Tom's Trail Conditions

Update, December 9th, 2007:

Some thoughts on Grooming from one snowmobiler

Part A - Thanks to the Groomer Guys!

Part B - Dream Grooming - A Wish List

Part C - What's Possible?

A Call For Publicized Grooming Schedules

Scheduled Grooming

What's Really Possible?

If We Have a Schedule, Will We Look Bad if We Get Behind?

The Snowmobile Rights and Responsibilities Act - Unintended Consequences

Just My Opinion

Last Updated Sunday, March 21, 11AM

Phone - 716-652-9495

Thank You Notes:

I put a lot of time into this website during the riding season, and I enjoy it. When I hear from guys who have found the information useful, it makes my day! Thanks go out to these guys who have taken the time to write me!

Mike O. wrote:

This below came in from Paul Z - thanks, Paul!:

Har, Har, har! My wife is still laughing her ass off six hours after reading that, Paul! She thinks I am just about addicted enough to our morning drives that I might fall for that!

Thanks, Mike. I probably will again, but I will be asking for help if anyone else is interested in doing it part time. We'll also try to expand our coverage to some of the adjoining club trail systems.

Tuesday, March 20, Noon:

It should all be gone tomorrow, with today's bright sun and tomorrow's warm temperatures.

Monday, March 19, Noon:

After a cold night, well below freezing, widespread light snow is falling in all of our riding area. IF (big IF) the changeover to rain expected in some parts of western New York for a few hours later this afternoon is brief, we may have passable snowmobiling conditions through Wednesday morning. Temperatures will remain below freezing all day tomorrow and may drop into the single digits Tuesday night!

All the snow should disappear over the Wednesday and Thursday time period, except the big drifts, so get in any last rides between now and late Wednesday morning.

I did not check the trails myself this morning. I expect my report from yesterday afternoon (below) is still pretty accurate; we did have several hours of sun with temperatures just above freezing for about three hours late Sunday afternoon, so the few bare spots I saw likely are a little bigger. But I doubt we lost much snow cover. And today's snow is replenishing some of that.

Sunday, 3-18, 3PM:

I just went out riding for a couple of hours. I rode for about 2 hours, and though you can see from my pictures that there were a few sled tracks on the trails, I passed not a single sled in that time. There were no trailers at Byrncliff when I started or when I finished my ride. Where is everyone? Riding conditions are pretty darn good!

I left from Byrncliff and took S41 through the woods and up over the hill to C4B, then turned south towards Strykersville, then took S43 back east across Rte #77. I did not ride all the way to the A&A, but turned around and went back to Byrncliff the way I came, mostly because I had not expected riding conditions this good and I was low on gas! I am upgrading my trail condition report to Good to Very Good on 75% of the trails, especially across fields and on the longer runs through woods. I had a great ride!

But watch out for "death traps"! Watch in low spots, even in big fields, for hard to see wash outs that cut across the trail. And there are a few real washouts at small creek crossings and bigger drainage areas. (see my photo album link below) But otherwise, conditions are surprisingly good. It was a windy day, which was good in today's conditions. Fresh powder was blowing onto anyplace where the trail was packed lower than the surrounding snow. The wind had scoured the snow very thin on a few hilltops, especially on S43, but only for short stretches.

Trails are quite smooth, since "nature's groomer" had been at work earlier in the week. (The melt down with low sled traffic allowed the trail surface to level off in most places before refreezing.)

Below: Picture at 2:30 this afternoon (3-18-07) - not bad for March 18th! Trail C4B - but watch for a few small washouts and raised ice sheets near here.

Sunday morning, March 18, 8AM:

Although temperatures are supposed to remain just below freezing today, the expected snow showers are not materializing, and instead we're looking at bright sunshine. Riding should still be decent early this morning, but the sun will quickly eat up the trails wherever bare ground shows through. Ride early if you plan to play today.

Saturday, March 17, 8PM:

Kenny T. was out on the trails early this afternoon and sent in this report:

Looks like we're about done getting snow, maybe a few more light flurries. Have fun on the trails Sunday and Monday morning. There may be some snow around until Wednesday, depending on whether we get rain Monday afternoon, but it will be pretty thin after Monday, no matter what.

Saturday, March 17, Noon:

Trail conditions from Byrncliff to Strykersville are Fair to Good. Very definitely ridable, but no one is riding. I saw one sled track this morning and no one in the Byrncliff parking lot, so the trails are all yours if you want a last ride. A gentle snow was falling all across the Folsom riding area this morning and continues now. There was 3 to 5 inches of new snow on the ground in most places with a carefully measured 5 inches on a level part of the Byrncliff parking lot at 11AM. As of 1PM, Buffalo radar shows moderate snow continuing over our riding area.

The trails looked Good in most places, but beware of unexpected washouts and wet spots or open water in low areas on the trails. If you want to let 'er rip, go slow across a section of trail to check for dangerous conditions, then turn it on on the way back. Ride safe in these late season conditions. I saw a few nasty ditch crossings and frozen ruts this morning.

Snow, light most of the time, is expected to continue for a while this afternoon and again tonight with 17 degree temperatures tonight. Riding should continue Fair to Good through Sunday and again Monday morning after another night with temperature in the teens. Monday might or might not be warm enough for rain, which would wash away this new thin snowcover. The "Fat Lady" will definitely sing her last song by mid week.

I also checked the trails in the Strykersville area and there is snow cover and decent conditions there. You could have a ride today from Byrncliff to the Pub and back with mostly Good conditions. I did not check Java or the Bennington Loop trails today and cannot vouch for them, but I see no reason why similar conditions will not prevail on most of the trail system.

Below: Dutch Hollow and most secondary roads in the area were snow covered this morning (3-17, 10:30 AM)

Below: Trail S41 just east of Rte #77 looking south, 11AM, Saturday, March 17th; compare to the picture further down the page from two days ago in the same spot

Below: Just north of the tree line, here is the trail coming from Byrncliff towards rte #77 where I was standing for this picture

Below: The Byrncliff parking lot at 10:45 AM, Saturday, March 17; 5 measured inches on the level

Thursday, March 15, 10PM:

Hello everyone. It's not often that I make three reports in one day, but very interesting things are going on with the weather and the "late season winter storm" on the east coast. I'd consider gassing up the sleds for the weekend. There is still some uncertainty over the exact amount of snow we'll be getting in the Byrncliff area, but it sounds like enough to ride on! I'm planning on a Saturday ride, myself. (Keep in mind if you want to try to ride that all water crossings and creeks will still be open.)

Thursday, March 15, 4PM:

Well. "the Fat Lady" has sung- - - - - Probably! There are numerous bare spots on the trails, with completely bare south facing hills in many areas, along with bare hill tops where the wind usually blows. There is no longer really a cohesive rideable trail system.

BUT - - - it is surprising how much packed snow base still exists in many places. Check my pictures below from this afternoon. The temperature is dropping now and will be in the teens for the next several days with highs remaining just below freezing. - - - And there is a deep low pressure center and winter storm moving up the east coast, with significant snow expected from New England well inland ALMOST to us. We will certainly see some snow tomorrow and Saturday. IF the late season storm shifts just a little more to the west than the weather service is now thinking, we could see enough snow to ride again on many parts of the Folsom trail system. It might be worth holding off on officially closing the trail system for another day to see where the storm tracks.

Back to our area, here are a few pictures showing the snow base left in many spots; if you're from out of the area, you may be surprised by what we've got left! If we do get even 3 to 5 inches of snow tomorrow and tomorrow night on top of the remaining trail base in the pictures below, you'd be able to trailer to Byrncliff and have some good riding on the nearby field trails which still have some snow base now. Altogether now, fingers crossed!

Below: Looking south from Rte #20A near Dutch Hollow Road at 3PM, March 15; note that the actual trail is still snow packed through the otherwise bare cornfield!

Below: Looking west from Sheldon Road about 3:10PM March 15; lots of snow along this part of the trail still

Below: looking the other way, east from Sheldon Road at 3:10 PM, March 15th;

Below: Looking south in the field next to rte #77 where the new groomer barn will be; still snow pack on the actual trail in this entire area, with a short bare spot just south of here where the trail is about to cross Rte #77; lots of snow on the trail along the tree line just to the left of where I'm standing to take the picture. 3:20 PM March 15

Thursday, March 15, 1PM:

The Folsom Trailblazers club website (see above link) has not QUITE said, "The Fat lady has sung", but almost. Before announcing that the trails are officially closed, they may be waiting to make sure there is not significant snow this weekend, a decision with which I agree.

I am driving out this afternoon to see if there is any hope at all for weekend riding. I doubt it. Expect a "trails officially closed" announcement any day.

