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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Postings From Regional Pages On Facebook
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Back to back events are expected this week. Expect strong winds this afternoon and tonight, then strong winds, falling temperatures, and snowfall on Thursday and Thursday night. The strong winds for both events night may result in power outages and lakeshore flooding/erosion and/or weakening lake ice. Temperatures will also climb up above freezing today for the first time since late November, with highs remaining in the 30s for the next few days. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Trails End Lodging >> Good Monday Morning from Windy Corners! The snow is lightly falling and it’s currently 20.
Have a great week!
Ride safe, ride right! #newberry #snowphotos
PARADISE AREA UPDATE via Paradise Area Night Riders www.paradiseareanightriders.org >> 12/14/25
10 degrees this morning and cloudy. Mother Nature FINALLY blessed us with a good dumping of snow! We have picked up a solid foot or more in the last 36 hrs. and its been COLD.
Following up from my last report......the tech did finally make it out and went through our computer problems on all 3 machines. 2 of them are up and runnin good now and we just got the parts we need for the third one and that will be good to go today. Now, on to whats been happinin with the trails......
Yesterday we took 2 machines with 4 guys but no drags and headed south on trail #8. We skipped the swamp just south of town and started at the river mouth. We ran across just some minor water holes at the south end of the power line and a touch more severe in the Federal Forest section. We kept the gates closed in the Federal Forest section to give that a chance to tighten up.
Tomorrow we are gonna send the same set up around the Point Trails #452 & #453. The other machine will hit the Pine Stump trail #8 doing a full groom. After we see how all that goes we will hit the Falls trail #45 hopefully by the end of the week. I`m sure ya`ll have seen we have a slight warm up coming this Tues. for a couple days so that will dictate what we do on the Falls trail and the Swamp south of town.
All I have for now Groomer Chris #paradise #newberry
CURTIS - NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Curtis Area Trail Association >> From Friday night MVP Paul laying a nice ribbon to Newberry, also training a new driver….#curtis #newberry #snowphotos
Great job Paul
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Gaylord Michigan >> Lake effect snow showers continue today, heaviest near and south of Grand Traverse Bay. While snow showers gradually diminish through the evening, a clipper system is set to cross the area late tonight into Monday with additional widespread snow. #miweather #gaylord #cadillac #benzie #traversecity #petoskey #soo #newberryLake effect snow showers continue today, heaviest near and south of Grand Traverse Bay. While snow showers gradually diminish through the evening, a clipper system is set to cross the area late tonight into Monday with additional widespread snow.
GRAND MARAIS AREA UPDATE via Grand Marais Tavern >> Trail update!! #grandmarais #newberry #snowphotos
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Trails End Lodging >> TASA Tahquamenon Area Snowmobile Association just came through Windy Corners on trail 498! It’s a chilly Saturday night. Currently 8 and feels like -1. (12/13/2025 at 6:45pm) #newberry #snowphotos
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Bitterly cold temperatures will hang on through tonight as wind chill values remain below zero across the U.P., coldest in the west near the WI border. Lake effect snow will also continue to impact the northwest wind snowbelts, especially across the east where a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through Sunday morning for Alger, Luce, and northern Schoolcraft Counties. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaBitterly cold temperatures will hang on through tonight as wind chill values remain below zero across the U.P., coldest in the west near the WI border. Lake effect snow will also continue to impact the northwest wind snowbelts, especially across the east where a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through Sunday morning for Alger, Luce, and northern Schoolcraft Counties.
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Lake effect snow showers are expected downwind of Lake Superior through Sunday, impacting the northwest wind snowbelt areas. This snow will be very susceptible to blowing in the wind, resulting in localized visibility reductions below 1 mile at times. Make sure to drive with your headlights on, at appropriate speeds, and with extra room between yourself and other vehicles! #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaLake effect snow showers are expected downwind of Lake Superior through Sunday, impacting the northwest wind snowbelt areas. This snow will be very susceptible to blowing in the wind, resulting in localized visibility reductions below 1 mile at times. Make sure to drive with your headlights on, at appropriate speeds, and with extra room between yourself and other vehicles! #906wx #miwx
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WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Back to back events are expected this week. Expect strong winds this afternoon and tonight, then strong winds, falling temperatures, and snowfall on Thursday and Thursday night. The strong winds for both events night may result in power outages and lakeshore flooding/erosion and/or weakening lake ice. Temperatures will also climb up above freezing today for the first time since late November, with highs remaining in the 30s for the next few days. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsarea
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Trails End Lodging >> Good Monday Morning from Windy Corners! The snow is lightly falling and it’s currently 20.
Have a great week!
Ride safe, ride right! #newberry #snowphotos
PARADISE AREA UPDATE via Paradise Area Night Riders www.paradiseareanightriders.org >> 12/14/25
10 degrees this morning and cloudy. Mother Nature FINALLY blessed us with a good dumping of snow! We have picked up a solid foot or more in the last 36 hrs. and its been COLD.
