Sawyer County Record
/Terrell Boettcher / News Editor


Stan Strainis of the Sawyer County Snowmobile and ATV Alliance informed the committee of a problem on Snowmobile Trail 63 from Seeley to Northern Lights Road. This year, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is forcing the alliance to require that snowmobiles on Trail 63 travel only in the same direction (northbound) as motor vehicle traffic on adjacent Highway 63. Two-way traffic would be allowed only if the trail were 40 feet off the traveled portion of the highway.

Strainis said there is plenty of room on that side (east side) of the highway, but the angle of the roadway side slope causes the groomer to keep going down in the ditch. The alliance is not allowed to have a bulldozer create a bench-type surface for the trail unless the county takes responsibility for it. Also, the state would require detailed specifications, he added.

An alternative would be to talk to the owner of the adjacent Bog Farm cranberry marsh to see if the alliance could re-route Trail 63 to cross marsh property to access Northern Lights Road. That route would be temporary while the alliance works with the county to get a permanent route next to the highway, Strainis added.

Strainis said he would bring the paperwork back to Peterson for next month’s meeting.

Don Mrotek introduced Jan Holmes as the new trail grooming liaison for the Sawyer County Snowmobile Alliance.

Mrotek said the alliance still has some trail work to do before the snowmobile season. Peterson said he is trying to get more state funding for the re-route around Camp Smith Lake.