ATTN SNOWMOBILERS!!!

[bmc]

I should have got this out sooner but just wanted to drop an FYI for anyone out snowmobiling over the weekend.

The White Oak sled dog races start tomorrow at 10 am. They start at the White Oak Rendezvous fort, head south towards Deer River, then west to MNSH 46. They then go up to the Gosh Dam Place, The Hill in Squaw Lake, Northhome, and finish in Marcell on Sunday.

Please use caution if you are out on the trails as you will be sharing them w/ the sleg dog teams.

Thanks!!

Brian

[Pinusbanksiana]

The 35 below temps we will have tonight will make running that race interesting.

[bmc]

NO DOUBT!!! Better them than me!!!

I'm suprised PETA doesn't show up and protest with all that fur clothing being worn.

But then again, I heard that PETA are a preferred food of sled dogs!

Brian

[magnum mike]

We went to the shack to shovel the roof on Saturday. There were 3 places where they crossed Hwy 46 between Deer River and Squaw Lkae. We always seem to be up there when this race is running. We had to stop at all 3 crossings. At 2 of the 3 crossings we saw sleds tip over and the mushers getting dragged by the dogs.

How many vehicles do Itasca Sherrifs have? There were well over a dozen that we saw.

[Greg Clusiau]

This was on the way up to High Banks on Saturday. We only had to stop at one crossing.

[bmc]

LOTS mike! LOL The people at the crossings were the county Search and Rescue (S.A.R.) team. They are volunteers that assist with a variety of things that go on in the county. The dive team is part of S.A.R. The S.A.R. team is busiest helping w/ searches for lost people, recovering drowning victims, and searches for evidence in large areas. The vehicles they have are retired squad cars that the patrol deputies have used previously.

Nice pic Greg!!!

Working Friday night, I saw plates on vehicles from Alaska, Canadian Provinces, WI, MI, MN and I'm sure there's a couple I missed. It is a great event and I believe it's a pre-qualifier for the Iditarod sled dog race.

Brian

[glenn57]

BMC, how are the sled trails? and as long as i am asking are the lakes gettin any better. lookin like you/we are going to be in a deep freeze for a while coming up!

[bmc]

Glenn,

I talked to the Rec. Deputy and he said they're in pretty good shape, although the more popular trails take a beating on the weekends.

I think those snowmobiles are seeing more trail time than fishing time.

Travel off the beaten path is still pretty tough for the most part.

Brian

[glenn57]

thanks, figured the big trails would be beaten a bit. anyone ridin the forrest service roads? all the snow around here got trashed with that rain we had, no snow to cool the slides. we are getting an inch or 2 here and there that may help.

[bmc]

Not sure about the FS roads. A buddy of mine was out a week or two ago around Winnie and I think that's whay he rides most of the time.

Typically, they don't get hit very hard as far as I know.

Brian

[glenn57]

ok, kinda figured that from experience. this thread reminds me of something that happened years ago. we, my parents and wife and i were out sleddin up around effie i believe and we started seeing all these dog like tracks. and i mean lotz. of course wolves where the first thing that came to mind. so as we kept going so did the tracks, well my mom and wife thought we where going to get attacked by a whole herd of wolves. finally came up on people trianing/workin there sled dogs! man was that a cool site to see and them dogs where awesome! also ran into people doing this in the fall only thing dogs where pullin ATV"s.

[magnum mike]

I was at the shack last weekend shoveling off the roof and I know 3rd River road was not plowed and there was only one track on it.

[glenn57]

i think not many travel that one. i noticed most traffic to the 3rd river comes from dixon way. just my take.

[magnum mike]

The loggers will plow it if they are using it. If they aren't in the area, Dixon will plow from the Fisherman's Road back to their access road into stump bay.

[glenn57]

explain "stump bay" is that the 3rd river? we where up there 3rd weekend in december,stayed at dixon, speared the 3rd river, kind of figured thats whats happenin back there.

[magnum mike]

If you land a boat at 3rd River landing and head for the big lake, stump bay is to your left (north) across from the inside of Mallard Point. It is all inside the 3 groups of bullrushes at the mouth of 3rd River. Dixon Lake's darkhouse road enters the lake in stump bay. Run a boat through there when the water is a little low and you will know how it got its name.

[glenn57]

ok i think i know the area. guess we set up in the area they call the clay banks.