Anyone Else Getting Their Sleds Ready ?

[AlwaysFishing23]

Got out yesterday and did a 40 mile loop basically around the county. I’d rate the trails as poor as nothing is grommed in my area yet. Things were rough but other areas were awsome. Got to check out some areas I haven’t ridden since I was just a young kid. Was a good ride and I had fun. I wish we’d get a few more inches of snow then I’d bet the associations in the area will start to groom. 

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, AlwaysFishing23 said:

Got out yesterday and did a 40 mile loop basically around the county. I’d rate the trails as poor as nothing is grommed in my area yet. Things were rough but other areas were awsome. Got to check out some areas I haven’t ridden since I was just a young kid. Was a good ride and I had fun. I wish we’d get a few more inches of snow then I’d bet the associations in the area will start to groom. 

 

I think the hold up with grooming in some areas is not the snow as much as thin ice and slush on lakes, swamps and rivers they may have to cross, so we wait!. "add jeopardy music here!" 

[AlwaysFishing23]

Yep! Not enough snow for grooming to be worth it. Some swamps are still a bit mushy but there getting there with the cold nights. Get another few inches of snow I’m sure they will start. It’s a waiting game but that’s alright! 

[knoppers]

not sure, its the first snowmobile I have owned that had a battery. I would think its the same battery they put into wheelers, and I have had great luck with those, lasting up to 9 years on my grizz, and my last sportsman ran 6 years before I traded it off, without any issues.

I never did put a tender on the battery, my guess is the charge was just low after sitting for months, I need to get out and put some miles on it, so it can recharge. aitkin here I come tomorrow.

[Mike89]

50 minutes ago, knoppers said:

not sure, its the first snowmobile I have owned that had a battery. I would think its the same battery they put into wheelers, and I have had great luck with those, lasting up to 9 years on my grizz, and my last sportsman ran 6 years before I traded it off, without any issues.

I never did put a tender on the battery, my guess is the charge was just low after sitting for months, I need to get out and put some miles on it, so it can recharge. aitkin here I come tomorrow.

 

 

what battery do you use???  

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, knoppers said:

not sure, its the first snowmobile I have owned that had a battery. I would think its the same battery they put into wheelers, and I have had great luck with those, lasting up to 9 years on my grizz, and my last sportsman ran 6 years before I traded it off, without any issues.

I never did put a tender on the battery, my guess is the charge was just low after sitting for months, I need to get out and put some miles on it, so it can recharge. aitkin here I come tomorrow.

 

Yeah, if your getting 6 to 9 years on those little batteries you must be doing something right?  I've gotten 3-5 years and I pull them out and store them inside and hit them with a charger once in a while. 

[knoppers]

43 minutes ago, Mike89 said:

 

 

what battery do you use???  

they are the OEM batterys, YUASA on both of my wheelers, not sure about the cat, but most likely the same.

[knoppers]

I did buy a new battery for my gizz after the 9 years, bought one from battery's plus, and that lasted just over one year, then bought a YUASA OEM, and that has been working great ever since, and this wheeler gets used rarely, starts in the winter when siting for long periods. the grizz is a 2002 carbed cold blooded machine.

[knoppers]

the good news is they started grooming some of the swamps, enough sleds have ridden through to lock it up. trails were good, still some of the worst swamps ungroomed, but plenty of sleds have been riding through so it shouldn't be much longer.

after running the sled for 1.5 hours and 65 miles, the battery was back up to charge, and able to start the sled now. will have to keep tabs on it to see if it holds the charge, or else will have to be replaced.

[leech~~]

38 minutes ago, knoppers said:

the good news is they started grooming some of the swamps, enough sleds have ridden through to lock it up. trails were good, still some of the worst swamps ungroomed, but plenty of sleds have been riding through so it shouldn't be much longer.

after running the sled for 1.5 hours and 65 miles, the battery was back up to charge, and able to start the sled now. will have to keep tabs on it to see if it holds the charge, or else will have to be replaced.

 

Nice report.  Looks like more warm weather for a while without much snow.

But, it's only the First day of Winter today, so we got some time yet.  Keep the track side down!

[Mike89]

groomed the trails here this past week...  and seen lots out yesterday..

