MDNR has no funds for ski trail grooming

Sat, Nov  29, 2003

Bad News: I met with the MDNR yesterday to discuss the status of our grooming contract. The state will be funding no cross country ski grooming this year state-wide. That means that Muncie Lakes and all of the other MDNR groomed trails will not be groomed this coming winter. The three trail groups that have historically received state funding (Blueberry in Marquette, Black Mountain in Cheboygan and the Vasa) will get nothing.

Good News: Because of the financial support of you all, and our volunteer trail maintenance crew led by Doug Scofield and Jim Dombrowski, we are ready to groom. The trail is in great shape, the gas tanks are full, and the LMC groomer has been maintained and is in tip-top shape. Yesterday we signed a volunteer project agreement with the MDNR so we can groom their trail (the irony is not lost on me).

Bob Otwell
Executive Director
TART Trails, Inc.

[It's unknown at this time if this will have any impact on the Black Mountain Classic Race on March 6.]