Snow-no-bile season

It’s nearly February and snowmobilers are still unable to ride the numerous trail systems the Northwoods is known for.

Barry Hopkins, president of the Manitowish Waters Sno-Skeeters Snowmobile Club and owner of the Pea Patch Motel & Saloon, said obviously there needs to be more snow, and the snow that has fallen is “light and fluffy.”

“We need a wet snow, something that we’ll be able to pack and build up a good base,” he said.

Hopkins, who has been snowmobiling in the Northwoods for 28 years, said he’s never seen trails not ready to be open this late into the season.

“Usually we’re open by the end of the third or fourth weekend in December,” he said.

Typically, Hopkins said, snowmobile trails close sometime in March. He said the club considers it a good snowmobile season if people can continue to ride through the middle of March.

To make it that far takes “consistent snow or a lot of overcast because the sun at that time of year packs a lot of punch,” he noted.

With January drawing to a close, Hopkins said more snow is needed and the sooner the better. 

He said from the perspective of owning a business, the lack in snow which typically draws droves of people from all over to ride trails, impacts his employees the hardest “because they’re not seeing the volume, the tips coming through.”

Hopkins said he’s given up some work shifts in order to keep his employees working.

“It affects everybody,” he said. “It’s not just the bar and restaurant owners, it’s the grocery stores, the gas stations, you know, it’s a trickle down.”

Two other aspects of the economy Hopkins said he thinks will be affected by the lack of winter tourism is the room tax revenue the area brings in and the county’s sales tax.

“It’s a challenge, but ... we’re kind of all in it together,” he said. “It’s not like anyone’s making out like bandits, we’re all kind of in the same boat.”

Lastly, Hopkins thinks it would be a positive, specifically for Manitowish Waters, to open up its roads to all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and utility-task vehicle (UTV) use. He said surrounding communities allow it on town roads and he thinks it helps those local businesses see enhanced revenue because of it.

“Our town is against it,” he said. “It’s just another recreation that could help businesses and their employees and their families.”

Lynsey Burzinski, executive director of the Manitowish Waters visitors bureau, said she has yet to speak with local business owners to see how they’re doing, but acknowledged snowmobiling is traditionally the biggest draw during the winter months.

She said it’s been difficult for the visitors bureau to market a new campaign promoting safe snowmobiling in both Vilas and Oneida counties this year.

Burzinski said she’s had some people from out of town call and ask about trail conditions and weather forecasts.

“Everyone’s pretty eager to come up and go snowmobiling, but unfortunately the weather has other plans for us at the moment,” she said. “They are pretty disappointed, I guess because this year is kind of an anomaly compared to years in the past.”

Trevor Greene may be reached via email at [email protected].