Grand Marais Trail Report – 12/11
GRAND MARAIS UPDATE via Grand Marais Tavern – 12/11
GMSTA trail boss grooming update: I have had a lot of questions and inquiries on if we are grooming, when we will be grooming, and why we are not grooming, etc. Before I get into the scheduling I just want to give you all some insight to how we determine when and how much we groom.
Of course one of the biggest factors is weather. How much snow, temps, conditions, what snow quality etc. Just because it’s below 32 degrees doesn’t mean you groom. If the snow quality is poor, sugary not packy, then grooming that type of snow when the base is not set up does very little for the overall "condition" of the trail. You cannot get all the woops/moguls out and the sugary snow just blows back out of the trail as the snowmobiles go over it. If this is the scenario, and it is early in the week with very low traffic, this would be the time to take a day off.
The other big factor is the budget we have to groom for the entire season, Dec. 1st – Mar. 31st. One never knows how much snow we will get over the course of the snowmobile season, as proven last year. The season lasts 121 days, and we want to make sure there is enough budget to get us through the entire season. Budgeting is critical and plays a huge part in the decision of when not to groom. If the budget allowed, we would groom every day weather permitted.
The next consideration is traffic volume. Usually Tuesday -Thursday is the slowest part of the week for traffic. Those are the first days we consider to not groom, as there is the least amount of traffic. This coupled with weather, snow conditions, and budget all help to make the call to groom or not. High travel times, we strive to groom every day to give you the best trails possible.
We will be grooming this afternoon, starting with our East trail, trail 8, and our South trail, 443 & 88 from the park and ride on M77 east to 443. Then once they get back, we will head out on the West trail, 8, 89, 43/88 across Sunrise Landing to the south end of 888 and our North trail 8, from the split at 89, 888, and 88 all the way down to the park and ride on M77. The town route is usually done in coordination with the North run and or run as needed, as it is the single groomed trail route into the town of Grand Marais for food, gas, etc.
Our scheduled grooming times are the same every day with the North and West trails being done early mornings, departing the groomer barn approximately 2am, returning approximately 9am. The East and South trails departing the barn approximately 5pm returning approximately 1am.
Hopefully the snow that is in the forecast will come, and we will have the trails good and ready for a great sledding weekend. We want to thank everyone for your support, patience, and understanding. Thank you also for your comments and info from out on the trails. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Last but not least, I also highly recommend downloading the Groomer Tracker app and for $10.00 download the GMSTA trails so you can follow the groomers in "real time". For $10.00 each, you can download the Curtis Area Trails, Seney Snowmobile Association, Tahquamenon Area Snowmobile Association, Chippewa Snow Chasers, and the Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association and see all the trails that are being groomed in the EUP! Other club trail systems are also available for purchase as well as other States. A percentage of the $10.00 goes directly to each club who’s trail system you download. This helps and we greatly appreciate it. Take a minute and check it out.
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Grand Marais Sno-Trails Assoc. on Facebook >>>>
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Postings From Regional Pages On Facebook
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Trails End Lodging >> Good Sunday afternoon from a snowy Windy Corners ❄️☃️
With several accidents reported so far this weekend, this is your friendly reminder to slow it down, pay attention, and ride within your ability. The snow is beautiful, but conditions can change fast.
Enjoy the ride, enjoy the views—but most importantly, make it home safe.
Wherever your ride takes you today, ride right and ride safe. 🤍 #newberry #snowphotos
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Tonight and Monday morning, moderate to occasionally heavy lake effect will be accompanied by strong winds and create blowing snow concerns. Near blizzard conditions expected in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Marquette, and Alger counties, especially in areas exposed to the north or northwest. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaTonight and Monday morning, moderate to occasionally heavy lake effect will be accompanied by strong winds and create blowing snow concerns. Near blizzard conditions expected in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Marquette, and Alger counties, especially in areas exposed to the north or northwest.
GRAND MARAIS AREA UPDATE via Grand Marais Sno-Trails Assoc. >> Rinse and repeat. All routes groomed last night. #grandmarais #newberryRinse and repeat. All routes groomed last night.
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Snow will continue today, with periods of moderate to heavy snowfall expected across portions of north-central and western Upper Michigan. Travel impacts abate tonight with lake effect snow becoming light into Sunday. By Sunday afternoon, a shot of widespread snow will be followed by strong winds and lake effect. The snow in this period will change to the kind that blows around really easily. Expect hazardous travel conditions Sunday night and Monday. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Pine Stump >> People are out enjoying all this snow! #newberry #snowphotos
GRAND MARAIS AREA UPDATE via Grand Marais Sno-Trails Assoc. >> As you can see by the Groomer Tracker, all trails (plus) were groomed last night. We are a little short handed this weekend, but we are working 110% for your riding pleasure. Have a great weekend. #grandmarais #newberryAs you can see by the Groomer Tracker, all trails (plus) were groomed last night. We are a little short handed this weekend, but we are working 110% for your riding pleasure. Have a great weekend.