- Tom

Tuesday, March 13, noon:

Surprisingly, trail conditions radiating from Byrncliff are still fair to Good spring conditions as of RIGHT NOW! No guarantee how long that will last on a near 60 degree afternoon.

I went out this morning expecting to pronounce the trails "dead", but the long cold spell we've had for over a month has allowed the trails, especially field trails, to build up a deep hard packed snow and ice base, which is insulating the frozen ground under the trails. There are a few bare spots on hillsides and in the woods, but if you want to put on jeans and a sweatshirt, you can have some fun this afternoon.

I talked to the folks at Byrncliff, and they are still welcoming sledders to unload. You'll have to ride across a few mud spots and bare spots on the grass to get to the beginning of the trail. I suggest heading west. I did not see it but I imagine the hill going east from Byrncliff on trail C4 is bare and muddy.

Take S41 west from Byrncliff, where there is still plenty of snow in the fields. Then take C4B south towards Strykersville. There was plenty of snow on this trail as far as I could see from Rte #77, Sheldon Road, Bloecher Rd, Centerline Rd., Armburst Rd, Dutch Hollow Rd, and Bartz Road. The hill trail behind the Red Apple in Strykersville is mostly bare and muddy - I would not go that way. I would stay out of Strykersville village.

Take S43 towards Bartz Road, then either run S43 out across Rte #77 (good snow, but a few bare spots on hill tops) then play around on S43A and C4A between Strykersville and Java Center.

The above is what I can vouch for. I did not travel around the Bennington Loop, but there did look to be good snow in the fields jsut north of Rte #20A as I drove by. There is snow on most of the trails visible from the roads in the North Java area, with bare spots on some hills. There looked to be brown "snirt" on the A&A, but it is probably rideable.

The creek ice is going out as I write. I watched some ice breaking up while I inspected trails this morning. There will be water in low spots and drainage crossings. Take care.

With temperature staying up near 50 overnight tonight, I don't know if there will be rideable snow tomorrow morning or not. With 60 degrees again tomorrow, I would think that would finish off the trails as a rideable system. I will not go out tomorrow, but will plan to check on Thursday to see if it is truly done.

Sunday, March 11, 10PM:

Well, maybe one more day tomorrow! The clouds hung around until early afternoon today which kept temperatures in the 30's and the sun off the fields for much of the day. Riding conditions were pretty good on the trails radiating from Byrncliff, but there was only one sled trailer there during two visits I made today. I heard only a few sleds in the distance on the trails. Very low traffic which helped keep the snow that's left on the trails.

There is a hard pack snow and ice base on most of the trails, and they are still pretty smooth. Some stutter bumps. Temperatures are going down to the low 20's with a clear night tonight, so early riders Monday morning can have a decent time playing on the frozen up trails.

Temperature forecast to go above 50 Monday afternoon, only down to 39 Monday night, and above 50 again Tuesday. That should do it, I would think.

Check back here late this week or next for some thoughts on this year's trail conditions.

Sunday, March 11, 8AM:

You should probably be on the trails or on the way out your door already if you want a decent ride today. It did get just below freezing most places last night, but things will slush up fast in today's bright sun and temps in high 30's - low 40's. There will be many decent field trails still today, but the woods and many hill tops and south facing hills began to go bare from yesterday's 50 degree temps and rain and will quickly get worse with today's sun. Watch out for water and deep slush in low spots. Watch out for deep, hard to see wash outs where drainage areas cross the trail!

Saturday, March 10, 11AM:

Spring conditions today (with light to moderate rain at the moment). Surprisingly, there were 15 to 20 trailers in the Byrncliff lots an hour ago with guys getting in their last "rip in the rain". The field trails surrounding Byrncliff have a thick, hard packed base, and looked Good to Very Good still this morning. But it was already 49 degrees at Byrncliff by 11AM, with rain falling. Hillsides and hill tops in the fields are beginning to go bare already. The silver lining in the clouds is that today's light rainy conditions will keep the sun off the trails until tomorrow morning.

Anyone riding today can get in some good runs on the field trails if you don't mind going through some muddy and bare spots here and there. Tonight they are still looking at below freezing temperatures in the area (though already we are warmer than they forecast). I think there will still be very rideable snow most places by tonight, and if there is a freeze overnight, then people who get out very early tomorrow morning (and I mean like 7 AM), should have a nice ride.

With temperatures over forty and bright sun tomorrow, we'll really be into marginal spring conditions by late Sunday. Then . . . . . . . . . . .

There is a possibility of very cold air and snow next Friday, but I expect we'll be awash in rushing streams, ponding in low spots, and mud by then. But maybe a chance for the real diehards to play one more time here and there.

Below: Leaving the Byrncliff parking lot; mud where there was ice yesterday, and the hill to the north half bare; March 10, 11AM

Below: Saturday morning; looking east from rte #77 towards Byrncliff; note the field showing though and mud near the road, but generally decent hard pack on the trail

Below: March 10, 11:15 AM; trail C4B crossing Centerline Road; still good conditions, but lots of slushy snow

Friday, March 9, 8:30 AM:

Hi guys. I'm on my way out the door for my last ride of the season probably, with awesome conditions on the Folsom trail system. Check my full report from last night below!

The trails will quickly deteriorate later today with temps near 40 and bright March sun. Worse tomorrow with rain and 46. A quick freeze Saturday night, and one more half way decent ride on Sunday morning, early, and then we're all on our own with "spring" conditions.

Check back here next week for my end of season summary and a "wish list" of what could be done to better coordinate and improve riding conditions and communication with riders for next year.

Thursday, March 8, 9PM:

I ran a full tank of gas through my ZRT this afternoon. Awesome riding conditions on the Folsom Trailblazers system! I used a lot of gas because the trails were all so good that I was riding WFO most of the time. You'll have some great riding tonight and Friday morning!

Traffic was not too heavy early in the evening when I came home, so the conditions I describe below should apply tomorrow morning, when it will still be cold, but with bright sunshine.

I left from Byrncliff and rode down C4 past Varysburg. Conditions were Good, with a few bumps here and there and some moguls on turns. The A&A railbed had been groomed, but needed another pass or two to be perfect. Decent conditions. And the rest of my ride got better and better. Once I hit C4A conditions improved to Very Good to Excellent running through North Java, the camp ground, and on to Strykersville. These trails were groomed yesterday, and it has held up well overnight!

From Strykersville I ran the C4B past the Red Apple/Kwik Fill and up the hill across Dutch Hollow Road; conditions were Great in Strykersville, and Fair to Good in the woods behind the Red Apple; there is some bare dirt showing in the woods on this hillside. From there on, conditions were Excellent on C4B all the way back to #20A. I also took a long detour across one of my favorite trails on the whole system, S43 - which was Very Good to Perfect! A great ride. S43A in Strykersville was also Excellent!

Back on C4B, I crossed #20A and ran around the Bennington Loop on S46 through Bennington and then back south on C4. Just magnificent grooming job and riding conditions on this loop in the late afternoon sun!!!!!!!!!!! Woooooo-Hooooooo!!!!!

I had not been on the Attica C4H trail this season, so I took off of C4 and ran several miles of the Attica trail, which was also absolutely perfect (and a beautiful trail, just as you said, Jim!)

Back on C4, from the Attica trail junction, back to Byrncliff was Good to Very Good, but there were a few moguls forming here and there - probably because of heavier traffic on this part of the loop. Before loading up to go home I did a quick run down S41 headed west from Byrncliff. Near Perfect conditions here, too!

WARNING - There is a temporary warning pole in the snow where a little creek has nearly melted a hard to see gully through this trail not far from where it crosses #77 - watch for it; there will be many more spots like this opening up next week - let's not get hurt!

Below: Great conditions on the Attica Trail about 4:30 PM, Thursday, March 8

Below: Bare dirt spot on a southern exposed hill in Strykersville; there were only four or five of these on my Thursday ride; there will be more on Saturday and Sunday; LOTS more early next week :(

Get out and ride. I talked with a number of people on the trails this afternoon and everyone had the same stuff to say; "Great riding!"; "Best conditions of the season."; "Who would have thought our best riding of the year would be in March?"

- Tom

Thursday, March 8, 2PM:

I just got a call from one of the groomer operators for the Folsom Club and he told me the Bennington loop was groomed again last night, Strykersville area was groomed yesterday afternoon, and the A&A "might" be groomed today. The groomer guys are all getting together tonight for their "last good ride", so I bet the trails are in pretty good shape! Have at it!

Thursday, March 8th:

I may go out riding this afternoon and make a trail report, but I did not go this morning. The base is solid, so yesterday's report should still be pretty accurate. If any grooming got done, someone phone or email me and I'll post an update. Check out the video links in the next couple of paragraphs. We may post a lot of local snowmobiling videos next season if this experiment works out.

