snobuilder
Well-known member
Just blame it on sledders....they are used to getting it in the can.
Ban the can
- Thread starter mtb1115
- Start date
Actually, it was not the sleds, but the groomers. The metal cleats on the old New Hollands would tear up the stretch at the very top that got windblown and would not hold snow. We now use PistenBullys exclusively on Brockway (have been for 4 seasons), as they have all rubber tracks. The damage is no longer happening.
Also, the issue caused by the groomers was a stretch of around 100-200 yards long up by the gift shop where the wind scours the snow away. We also put up some snow fencing to try and stop the scouring of snow from that spot and it has helped some. So it is not the entirety of Brockway Mountain Drive. The rest is covered in feet of snow all winter and protected by that. The rest of the damage on the drive is from normal wear and tear by summer traffic.
This comes first hand from a board member of the club that does the grooming and someone that has worked on the issue and is close personal friends with the Chief Engineer of the County Road Commission, who's initials are JD.
-John
Yes, I guess the grooming method was the big issue up there. Sadly, the grooming and promotion of the snowmobile trails have made them popular to the point that some locals no longer ride those trails because of the craziness that can occur out there. Abusive riders are not necessarily loud riders, but oftentimes they are. I personally think that avoiding the trails because of that is a little extreme, and found that timing is the key if you want to find some enjoyment of solitude.
I'm curious, what "JD" (either one) has to say about where the money is going to come from to repair Brockway Mountain Drive and a few other of our local roads that are in dire straits. I would like to see money come in from sources from outside the area that benefit from the tourism industry. In a way, I guess that includes all of us in the big picture. It would be nice if some sort of grant money would be available. They do that for new trails, but apparently not roads.
Yikes .....road repairs suck in Phelps, WI too.... state holds towns to skinny budgets nothing to do with year round tourists. If all about tourism industry then tax those industries. In my experience tourists don't care about use tax or room tax just pay the bill & enjoy themselves. This is what Rhinelader ,WI is doing & their roads SUCK! Just about every hotel I stay at along interstate has a local room tax & why I ask for hotel rate with bottom line only. Usually going to be $9-12 for 2 people for $95 room with arp discount or whatever discounts I can apply.
I have no idea what the answer is, that goes way beyond what I know about both problems and solutions. I do know that roads are always being resurfaced in Keweenaw County. I am not sure if seasonal roads get different support levels from the state or not. I have not been on Brockway Mtn Drive in the summer in several years, so I do not know what kind of shape it is in. Cliff Drive is also in pretty rough shape, but Mohawk-Gay is brand new and Gay to Pt Isabelle is also very nice, yet Pt Isabelle to Lac La Belle is in rough shape. I guess the bottom line is that I think the county is doing a great job (a big smiley for Craig) with how they keep up the roads. It would be nice to have them all in tip-top shape, but we have to remember what kind of condition the state is coming from financially in the recent past.
-John
I agree that the county road commission is doing as good job as possible with the dwindling money. I also feel that the trail groomers are doing an excellent job up here and that the Piston Bully is an improvement.
The answer to the funding dilemma is that either the roads continue to deteriorate with patchwork repairs or more money comes in, which usually means increased taxes. I generally don't mind paying taxes if it means an improvement in our quality of life, but I am still hoping that we can come up with some creative ideas to increase revenue without higher taxes but that is a challenge.
What becomes a bitter pill to swallow is when people come up here with their intentionally obnoxious behavior (like using those ridiculously loud cans or roosting driveways or trenching the groomed trails) and act like the locals are supposed to "eat it and smile" because of all the money they spend. I'm wondering where all that money is.
roads are same story every place . sleds have very little impact on the roads. and I am guessing the gas tax alone from sleds would more than cover a the chip seal that would be needed every 8 yrs or so at crossings and such.
heck one of the most busy stretches of road in Minneapolis {Hennepin ave from 394 to like 24th} is so bad it sets off at least 1 air bag a yr. but we don't fix it . why when U can use that money for bike paths and trains? same chit diff town .
heck one of the most busy stretches of road in Minneapolis {Hennepin ave from 394 to like 24th} is so bad it sets off at least 1 air bag a yr. but we don't fix it . why when U can use that money for bike paths and trains? same chit diff town .
Same here agree nothing to do with sleds more to do with skinny budgets & lots of roads to maintain. Also 2 hard winters in a row caused lots of potholes everywhere & I mean everywhere up north. Lately I hear people blaming motorsports for everything they don't like on water & land. I hear them out then walk away thinking you REALLY believe that BS or just playing blame game because it suits your agenda? I think you know the answer but these peeps are so intolerant it is like talking to a wall.
yet they call them self tolerant and compassionate they are more than willing to give away some one other than there own rights for the greater good.
Save the can ****. My camp is a 1/2 mile from the trail. When there is snow in Wis,Min,and lower Mich,you wouldn't know it's there. When the UP is the only place with snow??? It sounds like a bee hive at my camp a half mile from the trail. Sledding is a cash cow to the sledding states. They are logging heavy up by my camp. They were making all sorts of racket and tearing up roads with there 100k logging trucks. So my flat lander *** should get that logging thing shut down,after all ,it's hurting the roads, tourism,and quaulity of life for the Yoopers.
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I apologize to 99% of the Yoopers for my last post. They get it. I went through the Silver Mountain Area last weekend. There were no ORV signs on every public road I came across. Yet that public land was having roads cut in and it was being heavily logged? Save the bull chet. So my orv does more damage than a D9 ,a skiddster,a processor and a logging Truck? I have no problem with selective logging on public land. It helps prevent forest fires among other things. My problem is with those that want there cake and eat it to. At the end of the day,all that logging helped pay for those no ORV signs. How stupid is this??!
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lenny
Guest
I saw a guy come over a hill with brights on and blinded a deer, ran that sucker over and injured deer, dude was packing and put it out of its misery. I saw we ban brights and guns, deer lives matter!
It all comes down to education. If you have a can, take it easy going through town and near houses, 99% of problems will be avoided. Some house will not been seen on outskirts and owner will be ticked. Both sides ought to make some allowances for eachother. Some old people hate anything loud and some riders with cans brap away to impress themselves,,,,stupidity. Woodtick, my old Mtn Max can sure sing with the triple pipes but if you takes it easy its a non-issue and they improved the hp over 20, really woke that sled up.
It all comes down to education. If you have a can, take it easy going through town and near houses, 99% of problems will be avoided. Some house will not been seen on outskirts and owner will be ticked. Both sides ought to make some allowances for eachother. Some old people hate anything loud and some riders with cans brap away to impress themselves,,,,stupidity. Woodtick, my old Mtn Max can sure sing with the triple pipes but if you takes it easy its a non-issue and they improved the hp over 20, really woke that sled up.
no no I think we have to ban to the root no more driving . we are killing our mother earth . I know I saw it on the debates the other night
I
Ban it all like stated by myself and everyone else if it's not one thing it's another we all joke about it but it's the scary truth. I think it's true that local business do get a big help from sledders they bring lots of money specially when the yoop is the only place with good snow. But even they get frustrated we all do from time to time. Not a whole lot any of us can do besides be respectful of land owners and business owners alike... I think things would change if more owners knew there were groups like us here that think the way that we do
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