MOUNTAIN, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Even though most of the area saw some snow over the weekend, there’s not enough to open the snowmobile routes in Oconto County.
Snowmobile club leaders say riding on the trails out of season isn’t only dangerous, it’s against the law.
The section of snowmobile trail near Mountain, may seem inviting to some, but Chute Pond Snowmobile Club President Deb Uhlenbrauck says preseason riding is off limits.
“We need to have groom-able snow in order for us to open the trails through Oconto County. We have to make sure that we have cold weather first, so we freeze up all the water ways, because if they’re not safe, we can’t open them. And we have to make sure that when Mother Nature does drop on us, that all the trees that fall are taken care of, before we can open the trail,” said Deb Uhlenbrauck, Chute Pond Snowmobile Club President.
Uhlenbrauck says there are about 440 miles of trails in Oconto County. Many routes cross private property, and agricultural land as well.
“With the farmers, sometimes their land’s too wet for them to harvest, so they wait until it freezes up to harvest. So some of the corn fields are probably just coming off now, and farmers are just getting their fields ready for us to be able to use their land,” she said.
Uhlenbrauck says about four inches of snow fell in the Mountain area on Sunday. The club’s five groomers are scheduled to patrol the routes this week. The trails in the northern part of the county opened last year on December 20th.
“It depends on Mother Nature. But we’re really hoping that if we get a little more snow, with the two snow storms that are predicted, we’re hoping maybe Saturday,” said Uhlenbrauck.
According to Snowmobile Club leaders, the fine for riding on a closed trail starts at about $230.
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