Thanks
PARADISE AREA UPDATE via Paradise Area Night Riders www.paradiseareanightriders.org >> 1/17/26
22 degrees this morning and cloudy. Supposed to get a little snow today but the main thing is its supposed to stay cold for the foreseeable future! It snowed an blowed all day yesterday, its hard to say how much snow we got but I`ll call it 3-4". Been having trouble with my computer the last few days so I`ll say sorry cause I haven`t been keeping up on my reports. Here`s whats been going on with our trails.......
Its been really cold the last few days so we`ve been playing catch-up on our trails since that rain and warm up. Yesterday we took 2 machines w/o drags and ran trail #8 south to try and refreeze that trail down. The water holes on the power line and in the Federal Forest section really opened up with that warm up we had and made them impassable. Me and Groomer Dave were successful in gettin `er done! The gates are now open again in the Federal Forest and the big hole on the power line is filled in!! The swamp just south of town is still closed tho, I`ll cover that in a minute.
Today we are runnin the Pine Stump trails #8 & #9 and the Point trails #452 & #453. Tomorrow we are heading back into the Falls trail #45 with 2 machines w/o drags and see if we can`t get that finally froze in and opened up. If everything goes well in there we will get into the swamp south of town and see what we got on Monday. We will also run trail #8 south tomorrow with a drag.
So, there ya have it, a full run down on our system. If everything goes well we should have our full system opened up by the middle of next week.......FINALLY!!!!!!
LET `ER SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Groomer Chris #paradise #newberry
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Trails End Lodging >> Freshly groomed trails in Windy Corners! ❄️🔥
TASA Tahquamenon Area Snowmobile Association is out grooming through Windy Corners and heading north, getting the trails dialed in for another great ride.
Huge thanks to the volunteers who keep the UP riding world-class!
Where are the trails taking you tomorrow?
Ride safe. Ride right. #newberry #snowphotos
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via TASA Tahquamenon Area Snowmobile Association >> Set at the entrance of 9 north outta Newberry probably about 10 minutes or so waiting for a groups that kept coming, waited till 9 to come out tonight, 60+ and just passed the second stop sign 10.4 miles out!
Very tickled to see us this busy 🥰
We're all getting along great out here, snow, Tucker and I, keep ya posted.
In and out of Windy Corners, not cognetoie at all! 😂 Turned out nice, FLAT, I can feel the base from the day after mush when the temps fell, it scratches, that's good.
12:28 headed North to, we'll you know, keep ya posted.
Also, pray for 70s on Casey Kasim at 6 K? 🔊🎶 #newberry #snowphotos
60+ riders on one section of trail within an hour is insane……… 🤦♂️
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Lake Effect Snow through Saturday; Cold and Windy with Reduced Visibility Sunday Night/Monday... #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea
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.
-- Trusted Partner of the Day --
Rainbow Restoration | 616-583-1234, call today for all your restoration needs in the Grand Rapids regional area!
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NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Trails End Lodging >> Good Sunday afternoon from a snowy Windy Corners ❄️☃️
With several accidents reported so far this weekend, this is your friendly reminder to slow it down, pay attention, and ride within your ability. The snow is beautiful, but conditions can change fast.
Enjoy the ride, enjoy the views—but most importantly, make it home safe.
Wherever your ride takes you today, ride right and ride safe. 🤍 #newberry #snowphotos
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Tonight and Monday morning, moderate to occasionally heavy lake effect will be accompanied by strong winds and create blowing snow concerns. Near blizzard conditions expected in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Marquette, and Alger counties, especially in areas exposed to the north or northwest. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaTonight and Monday morning, moderate to occasionally heavy lake effect will be accompanied by strong winds and create blowing snow concerns. Near blizzard conditions expected in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Marquette, and Alger counties, especially in areas exposed to the north or northwest.
GRAND MARAIS AREA UPDATE via Grand Marais Sno-Trails Assoc. >> Rinse and repeat. All routes groomed last night. #grandmarais #newberryRinse and repeat. All routes groomed last night.
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Snow will continue today, with periods of moderate to heavy snowfall expected across portions of north-central and western Upper Michigan. Travel impacts abate tonight with lake effect snow becoming light into Sunday. By Sunday afternoon, a shot of widespread snow will be followed by strong winds and lake effect. The snow in this period will change to the kind that blows around really easily. Expect hazardous travel conditions Sunday night and Monday. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Pine Stump >> People are out enjoying all this snow! #newberry #snowphotos
GRAND MARAIS AREA UPDATE via Grand Marais Sno-Trails Assoc. >> As you can see by the Groomer Tracker, all trails (plus) were groomed last night. We are a little short handed this weekend, but we are working 110% for your riding pleasure. Have a great weekend. #grandmarais #newberryAs you can see by the Groomer Tracker, all trails (plus) were groomed last night. We are a little short handed this weekend, but we are working 110% for your riding pleasure. Have a great weekend.
