Greetings from Aroostook County.........

DATE: March 4, 2010

Greetings from Aroostook County.........

Last weekend's snow was sporadic leaving a couple of inches in some places and 3 feet in others………still sledding but spring conditions in some areas.

Alert: CAN AM RACE REROUTED TO ITS 120, ITS 85 AND ON ITS 92. The Can Am dog sled race has been rerouted so Saturday during the day they will be running out of Ft. Kent using part of ITS 92, part of ITS 120 the Debouille Trail and pick up ITS 85 around Red River then proceed south to Portage. They will be crossing the lake in Portage but have their own trail. The will be leaving Portage late Saturday via a potion of the Carr Pond Trail. Sunday and Monday they return on part of ITS 92 so please use caution. The dog team can be up to 40 feet in length and at night will probably have some type of red flashing light…………….let's make this a safe CAN AM.

ITS 81 better west of Bridgewater to 85. The snow pack around the Squa Pan area is holding. Going north you will hit bare ground with no grooming in some areas. Up north of Grand Isle it gets a bit better….use the lake and Rt. 96B for better access.

ITS 83 From Madawaska south to Cross Lake is fairly good with some bare spots. Due to a logging operation the section from Cross Lake to Stockholm was rerouted back to the powerline and is rough………an alternative might be to use the lake to Rt. 79 then pick up 105 to 83 heading north or south. From Stockholm south is gets boney with the rail beds holding good but bare ground in many places…….spotty. Once you get west towards Oakfield and Smyrna heading towards Sherman to catch trails heading west the snow pack improves as they had more snow in that area. Rt 83 A is closed for the season between ITS 88 and the west side of the river in Caribou.

ITS 85 This trail was groomed this week from Ft. Kent to outside of Millinocket. The best coverage is Bowlin/Mattagamon and the Katahdin Loop……..still have to trailer out of Millinocket. About 10-11 inches fell around Ox Bow, Portage, Eagle Lake and north west so it helped them groom out. Despite this good condition you will hit a couple of problem areas south of Ox Bow and the Whetstone system.

ITS 88 has water problems, especially heading west on the powerline sections towards Ashland. They have been unable to groom east on 88 but Aroostook River has groomed and has good snowpack . Railbed sections are still holding snow pack but Rt 83A into Caribou is now closed for the season.

ITS 90 has been groomed from Caribou west but is closed going east due to bare ground and water problems in low lying areas.

ITS 92 still has good snow and has been groomed to Escourt

ITS 105 on the railbed sections is still holding a fairly snow pack but as you venture south the cover leans out. Rt. 89 north from Caribou is closed due to bare ground and open water from ITS 83 to the Rt. 100 intersection

ITS 120 was groomed this week and is still holding a good snow pack.

Active logging:

Rt. 81A and Rt. 74 around Squa Pan

ITS 86 west of St. Croix Lake

ITS 85 north of Portage and south of Ox Bow

ITS 90 west of ITS 105

Rt 89 in Connor near Madawaska River

Social Events:

Thursday Night Chicken Stew at the Limestone Country Club by Limestone SnoHawks

Fridays Stew Night at the Presque Isle Clubhouse, 5-7 p.m.

Saturdays

The Washburn Clubhouse is open for breakfast and lunch Sat and Sun.

Meduxneakeag Ramblers Clubhouse open for breakfast Sat. from 6-9 a.m.

March 6

Caribou Club's Hot Dog Roast is cancelled.

March 14

Breakfast Ft. Fairfield Clubhouse off the Strickland Rd. 7-10 a.m.

Breakfast Pleasant Ridge Runners Clubhouse (Caswell) 7 a.m. -noon