Freezin' in Wisconsin Weekend

“Hmmm... ice or no ice, we will make it work. I am excited to get out this winter. And as long as it doesn't get too cold, we will be tenting it. (but I may put the hotel number in my cell in case of emergency bail out)
last edited: 12/24/07 11:02:19 AM”

“it just dawned on me that we easily could wind up with OVER 10 people from TT on WINTER trip to WISCONSIN!

we Midwestern folk know how to have a good time, apparently!”

“Stay away from the tabbed three pin bindings called 75 mm bindings. They do not allow a full range of movement, and more importantly, the boot flexes over the big toe and creates painful blisters for some. That is the reason why they created the SNS and NNN boot and binding system. The new SNS boots and bindings do not do this, and they have just a little more lateral stability than the old SNS system.


You can bid on these size 46 old SNS ski boots:
http://cgi.ebay.com/mens-boots-Salomon-SR-301-cross-country-ski-46-11-M_W0QQitemZ280185291147QQihZ018QQcategoryZ36266QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem”

“i found a pair of old sns boots that looked to be in better shape. they are old-sns style, brand name is "heierling". they were for sale in an ebay shop in MN, so for sure i will get a chance to try them out before the weekend.”

““i found a pair of old sns boots that looked to be in better shape. they are old-sns style, brand name is "heierling". they were for sale in an ebay shop in MN, so for sure i will get a chance to try them out before the weekend.”
Jimmy san
11:34:05 PM
12/24/07

I've got a pair of 210 Karhu XCD 62/54/59 full metal edged BC Skis with Rottefella NNN BC bindings, along with a pair of Merrell Traverse BC Boots size 10.5 that I'd like to sell somewhat cheap, but the shipping costs would probably be crazy?

Skis have a few scratches, but are in good overall condition. They are excellent on hardpack, and under icy conditions. Track well, but are a tad on the heavy side? boots are like new, and keep your feet very warm.”

“Looks to be a go! I am presuming dryfoot will sign up soon, too, lol.

Will be getting there on Saturday morning, I think. Hope we can solidify trails and camping site more. And will want to exchange cell numbers in case we need to rendezvous more easily!”

“Liz, friday nights campsite will be Pigeon Creek Campgrounds. Saturday is Red Oak Shelter. There is already two feet of snow on the ground there. With the average temperature high of 22 degrees, a low of one degrees, and a record low of -34 degrees below zero, the only people crazy enough to be camping there will be this group. It won't be hard to figure out which campers are us. It will only be us.

My cell phone number 708-227-5372”

“Cell phone reception is spotty at best once you get off of I-94 at Millston. It's like a knife edge. So I wouldn't depend on cell phones.

Ahhh timing...

lizs, what time will you be arriving on Saturday?”

“also, who will be skiing? i know prosecutor will be skiing. i'll be doing something that hopefully by the end of the day resembles skiing. i am really looking forward to skiing on these trails... sort of daydreamed about it for years. anyone else bringing their skis?”

“Hey Liz, don't worry about figuring out where we will be at. I googled the key words and found a wesite with photographs of what the campsite will look like. Check it out. The photographer really went overboard taking a lot of photographs, and it is useful for figuring out how the place looks:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/330724955czeidz?start=0”

“I'm still in. I'll be snowshoeing it in, no sled. I should be able to fit everything into my EMS 7000 pack. I've never filled it up yet.

I hope I never have to.”

“Friday Weather: high 27, low 15, cloudy with 20% chance of precip”

“haha, i have seen these photos many times!

my permit came in the mail so i am good to go.”

“hahahahaha. vedddddy funny, Ed! phhht! ;-P

I think I've read in this thread that we are not yet 100 percent settled on the Red Oak shelter at this point? That's why I have questions.

Sometimes, even when a location is set up ahead of time, it doesn't work out and is moved. I've read trip reports on here where people travel from far away and somehow are in factions in different locations and miss the group they hoped to see and camp with. I'd rather try to go in with as much info as possible.

Speaking of which, are people going to pull sleds all day to wherever camp is, or pull and set up earlier in the day and go back out to ski/shoe sledless?”

“Liz, I am car camping Friday night unless the temperatures are forecast to be colder than about ten below. Then it will be the Holiday Inn Express.

Saturday, after breakfast, no matter how cold, I will ski in with my pack the mile from the parking lot to the Red Oak Shelter. If anyone needs help getting in, I could do a ski round trip or two for them before lunch. After I set up camp, I will ski around for 3 hours in the afternoon, and then do some serious drinking of hot beverages with my own favorite anti-freeze formula (ehtanol) in it.

