January 17 Ride

[paulneva]

Clear Creek Butte is the closest of the three buttes out in the Tanana Flats. There is nothing there. It just gives us a destination. For those of you who ride the Flats regularly, this will just be another opportunity to ride. For those who haven’t ridden in the Flats, this is an opportunity for a real Alaska experience. There are something over 3,000 square miles of wilderness out there. The snow in the Flats is better than I had expected this winter.

The ride leaves from the Chena Pump Park/Landing at 1000, will go down the Tanana River and go into the Flats by way of the sloughs and swamps of Clear Creek. Expect to be out four to five hours. Bring your own lunch.

[Darrell]

Took a ride in car out the Steese today and seen that the state is start to battle over flow at Pedro monument made me think about overflow on the trails. I think with this big warm up coming we may see overflow were we have seen it before this winter, rivers and swamps.
So when we all hit the trail here soon how about some over flow stories.
What do you think? More over flow or less in the coming days???

[paulneva]

I am not surprised by overflow at Pedro Monument. They have a cronic problem there. I know where overflow normally occures on our planned route for the 17th and do not expect it to effect our ride.

Paul

[OPA]

I've been out of touch for the past month with an illness in the family. Where is everyone hooking up for the ride this weekend?
Opa (Danny)

[paulneva]

The ride leaves from the Chena Pump Park/Landing at 1000.

Paul

[paulneva]

I checked the trails in the Flats today and all of them are in really good condition. It hasn't been above freezing there. The trails on the Tanana River are really hard. They have had melting and freezing and have an ice surface above the snow. There was some open water, but nothing we can't get around.

Paul

[aurora_hunter]

Should I take my 4 wheeler tomorrow?? I hope the snow is still there!

Naoki

[john]

How about a wheel kit for your sled, just in case

[hvhavel]

Brad and I aren't going to make this one either. Chena Hot Springs Road is a fricken ice skating rink. Stupid weather.

Heather

[john]

Not sure I'm going to make it either, road ice warnings from North Pole to town.

[paulneva]

There were seven of us. The day was beautiful. The snow was crusty but we didn't hit any rocks or dirt. It was slushy in places but we didn't have to cross any open water. All in all it was a pretty decent ride.

Paul

[john]

I wanted to go but the roads were so bad we decided to ride the trails rom the house, safer that way, but I'll bet you had a better riding then we did.

Snow levels down, trails hard as a rock, no snow in the Floodway at Chena Lakes, crosing the lake and riding down the slough from the house had best snow, although I do believe those little puddles of water on top of the lake made my riding companions a bit nervous humm, Jake

[xpxmike]

Took the kids out on the wheeler! This is depressing, one ride and 85 miles on my new sled. I have a feeling winter is not over yet though! Slick roads, be carefull out there. Slid backwards down the hill heading out to the gold mine yesterday in the company van. Thank goodness for chains!