Washburn ValHellers Snowmobile Club
Questions & Answers
2/16/2010
Below is a comment anonymously submitted recently through our site:
XXXX XXXXXX has submitted the following question/comment:
Name: XXXX XXXXXX
Email: afttref@ Yahoo,com
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Question/Comments:
I do realize that you have a lot of wooded trails but your clubs need to get out there and cut back a lot of bush that is hanging out in to the trails that slap the helmets and sled and windshields But on several trails have trees that have fallen and the groomer has groomed right over them and several trees that have been cut but yet stick out a least 16 to 18 inches in to the trail and the groomer even goes around them This is TOTAL UNACCEPTABLE you best get a hold of all your groomer drivers for Bayfeild county and have them carry chain saws and get those big tree stumps cut back if come across one more i am taking pics and going to the DNR Trail funding program and you can fight with them on weather or not your trail are safe and see if you get your trail funding than i will be back in that area again and it better get done your problem trails run from Drummond all the way north to herbster 3, 6, 7, 4 ,31 and...
(message appears to have been longer, spelling from submitter not corrected for originality purposes).
Due to the fact that the e-mail address is not valid, we respectfully publicly submit the following statement as a reply:
Although we appreciate your constructive comments, we don't appreciate your comment related to the trail funding issues and the DNR. Our groomer operators run just about 24/7 and our club is made up of strictly volunteers (which means unpaid and generally grossly under-appreciated). We do as much as we can to keep our trails signed, free of brush and clear for riding. We do this simply to provide recreational opportunities for the public. I'm sure there maybe some areas trail systems where branches could be cleared back as the season goes on, but many circumstances deem which function is priority during the grooming operation at hand.
Our groomer operators DO carry chainsaws but if they are constantly stopping to clear small obstructions, we become a hazard to traffic, which is by far more dangerous to the person(s) using our trail system than small overhanging brush which is largely occurring due to recent snowfall or other weather related conditions that are nearly impossible to identify during any off-season maintenance. Please understand this is a huge trail network that we take great pride in, and do our best to maintain ...again, with unpaid volunteers who also have full-time jobs, and family lives, including the love of snowmobiling in which they are left with little time to fully realize.
If you are a member of an active existing club, I am sure you can appreciate this. If you are not a member of any club, I welcome you to join ours and/or any others and donate some time during the warm summer months into clearing and brushing trails. I'm sure any club will gladly take your efforts any given weekend during the winter to help with some of these issues. Our club-specific trail, is Trail #13 from Ashland, through Washburn and out to the Mt. Valhalla area. Based on your comments, we will take a closer look at our trail and forward your comments to all involved. Hopefully we (or some club) will see you on a trail clearing brush soon.
Sincerely,
WVSC.
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