Ontonagon Area Trail Report – 12/10
ONTONAGON AREA UPDATE via North Country Snowmobile Club UP >> 12/10 ❄️Trail Report December 10th 2025 🥵Good Day from the trenches…. 👀Trails remain hazardous and in early season conditions with wet areas, downed trees, and with some trails yet to be opened by grooming equipment. We seek snowmobiler’s help riding trail 12 from Ontonagon to Greenland. The swamps between the highway and the railroad grade need traffic to help freeze them in so we can go fill in the rest of the water holes. Most of our trail system is enjoying 18-36" of snow, but areas near the lakeshore have limited snow (5"). 4-6" of fresh snow fell yesterday with more lake effect on-going today. IT IS SNOWY!!!! 🤘GROOMED LAST NIGHT: Trail 12 railroad grade from Ontonagon to Rockland. Groomer then went down 13 to 101 and back to staging at Hamilton’s North Coast Adventures on trail 12. The ditch trails along Victoria Road and Potato Farm road have been cut in again after plowing. We had a hydraulic leak cut the night short, but we plan to work on trail 12 to white pine to put a few more wet areas to bed now that we have the Trail Setter drag on. Thank you TJ Toner of White Pine for giving his night up to train on the PistenBully with Steve. 🤞Once trail 13 from Bergland to our section of 13 is opened, you’ll once again be able to ride directly from Hurley, WI to Houghton, MI. A by-pass using the 400 road, accessed via 13, can get you up to where 13 is groomed. You can also bypass the unopened trail via trail 1 to White Pine then east on trail 12 to 101 to 13. Riding without road or trail is permissible in the Ottawa National Forest if there is more than 6" of snow and the area is not Wilderness or protected (be smart, please…). 😍Great Snow exists up here with tremendous trailside stops waiting for you this weekend! Bring some brushing equipment and come on up! Give the trails 1, 2 hours of your time. You’ll never believe how big of an impact 4 people with a purpose can make! <> <> Visit North Country Snowmobile Club – UP Website >>>> <> Visit North Country Snowmobile Club – UP on Facebook >>>> <> WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Expect lake effect snow showers today in the north to northwest wind snowbelts. Temperatures will start out cold with wind chills below -20F in the far eastern U.P. Frostbite can occur in as little as 30 minutes on exposed skin in these conditions. Stay warm and drive slow on ice and snow! #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea ONTONAGON AREA UPDATE via Scott's Superior Inn and Cabins >> ❄️🛷 Honest question… where have all the snowmobiles gone? WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Lake effect continues tonight, with the heaviest snow likely to focus into the Munising area overnight. Dangerous cold conditions are also expected across the eastern U.P. tonight into Thursday morning. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea ONTONAGON AREA UPDATE via Hamilton's North Coast Adventures >> You know what goes good with Snow? More snow! Wowie! It won't stop! Another 6-10" in the last 36 hours up by White Pine! Very few sleds are available the first two weeks in February! End of the month and March are wide open. We look forward to a late riding season, so get your self together and head for da North Coast! Video from this morning 🇺🇲❄️ #ontonagon #westernup #snowphotos ONTONAGON AREA UPDATE via North Country Snowmobile Club UP >> TRAIL UPDATE: The groomer and drag are recovered off Trail 1 North of White Pine. Please ride the West side before the highway cross over with caution as the recovery equipment left some snow piles and rough trail areas. We will fix it ASAP and hope to have the Big Blue Tractor back running tomorrow night. #ontonagon #westernup #snowphotosTRAIL UPDATE: The groomer and drag are recovered off Trail 1 North of White Pine. Please ride the West side before the highway cross over with caution as the recovery equipment left some snow piles and rough trail areas. We will fix it ASAP and hope to have the Big Blue Tractor back running tomorrow night. WEATHER UPDATE via Meteorologist Brad Sugden >> Additional snowfall Tuesday, Jan 27th! SIDNAW - WESTERN U.P. UPDATE via Sno Valley Riders Snowmobile Club >> Groomer Report; WATERSMEET - WESTERN U.P. UPDATE via U.P. Thunder Riders Snowmobile Club >> TRAIL CONDITIONS 1/27/26- Trails are in excellent condition with several inches of base. Grooming daily weather permitting. RIDE RIGHT AND RIDE SAFE. #watersmeet #westernup #snowphotos 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! LAKE GOGEBIC AREA UPDATE via Gogebic Area Grooming >> Bergland Area Groomer's.. WEATHER UPDATE via Michigan Storm Chasers >> Lake effect snow continues today, stops, then resumes in intensity overnight into Tuesday, January 26th and 27th, 2026. 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. <> Latest Trail Reports – Quick Links <>Postings From Regional Pages On Facebook
We’ve got deep snow, incredible coverage, and trails that are as good as they’ve been in years. This kind of setup doesn’t come around often, and right now everything is dialed in.
If you’ve been on the fence, now’s the time to pack up and head north. The extra drive is 100% worth it.
Need a place to stay? Scott’s Superior Inn & Cabins puts you right on the trails with cozy cabins, warm rooms, and everything you need to fuel up and ride again the next day. 🛷❄️ #ontonagon #westernup #snowphotos
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). #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsare #gaylord #cadillac #benzie #traversecity #petoskeyAdditional snowfall Tuesday, Jan 27th!
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).
Trail Condition: Excellent
Last Groomed: January 26th, 2026
There are logging operations happening about two miles west of Kenton, use caution.
We are grooming our regular schedule, every day.
The trails are excellent.
Please ride on the RIGHT side of the trail and STOP at the stop signs!
Stay on the trail, if you don’t we could lose trail permissions on private property.
Groomers have the right of way on the trails, pull over and stop to let them safely pass!
We have Groomer Tracker installed in our groomers.
We groom every day that the weather conditions and equipment allow. Unforeseen circumstances may prevent us from going out, like a major blizzard and being snowed in at our homes or equipment breakdowns. #westernup
Our guy's continue to go above and beyond. Thank you so much!! 102 and 8w Gogebic Area Grooming ❄️❄️❄️ #lakegogebic #westernup #snowphotos
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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