http://www.9and10news.com/category/story/?id=136433

A lot of people are fed up with the DNR crack down up there. I haven't gone in about 5 or 6 years now and have no plans to go back. I e-mailed the thumb trail club and told them that if they played their cards right, they could have a huge winter fest in the thumb that could draw more people than Tip up town does. Of course they are more at the mercy of the weather than Houghton Lake. I am going to the thumb this year and trying out their trail system. Can't wait.

how cold they hold something bigger than tip up town and where and what the hell would they do? Tip up is nice becasue atleast you can ride the lake when the trails get beat. Or go boondockin.

I quit going to tip up town about 6 years ago as the cops were so terrible. You could not even ride the lake at 40 mph without getting pulled over and made to be a criminal. The same thing is happening at Bud Bash in the summer in Houghton Lake. Anytime anybody see's someone having a good time they want to stop it. They city is not helping much promoting people coming to the area similar to what is going on in Cadillac. The North American Snowmobile Festival is a joke and the Cadillac Visitors bureau is afraid to try new and fresh ideas. I may be going off the wrong end here, but perhaps too many gray hairs not wanting the "excitement" in there area. Lets keep it peace and quiet so I can watch my wheel of fortune and jepordy. These people are pissed cause the did not save enough to go to florida for the winter and don't want anymore people around then what they have too. Remember, these people have the time and energy to tickle the ivory's to the city government and say what "we are doing is so wrong".

Good post and points,, same here as far as TUT goes, been "dead" imho for yrs now

"Wheel of fortune and jeopardy" you hit the nail on the head there

I think part of the problem is all the drunks they have to deal with during TUT. I'd get pretty tired of all the azzhats riding around after they put away a few gallons of beer. The states dead anyway so why not TUT. This coming season gas will be $5 to $6 a gallon so most people won't ride much anyway like this year the numbers were down everywhere for sledders on the trails.

You're in Reese. We could have it at your house.

With high gas prices, a lot of people would go to the thumb for a day. I heard they were adding 50 more miles of trail. So, that gives them roughly 100 miles of trail. Add professional racing, a "run what you brung" track where you could line up 4 or 5 wide, a radar run, mabe some snowcross and of course a beer tent and I believe that they will have a huge event rivaling tip up town #'s. I don't know of any lakes in the thumb, but I'm sure they could have a fishing contest which includes everthing from 69 north and 75 east to Pt. Huron. I think that a lot of people would attend. You'd draw people from Flint, pt. Huron to Detroit. not to mention the whole thumb population. Lansing folks may go north due to a shorter drive. If they get snow, the thumb will see a greater number of riders each winter. I spoke to a guy from the area this year and he said they were totally amazed at the number of people that rode the thumb this year. It is going to be a lot of work, but I believe that they could have the biggest winter event in the state.

Where do you think that a majority of the tip-up-towner's come from? The Thumb could divert them their way with the right event. Of course there will be 'issues', but if delt with in a 'common sense' manner the event will prosper.

My thought was to have the DNR sponser it, they make the most money off of it

Last time I was at TUT was about 6-7 years ago. I was such a cluster fuck that I've never had any desire to return. With sleds ripping accrossed the lake in every direction (many of them after spending a few hours at the beer tent) you need to have eyes in the back of your head. DNR at every major trail intersection and Sheriffs patroling every where. Just keep heading north and ride in peace.

Sorry to say but if TUT comes to an end it will not be missed by me.

Tom

Tip Up Town is a fishing event. it's not a snowmobile rally, or party. It's whole meaning has been skewed over the years. There is maybe 10% of the people that go there for what it's actually for.

Come on over! I see what your saying but the snow is the only concern. Normally they don't have much. That would be fun with abeer tent. I just don't know were the accomadations would be at.

I thought Tip up Town died 20 years ago....

Ya, not to many accomadations up that way....but it is close enough for a lot of people to just make a day trip out of it.