The Big Picture:

We should have great riding today and tomorrow. Especially Friday, with good sunshine in the forecast and very cold morning temperatures, it should be the last GREAT day of riding of the year. Although there may be some light rain in the forecast for Saturday, nighttime temperatures will drop below freezing Friday night ,Saturday night, and Sunday night, so riding should be pretty decent through Sunday, even Monday. Sunday looks to be another sunny day with decent trail conditions. THEN the big meltdown sets in. We have enough base so that many guys will be riding through much of next week, but things will be pretty sloppy by mid week, and the long range forecasts tend to agree that the warm spell will stay through the following week as well. We're about done around here, so ENJOY this weekend!

Wednesday, March 7, 2PM:

Check my posting from last night in the next paragraph for comments on current trail conditions. They are generally very good to excellent. You'll have a great ride today or tonight.

As mentioned below, the trails in the immediate Strykersville area were reported to need a little work as of yesterday afternoon. I checked them out myself this morning, and I agree that they could use a groomer pass, but they are better than the guy I talked with yesterday led me to believe. I'd say the trails through Strykersville are "Good" - flat in fields with Stutter bumps and a few moguls forming where traffic is constricted or where sleds are accelerating or braking.

The north side trails on the Bennington loop still looked outstanding this morning. Make that loop if you have a chance this afternoon or evening!!

Pictures (and video!) coming later this evening.

Below: Looking east on S41 from rte #77 towards Byrncliff at 11AM this morning

Tuesday, March 6, 10PM:

Trail conditions on the Folsom system tonight range from Good to Superb! Before getting into the details, let me show off a cool picture Meghan took of me this afternoon doing a little "drift busting" next to the trail to Arcade. You probably know the spot! Not bad for a guy in his 60's!

OK - back to the trail report. We left Byrncliff about 1:30PM and headed up over the hill towards Varysburg and the A&A rail bed trail. We were pretty discouraged at first because of serious moguls on this part of the trail system in many places and rough conditions on the rail bed. But halfway to Java we came upon recent groomer tracks. The boys were out doing their magic and things started looking up! And conditions got better and better over the next four hours.

By the time we finished our ride, the groomer had made two passes over the C4 trail from Byrncliff to near North Java, and conditions were good to Very Good. Because the trails had been pretty rough to start with, they could probably use another pass to put them into really excellent condition, and they may get that tonight or tomorrow morning?

Conditions on C4A through Java Center and on towards Strykersville were Very Good, even though they looked like they had not been groomed since yesterday. Plenty of loose powder over a smooth base made for fun riding! In Strykersville we hopped on S43A north and then S43 back east to C4A. This trail is usually very good since a groomer "lives" on it, and tonight condtions on these secondary trails were outstanding. We had a great ride back over to C4A and C4. On the rail bed we were following recently groomed trail, and conditions were "Good", but not excellent - as noted above, they need another pass or two of a groomer. Very rideable, though.

After a good, fast ride back to Byrncliff, we decided to make the Bennington loop on C4, S46, C4B, and S41 back to Byrncliff. This loop north of #20A was in Superb condition. Every bit as good as the trails we rode in Canada last week! Part of the reason is that these trails have been in very good condition for a week now, and whoever is doing the grooming is being given the machine time to make enough passes so that there aren't many soft spots on the trail. The trail stays in good shape between groomings and a new pass with the groomer puts the trail back in AA+ condition! Great job, guys! It also helps that there appears to have been very light traffic on this north side loop in the past day or two.

The only reports we got today of poor trail conditions came from some guys we met who rode from Strykersville and said the trails right in Strykersville were still pretty rough as of mid afternoon. I would guess that maybe the groomers will hit Strykersville tonight or tomorrow morning, based on the great job they are doing everyplace else on the system.

All in all, the groomer crews are doing a terrific job of putting the trail system in tip-top shape for what will likely be the final two or three days of good riding this year. If you plan to ride Wednesday, most all of the Folsom system will be in great shape. The Bennington loop is awesome. C4B and the secondary trails down towards Strykersville look to be in very good to excellent condition. The east side trails through Varysburg are Good to Very Good and may be better tomorrow if they get one more grooming pass. The trails in Java Center and North Java are Very Good. S41 is Outstanding. Good job, guys!

Below: We took this along C4A in Java about 3PM Tuesday

Tuesday, March 5^th, 11AM:

I'm getting ready to go out on the trails with the sleds today, so my report will come later this afternoon, and will include first hand riding reports. Wind is dropping, sun is out - whoooo-hoooooooo!

Monday, March 5, 1PM:

Well, after I went out for breakfast the weather didn't look so bad, so I did drive out for a quick look at trail conditions. The drive out rte #20A wasn't bad, but there were dangerous white out conditions on the north - south roads. The sheriff's department had rte #77 south closed at rte #20A because of the poor visibility.

Actual trail conditions for those who are riding look pretty good, maybe better than I would have thought after all the traffic yesterday. I met a guy on a sled (picture below) next to Dutch Hollow Road who said the trails were pretty good even in the woods.

Below: looking east from Dutch Hollow near #20A at 11am, Monday - nice!

Monday, March 5, 9AM:

Good morning everyone. I don't plan to do a trail inspection this morning, since all the schools in the area are closed because of the high winds, blowing and drifting snow, and white outs. It would be no fun driving around the roads in the area today! If you're a die hard rider and want to get out today, actual trail conditions should still be decent, with adequate snow and some bumpy conditions because of high sled traffic yesterday.

If I were planning the grooming, I would wait until tomorrow, since the high winds will play havoc with any trails that do get groomed today. Winds are expected to drop a bit by midday Tuesday and I would hit the grooming hard then everyplace. With cold weather continuing through Thursday, we could have some amazing riding conditions Tuesday night through Friday if everything gets groomed tomorrow! I plan to hit the trails on my sleds late tomorrow afternoon.

Sunday, March 4, 2PM:

Riders who got out first thing this morning had some very, very nice conditions. Yesterday's generally smooth and well frozen base was covered by two to four inches of fresh powder, making for nice riding!

Traffic was heavy on the trails by lunchtime, with both parking lots full at Byrncliff and many riders enjoying what might be the final weekend of good riding. There's enough snow to pretty much guarantee some kind of riding next weekend, perhaps even pretty good. But a warmup is coming Thursday and Friday.

Today most field trails still looked quite good, but conditions were starting to go down hill, with moguls forming near road crossings and in the woods. But the base is still pretty smooth and with very cold weather coming the first half of this week, we should be able to get in another round of grooming after the weekend and some more top notch riding conditions.

Below: Trail C4A near Maxon Road in North Java taken at 11AM, March 4^th (today); still mostly good to very good

Saturday, March 3, 1PM:

I took quite a thorough tour of the Folsom trail system by car this morning, traveling through Strykersville, N. Java, Varysburg, and then towards Bennington and Wales. Trail conditions in MOST PLACES today are Very Good. Note the qualifier "Most Places" - we did have rain and a significant melt the past two days, and here and there you will find conditions like in the picture below:

But these bare spots are few and spread around. Most trails had been well groomed just before the melt and rain, and the warm weather kept many riders home, so the trails stayed smooth until they froze up again Friday night. Many field trails are very smooth, even near road crossings and turns that often mogul up. And the fact that all trails are now very dense frozen snow means conditions should stay pretty good through the weekend. Light snow is expected every day for much of the next week, including perhaps up to four inches on Sunday. Very cold weather is coming Monday and Tuesday. If the groomers get out again right after the weekend, we may have some superb riding during the first half of the coming week!

I met a couple of guys on the trail this morning who had ridden from Elma to Strykersville, and they reported generally quite good conditions, including excellent conditions in the Elma - Marilla system, and excellent in Java and N. Java. Traffic on the trails was quite light around lunchtime today, so they should hold up well during the above freezing weather this afternoon. If possible, wait until this evening when the temperature drops below freezing again to ride. Conditions tonight should be very good.

Below: Trail just west of Minkel Road in Strykersville at 11am, Saturday, March 3, 2007 - excellent!

Below: Trail C4 just north of Rte#20A going towards Bennington at 11:30 AM, Saturday; this is better than it looks in the picture - most of the dirt is very near the road crossing and just spread from the shoulder of the road; the field trail looks great.

Friday, March 2, 8PM:

Hi guys,

I just got home from some awesome riding in Canada (Bracebridge to Huntsville). Conditions were a 9.5 on Wednesday with bright sunny skies, and 10 out of 10 on Thursday. I took 140 pictures in the nice sunny conditions. I'll post some later. We got caught in the big storm in Toronto on the way home and had to bail off the QEW and get a motel room for the night to get off the highway!

