Best February Conditions Yet in The County

What a difference a week makes……two feet of new snow (depending on where you are standing) although some of it was driven by 30-50 mph winds making for some pretty impressive drifts, but all projects have been out and will be out Wednesday night and Thursday working snow and getting ready for what looks to be a busy weekend.  Sledders riding this week please be advised that it takes a couple of days to recover from significant storms……

Cautionary Notes:

 

  • Drifting created lots of work for grooming      projects with some as tall as 12 feet.       Sledders will have to use caution especially in fields.  Remember what goes up must come down and      you can’t see the other side so please think before you approach drifted      areas.
  • Still some active logging on Rt 75 east of Squa      Pan, on 81A in the Mapleton/Chapman area, on ITS 86 on the Ox Bow end
  • This will be a busy weekend on trails everywhere so please reduce speed and keep right.
  • REMEMBER…..moose and deer still roaming pretty freely this winter so use extreme caution.
  • Some clubs have not replaced all their field markings so use caution especially when night riding.

Trail News:

ITS 81    From north to south all projects have been out grooming this week and will be recovering Wednesday and Thursday for the weekend.  No problem areas reported

ITS 83    From northern Aroostook to northern Penobscot Counties this trail has been groomed with good conditions including fields that finally have snow cover.   All projects reporting grooming commencing Wednesday and Thursday following the recent snow.

ITS 85      No problems here with lots of fresh snow this ribbon has been good for the better part of the season and all projects are reporting they are ready to hit the trails Wednesday and Thursday.

ITS 86                 Ox Bow and Houlton are reporting grooming on this section with about 1.5 miles of plowed road on the Ox Bow end due to logging but passable.   Connector Rt 62A through to ITS 114 is not open  this winter.

ITS 88    Everyone has been out since last week and will get out this Wednesday and Thursday with no problems reported.

ITS 90   All projects will be out Wednesday and Thursday to have this whole trail open for the weekend.  No problems reported at this time.

ITS 92   Ft Kent, St Francis and Allagash have been out before the storm and will be out Wednesday and Thursday.

ITS 105   Van Buren has been out and all projects south have been working this week and will be running the next two days to have the trail in good shape for the weekend

ITS 110 no reports

ITS 112 Recent snows have improved conditions on both ends with projects ready to roll Wednesday and Thursday

ITS 114   Improvements here throughout the system and like all other projects they will be rolling Wednesday and Thursday..

ITS 120 (Debouille)    Groomed earlier and Allagash and Eagle Lake will be out Wednesday and Thursday.

Soldier Pond   all trails are in good shape and they are rolling Wednesday and Thursday

Twin Lakes (Daigle) Fields are in good shape and they were heading out late Wednesday and Thursday

St. Agatha  Lots of sleds….they have been grooming daily and are rolling Wednesday and Thursday

Frenchville  They were on their trails Wednesday packing and getting ready for the weekend.

Culinary Delights and Special Events

January – March.

The Washburn Clubhouse and the Meduxneakeag Ramblers clubhouse are open for breakfasts for the season. Meduxneakeag is open for breakfast Saturdays from 6-9 a.m. and Washburn is open Saturdays for breakfast and lunch from 7-2 and Sundays from 7-12.

Stew Nights at the Presque Isle Clubhouse on Fridays !!

Homed cook meals at the St Francis Clubhouse on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

February 23

Steak  Supper   at the Sly Brook Clubhouse 4:30-7:30.  By vehicle it’s off the Sly Brook Rd.

Radar Runs on Munson Pond in Ft Fairfield sponsored by the Frontier Fish and Game Club

DINNER ON THE RUN, Ashland SC. Begins at 4:30p.m. at Doug and Danielle Chasse’s. If you have questions or need directions call Mary Ellen 207-435-6649.

February 26

Club Ride, Benedicta Snowgang, FMI call Jim at 207-365-7276

 March 2

Can Am Crown Weekend with the Irving 250; the Willard Jalbert 60 and Allen’s /Pepsi 30 dog sled races.  Fun for the entire family !

St Francis Snowmobile Club will offer cabbage rolls at their clubhouse from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

March 9

Pleasant Ridge Runners Club Ride to the Blue Moose.  Leave the clubhouse at 9 a.m.

March 17

Pleasant Ridge Runners Breakfast at the clubhouse  7-11 a.m.  (so close to St Patty’s day maybe they will have green eggs and corned beef hash…..but we are not sure !)

 

For the non motorized set there will be lots to do this weekend.   Friday bring the younger set to the Aroostook Youth Ski Festival from 8:30-12:30 at the Caribou High School Ski Trails……fun, games, prizes and special events.  Saturday is Take It Outside Winter Family Fun Day at Aroostook State Park……come out for the fun and see the LL Bean Bootmobile on it’s first trip to The County. This Sunday Caribou will feature their February Frolic with two Nordic Race/Tours a freestyle event at 11 a.m. at the Caribou Ski Trails at the Caribou High School and a classical event  at 1:30 p.m. at the Caribou Ski Trails located off Rt 161 at the Caribou Country Club.  Lunch will be available at the Country Club and there will be a radar fun run for children beginning at noon.    Snowshoeing is popular as well as some great downhill skiing and snowboarding at Big Rock in Mars Hill……so if you are coming to one of the top rated areas in North American to snowmobile……bring the family for lots of outdoor fun!

Kathy Mazzuchelli

About Kathy Mazzuchelli

Kathy Mazzuchelli is superintendant of the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department where she has worked for 38 years. An avid snowmobiler, Mazzuchelli’s first sled was a 1968 Polaris Mustang back in the days when groomed trails were done with snowmobiles, bedsprings and some pretty feisty folks.