TOWNSEND, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Taking to the snowmobile trails in the Northwoods is part of “How WI Live” in Wisconsin, but in Oconto County, the lack of snow has stopped the sport in its tracks.
Officials in the town of Townsend say the delay has an impact on the area economy.
In all his years snowmobiling, Rick Van Asten says he’ll never forget the winter of 2023.
“Last year, we were open for 10 days, and then the trails closed, because of the lack of snow,” said Van Asten, president of Red Arrow Snowmobile-ATV Club.
Van Asten says this year is off to another relatively slow start.
“Normally, during a good season, we have snowmobilers using the trails, because we have plenty of snow in the early part of the season. Unfortunately, this year as you can see, things don’t look so well,” he said.
Van Asten says the club grooms nearly 70 miles of snowmobile trails in the Townsend area. That includes the Nicolet State Trail, which connects numerous communities throughout the Northwoods.
“It’s been pretty quiet. We do have other things going on in town, but for the most part, with the snowmobilers not up here, you don’t hear the buzz up on the grade here coming through town,” said Townsend supervisor Chuck De Moulin.
De Moulin says snow-related business is down at least 30%.
“We’re a tourist community, and being it’s a tourist community, our restaurants, our short-term rentals, be it the the grocery store and our fuel stop, all needs to have that extra income coming in,” he said.
In the meantime, Van Asten says the snowmobile trails remain closed.
“We’ll keep our fingers crossed. Get the people out here, but we need the snow. So we ask people to please stay off the trails, until we can make them safe,” he said.
There are about 480 miles of snowmobile trails in Oconto County alone.
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