The Folsom Trailriders website says conditions have been great the past couple of days around here. We'll be checking the trail tomorrow morning and making a first hand report.

Weather looks great for snowmobiling right through next Wednesday with another warmup next Thursday. This could be the last good week, so get on out there!

- Tom & Meghan

Tuesday, Feb. 27^th, noon:

I have not had a chance to get out and look the trails over since the weekend. We've been getting some snow. Sounds like there may be rain, sleet, and warmer temperatures Thursday and Friday. I'd plan to ride today and tomorrow and then hope for the best with possible colder temperatures again next weekend.

For trail conditions the next couple of days, try the Folsom Trailblazers club website at the link at the top of this page. I will be in Canada looking for colder weather and some "Canadian Style" groomed trails, but I don't know if I'll find better than around here. I'll report when I get back on Friday. I will try to get a look at the Folsom trails on Friday and post a report for you weekend riders then.

- Tom

Sunday, 6PM:

We did a drive through of part of the trail system this morning. With the 110 groomer still sitting at Byrncliff with a broken rim, riding conditions are a mixed bag. The north side of the system which got a good grooming yesterday looks best. On the south side you'll find moguls near road crossings, in the woods, near turns, etc. Many of the fields are still in good shape. There's still PLENTY of snow!

Saturday, 9PM:

Saturday, Feb. 24, 1PM:

Trail conditions are mostly Good to Very Good, with a few only fair places, and some excellent. Most of the south side of the system was groomed Friday morning and day before the smaller groomer broke a wheel hub. There was quite a bit of traffic last night, and the south side trails are mostly decent, but starting to deteriorate.

The Bennington loop on the north side is the place to ride today! It has all been groomed from early this morning until right now. The groomer was still out working the loop when I finished riding about 12:30. Really nice conditions. If you're going out this afternoon, try the north side from Byrncliff first! (Or save it for dessert if you want to ride to Strykersville and Java before those trails get really beat to crap later today.) There is some soft snow where the groomer has been working and made only one pass, so conditions may not hold up too long in traffic.

Below: Picture taken about 11:30 this morning on the Bennington loop

Below: Another Bennington Loop picture about 11am, Saturday

Below: Trail near Varysburg about two miles southeast of Byrncliff

Friday night, Feb. 23^rd, late:

Friday, Feb. 23, 1PM:

Sorry, but I did not get out to check the trails first hand this morning. I can tell those of you driving in from a distance for the weekend that we expect very good to excellent conditions on the Folsom trail system tomorrow. We got a widespread snow overnight, with 6 to 12 inches of new powder. Much of the trail system was already in good shape and the groomers are planning to be out much of today and tonight. Tomorrow is my birthday and my wife and I are planning to hit the trails first thing in the morning and we're expecting very good conditions!

If anyone is out this afternoon and wants to email me a report, I'll post it tonight.

- Tom

Thursday, Feb. 22^nd, 2PM:

I usually just report what I see, but let me make an "editorial comment here": Groom the hell outa her, boys! Conditions will be good for grooming tonight and Friday and Friday night. Saturday looks to be a perfect day for riding with below freezing temps after a very cold night, and with sunny skies. It may be the last great riding day of the season, with next week's weather looking iffy, so lets put the trails in great shape for this weekend, especially Saturday.

Conditions today look generally good still. You'll have some excellent sections, some areas beginning to build up stutter bumps, and a few quite rough spots. We got about three inches of new wet snow this morning and some more is due later today.

Below: Picture taken across from Byrncliff at 11am this morning

Wednesday Feb. 21, noon:

The warm day on Tuesday did not seem to hurt the trails much. I did not ride today - I checked trails from the road, and many parts of the trail system visible from road crossings look good to very good. Check my reports from the past two days, and you can tell that there are likely a few rough areas still, but all in all, I'd say it looks like good riding today.

Although it's supposed to go up to 35 degrees again on Thursday, there is more snow in the forecast and cold temps Friday and Saturday, with bright sun on Saturday. That should make for some really great riding at the beginning of the weekend. Stay tuned. (No pics today.)

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 8AM:

Trail conditions today will range from awful to Very Good. Presidents Day traffic yesterday really beat the crap out of many of the trails. I went out with Meghan last night and rode from Byrncliff up over the hill through Varysburg and then down the rail bed on some of the roughest moguls I've seen this year. It was a really unpleasant ride until we met Jim working one of the groomers. He put two passes in on this side of the system, so conditions today will be greatly improved there. Conditions in the Strykersville area were pretty good still last night. Some of the secondary trails and the trail from Byrncliff around the west side to Strykersville and the Red Apple were pretty beat up last night we heard from other riders, and likely still are today.

Reports were that some of the trails on the north side of 20A got groomed yesterday, but that groomer had a breakdown before they finished. Expect some very rough conditions still.

My best recommendation if you want a good ride today is to start at Byrncliff and take the ride we did last night over the hill to Varysburg and down the old rail line, then over S43 to Strykersville. You'll be on freshly groomed trail most of the way. Ride safe and keep your fingers crossed that the big warm front next Monday is brief and with not too much rain.

Monday, 1PM:

Trail conditions are generally good today. Most trails I saw this morning had quite a bit of traffic since their last grooming and were a little bumpy here and there. Field trails were mostly still pretty smooth, as in the picture below. You'll have a good ride today.

Below: C4A at Welch Road and rte #77 at 11AM, February 19, 2007

Sunday, 1PM:

Although sled traffic was quite light for a holiday Sunday at 11am, I passed many trailers headed out to ride on my way home from checking the trails. After a quick drive at noon, I would slightly downgrade trail conditions to generally good, with small bumps starting to form on many trails. Base is still good; anyplace that sees a groomer will be excellent again.

Below: Looking from #77 towards Byrncliff

Sunday, Feb. 18, 9AM:

Many trails on the Folsom system were groomed yesterday. But traffic picked up during the afternoon and evening and you may not be able to tell in some places. Trail conditions are generally good to very good, with an excellent base and trail surfaces varying depending on how recently a groomer has been through in any particular area. Have fun and ride safe.

Daytime temperatures above freezing for several days in the middle of this coming week should not hurt us too badly, as it will drop below freezing each night.

Saturday, Feb. 17, 11AM:

Trail conditions are Good to Excellent today. Both Folsom groomers are out working, but they are a little behind and playing catchup. Sled traffic this morning was surprisingly light, though I am sure it will pick up this afternoon. By the time you get out this afternoon many trails will be freshly groomed and excellent. Those that have not been groomed have some stutter bumps and moguls in the woods, but nothing really bad.

Below: Freshly groomed at 10:30 am near corner of #20A and #77.

Below: Off Centerline Road near Varysburg; Saturday morning

Friday, Feb. 16, noon:

Trail conditions are mostly "Good" this morning, with blowing and drifting and a couple of inches of new powder. The trails are "Scrabbled snow covered" - My wife Meghan has invented this term for soft, loose snow on a trail with a good groomed base, but that has been disturbed by sleds and not yet groomed again. "Scrabbled snow", she calls it. Good term.

The groomer crews are between a rock and a hard place today. It's the beginning of President's Weekend, the trails need grooming, and they ought to be out there putting them in shape for later today and the rest of the weekend. On the other hand, with the blowing and drifting snow and occasional white-outs, it will be frustrating work, since the trails in many places will look like they never saw a groomer a couple of hours after they are worked. So far this morning, there was no evidence of any grooming, and one groomer was still parked next to Rte #77 and trail S43. If any of my readers are out later today and see grooming taking place, email or phone me and I'll update this report.

Still, the trails were in great shape before this snow yesterday, and in the fields conditions are good or better. Nice riding if you like powder and drifts. The wind is expected to drop a bit overnight and the weekend should be better - if the groomers can keep up with expected very heavy Presidents Weekend sled traffic.

Below: Looking south from Centerline Road in Varysburg on trail C4 at 10:30AM, Friday, Feb. 16^th

Thursday, Feb. 15, noon:

Trail conditions are generally "Good" this morning. Guys who like powder riding will love it! There hasn't been any grooming yet on the trails I saw this morning since yesterday's snow storm. It looks like 8 to 10 inches of new snow and it is blowing and drifting considerably. You will find some moguls in the woods and the new snow is pushed around on the trails by the sled traffic.

With the weekend coming, I expect the groomers will hit the trails this evening and tomorrow morning. They did a great job at the beginning of this week and had the trails in great shape before this snowfall, so it should not be hard to get them back in shape. The only problem is that the wind is forecast to keep blowing a bit for the next couple of days. There will be some drifting after the grooming.

