Monday, February 27, 2017

Got snow.............

I forgot to include that we got 2 inches of snow Saturday into Sunday.  It was good wet stuff, but it didn't hold up very well to today's temps and sun.  I also did a little more research on the temps over the last few years.  Because I compared this year to 2015, which isn't really all that fair.  Because 2015 was a very cold winter.  I looked at 2014 and 2016 and here is what I found.

                 2014                             2016
Jan.            13.5                             17.7
Feb.           14.2                             20.2

So even 2016, which was the worst winter I have seen since living in Old Forge, was colder than this years 23 degree average temp.

Today's Video.........

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Interesting weather..........

We've had a full mixture of weather today.  Warm this morning, heavy R and wind early this afternoon and now we are getting snow with some thunder and lighting mixed in.  It will be interesting to see what we have in the morning.  Because if it snows all night, like it is right now, we could see a good amount by morning.

Today's Video..............

Friday, February 24, 2017

Two for one..............

I skipped yesterday as there wasn't much to report or look at.  Not that there is much more today.  But didn't want to skip to many days , so here's a two for one video.  Oh by the way.....I did get some riding in today.  The cam on top of McCauley went down.  So I took a sled to the top after they shut down for the day.  Conditions are soft but still fun riding.

Today's Video............

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Limited but still............

I have a few rooms in and they went out riding today.  Reports I'm getting is limited conditions, but still having fun.  It's funny how everyone has a different few on what they are willing to ride on to get in some seat  time.  But it looks like things won't be holding up much longer with more warm temps headed our way and maybe some showers. 

Today's Video..........

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Enjoy.............

I hoping we get to see and enjoy conditions like this again this year,  but only time will tell.

Today's Video..............

Monday, February 20, 2017

Did some research............

I wasn't shocked by how fast the snow settled down when the warm up hit us.  As the one to two feet of new snow we received over the last week or so hadn't ever been melted down.  But what did shock me was how fast the base softened up.  So I started checking on something and here is what I came up with.  It has been a very mild winter when it comes to night time lows and I think that is the reason why things softened up so fast.  There is no good frost in the ground and the base is getting hit from both sides by warmth.   The parking lot out back is melted down to the grass in one area and a guest pulling out this morning put ruts in the yard.....no frost.  I compared 2015 to this year, as we all know 2016 wasn't anything to talk about.
                   
                      2015                          2017
                  Avg. Temp                 Avg. Temp
Jan                   8                                23                        
Feb                  6                                23

Jan and Feb of 2015 at least half of the night time lows dipped below zero and I'm talking 10 to 20 below.  This Jan. we had fours nights below zero, one being 16 below and the other three had an avg of 5 below.  Feb. so far we have had only one night and that went to 1 below....big deal.

Today's Video...........

Sunday, February 19, 2017

36 Hours..........

We just got below freezing this morning. But not long enough for it to slow up the melt down.  It's sad to think that just 36 hours ago it was 13 degrees and the best conditions of the season.  I hoping this isn't the end of the riding season for us.  As I'm close to the thousand mile mark and I'd like to hit it.  March can be a great month, with it's wet heavy snow.  So don't put your sled away just yet.

Today's Video...........

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Hours.................

We woke up this morning and the temp was11.  By mid afternoon our temp was in the 40's, and it changed things in a matter of hours.  We went from good conditions this morning to fair this afternoon.  It looks like temps will drop back down over night and the next two days we will be back to winter temps and weather.  But after that things may go down hill even more.  So enjoy what we have, because who knows what things will be like by next weekend.

Today's Video...........

Friday, February 17, 2017

May not always..............

The saying I always include in the end of the videos may not always be true.  You'll see what I'm mean in the end of today's video.  It's going to be a big weekend with the holiday and area events going on.  So be safe and ride with care.

Today's Video........
 

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Better late than never..............

I was doing so good today and the next thing I knew it was 10pm and I hadn't posted yet.  So better late than never.  Everyone is reporting the same thing,  conditions are good and they are having a blast.  The guests that have been in all week, really don't want to leave in the morning.  But the town is all booked up so they have no choice but to go home.

Today's Video.........

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

More today...............

The snow machine is still turned on and we saw more today.  All said and done we picked up 4 to 6 inches of good heavy wet snow and  it looks like we may see even more into Thursday.  There has been more traffic around today than we see most weekdays. Funny how good conditions bring people to town....go figure.

Today's Video.................

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

I'm hoping..............

The weather was quiet today and it looks like more snow is headed our way for Wednesday.  We'll take whatever they want to send our way, as long as it's frozen.  Well maybe not freezing R that causes damage. Not really crazy about the warm temps for next week and I'm hoping we don't see them.  I'm reallllly hoping we don't see any R if we do get the warm up.

Today's Video.................

Monday, February 13, 2017

One two punch...........

