Copper Country snowmobile trails have been very busy in recent weeks. Many visitors have traveled along the trail. But a few have not made it home following an accident in the backcountry. The Michigan DNR, local law enforcement, and the Keweenaw Snowmobile Club want to remind residents and visitors to ride right as the region’s off-road trail activity picks up.
I think it’s important to realize that a lot of these modern snowmobiles are very smooth. They’re quiet. And honestly, you’re just going faster than you think you are, and they don’t stop any faster than an older snowmobile. So when you get up to these higher speeds, I think a lot of riders are just not aware of how fast they’re riding until they need to stop or they hit a bump in the trail. And all of a sudden they can’t control that speed and they end up off the trail. – Ron Yesney Trails Coordinator, MDNR
DNR trails coordinator Ron Yesney emphasized that speed has been a factor in the majority of accidents this season. And alcohol has played a role in some.
People riding too fast. We’re getting a lot of frequent lake effect creating a lot of snow dust, which makes visibility very hard. So when you mix that with speed and unfortunately alcohol for some people. We’re getting very aggressive out there and it can change very quickly. Bucking you off into a tree can happen in almost a moment’s notice. And then also along the trail system we have a lot of areas where snow has been plowed up at say road crossings and things. It’s frozen and thawed a couple of times. Those things that look like real nice fluffy snow banks to go run over are, can be very hard and can result in injury if you hit them going too fast. – Ryan LaPorte president of Keweenaw Snowmobile Club
Each representative of the snowmobile trail system expressed that group leaders shoulder a lot of responsibility to make sure everyone in the group rides comfortably.
You know it’s up that leader to be responsible for the folks behind them. So they’ve got a novice rider than they have to ride that person’s ability and not put that person in a situation where the riding over their head. – Ron Yesney Trails Coordinator, MDNR.
Trail 136 for High Rock Bay has been groomed. But KSC president Ryan Laporte said riders need to stay cautious as the crew did have a couple of issues with ice this week.
It was very icy out there for us with just barely enough snow for us to go do what we needed to do out there. But it has improved. Just encourage people to be careful, especially as you get to the point. It’s very low snow. There’s a lot of ice. The drop-offs around the point are very dangerous. So stay towards the center of that. Don’t get too close to the edges and just be safe out that far. It’s a long time for first responders to come for help out there. – Ryan Laporte president of Keweenaw Snowmobile Club
Throughout the winter clubs, DNR and law enforcement have heard complaints from property owners of riders crossing off the trail. Riders must stay on open trails. Otherwise, right-of-way leases are put into jeopardy.
But the clubs are the ones negotiating with these landowners, getting permission to cross these lands. And with that comes some responsibility on the riders’ part. It’s a privilege for them to be there and they have to stay on the trail and ride appropriately so they don’t jeopardize the agreements that we have with private landowners. – Ron Yesney Trails Coordinator, MDNR
There are always questions about riding across ice and lakes and those kinds of things. We maintain a very intricate trail system. We encourage everybody to stay on the trail. We don’t monitor ice conditions. And certainly, if you’re choosing to use those, know what the ice conditions are before you cross that and know that you have legal access on both sides where you’re entering and exiting off of that body of water. Because it is detrimental to the trail system if we have private landowners who remove access. One small 40-foot section of trail that somebody owns could eliminate an entire 20 or 30-mile trail – Ryan Laporte President of Keweenaw Snowmobile Club
It is a big concern in our area, people riding off the trail. We try to work the best we can with the Keweenaw Snowmobile Club in signing the trails. You know, we hope that a group of snowmobilers doesn’t wreck the opportunity for everybody else, by going off trail, going on to private property. – Curt Pennala, Sheriff, Keweenaw County Sheriff’s Office
