Ambrose Cove, 15 North and South
 

My family has purchased two new sleds and are eager to ride this Sunday. With the new snow we know it won't be great, but we just want to get out. With this in mind, does anyone know if it is safe to cross Ambrose cove near the marina to continue on 15 North, up and over Mount Shaw on our way to ossipee?

Thanks!

I'm pretty sure all the trails are closed per the moultonboro smc website. Saturday's storm is supposed to skirt us to the south with no snow for the lake. Trying to ride the trails with too little snow is bad for your snowmobiles and bad for the trails.

That being said, we have some Club leadership on this board who I'm sure will pipe up and correct me if I'm wrong....

http://moultonborosmc.org/category/trail-conditions/

From the website home page:

Club Info:

Update: January 18th. We received another couple inches of snow followed by a warm up and a fair amount of rain. We need 3- 4 inches of snow and we will open the gates. Riding is just beginning in the north country but until we receive another snowfall it’s a waiting game here in Moultonboro. Everyone PLEASE do your snow dances!

First snowmobile sighted
 

About 1PM today, the first sled of the season went south of Ambrose cove and down into Smith Cove (of M'boro bay). We got 4" last night and may get some more on Saturday. The lake in the Ambrose cove area has at least 5" of ice - probably more in some spots, less in others. Unless the club opens the gates, the trails will be off limits this weekend, but lake riding should be pretty nice. Don't forget your self-rescue ice-spikes. It looks totally frozen, but there is probably a soft spot or two out there for someone to find.

Nice snow for skiing...not so much for sledding
 

This snow was so light and fluffy, I doubt if it can be groomed very much. The nearly 5 inches on our railing is now less than an inch. Sorry for you guys.

Please be careful with sleds on the lake this weekend. I wouldn't do it myself but that is just me. As others have said the trails won't be open. Stay home and get ready for the big game. There will likely be time to ride in a couple of weeks.

were to snowmobile
 

Greatings, I'm looking to purchase a home in the area; but can't decide which lake region town. Anyway, one deciding factor could be where the best snowmobile trails are. It would be great getting on my sled and leaving directly from the house garage. Currently I use my sled in upstate N.Y. and have to trailer it a long distance. Not fun trailering my rig back home from a long day of riding and suffering from monkey butt. I see there's a bunch of snowmobile clubs in your area, but I'm not sure which one I'd go with. They all sound pretty good. Any thoughts I'd welcome.

club
 

moultonboro smc does a nice job

Still concerned
 

Thanks everyone for your input.
With the moultonborough snowmobile club posting here that their trails will be open, I think we are going to head up to ride. Has anyone seen sleds cross Ambrose cove? Or would it be best for us to trailer somewhere across the lake? Thanks.

A sad day in Maine today. A snowmobiler went through the ice.


MARIAVILLE, Maine (NEWS CENTER)-A missing Mariaville man is found dead in Graham Lake. Rescue teams began searching for Mathew Divello after his wife called the Maine Warden Service.

49 year old Mathew Divello was on an afternoon snowmobile ride on Graham Lake when Wardens say something went terribly wrong and Divello didn't return home. Search teams focused their efforts to find him around Eagle Island where helicopter crews spotted freshly broken ice and a helmet in the snow.

Divello was found dead in ten feet of water.

Wardens say snowmobiler's should be extra careful around in-lets, out-lets and pressure ridges.

Someone mentioned self rescue ice spikes... not a snowmobiler yet, what are these and what are they used for?

HCG

When you are floating in the water it is near impossible to pull yourself back up onto safe ice since it is so slippery. One way to prepare for this type of emergency is to carry two spikes attached to a cable that are draped over your shoulder. You use these spikes to dig into the ice and pull your weight back onto safe ice. One issue I have found with these spikes is they can be dangerous in a crash as they are sharp and can puncture your body. I am always trying to find creative ways to keep them accesable in an ice emergency but out of the way in the event of a crash which is a more likely outcome on the trails.

Wine corks for safety
 

My spikes are home made. I cut off a nail head and drove one end into a 1" dowel. To keep it safe, I stuck a wine cork on the pointy end. It has not yet been field tested, but the theory is that you break the cork as you hit the ice with the dowel. Perhaps, pulling off the cork will be required. My other concern is that with the dowel up my sleeve a bit, it would be hard to find it while swimming in ice water. It would be interesting to hear from anyone who has experience in using the spikes.

There were a lot of reports last night on the 11pm news about people going through the ice and a few deaths. It is too early to be on the ice!!!! With the fluctuations in temp and winds we have had lately the ice is not uniform. A solid 5" in one place could be a weak inch or two not far away.

Dont be foolish people! It is not worth it.

I have the store bought spikes. They're orange and the spike ends plug into each other and they're connected with what looks like a coiled telephone wire. The only thing I don't like is they are awkward to carry because they're long when plugged together.

I like the way that F&G officers carry theirs. They have them in a pocket on their arm.

I don't have one, but you could always get one of those water activated PFD and wear it under your coat.

True even way up north
 

The crew from Rockwood Maine went out to mark the trails across Moosehead Lake to Kineo last week. They encountered 5” of ice and turned around to wait for more cold weather. We also heard that a pilot who flew over the lake saw open water on the north part of the lake.
My point is it’s been a LOT colder up in this region and they still have not deemed it safe to be on that lake, although it did freeze over more than a month ago.

Ice Picks
 

For the price, they are a must have for anyone venturing on to the ice.

http://www.farmandfleet.com/products...ice_picks.html

Mike
 

Although the last few years have been great for this area, there are also an equal number of years that you need to trailer north for any snow.
There have been many years when the Easter seals ride in up north in Twin Mtn or Gorham had bare ground for that February event and they even had to truck in snow to have the parade down the road.
Many don’t remember this after a few good snowy winters.
After last night rain I’m looking at 2-3 inches of snow at my house.