NORTHWEST REGION

Chase Off Winter Blahs with Fat Bike Birkie

CABLE – The Fat Bike Birkie is the premier snow bike event in North America. At this race, riders test their skill and endurance on the legendary American Birkebeiner Ski Trail. This year, the event will take place on Saturday, March 13, beginning and ending at the new Birkie start area, 14875 Mc Naught Rd., Cable.

Last year, nearly 1,100 riders competed on the world’s largest on-snow fat bike race. They hailed from 17 states and three countries, including Canada and Belgium. As before, riders will test their skill on the snow covered and professionally groomed hills of the Birkie Trail. (The CAMBA trails recently were given a coveted “Ride Center” designation by the International Mountain Bike Association.) 47K, Half Fat 21K, and the untimed Fun Fat 10K Tour—there is something for every rider.

Overall trophies will be presented to the first three male and female finishers of both races. Cash prizes for the first three men and women in the Big Fat: $500, $250 and $100. Awards will be given to the first-, second-, and third-place riders, male and female, in each age class for the Fat Bike races.

No mountain bikes are allowed; tires must be at least 3.5 inches wide. For registration and more information, visit Birkie.com or call 715-634-5025.

Before the race, on Friday, March 12, check out the Fat Bike Birkie EXPO and Fat Bike demos (schedule dependent on any COVID-19 restrictions). The Fat Bike Birkie racecourses will be groomed and marked for pre-riding on that Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

They will be implementing appropriate safety precautions and protocols because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ski, Snowshoe Trails Open at Forts Folle Avoine

DANBURY – In early times, fur traders and Native peoples handcrafted snowshoes to get around during winter. You can put on your own “shoes” (or XC skis) and follow in their footsteps with a trip to where two fur trading posts once existed side by side.

During summer, the Forts Folle Avoine Historical Park near Danbury bustles with people and activities. The park is closed during winter (except for Christmas at the Forts), but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do there. The Burnett County Historical Society, which operates the park, allows skiers and snowshoers to use the trails there at no charge, although donations are appreciated.

The cross-country ski trail circles the perimeter of the park, going through the Ojibwe Village and past the Fur Posts. Trails groomed for classic skiing are beginner to intermediate level.

The Historical Park, located 8500 County Rd. U near Danbury, is on 80 wooded acres along the historic Yellow River.

Discover the Snowmobile Trails in Barron County

Barron County is a classic Northwoods getaway destination offering a variety of winter-oriented activities. Among the most popular are snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing. There are nearly 310 miles of snowmobile trails just within the county.

Snowmobilers might want to consider the state Wild Rivers State Trail, which runs north and south through the counties of Barron, Washburn, and Douglas. Wild Rivers originates in Rice Lake and runs 104 miles north to just south of Superior.

All but 8 miles of the Wild Rivers trail follows an abandoned railbed established by the Omaha and Soo Line railroads in the 1880s. About 40 miles of the trail runs parallel to U.S. Highway 53, mostly in Washburn County. The scenery along the route consists of towering pines, hardwood forests, and farmland. Wildlife possibilities include white-tailed deer, foxes, rabbits, and snowshoe hares. About 8 miles of the Cattail Trail is in Barron County. The eastern terminus is in Almena and goes 22 miles west to Amery in Polk County.

In addition to the above, there are snowmobile trails to explore in the beautiful Blue Hills east of Rice Lake.

Rice Lake is the county’s largest city (population 8,000) in the county and draws shoppers from miles around. The city boasts a number of motels, resorts, restaurants, taverns, and snowmobile sales and service outlets. The city of Chetek sits on the shore of Lake Chetek, popular with fishermen throughout the year. It too has accommodations, restaurants and pubs. Barron and Cumberland also have lodging facilities and eating places.

The four local snowmobile clubs invite you to join their respective group. Members are an excellent source of trail information and they have frequent club rides and get-togethers.

• Barron Snow Bears: Dillion Palmquist 715-637-5936—Dillongtc@Chibardun.net • Chetek Snow Flyers: Mike Schmidt 715-829-8925—Cheteksnowflyers@yahoo.com • Island City Snowmobilers: Jeff Cook 715-205-0311—Jcook@Islandcitycumberland.com • Rice Lake Snow & Dirt Club: Jacqui Schneider 715-234-6636—Rlsnowdirt@gmail.com

Winter Bliss on Washburn County Trails

Washburn County becomes a winter playground and favorite getaway for families and couples when the snow flies and transforms the forests and many lakes found here.

The scenic beauty comes alive for those who enjoy snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing as well as ice fishing. Numerous restaurants, pubs, and lodging facilities are available almost anywhere. Listed below are ideas for a day’s outing with family and friends:

Snowmobile Trails

Washburn County operates 240 miles of state-funded snowmobile trails, which link up to the largest network of snowmobile trails in the Midwest, The groomed trails wind through public forests and across private land, covering hundreds of thousands of acres.

The varied terrain includes hardwood and evergreen forests, wetlands, and farm fields. You’ll see towering pines, rolling hills, and deep valleys. Nearly 1,000 lakes in the area offer more than 30,000 acres of lake riding.

Most trails are maintained from early December through March, depending on conditions. For trail conditions, contact the Washburn County Forestry Department at 715-635-4490.

