MOUNTAIN, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Cleanup continues in Oconto County several weeks after damaging storms moved through the area.
“It’s quite devastating. And it’s affected all of us up here,” said Carol Lepkowski, Mountain Springs Motel Co-Owner.
Three weeks to the day, those storms raced through the Northwoods, and there is still a mess in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
The damage there is pretty incredible. Storms flattened large sections of the forests. Thousands of trees were toppled, across what’s estimated to be hundreds of square miles.
Tens of thousands of people lost power.Some didn’t get it back until almost two weeks later. Trails are still closed across Oconto County.
Progress is being made, but more hands are needed to help the trails reopen.
On an ATV trail off Kingston Road in Mountain, U.S. Forest Service equipment is on the move. Crews are removing large trees from recreational areas across the Northwoods.
“Right now, you are not allowed to step off any town road in the national forest, until they deem it safe,” said Dan Hoppe, Dusty Trails ATV Club President.
Hoppe says The Dusty Trails ATV Club is asking for volunteers to meet Saturday morning at the Mountain Springs Motel. The crew will take to the woods to clean up branches and brush.
“We’ll make the trail as wide as we can, with what we have for an existing footprint to work on. But we don’t want any of the trees near that trail. We don’t need to be breaking or tearing our equipment up,” said Hoppe.
The closed trails are impacting local businesses as well.
“Usually, every weekend we are totally booked with ATVers. So that’s been some adjusting,” said Lepkowski.
Lepkowski says the Mountain Springs Motel relies on tourism and those wanting to ride the trails.
“Oh my gosh. Thousands and thousands of dollars worth. The economy would not fly without the ATV-ers. So that’s why a lot of the bars, and cafes, and restaurants and things are suffering,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dan Hoppe says it could be Labor Day before parts of the main trails reopen. He says the large-scale cleanup will take years.
“This isn’t going to end this summer. This is going to last for at least another summer or two, of trees coming down that are severely damaged from the storm,” said Hoppe.
