New to MN - Snowmobiling/atving on lakes in the metro area

[sp700twin]

Good morning,

I am a recent transplant to MN. Looking forward to winter and the lakes freezing up. I live a few miles away from Pelican Lake in Wright County. It seems to be a good sized lake with lots of fingers and islands. Once it is frozen and other lakes in the area, are we allowed to snowmobile on them? How about taking out an ATV for pleasure riding?

How often are we able to actually ride from our garages during a normal winter?

Thanks

[dirtking]

Yes you can ride on lakes with your sled and ATV - they need to licensed and there is a 50MPH speed limit on the sled - on ATV?? would guess similar. I would say during a "normal winter" a guy can ride from his garage on a regular basis - but the last few winters have been poor - we get a bunch of snow and it melts - we get a lot of snow and it melts all winter long. We are due for a real winter and this one could be it!! Hot summer = cold winter - also been dry - maybe it will snow a whole bunch - I have a sp 700 myself - nice sled - and welcome to FM (fishing MN)

[Blaze]

sp700 - here's another xcsp700 owner, and I live pretty close to you (I'm in St. Michael). Pick up a Wright County snowmobile map - I got mine at Millside Tavern, but I've seen them in other St. Mike/Albertville businesses as well. We are blessed to have great trails right out our door.

Where did you relo from? Lookin' forward to snow!

Blaze

[sp700twin]

Blaze,

Thanks for info. We moved in from Oregon. My user name SP700twin actually means Sportsman 700 twin, although your xcsp 700 is a great sled. All of my snow riding has been out west, grew up in Utah and Colorado. Sold my mountain sleds prior to moving out. Not sure if I will like the trail riding as much as boondocking, but any riding is better than no riding.

How often in years past have you actually been able to ride from your garage? Hopefully snows come early this year.

[Macgyver55]

Plenty of boondocking to be had if you want to drive a little ways...just not a lot of big hills to be found.

[Blaze]

Trail riding is a whole different beast, but still as fun as boondockin' in my opinion, especially when you can mix it in together occasionally. I have driven my sled out of the garage every year that I've had one - sometimes not til mid-January, but it still happened. The north shore usually gets awesome lake-effect snow and is only a couple hours from here, and from what I hear, those trails offer some nice variety of terrain. Some of the iron-ore pits on the Range (Grand Rapids/Ely/Duluth area) offer some decent hills to climb with opportunities to flip and roll a few times!

Welcome to town - not quite as "scenic" as CO or OR, but MN has a special beauty all of its own.

Blaze

On a side note, if you decide to ride out on Pelican, don't forget your auger and your panfish gear.

[Reynolds]

I have always have been a big fan of ditch riding. There is just a lot more objects that you have watch out for such as fence post and culverts.

[hanson]

Ditch riding is definitely a unique way to ride.

Growing up in Northwest Minnesota, I've spent countless hours riding ditches from Crookston, TRF, Hallock, etc.

There is just something strange about a perfectly groomed ditch. The mph always tends to creep on you a bit and then you are flying by cars on the highway while launching road approaches.

[Reynolds]

I have long preferred riding the ditches. The last few years the trails through the woods have been very rough with the marginal amount of snow in central MN. You will get a good snow on a Thursday night, and by the end of the weekend every root, stump, rock, and rut is showing. The corners are usually about glare ice by then too.

My first time out of the garage each winter always begins with jumping the plowed up snow to get down in the ditch. I usually then proceed to hit my neighbor's ditch approach for the next 15 minutes or so before heading down the trail. I would liken the ditches more to motocross tracks.

By the way Hanson, I ride in that flying by cars speed range

from time to time myself. The faster I drive my sled, the better it handles.