Ontonagon Area Trail Report – 12/28
ONTONAGON AREA UPDATE via Scott’s Superior Inn – 12/28
🌨 Trail Update – Ontonagon 🌨
The recent days have been tough on the trails, with the warmer weather taking a toll. Trails close to the lakeshore are in rough shape, but you’ll find slightly better conditions in the higher elevations.
⛔️ We strongly recommend staying off the trails this weekend to let them recover and prevent further damage.
❄️ Good news ahead! Lane at Midwest Weather is anticipating a significant amount of snow in the forecast towards the end of this week. Fresh snow is on its way, and brighter days for riding are just around the corner!
We’ll keep you updated as conditions improve. Stay tuned and get ready to hit the trails when the snow comes through!
📸 (pictures are from 12/28/2024)
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ONTONAGON AREA UPDATE via North Country Snowmobile Club UP – 12/28
Ope, we’re suggesting you’se guys better not be adventuring out on the sled trails rights now. We’ve had light rain, 34*F temps, 39* high today, more light rain/drizzle through midday. Trails along road ditches will be very hazardous with ponding from the rain/melting. We did seem to get spared somewhat with the heaviest rain!! At the end of this post are google map locations of GIANT waterfalls to come visit in lieu of riding!
ARE TRAILS RUINED? NO! Trails along roadway ditches and in the swamps will need major attention once the flowing water subsides. Trails in the woods on good surfaces will rebound quickly with some fresh snow, much of our Porcupine Mountain trails remain WHITE! Early January riding is totally in the realm of reality as long as we get a good blast of snow.
Looking for other things to do today or tomorrow? How about a car ride Waterfall Tour!
Bond Falls – Paulding
PARK: https://maps.app.goo.gl/J29owxWtyGRcYxNz7
NOTES: The drive down to the parking area may be barricaded. I would still walk the road down if so, the trails in the woods will be treacherous.
Agate Falls – Trout Creek
PARK: https://maps.app.goo.gl/mXW34ShFnxGFCkMX6
Notes: The bridge above the falls is snowmobile trail 8.
Victoria Dam Falls – Rockland
PARK: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CFLvWVdN7MtcTfMz9
NOTES: You will walk past the yellow gate and to the RIGHT down the hill towards the falls/dam.
Thank you Hamilton’s North Coast Adventures for the image and Waterfall adventure planning! Visit The Porcupine Mountains to start planning your next adventure here!
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Visit North Country Snowmobile Club – UP Website >>>>
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Visit North Country Snowmobile Club – UP on Facebook >>>>
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Postings From Regional Pages On Facebook
ONTONAGON AREA UPDATE via Scott's Superior Inn and Cabins >> The big story this week is an Arctic vortex moving in, bringing colder temps and an impressive 2 feet of fresh snow by mid-week. The heaviest amounts coming Friday night where 8 to 15 inches are expected to drop overnight.
With trails already in good shape, this incoming snow is going to take conditions from good to “gooder” 😉
If you’ve been waiting to plan a trip, now’s the time—the Western UP is about to be absolutely dialed in for riding.
🏨 Riding the Western UP? Stay right on trail 12 at Scott’s Superior Inn & Cabins on Lake Superior. Easy access, cozy cabins, and the perfect home base for epic days on the sled. Book your stay and make a weekend of it! #ontonagon #westernupThe big story this week is an Arctic vortex moving in, bringing colder temps and an impressive 2 feet of fresh snow by mid-week. The heaviest amounts coming Friday night where 8 to 15 inches are expected to drop overnight.
With trails already in good shape, this incoming snow is going to take conditions from good to “gooder” 😉
If you’ve been waiting to plan a trip, now’s the time—the Western UP is about to be absolutely dialed in for riding.
🏨 Riding the Western UP? Stay right on trail 12 at Scott’s Superior Inn & Cabins on Lake Superior. Easy access, cozy cabins, and the perfect home base for epic days on the sled. Book your stay and make a weekend of it!
LAKE GOGEBIC AREA UPDATE via Gogebic Area Grooming >> Bergland Area Groomer's report for 1-15-26..
