It’s tough to find the motivation to go outside and ride when it’s cold and dark this time of year, but much easier when the sun is shining and it’s above freezing. The problem is, when it’s below freezing and dark, the frozen trail is nearly indestructible, but as soon as it thaws, it’s the stuff of nightmares.
Few conditions are worse for riding than thawing ground, especially during periods of freeze/thaw. The ruts so easily created by riding during a thaw are likely to freeze the next night, then still be there in the spring. Please be mindful of this, as certain areas are more susceptible to thaw than others.
You may notice some confusion on our trail status board during this time. Although Home Loop says “Closed”, others may talk in our Facebook Group about how great their ride was. This board is managed by volunteers, and cannot be changed as quickly as the conditions do. Trail conditions can change by the minute this time of year, but as a general rule, watch the forecast.
If it’s -5 overnight and +3 the next morning, you’ll be good to go until the sun hits the trail, or until late morning. Please don’t ride until the next freeze-up after this.
Happy Trails!