Below: "Scrabbled" snow on the trail looking east towards Byrncliff from the Rte #77 crossing. Thursday morning, 11am

Tuesday, 5PM:

Just got back from a nice ride around "the loop" beginning and ending at Byrncliff. Meghan and I rode double on my ZRT; the fact that we had a great ride speaks well for the trail conditions. We left Byrncliff on C4 up over the hill towards Varysburg (near perfect conditions); then C4A to North Java (perfect); then on to Java Center (very good, and met a groomer working this section); we stopped in Java Center at Smokey's for a snack. Then continuing on C4A towards Strykersville (near perfect conditions); then S43A north (excellent); then turned west on the little stub of S43 over to C4B (this short section was ungroomed and crappy - the only lousy trail we saw all day!) We took C4B and S41 back to Byrncliff. It looked like these trails had been groomed last night or this morning, and in the woods conditions were excellent. But out on the fields where blowing snow had been at work it was a little rougher - not bad, but deteriorating.

See this morning's report below for more detail. Generally, Folsom trail conditions continue Good to Excellent this evening. There has been very little sled traffic today. I guess everyone got their fill over the weekend! There were only three trailers at Byrncliff when I went out about 2:30 this afternoon, and there were none when I returned just before 5PM.

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 1PM:

"Attaboy!" and "Three cheers" to the Folsom Trailblazers trail bosses and groomer operators! Trail conditions on the Folsom system are Very Good to Excellent today!! They have been playing catch-up until now, always just a little behind with the weather and some mechanical problems. No more. They did a great job grooming the entire system yesterday, last night, and this morning. Our rating would be pure "Excellent", but some places have had only one pass of the groomer and need another to be perfect. But many trails have had multiple passes. This will be a quick report, because I'm loading up and heading out to ride myself in a few minutes.

The only trail on the system I could find without obvious recent grooming was S41 from Byrncliff across Sheldon road towards C4B. Everything else was awesome!

Best of all, the grooming conditions were optimal with a well settled base and settled snow to groom. Traffic was light this morning, so the trails should set up well before the winter storm hits later today. If we get really heavy snow, obviously the trails will get superficial moguls and snow drifts tomorrow, but with such a good job on the base, the club should be able to easily keep the trails in very good shape after the storm passes.

NOTE: If it is snowing heavily on Wednesday morning, I probably won't do a report. Nex time will be Thursday morning to wee how the trails held up from the storm.

Below: Jim Skoczylas, one of the groomer operators, sent in this picture from near North Java - Nice!

Monday, February 12, 2PM:

Trail conditions this morning were Good to Excellent. Many trails on the southeast side of the Folsom system were being groomed this morning and were excellent. Most of the field trails have a good base and held up well over the weekend. They are generally Very Good, with some light snow that came overnight and some blown powder. You will find some bumps and moguls in the woods, on corners, and near road crossings, which is why we rate conditions as only "Good" to excellent rather than "Very Good" to excellent, which they might be by tomorrow if the groomers hit the whole system today. Grooming conditions are very good today with slightly warmer temperatures. It would be nice to get everything groomed before the possible winter storm forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday dumps new powder on the area!

Sunday, February 11, 1PM:

We've slightly downgraded trail conditions to "Good" for today. Most of the trails are very decent, with good flat runs across the fields. Spots near road crossings, on turns, and in the woods are beginning to mogul up. Riders we interviewed on the trail and at Byrncliff said things like, "Not bad", or "Pretty good with some bumps - hope we see some groomers this afternoon."

Good news is that it is partly to mostly sunny with much less wind than the past week and warmer temperatures. It's a nice day to be out riding. More good news is that with moderating temperatures, lots of sled traffic, and the sun, the trails are packing in nicely and all the blowing powder from the past week is settling down. When the groomers get out this week, conditions for grooming will be optimal, and the trails should be excellent by mid week after a round of grooming.

Below: Byrncliff at 11am this morning (2-11-07)

Below: Trail C4A near Rte #77 crossing and Welch Road at 10:30 AM Sunday; many field trails are like this, with very good conditions except for rollers near the roads and some drifting snow and gentle rollers in the fields

Saturday, Feb. 10^th, Noon:

I'm running late, so this will be a quick report. Trail conditions this morning are Good to Very Good. The groomers have been out and have done some good. But it is hard to tell they've been there, since the blowing snow and sled traffic quickly obscure any sign of the grooming. You can tell, though, because road crossings that were only a sled wide yesterday have been cleared by the groomers, and the trails are quite flat even though there has been a lot of traffic.

Enjoy the good riding!

Friday, Feb. 9^th, 1PM:

Trail conditions are Good to Excellent - head on out there! (NOTE: winds gusting to near 30 MPH with wind chill and blowing snow continue, with frequent powdery drifts on the trails and occasional white out conditions)

There were already many sleds on the trails this morning. Even where there is no sign of recent grooming, the fields are very good, since the blowing snow quickly fills new sled tracks. I saw several groups of guys with performance sleds hauling ass across the open fields and they weren't bouncing around. Scroll down to yesterday's report for some comments from one of the groomer operators about their grooming progress. I watched a groomer working S43, C4, and C4A before lunch today, so conditions early this afternoon will be near perfect on that part of the system. In these windy conditions, it's very hard to tell if a trail has been recently groomed, since fresh powder blows in almost immediately. But the generally flat condition of most trails (except for drifting) indicates that the grooming crews are getting around.

I did not see a bad section of trail anytime during my two hour drive through of the system this morning, though some riders I met reported moguls in some of the woods as well as gentle, rolling drifts on many trails. You should expect changing conditions all weekend, as the groomers continue to work trying to keep up with the weather and what I expect to be very heavy sled traffic. This is the first weekend after all the snow and temperatures will be up slightly, which should bring out many riders. Riding should be at least Good all weekend.

Below: Groomer working C4 near Centerline Road (11:30am, Friday)

Below: C4A Near Maxon Road before lunch today - excellent!

Thursday, Feb. 8, Noon:

Most of my trail reports are based on my first hand inspection of the trails after breakfast. I had a doctor's appointment today and did not go out myself. I do have an email from Jim S., one of the Folsom Trailblazers groomer operators that came in last night. I'll tell you what Jim said, and that will give you a fairly up to date idea of conditions.

Jim said, "The crews have been out grooming as much as they can with all the new snow. There is over 3 feet here in Cowlesville. We have groomed just about everything on the south side of #20A. The trail down to Red Apple Kwik Fill and over towards North Sheldon road still needs to be done. The snow is too deep over that way; we need more sleds over it to help pack it in. One of the other groomer operators got the 110 groomer buried at the top of the hill on trail S43 after you cross rte #77. It took almost two hours to dig it out. On the north side of #20A, the Cowlesville - Bennington - Attica loops have way too much snow to groom yet.

Hopefully by this weekend we can get the grooming started after some traffic gets on these trails. We are going to try to get both groomers on the north side working to get it done when we can. - jim. (MANY THANKS to Jim for this first hand report from the guys who do the work!)

It is windy again today with blowing snow. We'd rate conditions as "Good", with the usual cautions for these conditions. Both lots out at Byrncliff are all plowed out, so they are ready for riders.

Wednesday, February 7, 1PM:

Trail conditions are generally "Good" with the understanding that we're still getting a lot of blowing and drifting snow, with occasional white-outs both on north-south highways and on the trails. Most trails have not been groomed since the weekend, though one of the Folsom Club groomers was not parked where it usually is along S43 by Route #77 this morning, so it was likely out working (Bravo!). Trail S43 does appear well groomed. There have been only a few sleds on most trails, so not enough traffic to make many moguls. Most (but not all) trails have been broken by a few sleds. If you like powder, it should be a fun ride.

Note that wind is already blowing, and it's supposed to get worse later this afternoon and this evening. Ride with a buddy and proper equipment.

Tuesday, February 6, noon:

Things are looking up! If you like powder on the trails and some "drift busting", today's conditions are right up your alley. We'd rate general riding conditions on the Folsom trail system at Good to Very Good today, so long as you like this kind of riding and don't mind the very cold temps.

The groomer that "lives" next to Rte #77 on trail S43 had been out and the portion of S43 heading towards N. Java looked excellent - see picture below. We saw no other signs of grooming this morning, nor did any of the riders we spoke with on the trail. Which makes sense - it has been too windy until now, but the winds are letting up and we expect the groomers to be out in force tonight and tomorrow (hopefully).

There was bright sunshine everyplace we drove this morning from Strykersville to Byrncliff. It was still a little windy, but we passed through none of the white outs we experienced yesterday. I may go out riding this evening - conditions should remain good.