Great snow from the storm yesterday and lake effect today.  So we got a one two punch in the last 24 hours that has brought the conditions to the best they have been all season so far.  You don't want to miss out on these conditions.  Heck I'd say it's to the point of being a sick day in my book.

Today's Video..........

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Shouldn't be anyone ........

Forecast is looking great for the week and with all the new snow we are getting today.  There shouldn't be anyone wearing out slide rails this week and if you do, you're doing something wrong.  It was a normal weekend around town and everyone seemed to be happy with the conditions.  If you're able to get away this week do so.  As things aren't going to get any better than they are right now.

Today's Video..............

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Must be the week......

This afternoon I was off to the top of McCauley Mtn. to reset the cams up there.  So this must be the week for camera shut downs, as three of them had a problem in the last four days.  Looks like another great week of riding is coming our way.  So hope you have some plans to get some seat time in.

Today's Video.............

Friday, February 10, 2017

No Post Thursday...........

Sorry about not getting a post up yesterday.  Had to shot out and fix another cam last night and I thought that was more important than getting a post up.  Forecast is looking good and we should have another great week of riding coming up next week.  The R cured the soft trail conditions and things have frozen back down very nice.  We did have some glare ice around, but the snow we received  the last two mornings has cured that also.

Today's Video.............

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Good and the bad...............

As most of you know we had R over night and it did a number on the roads.  That is the bad and I'm sure most of you aren't shocked by that.  The good is the trails did much better and the R didn't do them in. With the low temps over the next few nights, things will be freezing back down for the weekend.  I'm heading out to see if I can get the trail cam back online.   Best I can tell it's a camera issue and I have to take a monitor out with me to check it.  

Today's Video........

Trail camera

Something happened to the trail camera over night and I'm not able to fix it by remote control.  I'm not sure if this had anything to do with it, but the power did go out during the night.  I'll get out to it as soon as I can and try to get it back online.  Why is it these things never happen when you're sitting around bored?  They always seem to happen when you're flat out with other things going on.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Needed some..............

We started seeing sleet and freezing R mid afternoon and as hard as it may be to believe, we really did need some.  The snow wasn't packing on the trails at all and this should fix things up.  I'm just hoping we don't see to much R and have things go down hill.  There is allot of new snow out there, so it should be able to suck up a good amount of R.  It looks like we should be back below freezing by late morning Wednesday.

Today's Video................

I shouldn't have..............

Like most days around here when we have good snow on the ground it can be crazy and yesterday wasn't any different.  By the time I got around to doing the video, it was time to going out for a ride.  So I figured I'd do it when I got back.  Well I guess I shouldn't have sat down to watch the news first, because the next thing I knew it was 3:30am.  So pretend it's yesterday when you're watching this one.

Today's Video.................

Monday, February 6, 2017

Better late than never.............

I'm a day late, so I hope it still counts.  Happy 25th. Birthday Tanner ! !

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Not sure.................

It's been a crazy busy weekend that is for sure and I'm not sure if anyone is even at home watching this, with the amount of sleds that have been running around town today.  Most weekends the groomers are able to keep up with the traffic.  But it sounds like this may not be the case today.  However I haven't had anyone say they wished they had stayed home.

Today's Video..............

Friday, February 3, 2017

Did you hear it?

I made a mistake in the video today....did you hear it?  It's going to be a crazy busy weekend here in the north country.  If you aren't here make sure you keep an eye on the cams to see all the action.

Today's Video.............

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Who would of thought.....

There is a lake effect warning in place for us till Saturday evening and it looks like maybe a foot or two more may be headed our way.  Who would of thought that conditions would be this good, after the warm up and now getting even better by the day.  For those that will be in the area this weekend.  Be careful, as one to two feet of lake effect can hide something that you may not want to find.

Please Note:  The area has received a good amount of snow over the last week and this new snow has never seen any R or has melted and then refrozen.  So your sled isn't going to stick in the corners and your braking distance is going to be increased.  Yes I know most of you know this.  But if this helps just one person from going off the trail or rear ending someone it worked.    

Today's Video............

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

It reminds me................

We woke up this morning to a lake effect snow band set up on top of us and it stayed around most of the day.  The National Weather Service called early in the afternoon to see how much snow we had gotten so far and the said we may see another event when the next cold front moves in.  So we'll have to see what happens.  But I can tell you this.....It's reminding me of the old days with lake effect and cold here in Old Forge all the time.

Midnight Update:  Lake effect back moved back in around 11:30 and it looks like the state has two plow trucks running on 28 tonight.  Most days they only run one in the area.

Today's Video......

It doesn't..........

Went out riding Tuesday night and it doesn't get any better than it is right now.  So if you don't have any seat time planned, you may want to think about it.  Because who knows how long these conditions will be around.  Bill and I went to Pine Tree, we left at 6:30 and was back at 10:45.  Did 87 miles and sat at Pine a little over an hour.

Today's Video................