March 31, 2020 Grooming Report
GROOMING WILL CONTINUE as long as we can BUT TODAY IS THE LAST BULLY GROOMING!
Today’s report is brought to us by the folk that sent in money on the Spring of COVID 19 Link (see below): If you see any of the following wonderful people, please thank them from a safe distance. They all contributed hard earned money so we could goof off on World Cup quality ski trails. We are indebted to Dr. Don Hurst, Bill Short, Ray Wales, Daniel Arnold, Rob Fox, Ann Valiquette and Thomas Mahaney. At least one of the above is not a Nordic skier but likes what we are doing in the community. Thank them all. The grooming engineers analyzed the snow pack and forecast and this is the last day we could safely run the tiller. One of the reasons the Bully is so great is that it operates like it is brand new; it is. You know when you bump the front end on your new sports car? (me neither, my sports car is a pick up truck but that is not the point.) Nothing is ever as good after you hit it with a hammer. Our new Piston Bully has never hit bottom or trees. The tiller spins and is in balance so there is no wobble translated into waves in the snow. We want to keep it that way so it is off for the summer spa. Doug may have some appropriate weather to groom with the Ginzu so keep an eye on this space for grooming and non-grooming information as (U.P.) spring approaches.
You may follow the link https://noquetrails.org/product/nordic-fund/ and contribute or feel free to contact the office or reply to this grooming report. No contribution is too small.
See you out there
Trail memberships can be purchased on the web site. Please visit www.noquetrails.org and follow the links. You too can be feted in an up coming grooming report.
SPRING SCHEDULE IN EFFECT: Trail Head is closed and the privy is locked. Practice save social distancing and enjoy the beautiful skiing.
| Forestville: Bully grooming on all trails from the ponds east of Forestville to Co Rd 510. We did not groom the Mead bypass as there is a nasty bare spot at the top of the eastern most major hill.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TRAIL – First Priority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Way too Long Grooming Report:
And then it was gone. What looked to be such a promising year for anchor ice kayak/SUP ended before the first day. Weather is fickle and deals some bitter blows. Three days of relentless surf has completely eliminated all vestiges of a prodigious amount of anchor ice. Warm weather is never the undoing of lake ice, flow or anchor. If either of you have been in Marquette more than about ten years you will have seen May and even June harbor ice. About every ten years we see ice on or about Memorial Day. I remember one June a lifetime ago. It had been a beautiful spring with week after week of still warm air, away from the lake. Within a few hundred yards of the lake, the sea breeze felt like a freezer door was left open. You would pedal to Gwinn via (now) M553 in a tee shirt and when you came to US 41 at Beef-a-Roo you had to put on a jacket and finger gloves. My mother a perennial member of the MAPS Board was hosting the Michigan Association of School Board convention. From the sixth floor of what is now The Landmark (in those days, the Northland Hotel), one of the Detroiters in attendance commented, “I thought this lake was clean. It has suds on it just like we have.” He didn’t believe her when she explained it was ice. It was thick flow ice white as the driven snow as far as the eye could see. They went down to the harbor and kicked the ice. I expect one of his children is writing a grooming report as we speak telling the other side of the story.
Two days ago anchor ice
Yesterday’s view
Ice cobbles washed on the beach
Saux Head: All trails were groomed and track set Saturday. With temperatures near freezing skiing may be quite good but look out for icy down hills early in the day.
Big Bay Pathway: I expect the classic tracks are quite thin and dirty. With temperatures near freezing skiing may be quite good but look out for icy down hills early in the day.
Fit Strip: Grooming has been suspended. Expect some bare spots.
Snow Bike Trails: Groomers went out on the 26th to smooth high traffic areas. With temperatures near freezing riding may be quite good but look out for icy sections early and soft sections late in the day. Snow biking may be great for another month at the higher elevations. Be sure to avoid cutting into the base when temperatures rise.
To learn more about the NTN, to join, volunteer, become a sponsor or make a comment, please visit www.noquetrails.org .
Sondo