KEWAUNEE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Kewaunee, Calumet, and Outagamie Counties say they will be closing snowmobile trails today.
The Kewaunee County Promotions and Recreation Department said that the trails will be closing due to this week’s forecasted warm temperatures.
Trails opened on Monday, February 17, in sections 1 (Red River area), 2 (Algoma area), and 4 (Kewaunee area).
Section 3 trails in the Luxemburg area did not have satisfactory trail conditions and therefore remained closed, according to Kewaunee County.
“We had a decent five day run and we would like to stay open longer, unfortunately our snowmobile clubs know that the predicted warmer weather will deteriorate our snow base making the trails unusable,” said Dave Myers, Director of Kewaunee County Promotions & Recreation. “We are hoping to reopen the snowmobile trails again this season if the weather cooperates.”
“With the lack of snowfall and lack of base that’s on some of the plowed fields, we just have no cover,” Algoma Snowmobile Club president Lonnie Fenendael said.
Snowmobilers say the season in Wisconsin typically lasts from January to February.
“We along the lake had ultimately not much snow so they opened when we finally had enough snow and with the warm weather coming they’re getting faded away pretty fast,” Fenendael said.
Calumet County also stated it would be closing its trails today.
All six sections of trails are closing in attempt to save the snowmobile trail base during the approaching warm weather.
“It’s typical for our Wisconsin weather we get here, we get these warm ups and basically we’re going to shut down the trails, keep guys off them, try and preserve our base,” Calumet Snow Trails vice president and trail boss Nathan Hacker said.
Hacker tells FOX 11 the emphasis is on rider safety, as well as looking out for land owners.
“We cross some land with crops such as alfalfa that we try and preserve fields as much as possible.”
Fenendael tells FOX 11 they have the same issue in Kewaunee County.
“We’re at the mercy of land owners to be able to ride on the trails that are in the county, so we have to keep the land owners happy.”
Outagamie County announced their trails will close today as well.
Officials remind snowmobilers that they can be fined for riding along county trails when they are closed for trespassing.
Manitowoc County also closed snowmobile trail sections 1,2,3,4, and 6 on Sunday.
While the weather is expected to cool down next weekend, snowmobilers say they’re not sure when the trails will reopen.
