VERY UNFORTUNATE NEWS!!! TRAIL 109 is Gone!!!

[2TrakR]

I assume the problem is from Twin lakes down to the Turn around N of Alston. South of the Hi Lines is the Baraga Club.

Club Member said specifically it is the private property on either side of M38.

 

[bonnevier]

The question is will Baraga continue to groom a dead end 109 trail? Baraga had problems grooming 109 over the years due to wet spots. Now what? May just groom new 109 to 12 connection eliminate old 109 trail to Twin Lakes is my best guess.

My gut tells me Baraga won't do sh*t...its been years since they stepped up to properly handle that portion of the trail. I remember someone on here wanting us to "nicely comment or complain" to the Baraga tourism dept which a number of us did. We've flat out avoided this trail as we don't go off trail for fear of trespassing and/or not knowing where we are. Sad to hear indeed

- - - Updated - - -

I'd also be careful about the title of this post...it implies that the entire trail is gone.
My understanding is its just the portion from Twin Lakes to Alston. Southern portion is ok

 

[2TrakR]

I'd also be careful about the title of this post...it implies that the entire trail is gone.
My understanding is its just the portion from Twin Lakes to Alston. Southern portion is ok

I am not positive, but it was implied the section just on the south side of M38 is affected as well, which could mean 109 from 12 (Laird Rd) north can't get to Alston. Not a fact at this point.
Also not heard if the crossing at the gorge was fixed so that 109 could run through there this year.

 

[longtrack]

Someone should figure out that a dead end Trail is better than no Trail. I would hope that little wash out is fixed. They spent more time and Money
putting up Road closed Signs than what it would have taken to fill it in.

 

[venturenorth]

WDNR maps now show that northern portion of 109 is closed.
The south portion of 109 was closed last year due to the Silver Mtn area washout and the popular Bear Scenic Overlook.
Hopefully we can get some credible update from the Baraga club, who maintains this portion

 

[blown_apex]

109

Very unfortunate indeed. No what else is unfortunate? The fact that the superior club does not use social media to announce, or discuss anything. Just today on Facebook I have seen this announcement shared by at least 25 other people, businesses and the MSA. Now just imagine if the club would have had a Facebook page this last fall when it first happened. Social media has it's bad points for sure, but in a situation like this, it would have been a great tool to have. It would have spread like wildfire. Just like last year when Omers posted on their FB page about sledders on the golf course. By the following weekend there were zero tracks on it, and for the most part, for the rest of the season. We are all in this together, social media is a fantastic way of getting the word out about something, good or bad, to club members, and non club members. The only time club members hear about anything, is the end of the year letter we get. Those club members who live out of state, it's hard to get to a club meeting on a week night.

That being said, once a base gets built up, one can take Emily Lake road from Twin Lakes, to Pike Lake road, left on Pike lake road to North Laird road, left on Laird until you get to Alston Road, then follow that right to Alston and the Alston bar, where, hopefully, 109 is open from there to trail 12. You can also, but I'm not saying you should, run the ditch on M38 to South Laird road, and take that to trail 12. The ditch run from Alston to south Laird road is about an 1/8th mile to a 1/4 mile. Obviously this will not be as fun as taking 109, which is always a riot, but, at least you can get to Alston.

how about a reroute like they did for the wash out
can the atv dh trail be used to get around to alston

 

[kip]

Ok, so some good news to add to this. We will still have the South side of the trail going down to Sidnaw. They've also approved the reroute they had last year as a new trail but it will not be in use for the 2021 winter due to logging. We don't know for sure when the logging will end, but we do know that trail is a done deal for the future!

 

[katden4]

Great news, and all of us are very lucky! New trails are not easy to come. THANK YOU TO ALL THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN! So many folks just seem that the trail sticker magically takes care of everything. I hope the ones that did violate that area, realize what happened, and why.

 

[kip]

We confirmed that it was for sure atv and side by sides that did in part of 109 in. It was tore up numerous times and it was marked private property so it was a total disregard for their property. The State is involved but as of now there is not a resolution.

 

[Skylar]

Ok, so some good news to add to this. We will still have the South side of the trail going down to Sidnaw. They've also approved the reroute they had last year as a new trail but it will not be in use for the 2021 winter due to logging. We don't know for sure when the logging will end, but we do know that trail is a done deal for the future!

Awesome news! The 109 reroute last year that went past Bob Lake was PHENOMENAL and so much fun, especially on the Apex!

 

[whitedust]

Ok, so some good news to add to this. We will still have the South side of the trail going down to Sidnaw. They've also approved the reroute they had last year as a new trail but it will not be in use for the 2021 winter due to logging. We don't know for sure when the logging will end, but we do know that trail is a done deal for the future!

Will club still maintain and groom upper 109 to and from Twin Lakes to a dead end. Or is upper 109 from Alston to Twin Lake closed at trail 3?

 

[chiefcheese]

Very unfortunate indeed. No what else is unfortunate? The fact that the superior club does not use social media to announce, or discuss anything. Just today on Facebook I have seen this announcement shared by at least 25 other people, businesses and the MSA. Now just imagine if the club would have had a Facebook page this last fall when it first happened. Social media has it's bad points for sure, but in a situation like this, it would have been a great tool to have. It would have spread like wildfire. Just like last year when Omers posted on their FB page about sledders on the golf course. By the following weekend there were zero tracks on it, and for the most part, for the rest of the season. We are all in this together, social media is a fantastic way of getting the word out about something, good or bad, to club members, and non club members. The only time club members hear about anything, is the end of the year letter we get. Those club members who live out of state, it's hard to get to a club meeting on a week night.

