OK so while we are in the deep freeze the next few days with just lake effect. It’s time for one simple question that will answer a lot of other questions associated with it: WHAT HAPPENED?
This trip was planned relatively last minute. Even on January 3rd, the morning I called the ongoing lake effect event a “generational event”, there was no snow on the ground before that. It was warm before that the week between Christmas and New Years. Then the first 5 days of 2025, Oswego, Oneida, Herkimer, Fulton and Montgomery Counties got to see lake effect snows not seen in this area since the Blizzard of 1966. It was absolutely amazing. Utica officially only got 18.5″ of snow, which was low compared to what they got just a few miles north and west (double that). Rome, where the observations are for everything else BUT snow got like 3-4 feet. Camden got closer to 5. And Stokes Hill, the hill between Rome to the south and Tug Hill to the north, recorded what had to have been a record: 75 inches. Over 6 feet! I am not sure what his all time records have been for snow. But I am sure of one thing: If it was not it, he was dang close!
So with all of this generational to historic snowfall in the areas we like to ride in, we decided to make hay while the sun was shining. And go. We made plans to leave Tuesday afternoon 1/14 after Zack got out of work. We would head to Lynchburg, stay overnight, then head up to Utica on Wednesday 1/15. We would set up and stay overnight then. On Thursday 1/16, this was RIDE DAY. We would focus more north and west, heading up to the Tug Hill and back. We would average between 125 and 150 miles that day. On Friday 1/17, we would ride but more locally in the CNY area, north of the Mohawk Valley through Penn Mountain, Ohio Ridge Riders, Salisbury Ridge Runners, and Deerfield Snow Trails. Maybe a few other clubs, but those four would be the main thing. If we could ride Saturday, we would. We would head to church on Sunday 1/19 then be heading home and get home today, Monday 1/20. At least, that was the plan.
We started exactly as we wanted to. We left around 2 PM on Tuesday 1/14 and reached Lynchburg just before 7 PM that evening. We enjoyed a lite dinner and fellowship with Chrissy and Judy. Chrissy is our sister in law. Judy Bowman is the Director for Wheel Power Christian Cyclists in Lynchburg, VA since 1993.
On Wednesday 1/15, we headed out at 7 AM to get breakfast then head straight up to Central NY. Everything during the rest of the trip went according to plan. We entered Upstate NY right around 3 PM EST and got to Utica around 5 PM EST, just around sunset. By the time we got there, got things we needed at Walmart, then got to our location, it was pitch black. It was very cold compared to what we are used to in South Carolina. And it was windy. Double Whammy!
THE RIDE
The next morning on Thursday 1/16 we got up to go ride. We made sure we were up early enough to get done everything we needed. We got out of there in time to grab ourselves Stewart’s Eggwiches! Then we made our way to Hudon’s at 8 AM for their opening. You see, they had a very important piece of equipment on their shelves: A HELMET. Zack desperately needed a new helmet since we had sold out of all of our helmets in 2020 and used friends helmets in 2022 when we came up then, prior to my stroke. He went in, got two other minor things he needed. Then he looked at one black helmet. It was amazing! It was so perfect! But looking at the prices of all the other helmets there I figured we were looking at easily $250 to $300, if not over $400 just for the helmet itself. Not counting anything else. Zack brought it up to the counter since it had no tag on it and asked how much it was. It took the man about 2-3 minutes to look it up. He then said $119. Zack immediately said YES I WILL TAKE IT! As for me, I was stunned! I was thinking alarms were about to go off! But Zack got everything he needed for just over $200 and we were on our way to Mike Spadaro’s!
Spadaro is a very hard working man. He is in his 40s now with a wife and three kids he is raising. He has totally come into his own and absolutely loved to ride with people whenever he can. We got there, got dressed which took the better part of an hour, then finally got ourselves ready to ride. By this point it was 9:30 AM. But we were finally able to ride and we were off! We are just on the north edge of Remsen off C4. We took the local trail over to the actual C4, then headed north towards Alder Creek. You would think Remsen to Alder Creek is about 7 miles. On snowmobile, it’s more like 20 miles. All kinds of stops. All kinds of ups and downs. The trail conditions were excellent and the speeds were good. We then made it to Alder Creek for a stop for gas and treats. By the time we left Alder Creek it was almost 11 AM.