Everything in our system was covered this evening and yesterday we sent 2 machine's down 8e to get that back under control.
Everything seems to be in really good shape now, with the cold temps really locking the Trail's in tight.
Forecast call's for another 12" over the weekend and cold 🥶!! #lakegogebic #westernup #snowphotos
WEATHER UPDATE via Michigan Storm Chasers >> This is our last call snowfall outlook for FRIDAY ONLY, January 16th, 2026. Snow has begun across parts of the UP, and will begin for the rest of the state over the course of the next 12 hours.... #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea #gaylord #cadillac #benzie #traversecity #petoskeyThis is our last call snowfall outlook for FRIDAY ONLY, January 16th, 2026. Snow has begun across parts of the UP, and will begin for the rest of the state over the course of the next 12 hours.
A clipper will bring a mixture of synoptic snow and lake effect snow for the entirety of Michigan. This is the first of multiple clippers between now and Monday. Lake effect areas may see totals into the 4-8" zone, with localized heavier totals possible along the Porcupine Mountains in the western UP. We DO have ample moisture on our atmospheric profiles for tomorrow, but the forcing is still suspect, so a solid blanket of 1-4" of snow, with isolated higher totals close to half a foot should occur by the end of our day Friday. The greatest chance at an area underachieving is in... guess what... southeast Michigan. Monroe and Lenawee counties specifically were in the T-1" zone at first call, but with a more-moist profile expected tomorrow, all locations (in an ideal world) should at least hit 1". We are also watching for the development of freezing drizzle mixing in, primarily in the Lower Peninsula as low-level temperatures favor this phenomena. Now, drizzle would hinder totals, but significantly increase travel issues as roads get coated with both the drizzle and the wet snow. We will have a freezing drizzle accumulation map out tomorrow morning.
Winds gusting 25-35 mph at times, primarily out of the west. Some snow squalls will mix in, which for those who don't remember, snow squalls exist to only cause headaches. These narrow bands of snow drop visibility from open skies to mere feet in the matter of seconds, which is never good, especially on fast-moving roadways. A snow squall can put down as much as a quick inch in 15-30 minutes at their peak intensity. Both morning and evening commutes will be impacted by snow or drizzle. Let's hope we don't light up the MDOT drive map with 25 accidents this time around, so please take your time. Give yourself that extra hour to travel, especially in instances of forced slow downs.
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WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> A couple rounds of heavy lake effect snow will develop first across Luce County tonight through tomorrow, then across the western U.P./Keweenaw tomorrow into Saturday afternoon. Winter Weather Advisories and Warnings are in effect from tonight through Saturday afternoon. Greatest snowfall accumulations are expected across the higher terrain west of a line from Ironwood to White Plains, and from Mass City to Painesdale. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaA couple rounds of heavy lake effect snow will develop first across Luce County tonight through tomorrow, then across the western U.P./Keweenaw tomorrow into Saturday afternoon. Winter Weather Advisories and Warnings are in effect from tonight through Saturday afternoon. Greatest snowfall accumulations are expected across the higher terrain west of a line from Ironwood to White Plains, and from Mass City to Painesdale.
IRONWOOD - WESTERN U.P. UPDATE via Gogebic Range Trail Authority - ORV & Snowmobile Club >> Trailboss Carter reports near perfect trail conditions as of last night.
Currently light flurries falling and from the sounds of it a good amount is in store for the weekend!
The Yoop is calling and you must go!! 😉
Kami
GRTA Secretary #westernup #snowphotos
ONTONAGON AREA UPDATE via North Country Snowmobile Club UP >> Finally went for a ride today. Wanted to grab lunch so we rode from White Pine to The Pit Stop Bar & Grill. Trail #12 was fantastic! A big shout out to Wyatt!! After lunch went from Pat's Motorsports in Greenland and took Trail #13 to Trail #12 at Potato Farm Road back into White Pine. Thank you The U.P. Superior Snowmobile Club for a great ride on 13!!! #ontonagon #westernup #snowphotosFinally went for a ride today. Wanted to grab lunch so we rode from White Pine to The Pit Stop Bar & Grill. Trail #12 was fantastic! A big shout out to Wyatt!! After lunch went from Pat's Motorsports in Greenland and took Trail #13 to Trail #12 at Potato Farm Road back into White Pine. Thank you The U.P. Superior Snowmobile Club for a great ride on 13!!!