I think its a multitude of problems. I've been to it many times in the past,but not in the most recent years, as it is only 1/2 north of where I live.
1)I'ts been promoted as a "family" event, yet they have a beer tent on the ice,, and they only quit serving when you are out of money.
2) The DNR is a pain, you can't even run next to another sled at any substantial speed without getting pulled over and harrassed. ,,, and the promotors of the event don't care if people are chased away.
3) The drunks, the drunks, the drunks-- the drunks from the Limberlost and the beer tent get on their sleds and go WFO in every direction.

and the BIGGEST problem--

MOST of the people that benefit from the influx of visitors & their money won't help out and volunteer. It's the same 10-15 people putting it on and doing 90% of the work. These people get tired of doing all the work with no additional help.

There, JMO. snap

The last time I was there was in the mid 90's and the I had some great memories of sledders about 20 wide and waiting for someone just to raise a hand to send everyone. Also doing 60mph with trucks and bus's racing next to you.
I always use to called it the Daytona of snowmobiles because we would just park and watch all the sleds go by. I heard that the last few years that rules and regulations got the best of the event. I know it has a lot of history, even though I may not return for another year or so, I hope that something still happens up there.
This is the same thing (but on a smaller scale) with the Gun Lake Winterfest. When I was a lot younger I have great memories of the winterfest and all the events. Now its barely anything to do or going on but I will keep going for the tradition and history factor. Good luck TUT

yep u got it 100% correct there nitrous. i was at bud bash a few years ago and some of them visitors of that town need to figure it out. fun is fun but there is way to many asshats in this world today.

In the last 10 years I have not seen enough snow in that area to really even ride. Last year was different almost everywhere had more snow than previous years. But typically they really never have much. I go to the U.P. several timesa season, drive from the west side and go right to Houghton Lake on the way up. Grass. We also have a cabin on the west side near Baldwin. We always have more snow than Houghton lake does.

Funny how so many can give their expert "up to date" opinions on a event that they have'nt attended for 5 years or longer. TUT has changed big time from what is used to be like years ago.

I enjoy going every year for the last 15 years.I have found if you have your trail permit and your regestration stickers on correctly the dnr doesent bother you.

Guilty as charged. You did offer me a spot to lauch from if I came up, so I can't complain that I didn't have someone to ride with. Mabe I'll head up this year.

I don't ice fish and I have no disire to drink beer in a beer tent for hours on end and then go out and ride my sled afterwords.

I have been up to Tip Up Town many times in the past and every time I went there I said that I would not go back, but I always got talked into going one more time because it was going to be different this year, yet it never seems to change very much to me.

The one thing that was kinda cool was seeing all of the go fast sleds line up on the lake and hash it out for hours on end. Now that too, is for the most part, a thing of the past.

IMO, TUT can live or die, and it would make no difference to me as I will no longer go there any more.

What the hell does snowmobiling have to do with fishing with tip-ups?

IMO TUT stopped being a "fishing event" many years ago. No way in hell it could of even gotten as big as it once was by being a fishing event only.

Again, IMHO, it has morphed into a winter carnival that also had a few fishing events to pay homage to its roots. If you take the snowmobiler and all that he brings to TUT, out of the picture, what are you left with?? There is no way that 40 or 60 folks out fishing on the lake are gonna support the kind of event it has become. Hell why would any fishermen leave their ice shanty's to drink beer in the tent when they can drink beer in their shanty for a lot less money and still be as warm if not warmer than the beer tent is!!!! The last thing any fisherman wants is a monster truck running around on the lake scaring their fish, much less a huge crowd of peeps and their toys running around on the same lake.

TUT ROCKS!

Been going up with 13 old classmates every year for the past 5 years. We love it. Last year was the first year we took up sleds. (mostly because AOHL was the following weekend)

We donate ALOT of money in that town. Hope it doesn't go away.

Hope to see everyone there this year!

x2

We use to go to HL and fish several times a year (before I bought sleds) and we would never go up and fish on TUT weekend. Way to much commotion on top of the ice for the fish to be settled beneath it. I'm not saying that you can't catch any fish that weekend but it definitely isn't a good fishing weekend by any stretch of the imagination. We use to try to go the weekend before or the weekend after to fish.

I now have access to the HL area via a cabin and do a lot of sledding in that area every year. We generally avoid the HL town area during the TUT weekends. We will ride back trails and stay south of town. Less crowd, more fun.

Nah.. just guilty of being BLAINE... As mentioned head south away from the lake and you'll find the area will be pretty much free of any traffic. Let me know and I'll have Deb's MC gassed up for the ride and a cpl of extra steaks from the corner DELI in the fridge for ya!






