Local Snowmobile Clubs Waiting for Snow and Keping Trails Ready to Ride

CLOQUET, Minn. – Minnesota has some 22,000 miles of snowmobile trials, and all of them except for 1, 000, are maintained by local snowmobile clubs. The Wood City Riders based in Cloquet maintains 70 miles of trails in this area.

The lack of snow has not meant that the riders have been relaxing. Instead, they have been busy clearing brush away from the trail edges to keep the trails 12 to 14 feet wide. The club knows the snow will be here eventually and it is important to many people and businesses that the trails are in good shape to attract riders.

One of the group’s groomers, Tim Carle said, “Everything we do benefits the restaurants, the gas stations, you know, the hotels. And when we’re not bringing people in because we don’t have ridable trails, it’s obviously going to hurt them financially. “

The Wood City Riders also conducts snowmobile safety training classes for younger riders. This last weekend the club could only complete the classroom part of the training. The on-snowmobile part of the class will have to wait for the weather to cooperate. Since training classes were introduced by the state, more than 450,000 people have completed the training.

The club members have some basic advice for all riders to be safe on the trails, don’t drink and drive, and watch your speed.