WATERSMEET - WESTERN U.P. UPDATE via U.P. Thunder Riders Snowmobile Club >> The base on our trails are fantastic! We will groom daily based on groomer availability and weather. Help our efforts by joining club-https://upthunderriders.org/ or
DONATE HERE-https://
www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/94DBZ6P59ULY2
All of these funds will help us continue to have the money to groom the full season! #westernup #snowphotosThe base on our trails are fantastic! We will groom daily based on groomer availability and weather. Help our efforts by joining club-https://upthunderriders.org/ or
DONATE HERE-https://
www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/94DBZ6P59ULY2
All of these funds will help us continue to have the money to groom the full season!
ONTONAGON AREA UPDATE via North Country Snowmobile Club UP >> Trail Report 1/15:
Wyatt and Pisten Bully 22 did some work last night.
Trail #12 from Greenland to White Pine was groomed and has some thin spots closer to Ontonagon and along LP Walsh Road.
Trail #101 is in good condition.
Trail #13 from Trail #101 to Victoria Road was groomed and is in good condition.
Tractor Mac went into the Porkies. Trail #1 from White Pine to Silver City is in fair condition, icey near Lake Superior. From Silver City to The Porkies Ski Hill is very thin with frozen bare spots. The final 6 miles to Lake of the Clouds is in very good condition.
Trail #11 (South Boundary Road) is in very good condition to Trail #102.
Be safe and ride the 906! #ontonagon #westernup #snowphotosTrail Report 1/15:
Wyatt and Pisten Bully 22 did some work last night.
Trail #12 from Greenland to White Pine was groomed and has some thin spots closer to Ontonagon and along LP Walsh Road.
Trail #101 is in good condition.
Trail #13 from Trail #101 to Victoria Road was groomed and is in good condition.
Tractor Mac went into the Porkies. Trail #1 from White Pine to Silver City is in fair condition, icey near Lake Superior. From Silver City to The Porkies Ski Hill is very thin with frozen bare spots. The final 6 miles to Lake of the Clouds is in very good condition.
Trail #11 (South Boundary Road) is in very good condition to Trail #102.
Be safe and ride the 906!
IRONWOOD - WESTERN U.P. UPDATE via Gogebic Range Trail Authority - ORV & Snowmobile Club >> Update: 1.14.2026
We have both tractors going out right now.
Trail 8 / Wakefield to Tula turnaround.
Trail 2 / Wakefield to Marenisco.
The guys will give me a report in the morning as to the trail conditions and will report back!
Ride safe, friends!
Kami
GRTA Secretary #westernupUpdate: 1.14.2026
We have both tractors going out right now.
Trail 8 / Wakefield to Tula turnaround.
Trail 2 / Wakefield to Marenisco.
The guys will give me a report in the morning as to the trail conditions and will report back!
Ride safe, friends!
Kami
GRTA Secretary
ONTONAGON AREA UPDATE via Hamilton's North Coast Adventures >> SO MANY GROOMERS GROOMING!
If you are not riding the western up of Michigan tomorrow, you may be doing it wrong! Green lines mean groomer runs as of TODAY. These clubs are killing it! Thank you groomers! #ontonagon #westernup #snowphotosSO MANY GROOMERS GROOMING!
If you are not riding the western up of Michigan tomorrow, you may be doing it wrong! Green lines mean groomer runs as of TODAY. These clubs are killing it! Thank you groomers!
BESSEMER - WESTERN U.P. UPDATE via Trails-North Powersports LLC >> 🥰 Old man Winter is back ❤️🌬️❄️ 1 to 3 inches turned into 4 to 6 🤟 more snow is predicted through the rest of the week and through the weekend, sooooo what are you waiting for 😊 get up here and ride 🤟🌬️❄️❄️❄️ #westernup #snowphotos
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Latest Trail Reports – Quick Links
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