It’s time to Ride Right in the Copper Country

The Lift Bridge trail has opened, and the snowmobile season is starting in the Copper Country. At the start of every season, trail clubs work with private land owners, and the Department of Natural Resources to inform riders and visitors of trail closures, and how to Ride Right. Since the Michigan Department of Natural Resources began its Ride Right campaign, says Trails Coordinator Ron Yesney, the state has had fewer fatal and serious injuries in the backcountry. But that does not mean sharing safety information isn’t a top priority each winter.

Just making people more aware of you know staying on the right-hand side of the trail and slowing down. You know speed is the factor in around eighty percent of our accidents and crashes. So people are just going faster than they realize when they come into a corner, they’re missing turns and things like that were also encouraging people that are leading, the first person that’s in a group of riders to be riding at levels of those behind them. – Ron Yesney, Trails Coordinator, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Early-season trail maintenance may require groomers to stay out later in the morning. KSC President Ryan LaPorte says riders need to stay alert and watch for groomers.

So there could be trees down, and there might still be some branches that we haven’t trimmed in the passes that we’ve made. We’re working hard to get all that cleaned up and we’re working hard with landowners. If trails haven’t been opened, specifically 133 between Gay and Lac La Belle, we have not been on that trail yet. We’re working hard one night this week to get that open. It was closed for hunting. So there will be some additional wet areas out there that have not frozen up yet that may have in our other parts of the trail system. – Ryan LaPorte, President, Keweenaw Snowmobile Club

LaPorte adds that riding right means traveling at speeds you can control your machine, staying to the right side of the trail to create navigable room for groups traveling in either direction and riding with your group. Other factors that can lead to accidents include snowmobiling and drinking alcohol.

So I think we’ve seen a great reduction in close calls. They still happen. It tends to be alcohol involved with those individuals. So certainly if you choose to drink and ride, do so in moderation. It is a remote area that we’re in up here. It taxes our first responders to come out to where some of these accidents happen. And it could be hours before you could get help out in some of our most remote areas across the Keweenaw. So we want people to be safe and ride right so they go home safe to their family at the end of the trip. It’s a great place to visit. We’ve got spectacular views. We want you to go home with those memories, not of spending a period on a stretcher in a hospital. – Ryan LaPorte, President, Keweenaw Snowmobile Club

Yesney says that even when people are going for short test rides to wear equipment like a helmet. The department says accidents can happen at any time, and it is important to use all safety equipment.

You know, what we see is we see people unloading their snowmobiles or taking their snowmobiles for a test ride. Or they’re working on their snowmobile, they just replace the belt and they’re going to take it for a test rider. So they’re going to want to take it down the road and back. And, you know, that’s where we see a lot of accidents and fatalities because people don’t wear their safety equipment, when in that situation. So we encourage people, even if you have the plan to ride a very short distance to wear the helmet.  – Ron Yesney, Trails Coordinator, Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The snowmobile season has opened across the Upper Peninsula. The Copper Country has received about 75 inches of powder already. Creating a solid base for trail clubs to maintain throughout the season. Those interested in learning more about safety information and snowmobiling can find details here. Find more information about trail conditions with the Keweenaw Snowmobile Club here. Learn about snowmobile and other winter recreation opportunities in the Copper Country here.