Category Archives: Uncategorized

I looked at the weather and almost didn’t go out. But on the off chance that we get some more snow Sunday Monday I wanted to have something laid down. There wasn’t a ton of snow out there and I … Continue reading →

Trails are awesome. I hereby proclaim this the week of fatbiking. Thanks to those that rode in my groom from last night.

Big M finally received some snow! Bother the Outer Loop and Beginner Loop were groomed last night. The groomers say conditions should be rocking this weekend!

The forecast is calling for temps well above freezing for the next few days. The trails are expected to be very soft. Please refrain from riding the trails until the freezing temperatures return.

Big M Trails has a newly established Instagram account for winter conditions. If you want to follow along there, check out @bigmtrails. The Big M Beginner Loop has been groomed with the pan. Hopefully things hold up over the next … Continue reading →

The Beginner Loop got too passes with the snowmobile today, but no pan yet. The pan will get dropped tomorrow. The Big M Outer Loop is going to take some time. Between 16 inches of snow, a bad back, and … Continue reading →

The walking trails are rolled. I made it through everything but the northern loop on the south side with just the sled. If anyone wants to snowshoe that it might be passable with the roller. Might be rideable by Monday … Continue reading →

All the walking and biking trails done. Didn’t venture into disc golf. Feet too cold. Should be good for the week.

We’re ready for snow. In case you’re wondering why Big M wasn’t groomed last week with all the snow they got, A > It’s firearm deer season, we like to give hunters these two weeks to do their thing, we … Continue reading →

Conditions seemed like they warranted grooming last night so off I went. It seemed like there was enough snow to cover the ice from the past few weeks of rain and then it got really cold overnight it is currently … Continue reading →

All of the Manistee area trails are holding up nicely considering the lack of snowfall and warmer temps we’ve been experiencing. The Big M Outer Loop and Beginner were reported to be in great shape last night. A rider commented … Continue reading →

A couple of riders made it out to the Big M Beginner Loop and a short section of the Outer Loop last night and reported that trail conditions are “perfect.” I rode the Manistee Non-motorized Trail last night and conditions … Continue reading →

The Big M Outer Loop survived Wednesday’s rainy meltdown mess! The trail is rock solid with no ice. Unfortunately the Beginner Loop was not so lucky, this trail is in a lower lying area and did not drain at all. … Continue reading →

The Big M Outer Loop and the Manistee Non-motorized Trail are going to get a groom tonight. Tomorrow’s forecast looks awful with a high of 44 degrees and rain. If we can lay off the trails for the next two … Continue reading →

I got out and groomed yesterday afternoon, we usually try and groom after dark, but life sometimes gets in the way, so I went out mid-day. That being said, if you’re riding anywhere and you see grooming operations underway, the … Continue reading →

The Big M Outer Loop was groomed yesterday morning. The groomer commented that Big M received a lot of snow and it may take a while to set up / another pass with the tracksled. Conditions may be soft in … Continue reading →

**UPDATE: As of Wednesday morning, 2/9/22 it was already 36 degrees in Manistee and temps will not drop at all today. Please do not ride during this prolonged stretch of warm temps. If we give the trails a rest, they … Continue reading →

We got enough snow to make it worthwhile to go in and touch up all the trails we have a pretty solid base on the biking trails The walking trails were pretty chewed up so I added some extra weight … Continue reading →

The Manistee Area Trails are bulletproof going into the weekend. The Beginner Loops was described as super fast and just a tiny bit icy. The Big M Outer Loop is also fast with slightly icier conditions. The Manistee Non-motorized trail … Continue reading →

We made it through the thaw. Trail is the stuff of dreams. That is all.

**UPDATE: The Big M Outer Loop and Manistee Non-motorized Trail Park were not groomed last night. It was too warm for too long yesterday making the snow too soft. Groomers will try again this evening and trails should be groomed … Continue reading →

Trails are in good shape, almost no hiker incursions, in fact footprints up to some signs and then tracks off to the side of the track. Amazing! Thank you very much. We have one biker, not sure who it is, … Continue reading →

Groomers have been hard at work on all of our trails this week and it just keeps snowing! Big M Outer Loop: Was groomed Wednesday night! See photos below. There was a lot of fresh snow out there and groomers … Continue reading →

The Manistee area received several inches of snow yesterday on top of our solid base. The Big M Beginner Loop was groomed yesterday and is reported to be in awesome shape (see photos below). Groomers will be working on the … Continue reading →

Did a full reset on walking and fat bike trails last night. Groomers rarely get to say this, but it was a nearly perfect evening on the groomer. Three minor issues, all operator error, going new places I shouldn’t have … Continue reading →

