Spring Snowmobiling: Go For It!

Spring is the time of year when the Snow Goer staff typically does most of its riding. Schedules have loosened up because all of the season’s issues of the magazine are finished, and media sneak peeks and test rides of the next model year’s snowmobiles are in the books, which lets us load up the truck and trailer and hit the trails for days at a time for tour stories and to conduct product tests.

Last week, Snow Goer Editor John Prusak posted a story about spring snowmobiling on snowgoer.com. He expressed his jealousy of being stuck in the office while I was riding.

I’ve ridden 13 days since March 5 and it’s been a hectic couple of weeks making quick day trips, long overnight toothbrush runs and then even relaxing a little bit this past weekend at a friend’s house. Along the way I’ve snapped hundreds of photos that show scenic trails, tumbledown buildings, staff demo sleds and many of the aftermarket products that will be reviewed in issues of Snow Goer magazine next fall. Click through the slideshow at the bottom of this page for a sample of what I’ve seen.

The snow is deep across most of Minnesota — the home state of Arctic Cat, Polaris, many of their suppliers and Snow Goer magazine — and snowmobile trail conditions have been downright excellent everywhere I’ve ridden this month. Because there is so much snow, I have yet to drive over a bare spot that’s larger than a family size pizza. This is uncommon for late March snowmobiling.

Some of the towns I’ve ridden through include International Falls, Cook, Baudette, Effie, Bigfork, Swan River, Marcell, Alexandria, Garfield, Osakis, Albertville, Nisswa, Backus and Crosslake. I’ve been near Voyageurs National Park, through the George Washington State Forest, on top of Inspiration Peak State Wayside and I even blazed down the Rainy River along the U.S.-Canadian border. This weekend I’ll ride the C.J. Ramstad North Shore State Trail with a few friends.

Snow isn’t confined to Minnesota. Parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan received 2 feet of snow last week, and people posted Friday on the Snow Goer Facebook page that they were going to ride in North Dakota, on Tug Hill in New York, throughout central and northern Wisconsin, the northern parts of lower Michigan and near Jackman, Maine. Winter conditions are here now, so don’t make excuses not to go snowmobiling this spring. Go for it!

Check out the slideshow to see excellent spring snowmobiling conditions in parts of northern and central Minnesota where I’ve recently traveled. Click on the images to make them larger.

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2 thoughts on “Spring Snowmobiling: Go For It!

  • Avatar for Rolfe Otterness

    AaaaaK… I’m missing out on all that riding!
    Looks great!

    Reply
  • Avatar for Jeremy Matthews

    How dose one get a job like this? Also, are you hiring? Looks amazing!!!! Keep up the good work.

    Reply

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