Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By TOM STANKARD
Ironwood — The Michigan Snowmobile Association and Department of Natural Resources invites the public to a joint meeting with the Western Upper Peninsula Snow Shakers on Thursday, April 28, at 1 p.m. at Gogebic Community College.
Robert Youngberg, Snow Shakers club president, said the club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the maintenance and improvement of 112 miles of snowmobile trails in the area. Formerly, the Snow Shakers were the Gogebic Range Trail Authority.
Youngberg said the club has fairly new members that have taken over the task of keeping the trails smooth for snowmobilers. But he said the club has only five members taking on grooming.
Because of this, Youngberg said the DNR and the MSA are concerned about the ability of the group to maintain the trails without more local support to keep the “gateway” open.
Youngberg encourages all winter sports enthusiasts, business owners, community leaders and area residents to attend the meeting to help develop a plan to bring the area’s snowmobile trails back to the standards that will increase snowmobile use through and to local businesses.
Michael Brown, Ironwood Community Development Director, said snowmobiling is crucial for the area economy. “It’s a great resource for Ironwood and the surrounding area,” he said.
The meeting will be in the Solin Center for Business. Enter through door 12.