All of the Manistee Area trails received about a half an inch of snow this week. Not enough to groom. Reports are that trail conditions are excellent with a little fresh snow on top of a super solid base. Perhaps … Continue reading →

All of the Manistee area trails were in excellent shape last weekend and into the first part of the week. The Big M Outer Loop did suffer some ruts and footprints on the SW side on Friday afternoon, but these … Continue reading →

The Big M Beginner Loop and Polar Express were groomed on Wednesday, the Manistee Non-motorized Park was groomed Wednesday evening, and the Big M Outer Loop was groomed yesterday afternoon. All of these trails were groomed while temps were hovering … Continue reading →

Got in a full pass on all bike trails and walking trails last night and finally got signs up to education both riders and walkers about A – Lowering tire pressure and B – Helping stay off bike trails with … Continue reading →

All trails at Big M were most recently groomed on Saturday afternoon / evening. With the very cold temps and first few passes of the season the Outer Loop is a bit soft and fragile. This should get better with … Continue reading →

Groomed everything I could get my hands on. Too much snow to pull roller so just used sled. Even my ski contraption was too much. I would go first thing. As it’s going to be soft I bet with the … Continue reading →

The Big M Outer Loop and Beginner Loop each received two passes with the groomer yesterday! We received more snowfall tonight and groomers are planning to head out for another groom this evening. The Manistee Non-motorized trail park was groomed … Continue reading →

I got the snow dog out for the first time this year and laid down some corduroy for everyone. 4” Tires or greater please 3 to 4 pounds of air pressure will probably be the key with his first groom.

The Groomer headed out around noon today and is kindly asking that users wait until 5:00pm – 6:00pm this evening, or even until tomorrow to let the trail sit up before riding.

Big M received about a foot of snow yesterday and snowfall is supposed to continue throughout the day today. Groomers will be headed out to groom both the Beginner Loop, Outer Loop, and a new connector segment. Another Groomer will … Continue reading →

The other half of the Outer Loop was groomed yesterday afternoon. This means all trails have received their first groom of the season. Unfortunately temps are forecast to remain above freezing for the next several days with some rainfall here … Continue reading →

Big M has about a foot of snow on the ground. The Beginner Loop was groomed on Wednesday morning. The groomer reported that the trail is likely going to be soft and a bit bumpy. There is plenty of snow, … Continue reading →

There are at least four sets of tracks in the school forest trail system in Ludington right now and the riding was actually pretty good. We’ll see what kind of snow we get on top of the two or 3 … Continue reading →

I got out for a quick ride at lunch to give everybody an update on the trails in Ludington, Michigan and overall they are very, very good. Cartier Park had a couple of slick spots, no mud necessarily, and I … Continue reading →

It looks like a lot of the ice is gone from the trail some of it still exists. Fat tire bikes are probably fine as always if you’re leaving a rot in mud that leaves damage which we have to … Continue reading →

Big M is in great shape when temps are below freezing. Last night the trail was rock solid with no icy spots. Just a few bumpy patches here and there from deer tracks and some hiker footprints at the start … Continue reading →

A few of us rode the Outer Loop at Big M last night. We were happy to find that the trail is hard pack and smooth despite the warm temperatures over the past few days. There are a few bumpy … Continue reading →

We decided not to groom last night as it was too warm and just would have pressed all the water together and made ice when it froze. And then it stayed 40 all night. Trails will probably not be rideable … Continue reading →

We’re at the point of the season where we have to look pretty hard at the forecast before we groom, and before we ride. I didn’t groom last night as I knew today was going to be warm, and we’ve … Continue reading →

The Groomers felt like testing out some new tactics yesterday, mostly just using different machines/methods on different portions of the trail. The result was that every section of trail had anywhere from 2 – 4 passes with a groomer! Some … Continue reading →

Big M received 10+ inches of snow last night. The Outer Loop has not been groomed. Fire Tower Loop remains un-groomed. The Beginner Loop was groomed yesterday and again this morning. The trail was soft today, it could use some … Continue reading →

Looks like we’re skiing again! Just kidding. But we did get about 4 inches of fluffy white snow which might be rideable with the base we had on Thursday. It’s supposed to snow more overnight and I’ll try and get … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop was last groomed on Monday. One of our club members got out and rode it last night and reported back that the trail is firm and has set up very nicely! The only caution was that the … Continue reading →

Trail is in great shape, some minor hiker intrusion on the north side where hikers are coming out of the church property onto the trails to make a loop. We might have to create a hiking trail in there next … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop was groomed yesterday. The groomer commented that it seemed to set up well, but with the really cold temperatures and soft snow conditions it could be fragile and low tire pressure is going to be key. The … Continue reading →

Knocked down another five or 6 inches of fresh powder from Saturday afternoon’s groom this evening. Had to abandon the roller after the Smallest Loop, South of Bryant and continue with the ski abomination on the bottom of the ice … Continue reading →

I groomed late in the day Saturday, knowing that we’d get snow overnight. And we did. There’s about 4″ of fluffy snow over a pretty solid base. The trails should be rideable, but they are way better ski trails at … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop and Beginner Loop were groomed this evening. With slightly warmer temps, we are hoping it sets up well for the weekend. The Fire Tower Loop remains un-groomed.

