Planning on a trip this weekend. Not sure if it's Sat. or Sun. because of work. Was going to trailer up to Kalkaska, get on 72 and park at the trail head. Want to ride up to Jordan Valley trail( to Deadmans Hill, get gas, and come back down.) How much of a ride is that? Trying to use the scale that the map provides but that's just a guestimate. I know I can handle it but I'm taking a buddy that hasn't rode in a few years. I told him he'll be sore as hell the next day but I don't want to kill him. Hows the snow if you live up there? Sounds like you've been hammered.

Planning on a trip this weekend. Not sure if it's Sat. or Sun. because of work. Was going to trailer up to Kalkaska, get on 72 and park at the trail head. Want to ride up to Jordan Valley trail( to Deadmans Hill, get gas, and come back down.) How much of a ride is that? Trying to use the scale that the map provides but that's just a guestimate. I know I can handle it but I'm taking a buddy that hasn't rode in a few years. I told him he'll be sore as hell the next day but I don't want to kill him. Hows the snow if you live up there? Sounds like you've been hammered.
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went too Larrys last year with snofrog dropped at the 2nd trail head on M-72 we did 172 miles that day, Played around to, when we were up there The Sand pit in Alba The Big Bowl
east of larrys etc..... hope this helps :thumbsup: I bet the ride you want to doo will be around
150 miles! there and back.

I ride in Kalkaska all the time. One of my really close friends just moved up there. He said he had to plow like 2 feet of snow when he got home sunday. I'll be there friday night for sure, the snow sounds great. I don't know how far Jordan Valley is, but those trails are EZ riding, unless they don't get groomed. The cool thing is all the back roads don't get plowed, so you can always hit a snowy back road and head back to the truck.

Depending on trails, and your screwing around factor, I'd plan on 3-4 hours for round trip.
Jordan Valley loop is about 45 minutes drive time, but there are a couple of spots that are kind of scenic, and you may want to spend more time. Lakes of the North to that point is kinda nice for the most part. You may want to swing down to Starvation Lake for a warm up/fuel on the way up or back, not far out of your way at all.

There are some great off trail runs (gas lines, power lines, potatoe fields) that connect those areas too. Even ditch banging on 131 isn't too bad in some spots, and that's where some of the off trail stuff ties back in... I was thinking about trying to go up there this weekend myself, maybe park at Larry's or in Alba.

The gas stations don't have very good (if any) maps of the area. The local bars have all the good ones. Go up 571 north of M-72 to Kiotees bar. They have all the good maps.
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http://www.kiootees.com/

then click on location

OH MY GOSH!!!! I can't beleive the kiotees has a website!!! That is frickin hilarious. My buddy lives 1/4 miles from there. He is down camp tanuga road for those of you that know the area.
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This is my playground area in the lower !!! Mancelona used to get tons of snow what happened!!! w00t
But I still like going there! Heres a pic of me on The BIG power lines that crosses cr571



http://www.snowmobileworld.com/forum/galleryuploads/1108554865/gallery_10493_33_77965.jpg

Thats what it looks like right now!! I'll be in the gas lines tomorrow night, they are just about my buddies back yard. I can't wait. He said the drifts are unbelievable right now. Some are 6' or more. I haven't had my new sled in that much snow ever. Should be fun.
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When I ride off trail up there, I usually start north of kalkaska (mancelona, alba, or larrys) and loop back south to some of the off trail areas. If you start in fife lake or kalkaska, can you go due east from kalkaska and get to some off trail areas?