How much snow? It's very hard to estimate in these conditions with so much blowing and drifting. There can be almost no new snow on a field, and then an eight foot drift on the downwind side of a barn. I'd hate to bet my farm on any snow depth estimate. But based on careful looks at tractor ruts in level fields and driveways on level ground that had been cleared with a snow blower, I'd say the area got no more than 12" to 14" of new snow over the weekend - far less than some estimates. This is backed up by reports from several groups of riders who had been through some deeper drifts on the trails, but not stuck or bogged down seriously.

Bottom line is that there is now enough snow for good grooming, with a forecast of slightly moderating temperatures, but still cold enough to maintain the snow we've got. The rest of this week and the coming weekend should offer great riding in the area around Byrncliff covered by our reports. We'll be out tomorrow checking to see how much grooming gets done. If I were the trail bosses, I'd be running the groomers in shifts around the clock the next few days to take advantage of what finally are ideal conditions for trail grooming! (but I'm not a trail boss and they don't ask me!)

Monday, Feb. 5^th, Noon:

Stay home and be safe! We just got home from a drive out to Byrncliff from our place in East Aurora. It took us about three times longer than usual, with blowing and drifting snow and frequent white-outs on #20A. On the trails you'll find the same dangerous visibility restrictions because of the blowing and drifting.

We checked the trail crossings on #20A and near Byrncliff, but did not make our usual drive over to Strykersville. We saw only one sled track crossing #20A, and there were no sleds or trailers at Byrncliff. The crew at Byrncliff were busy plowing out their lot (see picture), so they'll be ready for business as soon as the wind dies down. I would expect the groomers to be out tomorrow when the winds moderate - there's nothing useful they can do in these conditions. (Hope they've got their block heaters plugged in!)

If you do go out today: These weather conditions are very dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Don't go alone. Have a plan for what to do if you have a break down or get stuck.

It is very hard to estimate how much snow fell in these windy drifting conditions. We'd guess about a foot at Byrncliff.

Below: The Byrncliff X-country ski groomer was pressed into action clearing the lots, along with their truck plow (10:30 AM, Monday)

William Millen's report on a Saturday, Feb. 3^rd ride:

Sunday, 7PM:

CBUTCHER from Rochester just sent in this nice story of a ride in this afternoon's storm:

AND Adam Leas sent in this report of Old Forge conditions:

- Note: Old Forge conditions may be getting better; check Magnum's site

Sunday afternoon, 3PM:

Thanks to "Die Hard Rider Paul (and his daughter!) for sending this report:

Sunday morning:

No first hand report from me today. Sensible people will be indoors, drinking beer, and getting in the mood for the Super Bowl! Die Hard riders can expect powdery blowing and drifting snow today on the trails along with the brutal wind chills. If anyone goes out, email us a report and we'll post it. It will be hard for the groomers to do much until the high winds die down in a couple of days. We should see some excellent riding conditions later this week after the trail crews have been able to get out.

Saturday, Feb. 3^rd, noon:

Get on out there and have some fun! Trail conditions this morning are good to very good. They are not pristine and freshly groomed, but the bumps and such you'll find are mostly powder blown by the wind or pushed around by the sled traffic. The base is getting good enough so that trail conditions are holding up better between groomings.

This morning the sun was shining and we had a brilliant blue sky. There is some wind and occasional blowing snow, but it is not yet as strong as the weather forecast is calling for later today and overnight. All in all, a great day for riding! And people are - both lots at Byrncliff were already nearly full by 11:00 AM and we saw lots of sled traffic as we toured the trail crossings by road.

I'm sure you're listening to the same weather forecasts I am and hoping for the very heavy snow that some areas will get over the next two days. It will be touch and go how much falls on our trail system and how much of it stays to the south of us the way much of the January snow did.

Old Forge is getting major snow this weekend, so if you want to make a road trip, conditions there next week should be wonderful. Muskoka and the Hunstville, Ont region are getting spotty heavy snow, but riding is still listed as limited most places. They have a well frozen base, so just one good snow and conditions will be excellent there, as well.

Friday, Feb. 2, 1PM:

Trail conditions this afternoon and tonight should be good to very good. Bear in mind that the trail system has only been fully groomed a couple of times, there is not a huge amount of snow, and traffic will be heavy tonight. There will be some rough spots. Expect the riding to get rougher as the evening wears on.

On our inspection of the trails this morning we saw few trails that looked freshly groomed, so read my report from last night when I actually rode much of the system, for a rider report. But at least one of the Folsom groomers was not where it is usually parked when I drove by this morning, so it is probably out beginning to groom. Conditions may be very good later this afternoon where the groomers work.

Thursday, February 1, 8PM:

I just got back from riding the trails, making a loop from Byrncliff through Varysburg, North Java, Strykersville, and back to Byrncliff. We are downgrading our trail condition report to "Fair to good". Although a lot of grooming was done yesterday and this morning, the groomers were working with light, fluffy snow that had been blown onto the trails yesterday. With moderately heavy traffic on the trails on this very pleasant day, the trails are pretty beat up already tonight. There are small "stutter bumps" everyplace, with turns and wooded sections beginning to mogul up. Because the snow is still pretty thin in many places, the groomers are kicking up dirt and rocks here and there. It will take several more trips by the groomers as we get more snow over the next few days to really set up a solid base that will hold up to traffic.

There is more snow in the forecast. Conditions in many fields are still pretty good. Riders we spoke with in bars tonight were having good rides, but everyone knows we need some more snow and more time for the groomers to do their work. The further south you ride, the more snow you get. Several riders had been down south of Arcade and ran into snow two to two and a half feet deep!

Thursday, Feb. 1, 1PM:

More snow coming tonight and Friday and very cold for at least another week.

Below: Looking east from #77 crossing towards Byrncliff at 10:45 AM Thursday, Feb. 1^st; typical of field trails a day after being groomed; not bad

Wednesday, January 31 1:30 PM:

Conditions today look good to very good. A tour of the road crossings showed very recent groomer activity on most of the trails radiating from Byrncliff, especially the trails headed north of #20A and over the hill towards Varysburgh and Johnsonburg. We did not see recent groomer tracks on the trails over towards Strykersville, but by the time you read this, they may have been groomed also. The Folsom club website claims all trails have been groomed; we just didn't see that on the trails on the south side of the system this morning.

There was a couple inches of new snow since yesterday, and a steady snow began to fall as we were coming home from our drive. It was very windy, as the forecast predicted, so blowing snow was quickly drifting on the trails. That's good in some areas, but it blows the snow off the hill tops. There should be some widespread new snow over the next 24 hours. Trail conditions should stay good to very good, and if the groomers hit the trails again after this round of snow, we'll have our first excellent conditions of the year.

Load 'em up and hit the trails!

Tuesday, January 30, noon:

BUMMER! So much for that "possible foot of snow". Strykersville got about 3" of fresh snow and Byrncliff just a fraction more. (see picture of measurement at Red Apple below)

Trail conditions range from fair in the woods and coming off turns to good in many fields. The base continues to improve. There may have been some grooming in the past 24 hours, but I did not see any recent groomer tracks anyplace I went this morning. Although the amount of snow on the ground is still marginal for really good grooming, there is enough in my opinion. People I talk with on the trails are asking, "Where are the groomers?" There is enough snow on the ground to groom and the trails could be improved by it. Hopefully we'll see more groomer action in the next few days.

I'm beginning to feel silly as I keep reporting "possible snow" in the future. But there is another chance of significant snow tomorrow. We'll see.

Below: Looking east from Bartz Road - thin, but not bad! (1-30-07, 11am)

Below: The trail leaving Byrncliff (Tuesday 10:30am)

Monday, January 29, 7PM:

Earlier today Meghan and I did quite a thorough drive through check on all the trails from the road crossings. Conditions are fair to good or better in many places. With the light snow nearly every day and cold temperatures, a really nice base has built up. There are few moguls since there simply hasn't been enough snow to form any! The snow is still very thin, but the trails are very rideable.

One of the Folsom Club groomers was parked at Byrncliff during the dice run Sunday and it was still there this morning. We saw no indication of grooming as we drove around this morning, but the trails looked not bad, so perhaps the groomers were out sometime on Sunday. There was very heavy sled traffic Sunday because of the Dice Run. In any case, if we get the expected snow tonight, the groomers will probably roll. Yahoo!

We've heard reports that the Marilla club is grooming and the trails we passed on their system looked pretty good.

BELOW: Lots of action at Byrncliff on Sunday because of the Dice Run and related activities! Heavy snow was falling for part of the morning. 1-28-07

Sunday, January 28, 2PM:

Bulletin at 9PM: MAYBE some significant snow over the next 24 hours. Keep your fingers crossed for a good lake effect snow band!

