SAULT STE. MARIE UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association – 03/06
Good morning all! Happy Monday!
Groomer Pete was out on the city trails last night. Here’s his report from that run-
“City trails groomed tonight. This late in the season, I start wondering when my last groom will be.
It’s a balmy 25 degrees out, so the trails are freezing up hard. The quality of the snow is low, very icy. I would reccomend scratchers early and at night when the temps drop. I ran the scratchers on my sled this morning and the engine temp dropped 25 degrees. Most trails are a bit chunky, but flat. Zero sleds seen tonight, so they might even set up a little.
I saw slush in two spots. The eastern approach to the tunnel was the worst. I tried to bring some snow in on it, but there isn’t much to work with.
Road crossings and any road riding areas are bare and gravely. The Ashmun Bay trailhead was used as a slalom track by an atv rider, leaving 6” deep ruts in a zig zag pattern for its entire length. I tried to cut and fill them, hopefully that holds up. If not, watch for ruts on that trail.
The snow is melting around the hay bales previously filled in the creeks by the Kewadin Casino. The trail is still fine, but you can see the sides of the hay bales now.
Overall, the city trails are holding up really well. The base is thick and frozen. Only a few corners are worn down, and there is plenty of snow in the berms for the groomers to bring down. After seeing some other areas by sled today, I’m Very happy with the condition of our trails.
Get your riding in, and do your snow dances please! I’d like a few more grooms this season.
Oh, and I cut the exposed mat at the tunnel entrance!”
Thank you Pete!
Snow is moving in from the southeast this morning but we’re not supposed to get much.
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 1/27/26 Good evening everyone! Holding steady at 30” of snow in the Soo currently with lake effect snow showers ongoing. We do still have one machine down, and our schedule has been adjusted to make sure we can still cover all areas. Here’s what I know- ❄️ Trail 8- Soo to Raco- excellent ❄️ City Trails - part of 49, 449, 497, and the I500 trail- excellent (being groomed as I type this) ❄️ Trail 49- Soo to Kinross- good. All water holes are packed and panned. May have some drifts in open areas. ❄️ Trail 49 south of M80 and the 494 loop- excellent ❄️ Trail 472 to 480 to the Raco gate- good - Go slow by the new bridge on 480 as there is stone there, that will be snow covered in time. ❄️ Trail 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 ... See MoreSee Less
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.
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 1/27/26 Things are so good around here that I actually have no significant updates to share LOL. A little snow here and there on top of an absolutely incredible base is making for the best riding in our area in years, honestly. Even with one machine still down, our operators have things in excellent shape! We hope you’ll be able to be here next week for race week, and for the big race on Saturday, Feb 7th! We will have a booth in the brand new vendor pavilion, and we hope to see you there at the International 500 Snowmobile Race!! 🏁 ❄️🥶 #soo #soo0127#snowphotos... See MoreSee Less
Winds will gust 30-40mph at times blowing around new slow and fluffy snow already on the ground. Expect ground blizzards at times (wind driven, brief, white outs). ... See MoreSee Less
SAULT STE. MARIE AREA UPDATE via Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association >> 1/27/26 Update!! 10:30 AM - The car is near the pavilion in the campground, close to the parking lot, and will be out shortly. Thank you to Merle’s Towing for your communication and helping her out! 🚨 Caution!! There is a car stuck on the trail behind Kewadin Casino. We are unsure of the exact location on the trail as of right now. Merle’s Towing, who has always been so awesome to work with, is on the way, but please use caution. Please be kind, it’s an elderly person who made a mistake. Just sharing for awareness. Thank you! #soo ... See MoreSee Less
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Another quickly-moving Clipper will bring a round of widespread, light snow beginning this evening, followed by lingering lake effect snow across the NW wind snow belts for Tuesday. Totals of an inch or less are expected for most of the UP, but where lake effect snow occurs, up to 2-5in of snow is possible tonight through Tuesday evening. As winds pick up early Tuesday, patchy blowing snow may contribute to reduced visibility in the NW wind snow belts. Take care during your morning commute! #miweather #keweenaw#westernup#marquette#munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaAnother quickly-moving Clipper will bring a round of widespread, light snow beginning this evening, followed by lingering lake effect snow across the NW wind snow belts for Tuesday. Totals of an inch or less are expected for most of the UP, but where lake effect snow occurs, up to 2-5in of snow is possible tonight through Tuesday evening. As winds pick up early Tuesday, patchy blowing snow may contribute to reduced visibility in the NW wind snow belts. Take care during your morning commute! ... See MoreSee Less
WEATHER UPDATE via Michigan Storm Chasers >> Lake effect snow continues today, stops, then resumes in intensity overnight into Tuesday, January 26th and 27th, 2026. Discussion Our west winds kick up to the 30-40 mph range later tonight. Prior to that happening, a northwest wind will batter some lake effect areas with an additional 1-3" this afternoon, with pockets of 4"+ possible. As we move into Tuesday, a widespread blanket of 2-5", with pockets of 4-8" will overtake the Lake Michigan shoreline, eastern UP, and Keweenaw Peninsula. Temperature difference between water and air, plus adequate lift will fuel lake effect all the way through Wednesday morning. Additionally, we have a clipper moving through on Tuesday that will bring isolated pockets of 1-3" to the east side. Most locations should still be beneath an inch, however, too many variables are in play to not mention it. Travel will be impacted along and west of US-131, with minor travel impacts all the way over to the US-127 corridor (I-75 north of Grayling). The clipper will be swinging through with the initial push of gusty winds after midnight tonight through 10 am Tuesday morning. Again, this will be for totals starting at noon today, and lasting through 8 am EST Wednesday, with most of the snow falling throughout the entire day Tuesday. #miweather #keweenaw#westernup#marquette#munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea#gaylord #cadillac #benzie#traversecity#petoskeyLake effect snow continues today, stops, then resumes in intensity overnight into Tuesday, January 26th and 27th, 2026.
Discussion Our west winds kick up to the 30-40 mph range later tonight. Prior to that happening, a northwest wind will batter some lake effect areas with an additional 1-3" this afternoon, with pockets of 4"+ possible. As we move into Tuesday, a widespread blanket of 2-5", with pockets of 4-8" will overtake the Lake Michigan shoreline, eastern UP, and Keweenaw Peninsula. Temperature difference between water and air, plus adequate lift will fuel lake effect all the way through Wednesday morning. Additionally, we have a clipper moving through on Tuesday that will bring isolated pockets of 1-3" to the east side. Most locations should still be beneath an inch, however, too many variables are in play to not mention it.
Travel will be impacted along and west of US-131, with minor travel impacts all the way over to the US-127 corridor (I-75 north of Grayling). The clipper will be swinging through with the initial push of gusty winds after midnight tonight through 10 am Tuesday morning. Again, this will be for totals starting at noon today, and lasting through 8 am EST Wednesday, with most of the snow falling throughout the entire day Tuesday.
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WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> While it will remain cold through midweek we will get a reprieve from the bitter cold experienced over the last several days. Lake effect snow showers will be possible in the northwest wind snowbelts along with a period of widespread light snow tonight across the U.P. #miweather #keweenaw#westernup#marquette#munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaWhile it will remain cold through midweek we will get a reprieve from the bitter cold experienced over the last several days. Lake effect snow showers will be possible in the northwest wind snowbelts along with a period of widespread light snow tonight across the U.P. ... See MoreSee Less