BTW... Guess who is getting a crop damage permit for whitetails and will be harvesting a nice doe in a cpl of weeks??

Ya may wanna give that some more thought! Buddy of mine has a place on a private lake, and when the ice bikes are racing on it, the fisherman come running to bore holes next to the track. They say it brings the fish to the noise/viberation, or something. Been doing it for years? I think they are crazy to sit next to the track like that, but then Fishermen will fish on thin ice too.

We'll have to make it a point to get-togerther during the BASH this year...





Mike

Guilty as charged again! I may head up that way with the wife this year for a day trip at your place. I keep telling her I'll take her up and i think that would be a good excuse to take her around a little bit. We'd only ride in the day and wouldn't go too far. Maybe 50 miles the whole day if it isn't too cold.

I didn't even know about the shooting of spring time does in Michigan until i read it on the Michigan Sportsman web page. I thought that it was a joke at first. I'm all for shooting a renewable resource, but I'm not for shooting animals and having their young starve or wander around aimlessly until something either hits them or eats them. Mabe there is more to it than that....

Sounds good to me! We had fun at the North shore Memorial weekend, and will be up for the 4th,
if you are up for a

You have a valid point, I am going after yearling does that taste great on the grill and won't have a little one tagging along.

More on Tip Up Town, you can post comments as well.

http://www.tv7-4.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=149290

Its a GO this year!
Just read it in our paper a few days ago! They have new faces and alot of new ideas this yr.
Here's the dates........................Jan. 17-18th.........Jan. 24-25th

VERY nice.

Can't wait, lookin to have some fun yet another year.

I'll be there again this year and every year after that they have it. It's no different than anything else these days, asses are all over. Use your own smarts and you can avoid bad situations. My .02, take it or leave it.

Um, leave it?

Hows about you eat a dick you Canadian hater.

x2

X3 and 4 and 5.

Click to view attachment Thats for all three of you.

Hmm, two events KNOWN for huge amounts of drunks. Wonder why the cops are out?


Great points Dave.





Well said.

I've gone every year both weekends since '98... I must say I've NEVER had an experience even close to what some say here. And yes, that includes racing 15-20 wide for hours in front of 'the Inn'. In fact, I've never even seen DNR on sleds at TUT... I'm sure some will call bs, but I'm serious. Then again, I'm there with my family, so maybe I'm not in the right 'areas' to have a run-in. This includes the trails, as I've seen ONE DNR on the trails in 10+ years, and it wasn't at TUT. Go figure.

Needless to say, for our purposes, we love TUT and hope it continues. The local biz's should be more involved IMO, as visitors=income.

Right back at ya, Dickhole!




I'll bite Dennis...you're full of shit, alright!...

Dennis, If you stay away from Five Corners, you wont see any DNR on the trail. They sit there both weekends, at least four or five at a time, writing tickets for permits and registrations and you have to stop there so they get a good view of your sled. Other than that, we never see them on the trail. Last year I thought I was gonna get a tap on my shoulder for sure when I rolled through there with my Phazer with a tuner car exhaust with no baffling whatsoever, but all they cared about were trail permits and registrations. They did stop Donny and gave him a warning for being gay on an ugly sled.

"bout time somebody did. no gays on ugly sleds

The ugly sled is going to be a different color again this year, and as far far as being gay, i guess i'll fly the rainbow stickers all over it. I'll be trolling for you closet queers out on the trail.

I've been up there the last 5 years and never had a problem with DNR/POLICE. Yea theres Yahoo's who will come right next to you going across the lake and wanting to race, but nothing crazy. But, i do head back to the cabin at night time. Bionic we need to ride together this year. We can stay at my place and party.

Rode from Rose city to TUT last year.
It was a good ride.

ChrisF(here on hcs), I and the GF.
Not a bad ride at all IMO.

Who's up for the ride this year?

Why would you bite Dennis?? get a steak, man!! but 'tis true.


Where is Five Corners?? I pretty much only go north. Only one winter was good enough to take the Owens trailhead.

Maybe its not called five corners anymore, but when my dad worked at Hackers the first stop sign on Owens rd where all the trails meet was called five corners. I guess that would be considered old school. Wait, you should know what that means then, right.