How about if the group camping Friday night changes the plan, that someone leave a big message inside their car, readable on the outside, to all who arrive late.
last edited: 12/26/07 11:08:25 AM”

“If I can't make it until Saturday, I will snowshoe (w/ sled) up to a choice backcountry spot and setup camp. I'll then proceed sledding down all the freshly groomed ski trails, so I should run into most of you along the way.”

“from the trip page:



remember that hiking and snowshoeing on the ski trails are prohibited in the winter and that pets are prohibited on the "nature" trails year round. i am not law enforcement and moreover i can't and hence won't tell people what to do.

the trail to this shelter is on a return-segment for the ski loop. it is a one-way segment (as are most of these trails) that is meant to be skied from north to south. look at the map and you will see that it is much closer to road at the north than the parking lot on the south. from the northern road it's about 1/3 mile, probably less. hiking to the shelter off trail should be fairly straightforward if you parallel the ski trail. the terrain from the northern approach is less dramatic.

the hiking route i have posted (and the bailout shuttle i recommend) are my suggestion only for the group that wants to hike but recognizes they aren't supposed to go on the ski trails. since i won't be going on this hike i don't want to impose this on a group of people. i felt obliged to provide a suggested option since when i originally planned this trip i was not aware one could not use snowshoes on the ski trails.”

“... just kidding, Jimmy! LOL”

“So, Friday night campers will meet at the Pigeon Creek campground?

Snowshoers will either parralel the trails or have different routes to get in to camp?

Am I reading this all correctly? Brain is still foggy here at my desk already.

My permit is in the mail, on it's way to me now.”

“Looks like we're in for perfect winter camping and playing-in-the-snow conditions...temps look like they will be in the high 20's during the day and low 20's to high teens at night...not a lot of sun but some...after all these snowless years it's good to finally see a real, Wisconsin winter AND get to play in it with good friends...doesn't get much better than that!

And yes, Lorax,
a)Friday night, Pigeon Creek
b)snowshoers will either parallel the trail or have different routes to get to camp...since the ski trails are one way on a loop that means only 1 pair of groomed tracks...when they are 2 way I found I could snowshoe in the space between the 2 sets...no luck here...anyway, going cross country (pant pant) through deep, powder (pant pant) is FUN! You go first! LOL...
last edited: 12/27/07 3:54:05 AM”

“OK, OK, so I got talked into going. It will be great to see some of you again as well as meeting others. I will bring snowshoes and a pulk as well as a pack and just see what works best for bringing in gear. Jimmysan, you won't get near my sled and tip it over will you?”

“Only if you let me ride in it. :)”

“Re the ski trails...

My understanding is that one side is groomed with two tracks and the other smooth for skating.

Paralleling the trail from the north should not be a big deal but I am betting it will be quite a chore from the south. Smart use of a shuttle and a little care could make this work.

A note in a window at the parking lot Saturday if there is a change is.a good idea.”

“It's a shame I won't be up there that weekend.”

“dry foot! it'll be great to see you again!

I'm planning to sneak in there a day ahead and scout out the territory...not on skiis, with my knees and those hills that's a deathtrip, but I'm gonna see just how close I can get my car to Red Oak...”

“Nice ranger. Got my permit and parking sticker in the mail on Monday.

I'll arrive by mid-afternoon Friday and camp at Pigeon Creek. Saturday, I plan on snowshoeing off-trail into the Saturday campsite with a gear sled, but I want to do some skiing, so will be bringing my old-SNS gear.

11 of us??!! Wow!”

“I checked with REI in Oakbrook Terrace and they will rent me a set of NNN skis if my boots don't arrive in time for the trip. I was getting a bit worried. REI rents the skis and a weekend rental would cost me $30 for the package (skis, boots, poles).”

“Just went searching and found this at the WI DNR site:

"A trail pass is required for all people age 16 or older biking, in-line skating, horseback riding, or cross-country skiing on certain designated trails. (A trail pass is not required for hiking.)"

res or non-res annual $15 daily $4

This means us snowshoers or hikers don't need to buy a trail pass...

If you DO intend to cross-country ski, you will need a trail pass to use the Black River Forest trails, as pointed out earlier by Jimmy san...

