LANSING -- State Representative Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard) today announced that the House and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has reached an agreement to continue grooming two cross country ski trails in Chippewa County that were not scheduled to be maintained this year.
The DNR last week announced that the Algonquin and Pine Bowl ski trails -- along with 14 others throughout Michigan -- would not be groomed this winter, due to a cut in funding.
"These trails provide great recreational opportunities for Upper Peninsula residents, and add to the quality of life that we enjoy in northern Michigan," McDowell said. "They also bring in tourists to our area that pump much-needed dollars into our local economies. Abandoning these vital trails would have been a mistake."
McDowell and his colleagues worked with the DNR to ensure that the 16 trails will be maintained. The trails will remain groomed until at least mid-January, when McDowell hopes that a supplemental bill will be approved providing additional funding for the grooming.
The Algonquin ski trails are located in a heavily wooded area in the western section of Sault Ste. Marie. The three loops total eight miles in length, and the first loop is lighted for night skiing. The Pine Bowl pathway, located near the former Kincheloe Air Force Base, features 9.5 miles of groomed marked trails in the Munuscong State Forest.
"Cross country skiing is a great way to stay in shape and explore the outdoors in the wintertime," McDowell said. "The Upper Peninsula has an abundance of beautiful, well-groomed trails. It's in our best interest to keep them that way."