Cross-Country Ski Trails

Beaver Brook Trail, 12 miles, Off Hwy. 53, 1 mile on Cranberry Marsh Rd. Classic, groomed, plus ungroomed snowshoe and backcountry trails, pet friendly, donations welcome. College Street Park Trail, 7 km, Spooner City Park, Spooner. Multiple loops for different skill levels, classic/skate, groomed, donations welcome. A portion of the trail is lit in the evening. Heartwood Trails, 20 km, Location: Heartwood Conference Center. Multiple loops, wide range of trails, groomed, fee. Nordic Woods Trail, 15 km, Hwy. 70, between Spooner and Stone Lake. Classic, groomed, beginner and intermediate loop. Totogatic Trail, 8 km, north of Minong, on Hwy. 53 (Address: N13611 Hwy 53. Groomed, classic, multiple loops.

Snowshoe Trails

Beaver Brook Wildlife Area, 12 miles, off Hwy. 53, 1 mile on Cranberry Marsh Rd. Ungroomed snowshoe and backcountry trails. College Street Park Trail, 3 miles, Snowshoe Spooner City Park, Spooner. Multiple loops for different skill levels. Heartwood Trails, 20 km, Heartwood Conference Center. Multiple loops, wide range of trails, groomed, fee. Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary, 10 miles, 2.5 miles east of Cty. P on Audubon Rd.; take a left on Hunt Hill Road. Dogs okay with leash, not groomed, parking. Ice Age Trail-Grassy Lake Segment, 7.23 miles, Pershing Rd, located in the Welsh Lake segment. Follows wide, grassy logging roads. Trego Nature Trail, 3.5 miles, Trego Nature Trail, 2 miles west of Hwy. 53 on River Rd. Multiple loops. Wild Cat Mountain Bike and Snowshoe Trails, 14 miles, 4 miles east of Spooner on Hwy. 70. Multiple loops.

Beaver Brook, College Street, and Heartwood Trails are multi-use; please stay off the cross-country ski tracks when donning snowshoes.

U.P. Michigan Region

For Great Trail Riding, Come Up to Iron County, Michigan

Gorgeous winter scenery coupled with wildlife sightings help draw snowmobilers to Iron County, Michigan, which boasts more than 260 miles of extensively groomed and well-marked snowmobile trails. The wide-open trails traverse abandoned railroad beds, weave through varied wooded terrain, and cross lakes for excellent sledding. Snowfall totals of between 90 and 120 inches each season keep club groomers busy and sledders happy. The season opens December 1 and closes March 31. The county trail system includes Amasa, Crystal Falls, Iron River, Sidnaw, and Kenton areas. The Iron Range Trail Club (906-2657152) maintains and grooms nearly 150 miles of trail while the Chippewa Sno-Kats Trail Club (906-875-3117) grooms and maintains about 100 miles of trail. Snowmobile derbies, poker runs, raffles, and races are sponsored each season by clubs and

communities. Trail 16, known as the “Chippewa Trail,” travels east on a wellgroomed scenic route to Crystal Falls. From here, it continues on to the Sagola area on the Arsenia Hershey Trail. A jaunt on Trail 15 takes riders north deep into the great Northwoods and offers the rider many opportunities to capture photos of wildlife and scenery. This trail gives sno-tourers the option of traveling to Sidnaw or connecting with Trail 4 toward Kenton or Trail 111 to Amasa.

For trail reports, call 906-265-7152 or 888-879-4766. For trail maps, contact the South Central UP Snowmobile Council at osieger@fast-air.net. Iron County snowmobile trail maps are available at the Iron County Chamber of Commerce office, at most area gas stations, and many local businesses. Trail permits can be purchased at the Chicaugon Lake Inn.

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Dickinson County Will Have You Knee-Deep in Snowy Fun

DICKINSON COUNTY – Winter is here, and what better place to visit than postcard perfect Dickinson County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan? Whether solo or with family or friends, your starting point should be Iron Mountain, billed as “the Gateway to the U.P.” and the entire Dickinson County Area.

The folks at the Tourism Association of Dickinson County say the scenery on the snowmobile trails is simply breathtaking. With over 118 miles of groomed snowmobile trails in the county, there is plenty of room to roam. The county trail system networks with the rest of the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin, so there’s no shortage of trail riding available.

The nearly 150 miles of snowmobile trails weave their way through a pristine wilderness. They pass by vertical granite outcroppings, glistening with frozen waterfalls, and even to a crossing of the Menominee River via a trestle bridge. Dickinson County enjoys well-groomed and marked trails, thanks to the volunteers of the Tri-County Snowmobile Club.

Trailside restaurants and lodging mean lots more time on the trail. Iron Mountain has lodging and trail amenities for a snowmobile or downhill or cross-country ski trip.

There are about a dozen XC trails, all within 20 miles of downtown Iron Mountain. Most are groomed, well marked and have plowed parking trailheads. There are two public sledding hills for all-day family fun: City Park in Iron Mountain (lighted and steps) and Strawberry Lake Park in Norway.

Pine Mountain has excellent downhill ski opportunities for the family. The facility features a 500-foot drop with 26 runs, two double and one triple chair lift, rope tow, two terrain parks under lights, and more. The nearby Pine Mountain ski jump is one of the highest artificially created ski jumps in the world.

When hard ice allows lake travel, it’s time to catch walleyes, northern pike, and crappies on any number of lakes found in the county (over 7,600 acres in total).

When the last rays of sunshine have kissed the landscape goodnight, it’s time to check out local restaurants and taverns offering delicious food from hamburgers to steaks and Friday night fish frys. Craft beers from lagers to ales, IPAs, and everything in between are also available.