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@benny7210 wrote:

O.K. My plan for this trip is…Ice would be nice BUT if not I’m still going. I’ll just make the walk along the shore and make the best of it. I hope everyone else does the same. Looking foward to seeing you all again.

We’re in for sure too. I’d really like to go on the ice, but it will be a fun and interesting trek either way.

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@kansas64 wrote:

Geez, the Milwaukee River Downtown is more frozen over than those pictures. And I would never try crossing the river.
Seems strange I hate cold weather yet I am hoping for some so it freezes enough

Yeah,

But it is Wisconsin, it is winter, it’ll freeze. 😉

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@RickBlick & Chick wrote:

I’m looking at making it on this expedition! Two finds this weekend and the pictures show there is NO ice to walk on yet!

Well Rick you bring good news and bad news. Really good news you might make the expedition but really bad news that there is NO ice at all right now! I looked at the pictures and that is water. The caves have some cool ice formations but there is no walking along the bottom right now. We need some cold weather! We’d probably still go as we’re looking forward to the trip but we may end up walking along the top too!

Check out the latest photos here.

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@Trekkin’ and Birdin’ wrote:

OPS, We tried to approach Pratts in the fall, and the “road,” if you could call it that (Happy Hollow) was so bad, I’m not even sure I’d have tried it with an ATV. We figured sometime when we had more time, we’d park at the start of that road and start hiking. I know not everyone is willing to hoof it a mile or more, but with enough time, it could be fun. It could certainly qualify for epic, I think.

The rock one might be possible in the winter, depending on how the snow piles up. It was one of the best of this type we’ve ever found, very cleverly done.

I would be interested in trying this if we can find enough time. It would be epic as I did some measuring and going from the intersection of Happy Hollow and following the “road” would be over two miles (one way) of breaking trail through deep northwoods snow AND some serious uphill. From some of the winter logs it sounds like there are snowmobile trails that could be used to save a lot of trail breaking. I can’t find a Bayfield county snowmobile map to download. But we should explore this as a possibility if you folks make it for the trip.

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@furfool wrote:

Unless I missed something, the assault date is March 6th, right?

Yes- March 6th,

I added another thread under the announcement section as the details keep getting left behind in back pages of this thread.

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@Woody 1 wrote:

Biotreker and I are interested if we are free when it happens.

Hope it works out for you to go along.

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Congrats,

Glad we could be along for the hike to your milestone!

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@Trekkin’ and Birdin’ wrote:

That one will very likely be tough in winter. It’s a good one, though.

There’s one we want to do that will probably involve quite a hike, Pratt’s Peak. Also the breakwaters in Ashland.

We’re still hoping we can make this, but are learning that trying to plan for anything is really a challenge for us these days. If it’s not one thing, it’s another, as we learned yesterday with the much anticipated Wet Maze outing.

There is one winter find and one winter maintenance log on Pratt’s Peak but it’s not very clear on where one could make winter access. Just off of Happy Hollow Road maybe? Click on the topo map option, think snowshoes, and be afraid- very afraid. 🙂

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Looking over the area for other possible caches to do. This one looks interesting but probably winter impossible?

Big Rock

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Thanks to Jim and Linda for setting up today’s outing and for the hot chocolate after. We enjoyed the hike, the area, and getting to see folks we knew as well as meeting some we hadn’t met before.

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I notice a lot of folks are making reservations at the Seagull as we have. Just to be certain you know- it is a simple motel type thing. No breakfast, and part of the place is a few blocks down the street and is actually a redone residence. But we stayed in that part last June and we were quite happy. Just so you know and aren’t surprised. It’s not a big hotel with inside hallways.

Hope those of you thinking about it are able to make it. If we just get some decent weather it should be a fantastic weekend. I noticed as soon as I mentioned Zuma might try the polar plunge he pretty much disappeared off the thread. What’s up with that? 🙄

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Dang, this is looking like more and more fun all the time…

FYI though, remember this may or may not be a hike where snowshoes are useful. But, for all you folks that just purchased some snowshoes- I’m sure we can find a spot that around those parts where you’ll REALLY need them.

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Still working out a few details but 90% sure we’re in for this one.

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@benny7210 wrote:

Reservations were made yesterday at Seagull Bay in Bayfield. Can’t wait for the hike in. 😀 😀

Great! I’m going to look around for some other caches that we could try to get while we’re in the area too.

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Okay,

Here is how plans are shaping up. We are going to stay in Bayfield both Friday and Saturday nights (March 5, 6th). There is the winter event going on that weekend and some of the goings on with that sound interesting and fun. On Friday night they close some of the steepest roads in town for sledding (c’mon, sledding down the street and not looking out for the law? 😀 ), there are dog sled races, kite snowboarding, and on Saturday night there is a bonfire dance with live music and drinks served (Maybe that would be a fun Saturday night activity?). Check it all out here: Bayfield Winter Event.

We are giving up on finding some room to rent to host a Saturday night event. We can either find some local place to meet, take advantage of the bonfire dance with live music, or make some other plan as we go along.

We already have reservations at the Seagull Bay. We stayed there in June of this year and it was fine. It isn’t a fancy place but we were happy. They have some rooms with kitchenettes- and their winter rates are 35 bucks less than what you see on the site. There is one strange cost that both of the places in Bayfield have- 10 dollars a night extra for anyone in the room over 2. So, because it would cost us 20 bucks more for the whole family in one room- and the fact that regular rooms are only 40 bucks a night- we got two rooms for only 20 dollars more a night. They also list a 24 hour cancellation policy.

The other place looks a little nicer-Bayfield Inn -but they cost a bit more and they have a 5-day cancellation policy. If you cancel with less than 5 days notice you get a credit to come stay another time. If there is some monster storm rolling across the state we will not be making the long drive so this policy makes this place less attractive for us.

Cheesehead listed some nice looking cottages: Woodside Cottages. More money but very nice looking.

There are also places in Ashland if you’d rather stay there and drive up. Here are two: AmericInn and Best Western.

I think every place listed says they have wireless internet also.

PS- Just in case there is confusion later on I would like it noted that I never typed the words “Free Beer”. Well, not until just now and even then only to point out I didn’t bring it up. 😉

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