FOPO 
We then made our way up C7 into, of all places FOPO. If there ever is a place that could be called ENEMY TERRITORY for Upstate Snow, this would be it. Particularly in my younger days in the 2010s, I had several run ins with several folks here, particularly a man who runs FOPO SNOW. He started it strictly because of me. I guess I should be honored! Even though his forecasting style different than mine and his fun style is, well, lets just say, different than mine! I have been married 24 years this year with 4 kids, one of them an excellent adult and is now my sidekick on Upstate Snow, ZACK!
We continued to run up the feeder canal all the way up to Boonville, then continued north into Lewis County. As we continued to climb higher and higher, the snow was just as deep, averaging 20-40 inches. After turning around in Constableville due to a closed trail, we found our way back on the trails which put us up on to Tug Hill. While we were going through the Southern Tug Hill Sno-Riders, we noticed bumps. They were not all out moguls. Yet. But it was more than enough to let us know they were there. Once we hit the Turin Ridge Riders system, it was BUTTER! The whole way up the TRR and Valley systems were absolutely pure butter! The snow was good, the riding was absolutely awesome and fast, but we were starting to get hungry. And I needed my midday pills. So we found our way over to Timberview around 1 PM, which worked perfectly for both lunch and my medicine. Both went down just fine. The conversation was one of a kind. The others with me, Mike Spadaro, Zack Lupia, and Ariella Lupia, were having an awesome time. Me, I was so much more reflective on the day and the situations of the day. I did not speak anywhere near as much as I had wanted to. Or should have. It was just that kind of day. Once we hit the trails again, it was great riding again. For a time blazing through Valley and TRR. It was once we left TRR that things turned on a dime. And for the rest of the trip from there, it was absolutely, positively, TERRIBLE.
MOGUL MADNESS
We re-entered the Southern Tug Hill Sno-Rider system as we were pressing south back towards Oneida County. As soon as we hit STH land, we hit the moguls. What were these moguls? These were left be all the riders prior to us. These moguls would be anywhere generally about a foot but sometimes would get up to 2 to 3 feet in height! Once moguls reach that level, it beats you up and wears you down. Fast. Which is exactly what it was doing to us. By the time we made it to West Leyden for a refuel stop, we were absolutely feeling it. And we still had another like 30 miles to go from there. We needed relief from the moguls. It would come in Oneida County, right? WRONG!
Oneida County, if anything, was worse for the moguls! We ran into deeper snow, but it was all the deep lake effect with no base with it. That means it is a lot easier to mogul it. Which is exactly what happened. Heading down through Lee Center and Stokes Hill, precisely where the 75″ of snow had hit 10 days prior, we didn’t care about it. The moguls were killing us. We crossed the Mohawk River and went up C4 towards Star Hill. It is now sunset and approaching dark. The moguls are absolutely not letting up. And we are wondering when we are getting back. One thing that was happening on my sled: Automatic Shutoff. It was something that was happening every 20-30 miles with my sled. Once it would happen, it would shut down. Then it would start right back up. We continued into the night across Star Hill and back into Penn Mountain where we started. It was pitch black by then. We were making our way down the last few miles of trails in Remsen before returning to Mike Spadaro’s house. Well, almost. At 6:15 PM, at mile marker 125, just 5 miles before the end of the ride, my sled died for a 5th time. This time is totally died. Period. There were four of us on two two-up sleds. There was nothing we could do. We were stuck and stunned. Mike Spadaro got friends to come by quickly and they assisted us. It was in the teens with wind chills near zero. Standing still in that level of cold, especially as a southerner now, is brutal. After 40 miles of mogul punishment, being left dead at the end of the ride sold it for me: I didn’t want to ride again.
Was this just now or was this for good? I am not sure. But I know trying to set up this trip was not easy. This may be an omen for me. It may have been my swan song. Even though I rode 125 miles on Thursday 1/16, 26 years almost to the day of my first snowmobile ride, this day could very well be my last day as a rider. I honestly do not know. This is a decision I will ponder and pray on long and hard over 2025 and beyond. One thing I can assure you of and guarantee you of: UPSTATE SNOW IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE. PERIOD. I have been doing this 13 years. I have passed materials and ownership to my son Zack, who loves to drive and loves to ride. Just like I did once upon a time. But I am older now with health conditions. And time goes on.