2PM:

If you haven't been out to Bryncliff already today, head on out. It's "Dice Run Day", and there were over a hundred sleds there when we visited an hour ago. Many more out riding the trails. It was lovely when we were there - heavy snow was falling for more than an hour, though it was letting up by the time we left. The trail conditions are fair to good in places, like they have been all week. The fresh snow was helping the trails to almost hold their own, though the effects of the very heavy traffic were showing.

Think more snow! We may get a few inches tonight, and the grooming can get a head start then before more snow later in the week. Things are looking up!

Below: Dice Run riders in heavy late morning snow! 1-28-07

Saturday, January 27, noon:

We just took a drive out to Bryncliff from East Aurora. Just before noon there were about ten sleds parked at the resort and half a dozen trailers in the lot. A light rain/drizzle was falling and it was well above freezing with the snow starting to get just a little slushy. But as the below picture shows, the well frozen base is holding up so far. Temperatures are supposed to drop back below freezing by the middle of this afternoon, so we should not lose much of the nice base that's been freezing up all week.

Trail conditions look spotty, with brown "snirt" showing up adjacent to many of the road crossings and in most corn fields and similar rough areas. Trail conditions in hay fields look pretty good still. If you're planning on a ride this evening or Sunday, conditions should be fair to good in some places. Maybe even better than that by tomorrow afternoon if the possible 1 to 3 inches of new snow materializes during the day Sunday.

Below: Looking towards the upper parking lot at Byrncliff, 11AM, Saturday, 1-27-07

Friday, January 26, 2PM:

The good news is that some of the clubs are starting to put their groomers in service. The bad news is that there is almost no new snow for them to work with. The trails surrounding Byrncliff got little more than an inch in the past 24 hours. If only we could have picked up some of the heavy lake effect down in Chatauqua and up along lake Ontario!

Still, it's good to see groomers working the trails. The Folsom club has groomed in the Strykersville area (see pictures below). I met a group of riders at Byrncliff that had come over from Marilla, and they reported following a groomer from Marilla towards the Folsom system last night. The grooming is helping a little, even though there's not much snow for them to work with. But the machines sat all last year and half of this season. Might as well use them and do what they can.

Below: Here's a trail through a hay field just east of Bartz Road (Friday morning). This is about as good as it gets with this little snow. Note the bare grass at the high points.

Summary for Friday, January 26 - The Folsom club website lists conditions as "fair" and that's probably a good one word description. But there is fair to good riding on parts of the system, especially in the hay fields. With some snow each day for most of the next week, things will slowly improve, but there is no big time snow in the long range forecast yet.

Thursday, January 25, 4PM:

Meghan and I took a ride from Byrncliff over the hill towards Stykersville earlier this afternoon. The smoother field trails were pretty nice. The "Armburst Road drag strip" shows grass tips through the snow, but is smooth enough to let 'r rip! With the very thin snow, you can carry the skiis WAY down the field!

Cornfields and trails where tractors have put down ruts are still very rough in places. We met a group in the Byrncliff parking lot loading their sleds and one of them had just been in a bad wreck where a ditch crosses the trail that is not filled in with snow yet. Be CAREFUL! There is very little snow still, and when you get whipping along on a smooth stretch of trail, something bad can turn up right around the corner.

Light snow was falling off and on all day, and more is coming tonight and tomorrow. The Folsom club is ready to start grooming, and with only a few more inches, they can do great things to the trails, since the base is nicely frozen. We only found a couple of small open water holes today (see pictures below).

If you go out tonight and want to really ride some distance between towns, you're going to get beat up some. If you start at Byrncliff and just want to play around with your sled, my recommendation is to head over the hill towards Strykersville and enjoy the several long, smooth field runs on this part of the trail system. Turn around down at the "T" after the long field just past Armburst Road and play around on the way back.

Pictures taken today (1-25-07, Thursday) below:

Below: Riders in woods going towards Stykersville, 1-25-07, 3PM

Below: nice field not far from Byrncliff on the way towards Strykersville (1-25-07, 2PM) Many of the trails through the smoother hay fields are like this. Not bad!

Wednesday, January 24:

We did not inspect the trails this morning. There was some widespread light snow overnight, so the conditions which we reported as "rideable" yesterday, will be just a little better today. The Folsom Club website reports conditions as "fair to poor". I'd call them fair to "pretty good", since most of the field trails now have snow cover and there has not been enough snow to build moguls. You should be able to fly right along on many parts of the trail system, but be watchful and ready to hit the binders for rutted areas and rough cornfield crossings.

First hand report and some pictures coming tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 23, 11:30am:

Light snow fell over much of the area overnight. There's an inch or two over many of the trails that were near bare yesterday. Mud holes and water crossings continue to freeze up and improve. Keep your fingers crossed for this afternoon and tonight, as some areas will get quite a bit of lake snow. We'll probably post another update tomorrow morning.

The trails are certainly rideable today and things will just get better through next week.

Monday, January 22, noon:

I did not check the trails first hand today. Conditions should be much the same as yesterday, since a widespread very light snowfall crossed the region overnight, with an inch or less of new snow in most places. Just enough to keep your track wet, but still very thin snow and ice on most parts of the local trail systems as shown in the pictures below from yesterday.

The long range weather forecasts contain some good news, but no major snow events are certain yet. "Forecast Discussion" page from NOAA expects several inches of snow Tuesday through Thursday with the possibility of some lake effect, but most of that in Chatauqua area. Very cold air middle of the week and again on the weekend will keep our base frozen and support regular light snow.

For the very long range, there is a possibility of a truly polar airmass coming our way next week. Not certain yet, but that would be good news for snow producing conditions. With this in mind, if we don't get enough snow here for good riding by next week, it is very likely that the Tug Hill area will be in business and that the OFSC system north of Bracebridge and Huntsville will be open for riding then. Get those sleds tuned up if they aren't already!

- Tom

Sunday, January 21, 5PM:

The good news - temperatures will be below freezing for most of the coming week, and with our very thin snow, the base will continue to freeze up well. The bad news - there is very thin snow in the area. There were five or six trailers at Byrncliff this morning and a few hardy soles out riding. But we got none of the spotty snow that hit western New York over the weekend. The below pictures taken this morning will show you the barely ridable conditions on the trails.

Saturday, January 20, Noon:

We just did a drive through check of the trails between Strykersville and Byrncliff. There were half a dozen trailers in the lot at Byrncliff and a few sleds had been through most of the trails this morning. The ground and mud holes are beginning to freeze up and there is blowing snow drifted over most of the trails. The trails are rideable, but VERY THIN snow cover.

The bands of lake snow that hit some areas overnight did not hit our trail area much at all. Disappointing. The cold temperatures of the coming week will let us keep what we've got and the base will freeze nicely. But there is little significant snow in the forecast until at least Wednesday.

Here are a few pictures from this morning:

Below: Byrncliff at 11:30AM, Saturday the 20^th; more snow right here than most places on the trail system

Thursday, January 18, 1PM:

I did a drive by of much of the trail system this morning. A few people are out riding on very thin snow cover. (See pictures below) These earlybird riders are smoothing the rough spots in the fields and packing a base for the rest of us. That base is beginning to freeze up well, but is still not frozen very deep. As one of the pictures shows, some of the big mud holes are still covered by only thin ice which does not support much sled traffic before breaking up.

Scroll down past the weather report for pictures taken today.

Thursday, January 11, just after noon:

I did a driveby of most of the road crossings in the Folsom trail system this morning. There is still good snow cover on the southern half of the system, from Varysburg through Strykersville. With the cold temps last night, many sledders were out overnight, and there were half a dozen trailers in the Byrnecliff lot this morning. Those guys were still getting some good riding in late this morning. Snowcover was decent on most field trails, though cornfields and wooded sections looked like "snirt" with some near bare spots. Reports have come in of still open large mud holes in the usual places and serious ruts in some corn fields.

The Good News: This brief riding period with modest snow depth has allowed the early bird "sacrificial riders" who are eager to go out and beat up their sleds in these conditions to pack down the trails and grind off some of the rough spots. Some of the trail base will survive the two day warmup coming in the next two days. Especially if today's bright sunshine gives way to mostly cloudy skies over the weekend.

Also good is that really cold air is coming Monday and Tuesday with not much snow at first. This will allow the trail base to freeze up well. Long range forecasts indicate snow; maybe more lake effect, to return in the middle of next week. Keep your fingers crossed. We may have a solid frozen base and groomable snow by next weekend!!!!! Yippee!!!!

