January 13 Trail Report

After a mild start to our winter weather, with temperatures remaining consistently above freezing, it appears that we have now finally settled into our more customary freeze/thaw pattern. The 10-day forecast indicates an astonishingly consistent weather pattern with daytime temperatures set in the low 40s and overnight temps getting down into the mid-20s.

As everyone is surely already aware, weather patterns such as these bring about trail conditions that are frozen solid early in the morning but give way to exceptionally muddy trail conditions by late morning/early afternoon when abundant sunshine thaws out the surface soils. As our recent trail observations indicate, we are well into this pattern currently. Trail closures (as indicated on the Ridge to Rivers Interactive Map: https://www.ridgetorivers.org/trails/interactive-map/) are in full effect in areas identified as exceedingly muddy year after year. It is also best to avoid the heaviest clay soil areas of our system including trails around Table Rock, the Military Reserve (other than all-weather trails), and trails located west of Bogus Basin Road.

Ultimately, you will find the most consistently usable trail conditions early every morning when soils are frozen solid. Thawing times when temperatures do rise above freezing will vary slightly each day, primarily depending upon cloud cover, but expect to find a lot of muddy trail locations around the system if you are getting out on the trails beyond the early morning. Muddy trail etiquette, as always, should be in effect and please turn around if you do come across muddy sections of trail. All-weather and sandy surface trails will provide you with the most reliable conditions for which to recreate even when the ground has thawed for the day. Please find a list of these trail on the Wet Weather and Winter Trail Use webpage here: https://www.ridgetorivers.org/trail-guide/trail-etiquette/wet-weather-and-winter-trail-use/.