Post work edit. We got about 3″ of really fluffy snow this afternoon and it looks like it’s going to snow for the next 24 hours or so, conditions might not be all that great until Sunday morning. Let us … Continue reading →

It has continued to snow each day since Friday’s report! The Outer Loop was last groomed on Saturday morning. We will be sure to post an update when the next groom occurs. The Fire Tower Loop remains un-groomed. The Beginner … Continue reading →

I’ve been wanting to try the SnowDog with the roller we built for the Rokon. It’s a beast, but does a really nice job on the trail, so I knew there wouldn’t be much traffic out on Sunday, pretty cold, … Continue reading →

Big M has received a foot of snowfall within the last 24 hours and it is still snowing! The Outer Loop was groomed this afternoon and there are plans to make another pass with the track sled tomorrow morning. The … Continue reading →

Got done about 12:30, trail should set up for after work riding. Gonna be cold though…

Got the SnowDog tuned up and man was it awesome. I hit the many of the walking trails with two passes to smooth them out and did a full pass of all the SFT Fat Bike trails. They were in … Continue reading →

No changes in trail conditions since Saturday. The Outer Loop and Fire Tower Loop are hard pack and grippy. Things get a little bumpy in the sections where the snow is still thin, but overall the trail is in great … Continue reading →

Big M is in excellent shape! The trail has been getting an inch or so of snowfall on top of the base every couple of days that rides in nicely. No need to groom. The result is a solid Outer … Continue reading →

Some riders got out to Big M last night and reported about 1-2 inches of fresh snow on top of a smooth and firm base. The trail is fast rolling with good grip! Doesn’t look like there is any snowfall … Continue reading →

Managed a full pass with the Rokon and roller (half the weight), not my first choice of weapon for the fluffy snow we had but we’re still struggling with the SnowDog and ignition. Grrr. Trail should be good, but the … Continue reading →

I managed to get out with the Rokon and the roller last night before the temps dropped to smooth out all the walking trails in the SFT proper, and I think that with the drop in temps to 19 degrees … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop and the Fire Tower Loop were groomed last night! With cold temperatures in the forecast, Big M should be in excellent shape for the weekend! The Beginner Loop was groomed on Tuesday and is is in good … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop was last groomed on Saturday. Over the past few days we have received and inch or so of fresh snow on top of that. The trail is in good shape and areas that were thin before are … Continue reading →

I took a little extended lunch break and groomed about 10 miles of fat bike and walking trails in the Ludington school forest today. I don’t normally groom in the daytime it doesn’t generally have enough time to set up … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop was groomed on Saturday morning and overall the trail set up nicely. The section known as “Road Monkey” or “The Outback” has thin snow cover with some patches of dirt. As the temperatures drop, this section could … Continue reading →

The weather today and tomorrow shows high temperatures and a rain/snow mix. For the next few days the trails will likely be a sloppy mess if temps are above freezing and and ice luge if they are below freezing. Sunday … Continue reading →

Word out of Big M today is that conditions are similar to what we saw over the weekend. Hard pack and fast rolling where there is still a base, icy in places where the base is thin. There is finally … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop is hard pack and fast rolling with some icy patches. Icy spots are primarily on the section known as Road Monkey / The Outback where the snow cover has been thin. The Beginner Loop is hard pack … Continue reading →

Trail held up well this week. Only frozen footprints on the north side. And they weren’t too bad. Rest of trails super fun.

