Some of you may recall in the early days of snowmobiling, the sport was built around riding around your house. Some may have joined a club and the club ride was going for a long trip. Such as a 25-mile trek to a near town. At that time, the few trails we had were open to riding.

That daylong trip to the near town included a stop for lunch and a few trips to change the spark plugs and possibly the drive belt. It was those “long” trips that was the start of one’s “Garage” 2-stroke mechanical engineering future.

As years went by those trips went further. The engine technology, ride suspension and “creature comforts” drastically improved. Trail closure’s started to happen more often – not from riding the trails, but from going off-trail.

What also had major improvements is the snowmobile trail system. This includes trail signing, and trail grooming. What went from home-made signs and bed springs pulled by a snowmobile is now a multi-million dollar business, especially when one considers the millions of dollars that snowmobilers bring to an area.

Snowmobilers today put on hundreds of miles a day. They travel from state to state. Snowmobile touring is a major part of the sport!. That’s why snowmobile trail signing is consistent from state to state. GPS units and mapping assists riders in planning where they will be eating, getting gas and staying for the night.

That is why any closure of a trail, even if it is hundred miles from your business, will have an impact on the numbers of riders coming to an area.

The recent news that one of the main snowmobile trails connecting Ironwood to Wakefield will have an impact on those planning a trip from Northern Wisconsin to the Copper Country.

The press release from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources sheds some light:

A change of ownership at a western Upper Peninsula ski resort has resulted in the probable closure of an important stretch of snowmobile trail managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Gogebic Range Trail Authority in Gogebic County.

Snow River Mountain Resort (formerly Big Snow Resorts also known as Indianhead and Blackjack) – part of Midwest Family Ski Resorts – announced in a Sept. 13 email the resort would no longer allow snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle operation on resort property.

The closure would eliminate trail access between Wakefield and Ironwood, affecting the communities of Bessemer and Ironwood most directly.

Significant hurdles exist to finding a reroute, though DNR, community officials and the Gogebic Range Trail Authority are working hard to find a solution.

Among the obstacles to a reroute are the Black River, Plymouth Pit, large concentrations of private land holdings and only high-traffic paved roadways heading east and west between Wakefield and Bessemer.

“We understand that property owners have the right to revoke access to their land,” said Ron Yesney, DNR Upper Peninsula trails coordinator. “Nearly 50% of our snowmobile trails are on private land; however, this particular closure puts snowmobiling opportunities and connectivity in the western U.P. in a tough spot.”

The DNR will continue to explore options for possible alternate routes and is willing to work with the Snow River Mountain Resort should they reconsider allowing snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles to cross their property.

Again, many in the Copper Country will think that a trail closure this far away is of no significance to our area. This is not the case since so many snowmobilers final destination is the Copper Country, especially Copper Harbor. While there are other ways to go from Northern Wisconsin to the Keweenaw, any trail of this importance that is closed down, will get riders to choose other areas to ride.

The off-road vehicle sport is still in its infancy when it comes to touring. That is why those with foresight years ago began working on an inter-connecting trail system – just like snowmobile trails. This trail closure will also have a negative impact on the increasing economic impact to our tourism economy.

One important step for both snowmobilers and ORV riders is to get involved, join a club and help in the maintenance and safety patrol of the trails, especially the trails on private property. When riders go “off trail” without land-owner’s permission, easements for those trails are pulled.

Please stay on the trails!