Holyoke Range?

[angelo]

Checking the NOAA snow cover maps, it looks like both sides of the range are clear of any snow right now and nothing solid predicted for the next few days.

Thinking of making a trip down Friday-any local insight into current trail conditions/closures/new routes etc.?

Good snow ride this morning in Central VT., but need more base for snow machine trails to open and for grooming to start. Tonight's snow then rain event followed by a temperature drop might make for the ride anywhere moonscape conditions.

Thanks for any info on B Street or Earl's.

[am_dial]

There's been no measurable snow here this year since the October storm. Both Bachelor Street and Earl's are in fine shape, though both will be muddy tomorrow, after tonight's rain. (I rode Earl's yesterday and hiked Bachelor St today, before the rain.) Friday riding should be great, assuming no more rain after this system passes through.

[angelo]

Thanks for the quick response. Sounds good, looking forward to the trip!

[danwrzesinski]

i need to check out b-street before any snow falls. havent been since before the october storm

[Pauldotcom]

I might b doing a nice round of BSTREET on Friday..

[danwrzesinski]

i work till 5:30 to make some money over winter break

[angelo]

Any sense of B-Street and/or Earl's conditions for the upcoming weekend (2/4 and 5)? Maps show no snow cover and it looks like cold nights and sunny days. Is early riding before it warms up too much a possibility?

[mballard]

Rode Earls side Wednesday. A lot was perfectly clear, some long sections of ice where studs would have been good. The trailhead at the bunker fence is ALL ice - watch out but then it clears up quickly. A few uphill sections with ice made it impossible to ride without studs. I did make the mistake of riding the trail (name?) that runs from behind Tinker Hill underneath the main range to the bunker. That was mostly ice and soft especially near the bunker. It was a great ride considering it was January 31st and the trails I rode were more clear than ice overall.

[angelo]

Thanks for the info and the level of detail. I'm thinking that the south facing B-Street side might be that much clearer, but sounds like studs might be the way to go for either. Anybody been out on the south side of the range?

[am_dial]

I would definitely do Bachelor Street, which was about 98% dry as of this afternoon, even after the morning's passing showers -- almost no ice, almost no mud. I tried to ride Earl's today and it was muddy throughout, except where there was ice covered with meltwater.

It looks like Earl's was ridden a bunch during last week's snow, and the snow got packed into ice which hasn't melted due to getting a lot less sun than the southern slopes. There's really no snow at Earl's, just ice along many stretches of trail. And mud. It'd be good for those trails to get a breather, I think.

[angelo]

Thanks again-I'm planning on Bachelor St. Saturday morning. Great, fast snow mobile/packed singletrack trail ride this afternoon (with some serious ice in spots), but jonesing for some dirt.

[campykid]

Rode Batchelor ST. yesterday. Some areas were wet (for Batchelor St) but otherwise conditions were great. I had studs which were not necessary and a liability on the rocks. Angelo, where did you ride snowmobile trails yesterday? Wondering if the Burgy Bullets trails will be rideable early Sat AM.

[angelo]

I rode VAST trails in central Vermont. The trail off of the North St. Extension in Montpelier-I call it the North Drop. Long dirt road climb up Gould Hill/Sparrow Farm road to the top, but then some serious steeps and probably a legitimate 15 minute descent to Cummings St. or the trail behind the pool at the Rec. fields.