Ski Machickanee Cross Country Trail System :: Wisconsin XC Ski Trails

January 2010 Newsletter

Our attendance at activities so far has been poor. Perhaps we can blame it on the bad weather and the holidays. It would be nice to turn it around with our January Club Meeting and Candlelight Ski. We need your help assembling candles at the meeting and setting up for the Candlelight Ski. WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU!!

SKI CLUB MEETING
The next ski club meeting will be Monday, January 4th, at 7:00 pm at the Oconto Falls High School. Use the Commons Entrance (near the PAC). Turn right to the first hallway on the right. We will be in room 129 (first room on the right). As an alternative, we will meet in the Commons area just inside the entrance doors. Look for signs. We will be planning the events for the remainder of our Calendar and “assembling” candles for our Candlelight Ski. If you have any ideas or preferences for locations for the Spring Fling or the Spring Ski Trip, bring them along. The floor will be open for general discussion and inputs for additional activities.

CANDLELIGHT SKIS
We had an unbelievably nice Candlelight Ski this past Saturday night (12/26). It started out with a light snowfall greeting the candlelighters and the first skiers. Before long, the snowfall gave way to a beautifully moonlit night. The track was great and a large group hung around the bonfire until well after the candles had all burned out.

There are two more Candlelight Skis planned for this year, January 30th and February 27th. Skiing starts at 6:30 pm and goes until 9:00 pm (or later). Bring hot dogs, marshmallows, treats, beverages, and your friends and plan on a great evening skiing and warming around the bonfire. Our Candlelight Skis are family events, so bring the kids, too. EVERYONE IS WELCOME!! We need volunteers to set up and to light candles. If you are able to help, show up at the Trail Head around 5:30 pm for a work assignment. No hard work, it just takes people to get it done. No skiing until after 6:30 pm to allow time for the candle lighters to get off the trails!

All Candlelight Ski events are a “GO” regardless of the snow conditions. No snow, no problem. We will still have a social event around the bonfire and a moonlight hike along the trail for those so inclined. Whatever the alternative, we plan to be there.

TRAIL MANAGER UPDATE
12/9: The first snowfall of the season dumped 14”-16” on the trails.

12/10: Ray found trees and branches down everywhere. By going over, under, around, and through the trees, he was able to pack the Blackberry Ramble. Huge mess.

12/11: Ray & Ken Kochen went out and cleared the trees and debris on the Blackberry Ramble. Ray then groomed and set track on that trail only. Only Blackberry Ramble open to skiing.

12/12: Ray was able to clear enough downfall to get through with the snowmobile and pack the Brehmer Creek Only Blackberry Ramble open to skiing.

12/13: Ray, Cliff Wall, and Dave Follett cleared the rest of the debris from the Brehmer Creek Trail and were able to set track as they went. They were also able to clear the Coral Berry Trail and set track. Blackberry Ramble very good to excellent. Brehmer Creek Trail good to very good. Coral Berry Trail fair to good; soft track from not being packed prior to setting track. Timberwolf Trail not cleared and remains closed.

12/14: Ray and John Honish cleared and tracked Timberwolf Trail. We thought the other trails were bad! This one was the worst. All trails open. Timberwolf Trail a little soft because of not being packed prior to setting track.

12/17: A skier reported that a snowmobile or two ran over a portion of the Brehmer Creek Trail.

12/18: Rather than packing for a holiday trip to Detroit, because of the snowmobile(s) Ray needed to regroom what had been an excellent ski condition.

12/24 & 25: Steady rain for two days.

12/26: Blackberry Ramble Trail groomed in preparation for the Candlelight Ski. The Brehmer Creek Trail was also groomed and tracked Saturday morning. Coral Berry and Timberwolf Trails closed.

12/27: All trails groomed. Conditions are excellent on Blackberry Ramble and Brehmer Creek Trail. Good overall conditions on Coral Berry and Timberwolf Trails.

12/28: Another skier reported that a snowmobile or two ran a good portion of the Brehmer Creek and Coral Berry Trails. Trails will be regroomed as soon as time permits.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Click on the “2009-10 Calendar of Events” under the “Club Info and Events” tab for the complete “Calendar of Events” for this season. The “Calendar” will be updated if any changes occur.

MEMBERSHIPS/TRAIL FEES
Special thanks to all of our members for making the Machickanee XC Ski Club a long term success. Our primary purpose is the upkeep and maintenance of our excellent trail system. This is our 28th year as an organized club. Our only sources of funds are our memberships and trail donations, so we really do need your support. If you would like to become a member, or renew your membershiip, click on the "Home" tab above and then click on the "Membership Application" tab. As you are sending in your membership dues, include your address and your current email address. We will send a hard copy of our newsletters and other club and trail information to those of you who do not provide an email address, but it does save time and money if we can send it electronically.

If a membership is not appropriate for you this year, please remember us by way of the cashbox. Suggested daily donations are $4 per adult and $1 per child (you decide what age).

                          Chris Walters, President                                         920-848-3808
                          Chique Tousey-Tabar, Secretary/Treasurer            920-846-2965
                          Ray Tabar, Trail Manager                                      920-846-2965

NEW TRAILER
We purchased a new trailer for the grooming equipment on 11/5 at a cost of $2706.52. It is a 16 footer so it will handle our equipment much better than the old one, which was a 12 footer. The old trailer was purchased in 1991 and it was well in need of replacement. We still need to get a winch on the trailer to pull the groomer on and a draw bar for the hitch. The trailer required registration and licensing. That will add $53 to our annual costs.

FALL WORKBEES
Dennis Ullman and Ray Tabar “swept” the trails on 11/7 to clear windfall and debris to get ready for mowing. There were quite a few trees and large branches down that needed to be removed. On 11/9, Ray went back and mowed the trails. The trails are in really good shape and Dennis and Ray determined that workbees would not be needed this year. However, saplings and brush are beginning to grow into the trails from the sides. This is mostly between the trees along the edges of the trails where the mower can’t get to them. We will be working on these next spring and summer.

One problem that was noted on the trails was the boardwalk/foot bridge across Brehmer Creek near Konnitzer Road. The support posts were heaved up and the bridge was tipped. Ray contacted the county and they provided the needed repairs, as this is there bridge. If this were to have collapsed during the ski season, it would have been a major impact as it would close the Brehmer Creek Trail. This trail is just over half of our total trail system and provides access from the main parking lot to two other trails.