central UP will see the most with flow directly out of the north. Areas of 2-5" and 4-8" have been displayed as a result for much of the Lake Superior shoreline region to account for this flow. The LP is still a little on the uncertain side for overachievers tomorrow. We are watching the usual Gaylord region, but also immediate shoreline areas of Lake Michigan from Traverse City down to New Buffalo, and the thumb, as continued flow out of the north seems like on Thursday. For now, totals will remain as shown, and our last call for tomorrow will be out early in the morning. Inland areas in the T-1" zone may also see slight improvements if balloon launch data today continues to trend in the right direction.
Timing for both days is for the entirety of both days, as precipitation will be on-and-off throughout the next 48 hours. Travel concerns will generally be on the mild side of things, but don't let that fool you. Drive with care no matter what's falling out there. Follow us here at Michigan Storm Chasers for updates throughout the next couple days as the snow falls. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #munising #newberry #soo #gaylord
<>
Latest Trail Reports – Quick Links
- Ironwood – Western U.P. Trail Report – 01/15
- Gaylord Area Trail Report – 01/15
- Frederic / Gaylord Area Trail Report – Sledheads of Frederic – 01/15
- Watersmeet – Western U.P. Trail Report – 01/15
- Grand Marais Area Trail Report – 01/15
- Keweenaw Peninsula Trail Report – 01/15
- Paradise Area Trail Report – 01/15
- Ontonagon Area Trail Report – 01/15
- Sault Ste. Marie Area Trail Report – 01/14
- Ironwood – Western U.P. Trail Report – 01/14
- Ontonagon Area Trail Report – 01/14
- Munising Area Trail Report – 01/14
- Frederic / Gaylord Area Trail Report – Sledheads of Frederic – 01/14
- Grand Marais Area Trail Report – 01/14
- Gaylord Area Trail Report – 01/14
- Harbor Springs Area Trail Report – 01/14
- Lake Gogebic Trail Report – 01/14
- Sidnaw – Western U.P. Trail Report – 01/14
- Newberry Area Trail Report – 01/14
- Keweenaw Peninsula Trail Report – 01/13
- Watersmeet – Western U.P. Trail Report – 01/13
- Newberry Area Trail Report – 01/13
- Gaylord Area Trail Report – 01/13
- Frederic / Gaylord Area Trail Report – Sledheads of Frederic – 01/13
- Sault Ste. Marie Area Trail Report – 01/13
- Cadillac Area Trail Report – 01/12
- Munising Area Trail Report – 01/12
- Sidnaw – Western U.P. Trail Report – 01/12
<>