goofy600
Well-known member
Yes and for sale.
Skyview Lodge closed??
- Thread starter IOWASLEDDER
- Start date
pclark
Well-known member
Yes, I would refer you to Aqualand Brewery, not a bad place and they have good food and tap beers, nice people.
Extreme northwest Vilas has always been full of tree hugger greenies that hate chain saws and leaf blowers it disturbs their serenity now emotions. Lol. I was apparently well advised to not purchase real estate in that area. DNR loves those folks and the DNR in Vilas always in bed with liberals regarding their agendas. Greenies get their rocks off in Vilas best to be east of Eagle River away from the fun police.
goofy600
Well-known member
Good news that in Presque Isle they finally got enough youth that wants to see the town survive that they have been able to vote out some of the old people and get things moving in the right direction for the town (ie allowing Atv’s). Real good owners of the PI pub very involved with clubs and the power sport people.
That’s super good Presque Isle used to be one of the worst ever! I just couldn’t take those people and their views. If it had an engine or made noise they would hang you in the town square like a trophy buck. Lol.
FYI
At the current time there is no atv/utv allowed on town roads or county roads in the towns of Winchester, Boulder Junction and Manitowish Waters. Mostly it voted down by the people of these towns.
I feel the biggest problem is lack of any kind of a trail system in this area and the people don’t want them on the roads.
At the current time there is no atv/utv allowed on town roads or county roads in the towns of Winchester, Boulder Junction and Manitowish Waters. Mostly it voted down by the people of these towns.
I feel the biggest problem is lack of any kind of a trail system in this area and the people don’t want them on the roads.
Some good news for the Winchester area is that the Bear Bar location opened back up as lodging only, I think they can accommodate up to 25 people for larger groups of snowmobilers.
Here are some other establishments in the area the Outpost, PI pub, The Yacht Club, Zastrows, Thirty Point Tavern
Here are some other establishments in the area the Outpost, PI pub, The Yacht Club, Zastrows, Thirty Point Tavern
snobuilder
Well-known member
LOL I think you are right on....I always felt that B. Junc. was designed by liberal women and those that would marry them.
Great spot for a subaru dealership.
allpolaris
Member
Supposedly, the word on the street is several geriatric set individuals make massive yearly donations (Pay-offs) to the town of Boulder Junction dictators in charge, to keep the motorized recreation out of their town.
IOWASLEDDER
Active member
They are open very very limited hours I believe. I enjoy stopping there if they are open. I remember my parents telling me back in the day they would go to Zastrow's for the world championship chicken pooping contest. I remember my mom coming home from a trip one time with a
button that she was the world champion chicken pooping winner!
goofy600
Well-known member
Is the Thirty point Tavern open? Last year the couple times I went by they were closed and it looked shut down. Maybe just my timing but sure didn’t look like they were open at all.
Thirty point opens at 10 am. Closed on Tuesdays. They also close mid-February for about a week because they have a side gig working the R/V show in Chicago.
Living in Presque Isle for about 6 months a year, I have to defend it a little bit. I have been up there since 1989 and yes there were a lot of tree huggers that adamantly opposed ATV's. They lost that battle. The Presque Isle/Winchester Sno Bunnie snowmobile club is great. They have numerous trail parties throughout the season and even do a mid-week guided trail ride around the area where you don't have to worry too much about running into the weekend warriors that come up to grab the throttle and set mileage and speed records for a few days. The club also does an excellent job of trail grooming. I don't know of one business that is not extremely thankful and supportive of riders that bring cash into the community for food, lodging, booze, gas, etc.
dfattack
Well-known member
if you only knew how funny that was!
goofy600
Well-known member
Must have just been my timing last year, good to know.
Not sure about the ATV, UTV or SxS thing - but I do know about the snowmobile thing in this area. I have been riding in this area since the late 90's. I know Adam Johnson and his family well. Our group used to rent a house from Adam's Mom for larger group weekends. I, too, used to check out Adam's "trail ride" for accurate snow conditions - he was one of the first. Adam and his wife have new careers and still live and work in the area. They are both just awesome people, as are their kids. Staying at the Skyview was cool - perfect location and open early for breakfast.
As for the sled riding in PI, the new (actually, not-so-new now) crew running the Snowbunnies are doing an incredible job. The prior Club was developed by some serious sledders and they built a great system, but the new group has really kicked things into high gear with serious work and capital investment into the Club operations and the trails. (I love the new logo and motto: "Fear the Bunnies!")
I get what people are saying about Manitowish Waters - a good friend of mine just bought property there and we have been sledding there since the late 90's as well. There are some facilities in that town that are not really for snowmobilers (like the fabulous cross-country ski trails and warming house). One could get the impression that they are all a bunch of tree-huggers and are not friendly to sledders. However, the snowmobile trail system through there is fantastic. Many of their trails are groomed twice a day on the weekends. The local businesses, including some rather "upscale" accommodations, are VERY snowmobile friendly. These include The Lodge, Pea Patch, Anglers, Little Bohemia, Aberdeen Lodge, Chippewa Retreat, The Rustic, and even the very expensive and upscale Smokeys. Manitowish Waters has a specially plowed trailer parking lot for everyone to use and the gas station in town sells both MI and WI trail passes, as well as all brands of oil, spark plugs, etc... . More importantly, the non-sledder crowd is very friendly and fun-loving when you meet them out-and-about town in the evenings. I really get the feeling that they're there -as we are - just to have fun in the great outdoors in the Wintertime.
