An old friend-the Lumberjack Trail

The Lumberjack trail is an ungroomed ski trail just outside of the town of Boulder Junction on "Old K".   A half mile run through tall pines brings you to a to a bridge over the White Sand Creek.  Stop and linger on the bridge for a minute,  and think about the puzzling nature of time.   

Then, you have a nice six-mile figure eight trail, not difficult, except for the fact that it isn't groomed.   In my book, that is a "feature not a bug".  If you want groomed, take the trail on Saturday, and you will have it groomed plenty for Sunday.  

Take the little jag to Fishtrap dam on the Manitowish River, where you can contemplate time some more, or if your mind runs more towards active philosophy, contemplate whether a nice foot bridge would be progress or the end of civilization.

Further along the figure eight, you will see another option that takes you to a different parking lot on Hwy K near Concora  Road.  This is a beautiful trail, with lots of hills and a great view of White Sand Lake-but be sure to take it when you have lots of time, some food and water, and a partner to help break the trail. If you are really motivated, you can go all the way to the Escanaba-Pallette trail.   But that is for another day. 

On your back to Boulder, stop and take a look at the new Winter Park on the left.   Where did you put those ice skates?

I have to say this once a year...

No emails about my being antisnowmobiling!   I would like to see twice as many snowmobiles in Wisconsin, if I heard them half as much.   Its the culture of speed and noise that I object to-a culture that manufacturers are marketing to (notice the speedometer that opens  the web site?)  with the machines that turn the countryside into a racetrack.

I'm back....

Hello, everyone;

I am back from a near two month hiatus from blogging. More about that later, But lets jump in media res, shall we?

We are told the DNR has enough personnel to protect the Northern Highland-American Legion if the proposed ATV trail is built.   So how well has DNR doing with its plans to reduce snowmobile speed, alcohol abuse, and noise?  From the listening points of my favorite cross country ski trails, and from my stargazing at night, no progress is being made on the noise department.   Much of the forest sounds like a demented NASCAR track.

Maybe snowmobile deaths have been drastically reduced...hmmm, not so much...

But how about drunk snowmobiling?  Er, well...

The problem is NOT with the hardworking law enforcement folks-there aren't near enough to make any difference in a large forest when manufacturers make their dime selling racing culture.  And it will continue in the summer.   Look at the ATV ads in magazines and on television.  Notice, for example,  how easy it is to buy after market exhausts.  

 Summer peace and quiet-the main gift the Northern Highland-American Legion forest has to offer-is currently at high risk.