Following up from my last report......the tech did finally make it out and went through our computer problems on all 3 machines. 2 of them are up and runnin good now and we just got the parts we need for the third one and that will be good to go today. Now, on to whats been happinin with the trails......
Yesterday we took 2 machines with 4 guys but no drags and headed south on trail #8. We skipped the swamp just south of town and started at the river mouth. We ran across just some minor water holes at the south end of the power line and a touch more severe in the Federal Forest section. We kept the gates closed in the Federal Forest section to give that a chance to tighten up.
Tomorrow we are gonna send the same set up around the Point Trails #452 & #453. The other machine will hit the Pine Stump trail #8 doing a full groom. After we see how all that goes we will hit the Falls trail #45 hopefully by the end of the week. I`m sure ya`ll have seen we have a slight warm up coming this Tues. for a couple days so that will dictate what we do on the Falls trail and the Swamp south of town.
All I have for now Groomer Chris #paradise #newberry
CURTIS - NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Curtis Area Trail Association >> From Friday night MVP Paul laying a nice ribbon to Newberry, also training a new driver….#curtis #newberry #snowphotos
Great job Paul
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Gaylord Michigan >> Lake effect snow showers continue today, heaviest near and south of Grand Traverse Bay. While snow showers gradually diminish through the evening, a clipper system is set to cross the area late tonight into Monday with additional widespread snow. #miweather #gaylord #cadillac #benzie #traversecity #petoskey #soo #newberryLake effect snow showers continue today, heaviest near and south of Grand Traverse Bay. While snow showers gradually diminish through the evening, a clipper system is set to cross the area late tonight into Monday with additional widespread snow.
GRAND MARAIS AREA UPDATE via Grand Marais Tavern >> Trail update!! #grandmarais #newberry #snowphotos
NEWBERRY AREA UPDATE via Trails End Lodging >> TASA Tahquamenon Area Snowmobile Association just came through Windy Corners on trail 498! It’s a chilly Saturday night. Currently 8 and feels like -1. (12/13/2025 at 6:45pm) #newberry #snowphotos
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Bitterly cold temperatures will hang on through tonight as wind chill values remain below zero across the U.P., coldest in the west near the WI border. Lake effect snow will also continue to impact the northwest wind snowbelts, especially across the east where a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through Sunday morning for Alger, Luce, and northern Schoolcraft Counties. #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaBitterly cold temperatures will hang on through tonight as wind chill values remain below zero across the U.P., coldest in the west near the WI border. Lake effect snow will also continue to impact the northwest wind snowbelts, especially across the east where a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through Sunday morning for Alger, Luce, and northern Schoolcraft Counties.
WEATHER UPDATE via US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan >> Lake effect snow showers are expected downwind of Lake Superior through Sunday, impacting the northwest wind snowbelt areas. This snow will be very susceptible to blowing in the wind, resulting in localized visibility reductions below 1 mile at times. Make sure to drive with your headlights on, at appropriate speeds, and with extra room between yourself and other vehicles! #miweather #keweenaw #westernup #marquette #munising #seney #newberry #soo #straitsareaLake effect snow showers are expected downwind of Lake Superior through Sunday, impacting the northwest wind snowbelt areas. This snow will be very susceptible to blowing in the wind, resulting in localized visibility reductions below 1 mile at times. Make sure to drive with your headlights on, at appropriate speeds, and with extra room between yourself and other vehicles! #906wx #miwx
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Latest Trail Reports – Quick Links
- Watersmeet – Western U.P. Trail Report – 12/16
- Traverse City Area Trail Report – 12/16
- Ontonagon Area Trail Report – 12/15
- Petoskey Area Trail Report – 12/15
- Harbor Springs Area Trail Report – 12/15
- Cadillac Area Trail Report – 12/15
- Ironwood – Western U.P. Trail Report – 12/15
- Sault Ste. Marie Area Trail Report – 12/15
- Newberry Area Trail Report – 12/15
- Gaylord Area Trail Report – 12/15
- Frederic / Gaylord Area Trail Report – Sledheads of Frederic – 12/15
- Traverse City Area Trail Report – 12/14
- Lake Gogebic Area Trail Report – 12/14
- Keweenaw Peninsula Trail Report – 12/14
- Petoskey Area Trail Report – 12/14
- Paradise Area Trail Report – 12/14
- Baldwin Area Trail Report – 12/14
- Sault Ste. Marie Area Trail Report – 12/14
- Grand Marais Area Trail Report – 12/13
- Lake Gogebic Area Trail Report – 12/13
- Newberry Area Trail Report – 12/13
- Cadillac Area Trail Report – 12/13
- Drummond Island Trail Report – 12/13
- Gaylord Area Trail Report – 12/13
- Frederic / Gaylord Area Trail Report – Sledheads of Frederic – 12/13
- Ontonagon Area Trail Report – 12/13
- Harbor Springs Area Trail Report – 12/13
- Seney Area Trail Report – 12/12
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