Snowmobiles! (Milwaukee, Eagle, Eagle River: renting, how much, school)

[Wi_Girl]

When I was growing up in Wisconsin, we always has alot of snow. Of course my family never had a snowmobile, but I always wanted one. I know in the most recent years, it doesnt seem that there is as much snow as there used to be. So I'm wonering is having a snowmobile worth it up there anymore? Are there trails you can ride, etc? We plan to move back in a few years and I keep telling my husband (who is a VA Native) that we can get a snowmobile. I just dont want to let him down if we never have enough snow to ride it!

[dreamhunter65]

Last few tears have not been good to snowmobilers unless up near the lakes or near upper Michigan areas..Trails in Rusk County this year think opened for 2 weeks or so only.

[ChevyBob]

Check this site out!
snowmobile trail conditions - snow conditions - snowmobile trail reports - Eagle River snowmobiling conditions and weather - northern Wisconsin - northwoods

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by Wi_Girl

I know in the most recent years, it doesnt seem that there is as much snow as there used to be.

Myth.

Just this past winter, Milwaukee area alone received over 60 inches of snowfall. 10 inches of snowfall fell in parts of the metro in an early December storm, and snow was back-and-forth throughout the winter...heck, 7+ inches fell in mid-April!

Sure, some years are less snowy, some are more - it has always been like that. But your odds for snow to snowmobile in WI are always strong.

[nanannie]

Snowmobiles are like jet skis. Your time of pleasure is a menace and noisey disturbance to everyone else. I HATE them. But yes--we did at one time own both so I live and let live as long as they are in the designated area. Renting them for the day,I think, is a better way to go. There does not seem to be enough snow every year to get your moneys worth owning one, at least in Wisconsin/Illinois.

[berries]

north of wausau...buy one

south of wausau....rent one

It just does not pay south of there with the winters as they have been

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by EnjoyEP

Myth.

Just this past winter, Milwaukee area alone received over 60 inches of snowfall. 10 inches of snowfall fell in parts of the metro in an early December storm, and snow was back-and-forth throughout the winter...heck, 7+ inches fell in mid-April!

Sure, some years are less snowy, some are more - it has always been like that. But your odds for snow to snowmobile in WI are always strong.

Part of what she says is true, although the snow might be falling, it isn't staying around like it used to. Of that 60", how much was there on the ground in February, March?

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Part of what she says is true, although the snow might be falling, it isn't staying around like it used to. Of that 60", how much was there on the ground in February, March?

Plenty. In February there was a 2-week stretch where temps didn't get above 10 degrees, with sub-zeros being the norm in that stretch. I am sure many frozen Wisconsinites here remember that stretch quite well. Snow wasn't melting off at a rapid pace during that time! (And yes, there was quite a bit of snow on the ground then).

People have extremely selective memories...they remember this big, great snowfall that "used to fall and stick" and now they don't see it. But the actual historical data (year by year snowfall numbers) show that snowfall throughout the state and the region for that matter is essentially the same. Some years, more falls. Some years, less falls. It is no different now.

Just because when folks were 10 years old in 1962 they remember these whiteout conditions from October until April and now that they are older they see reality doesn't mean winters are different. The history shows that the snowmobile...she is just as useful to the snowmobile-loving Wisconsinite today as she was in 1975!

[KateDaum]

We own 2 and keep them at our place near Bayfield. Snowmobiling is still decent there. But the trail conditions change fast. If they are heavily ridden with no new snow they are terrible in less then a week.
I know the oldtimers tell us that even 10 years ago they could count on riding from December-March and now if they are lucky it is January/February.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by EnjoyEP

Plenty. In February there was a 2-week stretch where temps didn't get above 10 degrees, with sub-zeros being the norm in that stretch. I am sure many frozen Wisconsinites here remember that stretch quite well. Snow wasn't melting off at a rapid pace during that time! (And yes, there was quite a bit of snow on the ground then).

People have extremely selective memories...they remember this big, great snowfall that "used to fall and stick" and now they don't see it. But the actual historical data (year by year snowfall numbers) show that snowfall throughout the state and the region for that matter is essentially the same. Some years, more falls. Some years, less falls. It is no different now.

Just because when folks were 10 years old in 1962 they remember these whiteout conditions from October until April and now that they are older they see reality doesn't mean winters are different. The history shows that the snowmobile...she is just as useful to the snowmobile-loving Wisconsinite today as she was in 1975!

I guess I disagree with you. I know for a fact that we had snow on the ground from Mid-Nov until Mid-March every year when I was a child. One year the news stations had a contest because the first snowfall of the year was so late. That year it snowed for the first time on Thanksgiving. We spend hours and hours playing in the snow, walking to school in the snow (up hill, both ways--seriously). Since my kids have been born we have had ONE winter where we had snow on the ground for more then a few weeks here and there. My kids have not been able to enjoy the sledding and snow activities we did as kids. The big difference from the 70's to today is that we would get frequent small snowfalls that kept snow on the ground, 3-4" here and there and then the occasional large snowfall. The town I lived in would have at least one snow day/year. They had a 'snow' day for ice a couple years ago that was the first snow day they had had in 10 years. There is a climatologist that posts on the MN boards that has posted statistical data to support this--the 60's and 70's were snowier then normal so those of us that grew up in those years did have winter long snow cover.