Many snowmobile trails still remain closed

By P.J. GLISSON

news@yourdailyglobe.com

The combined three counties of Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon feature nearly 600 miles of snowmobile trails.

Winding through forests and towns and over bridges and lakes, they represent white gold in the winter season, drawing thousands of tourists from other states who relish the frosty, fluffy stuff made possible mostly by those three magic words: lake effect conditions.

Not so much this year.

After warm spells delayed the opening of trails straight through the Christmas and New Year's holidays, snow lovers had high hopes for last weekend's storm, which - as it turns out - did not bring as much snow as desired.

On Tuesday, representatives from snowmobile clubs across the region summarized the status of the season so far.

"It's a difficult year," said Bryan Schiefelbein, trail boss for the White Thunder Riders, a group that maintains 134 trail miles in northern Iron County. "It's probably the worst year to be a trail boss. We just don't really have enough snow."

Schiefelbein said there have been past years wherein it was necessary to prepare trails more than once, but he said he's never seen a season this late.

"We're working right now on our marsh or softer trails," he said, while driving.

In southern Iron County, the Mercer Sno-Goers groom more than 150 miles of trails but have yet to open them.

On Monday, that club posted on Facebook that it will for now, instead, sponsor another poker run.

The Iron County Forestry and Parks Department also grooms 28 miles of trails in the county.

The Sno-goers and other trail groups have been using social media to post videos and pictures of volunteers working hard to prepare trails, but they also are sharing images of trails with bald spots showing through light snow cover.

"Our trail system doesn't have enough snow to ride on, still has a lot of rocks showing, open water, stumps showing," said Jerry Nezworski in a Tuesday post for the Gogebic Range Trail Authority, which manages more than 100 trail miles.

Nezworski, who is GRTA's president and trail manager, said there are snowmobilers using some trails, but he does not advise it.

"I tell them if it's my machine, I wouldn't ride the trails," he said.

According to Nezworski, rough trails can result in bodily injury or damage to expensive machines.

"There's no base, so we can't make it smooth," he added of any given trail. "Right now, we're not grooming anything. We're just rolling. We need more snow. There's no doubt about it."

Regarding snowfall from the recent storm, he noted that it was "light and fluffy." Hence, he said, "It doesn't pack well."

Conditions are better in Ontonagon County, but not great.

Gogebic Area Grooming maintains more than 150 trail miles in the region of Lake Gogebic and Bergland. The lake falls within the two counties of Gogebic and Ontonagon.

Sarah Long, secretary of that group, deferred to Mary Beth DeFazio, president of the Lake Gogebic Area Chamber of Commerce, who expressed some optimism for her region.

As a co-owner of AJ's Lodge in Bergland, she said, "I just had some guests in, and they said conditions were pretty good."

DeFazio, who compiles weekly trail reports, said Lake Gogebic - on which snowmobilers love to soar - is mostly solid except for an area on the west side where a stream enters. The amount of snow can vary greatly across the large lake.

"Ontonagon County is really shaping up," said Steve Hamilton, one of the directors of the North Country Snowmobile Club Inc. which grooms more than 100 trail miles in the White Pine and Ontonagon area.

He said the northern area of the county has 18-24 inches, with some areas of the Porcupine Mountains boasting 3 feet of snow.

He chuckled about differing opinions, depending on where a person is from.

"We would call trails poor right now," said Hamilton. "We're just used to so much more snow. We're spoiled."

But he added that riders from outside of the area claim that Ontonagon trails are good.

Even so, his club advises on its own Facebook page, "Ride with caution. Early season conditions."

The Lake Gogebic Chamber office has even appealed formally to the state for related financial relief in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties.

Accordingly, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation is seeking a means to help.

"It's frustrating," said Nezworski in Gogebic County. "Here we are in the middle of January."

In referring to his own seven decades, he said, "I've lived here all my life, and I've never seen a winter like this."

Meanwhile, he said of would-be riders, "I know they're chewing at the bits."

Schiefelbein, in Iron County, said the lack of snow hurts everyone, including the clubs.

"It's paralyzing us, too," he said, noting that, by not being on the trails as much this season, his trail group will lose the associated state funds, which are needed to continue maintaining the trails for next season.

He hopes it will be possible to open trails soon, but he warned that it will depend on the weather.

Hamilton, speaking for Ontonagon and Gogebic, said the current cold spell - which has seen wind chills of more than 30 below zero in recent days - should help in creating viable trail bases.

On Tuesday, Iron County Forest Administrator Eric Peterson emailed The Globe with his latest perspective.

"Iron County trails remain closed at this time," he said. "Snow levels have not developed enough to open the trails yet, and with not much snow predicted and warming temperatures next week, things do not look good."

He concluded, "Given this unusual winter and the lack of a good thick base of snow on the trails, the end of the season will probably be not far off. Hopefully the end of the season doesn't come before the beginning."