Finally, as for Boulder Junction, I get what you're saying about some of the locals. I even know one who has lived there for generations and has always hated snowmobiles because of the noise and "exhaust fumes" - and yes, she's a liberal tree-hugger. But she, and her like-minded residents, lost that battle years ago and that isn't going to change. However, some of the local businesses have had troubles recently and were forced to close. Not really economic, either: Boulder Beer Bar had a devastating fire and they really haven't recovered even though they were covered by insurance and (I think) they rebuilt. The little old lady who ran the Outdoorsman passed away. Other establishments there are still thriving, such as the Granary, Headwaters, Gooch's - and the accommodations are still great. Yes, trail access through town is limited to marked streets and trails only, but the access trails are excellent and are well groomed - especially lately (the last few years).
To be sure, folks at this end of Vilas County are a little different from the hugely snowmobile friendly locations in some other parts of the County or in Iron County. Nevertheless, they're up here to have a good time and the few that look down their well (re)constructed noses at us sledders can go suck some Subaru exhaust. The businesses in the area really appreciate snowmobiling and what it does for the local economy - even businesses that really cater to the snowshoe crowd. I have always loved riding in this area and continue to use Manitowish Waters as our base of operations for both family and "guys" group rides.
As for the sled riding in PI, the new (actually, not-so-new now) crew running the Snowbunnies are doing an incredible job. The prior Club was developed by some serious sledders and they built a great system, but the new group has really kicked things into high gear with serious work and capital investment into the Club operations and the trails. (I love the new logo and motto: "Fear the Bunnies!")
I get what people are saying about Manitowish Waters - a good friend of mine just bought property there and we have been sledding there since the late 90's as well. There are some facilities in that town that are not really for snowmobilers (like the fabulous cross-country ski trails and warming house). One could get the impression that they are all a bunch of tree-huggers and are not friendly to sledders. However, the snowmobile trail system through there is fantastic. Many of their trails are groomed twice a day on the weekends. The local businesses, including some rather "upscale" accommodations, are VERY snowmobile friendly. These include The Lodge, Pea Patch, Anglers, Little Bohemia, Aberdeen Lodge, Chippewa Retreat, The Rustic, and even the very expensive and upscale Smokeys. Manitowish Waters has a specially plowed trailer parking lot for everyone to use and the gas station in town sells both MI and WI trail passes, as well as all brands of oil, spark plugs, etc... . More importantly, the non-sledder crowd is very friendly and fun-loving when you meet them out-and-about town in the evenings. I really get the feeling that they're there -as we are - just to have fun in the great outdoors in the Wintertime.
Finally, as for Boulder Junction, I get what you're saying about some of the locals. I even know one who has lived there for generations and has always hated snowmobiles because of the noise and "exhaust fumes" - and yes, she's a liberal tree-hugger. But she, and her like-minded residents, lost that battle years ago and that isn't going to change. However, some of the local businesses have had troubles recently and were forced to close. Not really economic, either: Boulder Beer Bar had a devastating fire and they really haven't recovered even though they were covered by insurance and (I think) they rebuilt. The little old lady who ran the Outdoorsman passed away. Other establishments there are still thriving, such as the Granary, Headwaters, Gooch's - and the accommodations are still great. Yes, trail access through town is limited to marked streets and trails only, but the access trails are excellent and are well groomed - especially lately (the last few years).
To be sure, folks at this end of Vilas County are a little different from the hugely snowmobile friendly locations in some other parts of the County or in Iron County. Nevertheless, they're up here to have a good time and the few that look down their well (re)constructed noses at us sledders can go suck some Subaru exhaust. The businesses in the area really appreciate snowmobiling and what it does for the local economy - even businesses that really cater to the snowshoe crowd. I have always loved riding in this area and continue to use Manitowish Waters as our base of operations for both family and "guys" group rides.
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pclark
Well-known member
Marty, Thanks for your opinion on snowmobiling in the Manitowish Waters area. I have been coming up here for 45 years and we bought property here in 2015. I have never met any anti snowmobile people that have businesses in this area and we know many of the bar and restaurant owners personally, they are totally invested in the sport. The MW Snow Skeeters have some of best trails in the county and keep them very smooth and navigable. This is our home now and the people that we have met up here are some of the nicest people around, the ones that stay for the winter, like us, snowmobile all around the area. I guess that people can have opinions about anywhere and that is fine but don't knock until you have come to the area. Our trails get a lot of traffic as we are one of the areas in Wisconsin that is blessed with snow most of the season, same with BJ, Winchester, PI, and south to St. Germain and Oneida County. Please support the clubs and the businesses as they need all the help you can offer. Ride safe this season!
goofy600
Well-known member
Boulder beer bar never burned they just closed, Gooch’s burned and rebuilt and doing well. I will say that western Vilas county has been a little less friendly to the power sports people than the towns to the east. They are opening up some but many are still fighting it. Snowmobiles have been around so long they gave in years ago because it brought money to the area in the winter, summer they have all the lakes and resorts so don’t need the atv/utv crowd for income. But towns like PI have started to get some other people to start making decisions and are opening up to everyone not just the ones that complain the most.