That being said, once a base gets built up, one can take Emily Lake road from Twin Lakes, to Pike Lake road, left on Pike lake road to North Laird road, left on Laird until you get to Alston Road, then follow that right to Alston and the Alston bar, where, hopefully, 109 is open from there to trail 12. You can also, but I'm not saying you should, run the ditch on M38 to South Laird road, and take that to trail 12. The ditch run from Alston to south Laird road is about an 1/8th mile to a 1/4 mile. Obviously this will not be as fun as taking 109, which is always a riot, but, at least you can get to Alston.

Skylar - do these roads maintain cover over the winter or does one have to negotiate ditches and right a ways? Are these roads open to ATV/UTV as well? Just asking.....

 

[WorkHardPlayHrd]

Will club still maintain and groom upper 109 to and from Twin Lakes to a dead end. Or is upper 109 from Alston to Twin Lake closed at trail 3?

Read Kips original post. It is 109 from trail 3(the Bill Nichols) to Alston that is being lost. Unless I'm misreading something.

 

[whitedust]

Read Kips original post. It is 109 from trail 3(the Bill Nichols) to Alston that is being lost. Unless I'm misreading something.

Don’t know I’ll ride any trail dead end or not if groomed. As info evolved sounded like the private land owner that closed his land was just north and south of Alston which could shut down the entire spur or just groom what is still open and allow ditch banging if possible to the next legally open part of 109. In WI they would do things like that to detour swamp wet spots that groomer couldn’t get thru. So I asked if any of 109 will be groomed north of Alston. Right now I’m not sure anyone knows could be up in the air until groomers decide what they want to do.

 

[snomoman]

I would like to talk about trail 109, I remember north of the Alston bar they had these big fields you would ride through with a farm and a big barn and silos that you would see in the background as you went through, it was quite a view, total Americana landscape... I hope it is still open to the Alston bar, that was a neat place to go to, if any of the men ever went into the bathroom they had the hugest porcelain urinals you’ve ever seen for whatever that’s worth, they looked like tombstones LOL, we stopped there one year on a Super Bowl Sunday, they had a huge spread of food all the locals provided, great memory

 

[ICT Sledder]

The north half of that trail was one of the most beautiful woods sections in the western UP. Tight and twisty through all the old growth timber.

Can't a land owner specify which type of ORV they permit use of the easement? If ATV/UTV/SBS were the problem (shocking... not!) why can't they just close the trail to their use in the summer, and leave it open in the winter for sleds?

 

[venturenorth]

Don’t know I’ll ride any trail dead end or not if groomed. As info evolved sounded like the private land owner that closed his land was just north and south of Alston which could shut down the entire spur or just groom what is still open and allow ditch banging if possible to the next legally open part of 109. In WI they would do things like that to detour swamp wet spots that groomer couldn’t get thru. So I asked if any of 109 will be groomed north of Alston. Right now I’m not sure anyone knows could be up in the air until groomers decide what they want to do.

Again.....according to mi.dnr map...the entire northern section of 109 from S Laird Rd (trail 12) north to trail 3, just south of Krupps, is closed.
there is no dead end.....the only way from Sidnaw to Twin Lakes is via trail 8/15 to 12W now...until the logging is done on new 109...

 

[whitedust]

Again.....according to mi.dnr map...the entire northern section of 109 from S Laird Rd (trail 12) north to trail 3, just south of Krupps, is closed.
there is no dead end.....the only way from Sidnaw to Twin Lakes is via trail 8/15 to 12W now...until the logging is done on new 109...

DNR map was not updated last time I looked now upper 109 isn’t marked closed it’s gone from the map. That answers my question unfortunately.

 

[ezra]

This outlines the very reason that we need more membership in local snowmobile clubs. Unless you are involved in your club or spend time working the trails you don't really know what goes on behind the scenes to keep trails open and landowners happy. So.......join a club and get educated, it will be best for you and you will learn what the rules are. One of the biggest rules is called RESPECT, something I see less and less of these days.

Hopefully someone that is not in a club and doesn't frequent this site will see this and take it upon themselves to join a club and get involved. We need younger members, I am one of the younger guys in our club and I'm 63. I know its the same thing with a lot of clubs.

On a good note, its snowing in Manitowish Waters and starting to stick to the ground.

Not saying you don't. But 1 club i am involved in has had pretty good luck with younger guys joining.
For starters to me younger is 30s .
Few younger but mostly regulars kids and there bud .
But if they show invole them soon dont dismiss there input .
Get then on the board or make them a trail captain as soon as you can .
1/2 our board is under 40 same with trail captains. We have 1 guy about 26 who runs a Tucker and is big in to the maint of the tuckers .
No young guy wants to feel like he is not a big part of what he is spending his time and money to be a part of .

 

[pclark]

Yes, we try, have one young man that comes with his Dad to help with trail work. Good strong kid, he pounds posts like there is no tomorrow. I do this for the love of the sport and all I am saying is most clubs are in the same situation, needing younger members.

Your situation sounds like a good one, so someone in your club is doing something right. In the end we all know what our jobs are and get the work done but won't be able to do it forever. I would also say to all the riders that enjoy the trails look past the what you are riding on and ask yourself "Who makes all of this possible"?

Its like everything, understand what it takes and what goes into making it successful and it will stay successful.