A WI State Park sticker is also required...this can get pricey...

annual resident $25, non-res $35...
daily resident $7, non-res $10

It will cost you $9 a night at Pigeon Creek campground if you are a WI resident, $11 if you are not...

The campsite information does not say how many tents are allowed on one site...just that no more than 6 may camp at one site...the usual number of tents is two per site but it doesn't say that anywhere...maybe some will want to save $$ and camp together at the same site...”

“one tip at pigeon creek... when you get there you will come to a booth with the permit stuff. fill out the campsite form but it will ask you what camp site you want. of course you can't know this until you have seen which sites are open and/or meet your needs... so drive through once, pick a camp site, then go back and finish your paperwork. the camp sites are fairly small but there are some larger ones. they all have fire rings. at the entrance, opposite the booth where you do your permit, is a self-service shed for firewood. there is a measuring device and you pay at the booth per unit of split logs. this is incredibly nice, esp since you are NOT supposed to import firewood in into the forest.

i'll be rolling in pretty late, prolly around 10pm. i can't leave as early as i would like on friday since i have to work.”

“oh and the ranger told me the non-resident trail pass will be $20 annual in 2008... they are raising the rates apparently.”

“So where do you buy a trail pass?”

“http://www.fwsp.org/stickers%5Fpasses/

I also think you can buy them onsite at the Wildcat Trails parking lot but I'd email Jamie to make sure...
last edited: 12/27/07 3:05:58 PM”

“Licences, stickers, trail use fees, campground fees.......

The Holiday Inn is starting to look like the better deal LOL”

“the trail pass is sold at the trailhead. self registration.

parking and camping fee can be paid for at pigeon creek.

i always use trips like this (first after the new year) to purchase my annual parking sticker (25 bucks) and just pay out of state camping (11 bucks). you can pay for both at pigeon creek. they mail you the parking sticker a few weeks later.

i have never had to purchase a trail pass as i have only backpacked on these trails and as i understand it a trail pass is (or at least was) not required for hikers with a backpack camping permit.
last edited: 12/27/07 3:14:26 PM”

“Yeah, Wisconsin doesn't cut winter pleasure seekers any slack...it pisses me off to be the only one camping in the whole park and still have to pay full price...and when the water is shut off! It's the same in Minnesota...sigh....”

“in defense of the park, they just built a really, REALLY nice warming building on the south end of the trail (Smrekar Trailhead) for skiers. i am going to try and make my way there on saturday via the ruins of an old farm and then back to the car. at least that is my plan. i will TRY to have lunch in the warming building. being new to this sport, however, i have no doubt i'll be road-hiking back to the car in miserable defeat!
last edited: 12/27/07 3:17:40 PM”

“Or, tipped over.


;-P”

“The Black River State Forest is not even a Park...it's a State Forest and Pigeon Creek is a State Forest Campsite...still, it's not free to empty those vault toilets so I think I'll stop complaining...

I did get my free, backcountry camping permit today...thank you, Jamie!
last edited: 12/27/07 3:40:19 PM”

“yeah, she was SUPER and worked like a charm via email. that tip was a real good deal for me. i used to RUSH to get there before castle mound closed when i would backpack there in the summer. once i didn't make it and i was there with my boys. we wound up not getting a permit and didn't get to backpacking. we spent the weekend in pigeon creek which was nice but not what i had in mind.”

“I received my backpacking permit today.

A big "thanks" to everyone doing the homework for this trip.”

“Got mine in the mail today also.

Little gas, little beef jerky, extra pair of wool socks and I'm all set”

“this is going to be a great weekend! thanks everyone for being so sporting on some of the little uncertainties.”

“Hey, it's "scratch & dent" and clearance sale weekend at all REI stores, if anyone is interested.”

“That would be awesome if I didn't spend all my money last night at the scratch and dent sale down at my little local strip club.

It ain't pretty, but what the hell, it's a night out.”

“Lorax -- haven't we talked about this!? Damn.... after all that expensive therapy. Back to the drawing board......
last edited: 12/29/07 8:17:23 AM”

“lol! well, a man has to have his priorities i guess...”

“That's why I hate strip bars. It's like paying to see a used auto show at Crazy Jim's!
last edited: 12/29/07 12:48:34 PM”

“I only went due to conflicting work schedules over the holiday. By going, I got to enjoy a night out AND give Mom her christmas card.”

“LOL! Please tell me she wasn't dancing there!”

“Not dancing, more like just swaying and shaking it a little. She's been fighting off the flu, poor sweet thing.”