[Wanderer]

Groomed trails around here too.  And you can now count me in for having my sled running.  The ‘ol 550 was a little boggy at first but she coughed out the oyster and has her first jump under her belt already.

[leech~~]

But, but it's all slushy and Melting!  No cold or snow in the forecast!

[Wanderer]

Hey bubbles, It’s not that bad here today.  Yeah, I bombed around a bit in light clothes without a problem but honestly we need a little melt and then a refreeze to get some ice made!

 

Highs in the mid 30’s but the lows will be in the 20’s this week.  Seems like a good recipe to get this powder collapsed a bit.  I’ll take fishin over sleddin any day.  

Oops, did I say that in the wrong thread?

[AlwaysFishing23]

3 hours ago, Wanderer said:

Groomed trails around here too

I second what wanderer said! I see they came through and groomed around Morrison county last night. To bad this warm weather is here for a few days. Then come next week when it cools down the trails will be a slick sheet of hard pack snow. And no snow in forecast either. I’ve been out riding almost everyday the Last few weeks around the area. The miles add up quick when you get out most days a week! 

[AlwaysFishing23]

Trails are pretty much all groomed around the state now (central, north) Morrison county area finally got grommed 2 weeks ago. But with the warm up then the crappy dripping wet snow on Sunday now rock hard, the trails could use another 6” or more and another grooming to get better. Saw the groomer heading north around fort Ripley area on Tuesday night when I was driving back from up north. Trails behind him looked alright! Shade over 100 miles on so far this season been trying to get out daily but sometimes only a few times per week. Hard to plan a longer trip and put some miles on when trails and areas vary so much yet. Helps most lakes in the area the slush is freezing up so I can get out and do some lake riding. My favorite! So far the new sled has been EXCELLENT! Not a lick of trouble starts right up 1st or 2nd pull every time. Love it! Works good for fishing to! Happy Sledding everyone!

Edited January 2, 2020 by AlwaysFishing23

[leech~~]

The saving grace to this warm weather is it will melt the snow down and let the slush harden up under it when the cold comes in another week or two.  The 2nd week in Jan is usually one of the coldest of the year. Then hopefully more snow will hit. Lets hope!  

[leech~~]

23 hours ago, AlwaysFishing23 said:

 

 

You been running around on Pelican yet?  If so how are things looking, any Ice heaves or slush?  Asking for a friend.

[AlwaysFishing23]

I have not yet unfortunately! Sometime in the next month or so I’ll head up that way though. Judging by the breezy point cam the bay looks ok slush wise. But I would have to imagine there has to be some nasty slush areas/pockets on that north side of gooseberry and a few heaves. I will let you know if I make it out there and give ya an update! 

[AlwaysFishing23]

I see they FINALLY came through and groomed my area over the weekend. Haven’t been out since Saturday but now that things are groomed the trails look alright! Be a lot nicer now that they knocked down some of the rock solid road banks from the plows. Anyone been out? Seen quite few sleds out up north a heading up north last few weekends with the couple feet of snow up there. 

[leech~~]

9 minutes ago, AlwaysFishing23 said:

I see they FINALLY came through and groomed my area over the weekend. Haven’t been out since Saturday but now that things are groomed the trails look alright! Be a lot nicer now that they knocked down some of the rock solid road banks from the plows. Anyone been out? Seen quite few sleds out up north a heading up north last few weekends with the couple feet of snow up there. 

 

I bet there's going to be some pretty beat up and icy corners on the trails with all this warm weather? 

[AlwaysFishing23]

You bet there will be/ is! There was a few last weekend already! I was riding two up with my little brother on my sled and there was a few corners where my back end just  Went sliding. Then go to accelerate and no traction! Take er easy around them corners! 

[knoppers]

well again the weather service earns there pay, snow storm that shuts the state down, never happened. predicted 12+ inches here in big lake turned into 3-4 inches. why is it they are never wrong about very cold weather?

[leech~~]

IKR!  This whole winter so far has been plans started and scrapped because of the weather.  I have MLK day off and thinking of heading up by Orock to buzz around a bit to get the sled on some snow and grab a burger at the Refuge after.

[AlwaysFishing23]

Yep! Ended with about 3-4” schools shut down and everything. Major storm on its way. What a joke...