Why doesn't Alger County have a club grooming?
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tealracing16
Member
Many clubs find it financially beneficiul to contract it out. Our club just bought a tractor groomer combo a couple of years ago. It isn't just the cost of the equipment, ins, maintnenance, you need drivers etc. There are many reasons that a club might not have there own groomer.
There used to be one many years ago. About the time we started coming up here (mid 90's) the DNR was handling the grooming in this area and it was very, very good. But due to budget cuts the DNR had to quit doing the grooming and by that time the Alger County club had either disbanded or had too few members to accomplish anything. Hence the local concrete guy got the contract as a "for profit" business. Everytime the groomers run it cuts into the bottom line so what you see is what us locals have to live with.
Edit: one thing I forgot......don't forget that Trail 8 gets virtually every sled heading either east or west through the central U.P.......WAY more traffic than most trails
Edit: one thing I forgot......don't forget that Trail 8 gets virtually every sled heading either east or west through the central U.P.......WAY more traffic than most trails
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Buddah2 is right. Trail 8 gets hit hard with traffic as does the entire Munising area especially when there is no ridable snow in the entire lower peninsula and marginal snow in the Eastern UP. It would be great if more trails could be developed in the munising area to spread out the traffic. In fact there could be a lot more trails developed throughout the entire UP to spread out the traffic. The forest roads are there that could very easily be groomed trails in Winter.. Why can't the State step up and get it done? Good question for Governor Snyder.
Simple answer...........$$$$$
It costs an outrageous amount for each groomed mile of trail. After they dumped the increase in trail permits into the general fund, there was little money left for increased grooming. Typical politicians, eh?
Well maybe we should start another club. My fiancé said shed love to drive the groomer around. She can drive btw
That idea has been bandied about but to date, nada.
And if she knew a little more about it she might be quite so anxious. A couple of seasons ago one of the operators for the local "business guy" hit something with the blade down(nobody determined exactly what.....at least not that I heard), stopped abruptly, banged his head on the steering wheel, and ended up paralyzed. I never heard if he ever recovered any movement or not...........
Hello!!!.........that IS Trail 8..........not just the part through Munising........and have you had the "pleasure" of riding that section late in the afternoon? If so, I don't believe you'd even consider holding that up as an example.
It isnt a part time job you know. There are not enough people around full time to support a club financially or willing to donate time. Trying to get people to join who are not from the area is a streatch in my eyes as well.Well maybe we should start another club. My fiancé said shed love to drive the groomer around. She can drive btw
All of the locals I know dont even ride the trails. The all ride logging roads or off trail for the most part.
snowfreak56
Member
Some really do not have a clue what it takes to have a club,purchase or lease the equipment,maintenance and then the hours and work envolved.The ones that cry the loudest probably do not even belong to a club.Now with that said i would like to thank all clubs,club members and the operaters who mostly donate there time and labor to maintain the trails.
x2!!!!!!
We've been riding out of Munising/Wetmore since 1982.
A few years ago, there was a lady on here from Shingleton that was trying to get a 2nd trail along side 8 from Shingleton to the west.
There is a unplowed forest road along part of that which we talked about.
Nothing ever happened.
I'm sure that there would be ways but without a club or clubs to pitch in, it will never happen.
So we just have to keep bumping along 8 until a solution is figured out.
Like the new bridge and trail around Shingleton.
A few years ago, there was a lady on here from Shingleton that was trying to get a 2nd trail along side 8 from Shingleton to the west.
There is a unplowed forest road along part of that which we talked about.
Nothing ever happened.
I'm sure that there would be ways but without a club or clubs to pitch in, it will never happen.
So we just have to keep bumping along 8 until a solution is figured out.
Like the new bridge and trail around Shingleton.
Not likely.......the Manistique Snow-Busters already groom Trail 7 all the way to CR440, the Haywire Grade (Trail 41) all the way; the Murphy Creek Trail (Trail 413), and all of Trail 2 from over by Cooks all the way to almost Gulliver......I forget just how many miles of trail that is but all of that is with only 3 groomers.......their resources are stretched pretty thin to begin with.........but it is a good idea 'cause they do a MUCH better job.........all volunteer labor.....
Edit: It dawned on me last night that I used the old, old name for the club....it's actually the Schoolcraft County Snowmobile Association......oops!
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