MCMBA: Proud Lake

[Spinwheel]

Rode loop 1 tonight and was clear - and snow covered. Couple other bike tracks out there. Trail was a bit rougher than normal, presumably frozen horse tracks.

[davedejonge]

Loop 4 has some vines in the way, need a pair of clippers to clean it up, loop 3 is in great shape, frozen and very grippy. no mosquitoes! can't beat this.

[Builder-Bill]

Loop 4 has some vines in the way, need a pair of clippers to clean it up, loop 3 is in great shape, frozen and very grippy. no mosquitoes! can't beat this.

Cut down the vines on Loop 4, All Clear. Trails in good shape with a little wet snow on them.
Bill and Sam the Trail Dog

[J/C]

Loop 1 is good; I hiked it Saturday. Loop 2 has two trees down, nothing you can't step over, but I think one of them might be too much for a hand saw.

[J/C]

Last night I jogged Loop 1 and cleared the trail of branches. 3 trees are down that require sawing. One over by Wixom Rd is a big tangle, the other 2 can be stepped over easily.

[mtbfree]

I'm curious about this trail... I live 20min from Proud Lake, but I've never ridden there. How well marked/easy to follow is the trail? Am I going to get lost if I try and ride there without someone to show me around?

Also, is the trail rideable? Or is it one of those that takes a little longer to dry out early season?

Thanks for the help.

[amadkins]

I'm curious about this trail... I live 20min from Proud Lake, but I've never ridden there. How well marked/easy to follow is the trail? Am I going to get lost if I try and ride there without someone to show me around?

Also, is the trail rideable? Or is it one of those that takes a little longer to dry out early season?

Thanks for the help.

I got lost my first time. Usually takes a bit to dry out, especially loop 4.

[mtbfree]

I'm curious about this trail... I live 20min from Proud Lake, but I've never ridden there. How well marked/easy to follow is the trail? Am I going to get lost if I try and ride there without someone to show me around?

Also, is the trail rideable? Or is it one of those that takes a little longer to dry out early season?

Thanks for the help.

I got lost my first time. Usually takes a bit to dry out, especially loop 4.

Thanks for the tip. Looks like I'll probably just go ride Hickory Glen today since I know it's ready to ride.

[amadkins]

I'm curious about this trail... I live 20min from Proud Lake, but I've never ridden there. How well marked/easy to follow is the trail? Am I going to get lost if I try and ride there without someone to show me around?

Also, is the trail rideable? Or is it one of those that takes a little longer to dry out early season?

Thanks for the help.

I got lost my first time. Usually takes a bit to dry out, especially loop 4.

Thanks for the tip. Looks like I'll probably just go ride Hickory Glen today since I know it's ready to ride.

That's where I'm heading. I'll be the fat dude on a spearfish.

[J/C]

Rode all 4 loops this afternoon. Conditions are good, things are remarkably dry. The only wet area is the last bit of Loop 4 between Childs Lk Rd and RR tracks and even that isn't bad, my legs stayed clean. Some trees on Loop 1 had been cut out with a hand saw (perhaps by equestrians?), the others I broke up and moved off the trail. I should have brought a saw; on Loop 4 I spent at least 10 minutes tearing apart vines and dead branches by hand. I had done about all I could do, the trail was clean save for the 3" thick top section of a fallen ash jutting into the trail about eye level, too strong to break by hand. I was was about to admit defeat when a guy hiked up carrying a full backpack, which happened to contain a folding handsaw (among a bunch of other stuff). We make quick work of the branch.

Since it's still so early, sightlines are great and you can carry more speed than usual.

If anyone wants to try the trail for the first time, I urge you give it a go. Bring a map, you won't really need it, but it will make you feel more confident about the exploring you're about to do. You will most definitely get "lost" at least once by taking a wrong turn off one of the main loops. Loop 4 is the worst for that. But you will either cut the loop short or end up in someone's backyard, it would be hard to really get lost. Remember each loop is about 2 miles. It might seem like you're out in the middle of nowhere, but chances are, you're withing a few hundred feet of a road or backyard or the railroad tracks. Now is a great time to explore, because you can see a lot further into the woods since the leaves aren't out. The DNR has signposts with maps on all the loops. It would save ya some time to get a guided tour, so post here if you're interested. Besides me and the TC Bill, there are a few of us locals that could show ya around.

Happy Trails,
John
Assistant Trail Coordinator

[mtbfree]

If anyone wants to try the trail for the first time, I urge you give it a go. Bring a map, you won't really need it, but it will make you feel more confident about the exploring you're about to do. You will most definitely get "lost" at least once by taking a wrong turn off one of the main loops. Loop 4 is the worst for that. But you will either cut the loop short or end up in someone's backyard, it would be hard to really get lost. Remember each loop is about 2 miles. It might seem like you're out in the middle of nowhere, but chances are, you're withing a few hundred feet of a road or backyard or the railroad tracks. Now is a great time to explore, because you can see a lot further into the woods since the leaves aren't out. The DNR has signposts with maps on all the loops. It would save ya some time to get a guided tour, so post here if you're interested. Besides me and the TC Bill, there are a few of us locals that could show ya around.

Happy Trails,
John
Assistant Trail Coordinator

Thanks for the info! Glad to hear the trail is in good shape... I'm thinking about heading out there after work today. I'll probably get there around 5:30 (hopefully)... I should be OK without a guide as I'm pretty good at reading maps but if anyone is planning to be there anyway, I wouldn't turn down a guided ride.

[davedejonge]

Rode all 4 loops this afternoon.

If anyone wants to try the trail for the first time, I urge you give it a go. Bring a map, you won't really need it, but it will make you feel more confident about the exploring you're about to do. You will most definitely get "lost" at least once by taking a wrong turn off one of the main loops. Loop 4 is the worst for that. But you will either cut the loop short or end up in someone's backyard, it would be hard to really get lost.

Get lost in a backyard... thats my house! I am on loop 3 at the top of the wall and before the 3 moguls.
If your looking for directions or need some help stop by.

Dave

[mtbfree]

Well, I forgot my mmba version of the map, but managed to find my way around using the sign-posts that are out there. Rode loops 3 and 4 out of order and definitely made a couple small detours. This could be a really fun trail if it wasn't for the hoof-prints everywhere (not that it wasn't fun, just that it could be soo much better without the horses).

[wompasaurus]

im going to have to give this trail a try. if anyones down to give me a tour, im completely new to riding just got a bike yesterday. ive never been on a trail so ill be slow but ill do my best to keep up. thanks

nick

[Hermannator]

Nick- If I were you, and I was new to riding, I might try Island Lake or something like it first. Proud Lake is great, but it is very "old school", hilly, sandy and easy to get lost in. However, I often ride there and would be happy to give you a tour. Usually I do a triangle from the Milford trail to portions of Proud Lake and then down the Kensington Connector and back up the paved trail to Milford. The K-Connector would be a really good place to try out that new bike, but it can be hard to find.- Tom