- Tom Kranz

Wednesday, January 10, 2007: (3PM)

Well, you can ride tonight and tomorrow if you don't mind early winter conditions (read - BIG mud holes!).

Snow came to the Varysburg - Strykersville corridor Monday night with as much as a foot or more in the southern portion of the trail system between Strykersville and Arcade. I did a car tour (see pictures below) and accurately measured 4" to 5" in East Aurora and Wales Center and a solid six inches at Byrnecliff.

There were a few guys out riding on Tuesday afternoon, with quite a few more planning on being out Tuesday night and Wednesday. A solid freeze Tuesday night and temps remaining well below freezing Wednesday and Wednesday night will help a lot, but the really big wet areas and puddles will not freeze with just two nights cold weather.

If you ride tonight (Wednesday), expect thin but rideable snow on the trails. Most field trails will have a decently frozen base with some snow in most places. Be prepared for big mud in the usual spots.

If you want to ride, do it tonight or early Thursday morning; rain and warm temps coming back over the weekend. Keep your fingers crossed; there may be a major nationwide outbreak of Arctic air next week with (hopefully) the start of real winter on Monday night/Tuesday.

• Tom
• (pictures coming in an hour)

Below: Trail heading south out of Byrnecliff restaurant area, 1-10-07

Below - Archived trail reports from 2005/2006 season:

Friday, March 10, 2006: - Prospects for more riding;

Things do not look good for us here in western New York. A mid March snow storm is certainly possible and in fact, snow flurries are in the long range forecast for next Tuesday through Thursday. But at best we're likely to see very light snow over very warm, wet ground.

Tug Hill has formally closed many trails until further notice. Old Forge does not look good at all either.

The best bet for more good riding is the Muskoka, Huntsville region of Ontario and further north to North Bay. They have deep snow cover left. Temperatures there will be 40's Saturday and mid fifties Sunday, but dropping below freezing each night, so snow loss is likely to be acceptable. Expect bare spots to develop on a few trails on hillsides and corners, but most trails should hold up over the warm period this weekend. Snow and colder temperatures will return to Ontario from the middle of next week, just as they will here. Even a light snow with the colder temps should allow grooming to resume by mid week, making for one more good riding weekend the 18^th and 19^th. Best bet for a quick trip is probably this coming Thursday through Friday.

Once trail reports are no longer needed for the season, this page will publish riding stories and trip reports from sledders who were able to find some snow this awful season. Steven Zielinski has been sending in trail comments and pictures. Below is one of his pictures from his trip this past week to Orillia/Midland/Barrie in Ontario:

Thursday, March 9^th, 2006:

Just a teaser - the picture below was taken yesterday between Bracebridge and Huntsville, Ontario. They are getting the warm spell also, but the base is so deep that they will likely have more riding when the next cold front comes through the middle of next week.

Tuesday, March 7^th: 10AM

The pictures below taken at 10AM this morning tell it all. Very heavy traffic over the weekend and two days of bright sun did a number on our all too brief 2005/2006 snowmobiling season. Check out the pics; sorry guys. - Tom

Below - looking south from #20A

Below - looking north across #20A

Monday, March 6:

Sounds like tonight and Tuesday will be the last decent riding for the year, with perhaps a sunny warm day spring-conditions ride on Wednesday. Then rain and temperatures in the 60's by Saturday. This has just not been our year for snowmobiling in western New York!!!!!!!!!

Friday, March 3, late:

The following is another report from Jim that he sent in late Friday. I hope the trails held up over the weekend - I will be home Tuesday morning to make a first hand report. Sounds like the final warm-up is on the way - ride soon and often!

TOM NO PICS BUT RODE 70 MILES AS OF 4:00 PM WENT OUT AT 11:00AM TRAILS ARE VERY GOOD WITH ABOUT 90% OF THE SYSTEM GROOMED. IM GOING BACK OUT TONIGHT ILL EMAIL YOU WHEN I GET BACK TONIGHT ON FURTHER CONDITIONS

Friday, March 3, 10AM:

Hey here is an update from Jim that was sent in about 10PM Thursday night; we now have 11.5" on the ground and the 130 groomer is out already and doing from colwesville to byrncliff via north sheldon rd loop i am going out at 10 tonight and doing the a&a railbed trail to byrncliff and back also i am riding tomorrow and will hopefully gonna get some pics and will send you a report tommorow afternoon.

Monday, February 27^th, noon:

THE FOLLOWING report was emailed in by rider Paul Doser on Monday. It speaks for itself! Jim emailed tonight that we might get some snow over the next two days 9Thursday and Friday) . Good luck. I will be back from Florida on Tuesday. - Tom

ÊÊÊ Well, I should have waited, but I didn't. I had the day off from work so I trailered to Hermitage from Hamlin. Dumped off onÊ Pleasant Valley Rd at 0830, the temp was 7 degrees, rode to The Inn(still closed, too early). Snow cover was bad through the fields, especially where the trail cut the field in the middle, those that skirted the hedgerows were great. From The Inn, went to Byrnecliff(still closed, too early). I never thought I'd say this, but the old rail bed was the best part of that run. Snow cover was bad. I ran into an employee there who said alot of people were calling asking about the conditions, so he asked me how it was. My only response was "your'e kidding, right?". Snow got gradually thinner the closer I got to Byrnecliff fromÊNorth Java.ÊFrom Byrnecliff, rode to Sad Dog, I forget what it's called now, those that I ride with still refer to it as that. Snow cover was bad, but was better that side of town. From Sad Dog I debated on making the run to Bliss via Arcade or going back. I felt bad for the machine and opted to return to Pleasant Valley rd. The entire short loop was a pitiful 55 miles, and I was back to the truck loaded up by 1215, now 17 degrees. Tell Chuck, if you see or hear from him, that I'll make Bliss my first stop on Friday. Those logging trucks on both sides of Pee Dee rd really F**ked up that portion of the woods, but driving there still beats the three hour ride up north, and I never passed another sled all morning(they must have been wiser than I). Well, got to replace my carbides, and clean off the dirt from the tunnel. Maybe I'll see you on the trails. Paul Doser.

Friday, February 24^th, noon:

A quick car tour of the trail system an hour ago showed just a dusting of snow on nearly bare fields in many places. Some snow is drifted onto the trails along windbreaks and snow showers were coming down frequently. There actually had been a couple of sleds through some of the trails, though the trails are mostly not rideable yet. Two sleds were parked at Byrncliff. Conditions are more promising for significant snow Saturday night and Sunday than we were thinking just yesterday. I expect a few riders will be out tomorrow with poor conditions. You are likely to have decent riding conditions from Sunday afternoon right through most of the upcoming week.

Meghan and I are going south for next week and will not be posting daily reports. Jim is planning to email in reports every couple of days and I will try to update the webpage with my laptop on Monday night or Tuesday and again later in the week. Good luck on getting some snow while I am down south. And try to save some for me - - - I have not yet ridden the Folsom trails once this year myself! - Tom

Below - misleadingly inviting shot taken at Byrncliff this morning; the snow is very thin!

Below - looking east from N. Sheldon Road this morning - very thin snow on field trails

Thursday, Feb. 23, 3PM:

UNFORTUNATELY, of the two pictures below, the first is NOT taken on our trail system, but yesterday near Bracebridge, Ontario. After the pictures, see a discussion of other places with good riding and the outlook for the next ten days.

Below: The Folsom trail looking east across N. Sheldon Road at noon, today:

Where to Ride?

Ontario: Meghan and I just returned from two days in the Bracebridge/Huntsville area. Riding there is as good as it gets! Step off the trails some places in the woods and you will fall into four feet of snow. They have been dumped on the past two weeks and barring a major meltdown should have good riding well into March. Many report even more snow towards North Bay. The local clubs were grooming several times a day while we were there, since the snow was coming down hard.

Old Forge: Magnum on absolutesnowmobile reports only modest new snow in the Old Forge area and fair to good conditions. Wind conditions over this coming weekend and early next week favor this area getting a little more badly needed snow.

Tug Hill: Some parts of Tug Hill got huge amounts of snow this past week. But it was spotty. There is a band of three foot snow on the northern areas, but very thin snow still on the south side of the hill (according to Magnum). Reportedly the clubs on the hill are working together very well, grooming the trails regularly. However, everyone in the North East states and their uncles are traveling to the Hill for the first decent snow conditions of the winter, so the trails area getting pounded between groomings. Good riding in areas if your timing is right.

Sorry I don't have a more optimistic report! - Tom

Sunday, 5PM:

It now appears quite likely that the trails will get enough lake snow tonight so that there will be decent President's day conditions. There's still considerable doubt about just how much snow will hit our trail system - look for 4 to ten inches.