FRIDAY A NO GO
When I woke up Friday, I could barely move. Seriously. I could barely move. Particularly in my legs. It was throbbing like it had not since before my stroke. We decided to go to the Lifted Cup Cafe. This place in Barneveld just a few miles from where we were staying, was so perfect for us. There were many folks we had not seen in years. The food was spectacular, a 10/10! We decided after breakfast at the Lifted Cup Cafe, which we ran across so many people I had not seen in years, that we would go for a drive. It was cold. It was snowy. It was just something to do.
We started heading to Poland and then back to Utica. We passed several places including where we used to live from 2009 to 2014, when Upstate Snow was started. After coming into Utica, we doodled around town for a little bit. Then made a big decision: Head for Syracuse for Destiny USA. We had called several friends to meet us, but unfortunately, none were available. So we made our way from New Hartford back to Canastota, to see our house from 2014-2016 then took a brief break in Wampsville. We then continued to Syracuse to Destiny USA where we spent a few hours together. We had a bite to eat and enjoyed min-golf. Then we made arrangements to head back to Wampsville to meet up with the Rosati’s! Steve, Julie and family are so crazy yet so loving! We had an awesome time there with them. We then made it home by dark to meet up with Bonnie then head down to Carmella’s for dinner.
It was a place I would always go to while in town but had not recently. Some of my friends and family had not done so in over 10 years! We had a great time for dinner, a great time for fellowship, and I had a great time with Teale! I have known her over 30 years. She has been teaching over 20 years. She is a very funny and amazing woman, married with kids, and a joy to be around. After some of the best Chicken Riggies I have had in a long time, we settled up and left off the day on a very good note.
GET OUT OF TOWN. NOW.
The next morning, Saturday 1/18, I got up and tried to look at the latest forecasts. Since it had been 3 days since we had gotten there, the mind starts to get a little cloudy. Over the previous 24 hours, the models on the storms said it was going to be a major winter storm on Sunday 1/19. Basically from Binghamton all the way to North Carolina, all that way, expect a minimum of 4-8 if not 6-12 of snow. During the day Sunday and into Sunday Night when we were traveling. Followed by strong winds and brutal cold. I absolutely did not want that.
I had one chance to get out. And I took it. I packed up and cleaned up as quickly as I could. Made sure everything was ready to go. Mark Enjem and his boys were there to get me for breakfast, which we still did, only this time, I made sure I went some place before heading home. O’Scugnizzo’s! I had to have a #7 to take home since I didn’t have one there. We took it, had a great time with the workers there whom still remember when I was on TV 20 years ago, and then got out of town. We left at 10:40 AM. We only made three stops the entire trip down. 13 hours and 20 minutes later at exactly Midnight, we arrived back home here in Simpsonville, SC.
THE TAKEAWAYS
Doing trips like this is not for the faint of heart. It takes coordination, skills, and dedication to do this. Doing trips like this tests our abilities. My mom and younger kids were very nervous with me going up. Not sure how I would react or if I would be OK doing it. Thank God I was. I have learned a lot more about myself and snowmobiling. I had a lot more peripheral vision before the stroke. Now I don’t. This is one of the main things that has me disabled now. I still can’t believe after 2 1/2 years that I am disabled and probably will be the rest of my life. But I am. I have no idea what happens to Upstate Snow from here. One thing I can absolutely guarantee you: It will not go dark like Tik Tok did yesterday for a time. Tik Tok looks like it will be back for everyone shortly. Upstate Snow has been around 13 years. The chain of ownership has already been established to my son Zack. This is to ensure that Upstate Snow will survive beyond me. And that should be to you, the best news of all.
Zack and Rich Lupia
Upstate Snow
January 20, 2025
Please thank our advertisers on Upstate Snow for 2024-25
Banner Sponsorship
Great Lakes Equipment
Enjem’s Flooring America
Ohio Ridge Riders
ilsnow.com
Southern Tug Hill Sno-Riders
Saratoga Snowmobile Association
Business Sponsorship
Wedge Life
Paton & Son Excavating and Landscaping
Personal Sponsorship
Jim and Colleen Andre
