Maasto Hiihto trails run on user fees

By GARRETT NEESE, DMG Writer

HANCOCK - The Maasto Hiihto and Churning Rapids trails in Hancock represent some of the best Nordic skiing to be found anywhere, Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club members say; user funds keep it that way.

Almost all of Maasto Hiihto's revenue comes from sales of day and season passes, said KNSC board member Jay Green. While there is no direct revenue from the city of Hancock, the city covers half the cost of sleds and the employee costs of grooming, gasoline and most repairs. Volunteers spend more than 1,000 hours each fall clearing trails.

The money raised from skiers is plowed back into the trails, said board member and groomer Arlyn Aronson.

"We spend it all on equipment, repairs, maps and bridges," he said. "It all goes back."

Aronson said the club is buying a $9,000 sled, the cost of which they are splitting with the city.

While all local systems have a "free rider" issue, Aronson said, the numerous entry points to the Maasto Hiihto create a larger problem than the others.

The problem escalated during a period in the mid-2000s when the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club stopped work on the trails after an issue with private property in the Swedetown Gorge.

"We got it going again just because we love the trails and didn't want to see it in such bad shape," Aronson said.

Mike Abbott, director of sports and recreation at Michigan Technological University, said the Michigan Tech Trails have a similar problem, though it's hard to quantify.

The number of people buying day passes went up dramatically, Abbott said. The reason? The introduction of a new envelope where a removable flap serves as that day's pass. But Tech, too, relies on the honor system.

"I'm always trying to make it easier for people to buy them and trying to encourage them so they do it," Abbott said.

Maasto Hiihto is also holding a Glide in the Gorge event in March, which Green said is intended to reach out to residents and skiers who might be unfamiliar with the trails.

"We wouldn't exist without the city, at least not at this point in time," he said. "If we get a strong membership like Swedetown has, we can exist without it."

Trail reports and pricing for day and season passes can be found at keweenawtrails.com.

Garrett Neese can be reached at gneese@mininggazette.com.