Thanks
PARADISE AREA UPDATE via Paradise Area Night Riders www.paradiseareanightriders.org >> 1/17/26
22 degrees this morning and cloudy. Supposed to get a little snow today but the main thing is its supposed to stay cold for the foreseeable future! It snowed an blowed all day yesterday, its hard to say how much snow we got but I`ll call it 3-4". Been having trouble with my computer the last few days so I`ll say sorry cause I haven`t been keeping up on my reports. Here`s whats been going on with our trails.......
Its been really cold the last few days so we`ve been playing catch-up on our trails since that rain and warm up. Yesterday we took 2 machines w/o drags and ran trail #8 south to try and refreeze that trail down. The water holes on the power line and in the Federal Forest section really opened up with that warm up we had and made them impassable. Me and Groomer Dave were successful in gettin `er done! The gates are now open again in the Federal Forest and the big hole on the power line is filled in!! The swamp just south of town is still closed tho, I`ll cover that in a minute.
Today we are runnin the Pine Stump trails #8 & #9 and the Point trails #452 & #453. Tomorrow we are heading back into the Falls trail #45 with 2 machines w/o drags and see if we can`t get that finally froze in and opened up. If everything goes well in there we will get into the swamp south of town and see what we got on Monday. We will also run trail #8 south tomorrow with a drag.
So, there ya have it, a full run down on our system. If everything goes well we should have our full system opened up by the middle of next week.......FINALLY!!!!!!
LET `ER SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Groomer Chris #paradise #newberry
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Trails End Lodging >> Freshly groomed trails in Windy Corners! ❄️🔥
TASA Tahquamenon Area Snowmobile Association is out grooming through Windy Corners and heading north, getting the trails dialed in for another great ride.
Huge thanks to the volunteers who keep the UP riding world-class!
Where are the trails taking you tomorrow?
Ride safe. Ride right. #newberry #snowphotos
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via TASA Tahquamenon Area Snowmobile Association >> Set at the entrance of 9 north outta Newberry probably about 10 minutes or so waiting for a groups that kept coming, waited till 9 to come out tonight, 60+ and just passed the second stop sign 10.4 miles out!
Very tickled to see us this busy 🥰
We're all getting along great out here, snow, Tucker and I, keep ya posted.
In and out of Windy Corners, not cognetoie at all! 😂 Turned out nice, FLAT, I can feel the base from the day after mush when the temps fell, it scratches, that's good.
12:28 headed North to, we'll you know, keep ya posted.
Also, pray for 70s on Casey Kasim at 6 K? 🔊🎶 #newberry #snowphotos
60+ riders on one section of trail within an hour is insane……… 🤦♂️
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Lake Effect Snow through Saturday; Cold and Windy with Reduced Visibility Sunday Night/Monday... #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea
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.
-- Trusted Partner of the Day --
Rainbow Restoration | 616-583-1234, call today for all your restoration needs in the Grand Rapids regional area!
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Latest Trail Reports – Quick Links
- Newberry Area Trail Report – 01/18
- Cadillac Area Trail Report – 01/18
- Grand Marais Area Trail Report – 01/18
- Harbor Springs Area Trail Report – 01/18
- Ontonagon Area Trail Report – 01/18
- Watersmeet – Western U.P. Trail Report – 01/18
- Keweenaw Peninsula Trail Report – 01/18
- Gaylord Area Trail Report – 01/18
- Frederic / Gaylord Area Trail Report – Sledheads of Frederic – 01/18
- Keweenaw Peninsula Trail Report – 01/17
- Watersmeet – Western U.P. Trail Report – 01/17
- Grand Marais Area Trail Report – 01/17
- Cadillac Area Trail Report – 01/17
- Paradise Area Trail Report – 01/17
- Lake Gogebic Area Trail Report – 01/17
- Ontonagon Area Trail Report – 01/17
- Newberry Area Trail Report – 01/17
- Traverse City Area Trail Report – 01/16
- Munising Area Trail Report – 01/16
- Sault Ste. Marie Area Trail Report – 01/16
- Harbor Springs Area Trail Report – 01/16
- Jordan Valley Area Trail Report – 01/16
- Gaylord Area Trail Report – 01/16
- Frederic / Gaylord Area Trail Report – Sledheads of Frederic – 01/16
- Benzie Area Trail Report – 01/16
- Ontonagon Trail Report – 01/16
- Petoskey Area Trail Report – 01/16
- Cadillac Area Trail Report – 01/16
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