Reports from Big M today are that the trail is fast and firm with some icy patches when the temperatures are below freezing. Thank you to all who have planned your rides during the colder parts of the day. Looks … Continue reading →

With temperatures hovering at freezing or above this week please take care when riding the trails that anyone grooms really. From Marquette to Grand Rapids we’re trying to hold on to our base until some more snow is in the … Continue reading →

Still experimenting with the snow dog so I went out and did a hot lap just pulling a large truck tire. We will see how that works. Just a reminder to Riders new to the sport, we appreciate fat bikes … Continue reading →

Big M received several inches of fresh snow last night! The Outer Loop was groomed today and it is expected it will set up nicely. The Beginner Loop was groomed with the same track sled used for the Outer Loop … Continue reading →

All the trails, hiking and biking, got at least one pass. Snow Dog ran great, right up until the end and then some fuel line popped off. Didn’t burst into flames, yet. And is parked WAY out back… Here’s a … Continue reading →

A few people made it out to Big M yesterday and reports came back that we received about another inch of snow. The base in still in good shape and the trail was described as fast and grippy with worry … Continue reading →

The picture is from Saturday, but we just got another 2 inches of fluffy powder (ungroomable) but three of us are riding at 8:30 this morning, so that should pack it down pretty good and it’s supposed to stay cold … Continue reading →

Big M has not yet been groomed, but it is ridden in. Reports from today were that there are about 3 inches of light fluffy snow out there that is easy to cruise through. Any icy crunchy base from the … Continue reading →

Seeing Erin’s post about Big M and just having walked a section of the SFT (and deciding that it needs to be ridden ASAP) I thought I’d chime in about the Ludington conditions as well. Trail looks to be mostly … Continue reading →

All of the Big M winter fat bike trails have been ridden in over the past week (Beginner Loop, Outer Loop, and Fire Tower). As usual, the beginner loop will be quite bumpy until we receive more snow. The outer … Continue reading →

A group of us rode Big M this past Saturday morning and over all we are quite pleased with how the base is holding given the recent warm temperatures! Some areas are a bumpy and the Southern section of has … Continue reading →

Yesterday the trail received about an inch of snow on top of the existing hard packed surface. Overall the trail should be in great shape for Friday night / Saturday riding with potentially an icy spot here or there. The … Continue reading →

A rider who was able to get out and around all parts of Big M yesterday reported that the trail is in good shape after the unseasonably warm weekend! Thank you to all who used lower tire pressure and good … Continue reading →

I think mornings will be the best option for the next two days, then we get some snow and some cold and should be back in business. I think everyone that got out this weekend, especially at Big M, enjoyed … Continue reading →

The Beginner Loop was groomed on Tuesday afternoon and is in excellent shape! The Outer Loop was groomed Wednesday afternoon and is expected to have set up nicely over night with the cold temperatures! The Fire Tower Loop has not … Continue reading →

After last night’s snow and tomorrow’s dropping temperatures I decided to go out and do a quick groom of the school forest walking and biking trails. They should set up perfectly overnight with 2 to 4 days of magnificent riding … Continue reading →

Big M received several inches of snow last night. The Beginner Loop will be groomed tonight. The Outer Loop groomers will be able to get out tomorrow night (Wednesday).

I went out Sunday night and tuned up the walking trails, all of them, for the hikers and skiers. our trails, with the exception of the outer loop on the north side were in pretty fine shape all weekend after … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop was last groomed on Friday night and most of it is in excellent shape! See photo below! I received a few reports today that the South West side was on the soft side and lower tire pressure … Continue reading →

Mike Reilly and I got all the groomers, the Ludington-based groomers, repaired on Friday, went to a fabulous Valentine’s Day/birthday party, and of course I went out to groom.As it turns out a couple of beers and a couple of … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop was last groomed on Monday. I had the chance to ride it on Wednesday night and thought it set up pretty darn well! There was a soft spot here and there in the clearings and the Road … Continue reading →

Well I started with good intentions… Tracksled broke down about 20 minutes in to the groom, we’re looking at it at lunch. Just got inner loop of north side done. Went to get Rokon, got through the walking trails and … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop was groomed yesterday. The snow is still thin in the low lying areas such as Road Monkey (aka The Outback) making for some bumpy conditions. The track sled also left a few lumps of snow on the … Continue reading →

The biking trails of the Ludington school forest were groomed last night, it didn’t get quite as cold as it was supposed to but it should still be rideable and any and all bike traffic will certainly help the situation. … Continue reading →

The Outer Loop is in great shape. Overall the trail is hardpack and fast! The section named Road Monkey (aka The Outback) is a bit bumpy. The Beginner Loop is bumpy due to not enough snow and some frozen footprints. … Continue reading →

The trail is in mint condition! With highs near 34 degrees today and Saturday, we expect it to hold up. Time to get out and enjoy it! The forecast for Sunday shows a high near 40 degrees, so please keep … Continue reading →

The full outer loop was groomed last night and the groomer noted that the trail conditions may be a bit soft. Some locals are planning to ride it in over the next few days. With some low pressure tire tracks … Continue reading →

All of the SFT trails got a groom of one sort or another. Some got the roller, some got just the ice fishing sled and some got the pan. It didn’t get as cold as it was supposed to, but … Continue reading →