Published: December 16, 2007 11:00 pm      

Ski trails to receive grooming

But work will stop in Jan. unless funds are approved

GAYLORD -- Cross country ski trails across northern Michigan will be groomed for at least the next month as part of a supplemental budget deal struck between some legislators and state officials.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources agreed to groom most state-owned cross country ski trails through mid-January, after saying last month that 16 trails would not be maintained because of cuts to the State Forest Recreation Program.

Grooming will continue through the remainder of winter if the Legislature in 2008 approves an additional $500,000 for the program, state officials said.

Trail-grooming equipment already was stored away for the season, said Joyce Angel-Ling, DNR unit manager in Gaylord. Once the machines are serviced, grooming will begin early this week on Pine Baron Trail in Otsego County and Wild Wood Hills trail in Cheboygan County. "With the snow we've had, I know a lot of people have been excited about winter recreation this year," Angel-Ling said.

Avid cross country skier Debbie Clements of Grayling is ecstatic that the parking lot will be plowed and the trail groomed at the Mason Tract in Crawford County, where she and her husband frequently ski.

"That's awesome. We're excited now. We were wondering what we were going to do this winter," Clements said.

Muncie Lakes Trail in Grand Traverse County also will be maintained under the agreement and grooming will begin by Tuesday, said Paul Simmer, assistant DNR unit manager in Traverse City.

If approved by the Legislature, the additional general fund dollars also would be used to re-open 20 state forest campgrounds that were closed this year under budget cuts, including eight in this area.

Those sites include: Pinney Bridge in Antrim County; Walsh Road Trail Camp in Crawford County; Forks in Grand Traverse County; Johnson's Crossing in Otsego County; Long Lake in Wexford County; plus, three more campgrounds in Cheboygan County.

State Rep. Howard Walker, R-Traverse City, worked with several other northern Michigan lawmakers to parlay the deal for both the cross country trails and the state forest campgrounds.

"Most people like to live up in this area because they enjoy the natural resources here. Also, natural resources and recreation are important to the tourism industry," Walker said.

A supplemental budget bill will require bipartisan support in January, he said.

If funding is not approved, the DNR will quit grooming the trails after the holidays and the campgrounds will not re-open in the spring, state officials said.