Gates for snowmobile trail open: all that?s needed is more white stuff
Who can blame members of the Sno Trails Club of Presque Isle County and other snowmobile enthusiasts for being a little jealous of the mega-amounts of snow which were socking other parts of Michigan this week? The upper peninsula received its share, the northwest snowbelt was getting hit, and even Port Huron was getting bombed earlier this week.
PORT HURON has more snow than Presque Isle County? For now, but that all could change with some moisture and a strong northeast wind.There is a positive side: there wasn?t any snow in the county a week ago, now there is a few inches, and the snowmobile gates on the old D & M railroad grades are open for the season. But now that the county has received some snow, more is needed to really get snowmobile riders excited. The opening of the snowmobile gates on the new trail from Hawks to Alpena is a significant event for the county because it opened a whole new area of travel.
SNOWMOBILERS will be able to ride their sleds from Alpena to Mackinaw City. In years past, according to club members, users would travel to Hawks to unload their snowmobiles. The Sno Trails Club had a meeting at the Posen Community Center November 26 to update people in the Posen and the surrounding area as to what was going on. It was extremely well-received and the response has been positive since the session.
?The public just wasn?t being informed by the DNR (Department of Natural Resources),? said Bruce Grant, Sno Trails vice president.
Attending the meeting were about 45 people. It included officials from the city of Rogers City; the Posen business community; Mary Ann Heidemann, County Development Commission director; and representatives from other snowmobile clubs in northern Michigan.
?WE HAD a really good response,? said Grant. ?We had good comments on the meeting. There are even people who have come forward offering their assistance.?
Now if there only could be a little more help from the weather.
?All we need is a layer of snow,? said Grant. ?Everything is ready to go.?
Members of the Sno Trails Club will have a booth at the Sportsmen?s Show in Onaway his weekend. The club will be informing the public about the trails? routes. They?ll also have one of their groomers set up. The show begins Friday at Onaway High School. The show runs through Sunday in Onaway.
by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor
