2019 April 6, Grooming Report; Well, we are well into silly season at the Grooming Report Writer’s Guild Hall. Grooming it done for the season at all areas and we are now looking for pictures of spring skiing/biking/ goofing off and “you fill in the blank”. One of the arms of NTN is Water Trails. We are blessed with (at least) four seasons of outdoor activity. Growing up I thought everyone had a season called “slush”. As you can see from the picture, anchor ice kayak season is upon us so send in your pictures.
Of course there is a great deal of skiing left and serious entrants into the “Last Ski of the Season” (LSotS) contest will not even think about sending in an entry for weeks. I should add, you don’t want to end up like Dan O’Brien at the ’92 Olympic trials so don’t wait too long for your first entry. Winners will receive a fabulous cornucopia of prizes in age, gender and originality. Mother/Father Nature is our groomer for the rest of the year so this report will occasionally predict the Goldie Locks Zone, show entrants in the LSotS and cast pearls(?) wisdom(?). With over 3’ of snow in the yard at Guild hall skiing will be excellent for some time regardless this weekend’s rain. The over/under betting is for To Win a Bet skiing to be going on during the 4th week in April with LSotS winners near the 10th of May (odds are being given for entertainment only and (almost) no (cash) wagers will be accepted).
In the days and weeks ahead we will fete our volunteers. It is a long list of impressive individuals so each venue will receive special attention covering events and personalities to whom we should all give reverence.
See you out there,
Sondo
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FOLLOWING IS A RE-RUN GOING OVER COMMERCIAL FOREST AND THE NTN (PLEASE READ ONCE) In
Over 99% of the trails we ski, bike, run and walk are owned by private land owners. Most of the trails are on commercial forest land. These land owners wish to see their land used by skiers, bikers, runners and walkers for 99+% of the time. All they ask is that we understand they need to use the land for a few months per decade.
I really want both of you to understand how important our commercial forests are to life in the U.P. In much of the country where commercial forestry has fallen behind other uses as the highest and best use, trails like the entire NTN are not possible. Land in such areas is owned in small private blocks and the public is locked out.
Effective March 25th, parts of our trail system were closed for logging. One of the keys to the NTN’s success is the fact our users understand this symbiosis. Our part in this process is to stay out of the way of the loggers and thank them for their support. Logging is a dangerous and capital intensive operation. We need to help them be safe and look out for their equipment. Trails will be marked as closed and we trust you will stay away from the logging operations.
The land owners always wait until late in the year to allow as long a ski season as possible. In addition, they attempt to keep as much of the trail open as possible. Beginning next Monday, several sections of trail near the power lines will be blocked and logging trucks will be driving on them.
The NTN is committed to providing top quality skiing if at all possible. You have come to expect nothing less and we are used to providing nothing but. We will continue to groom trails between Co Rd 510 and the logging areas. Most skiers (especially the spring time skiers) know the best skiing is near Co Rd 510 anyway.
Sondo