a minnesota county introduces gps and 911 to snowmobile trails

New Global Positioning System (GPS) technology in Itasca County, Minnesota will help trails become safer. The Itasca County Land, Park, Surveyor, and Sheriff Departments, Itasca County Trails Task Force, along with the MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Trails Division, National Forests, and ICSA cooperated to GPS all of the area's 700 plus miles of snowmobile trail.

Snowmobile club volunteers then installed emergency number signs on posts to coordinate with the 911 emergency response code system now available with the GPS coordinates. There is also a new map of all the "GPSed" trails available.

All phases of the project are complete. The original project was initiated in the 80s. Costs and lack of technology put the project on the shelf for many years until 1997- when the GPS system became available.

The Itasca County Snowmobile Alliance would like to thank all of the State, Federal, and County departments, along with the CVB, and businesses that provided funding for the maps. Above all, we would like to thank our County Alliance of Snowmobile Clubs, and their volunteers, for making this vision a reality. With this system, if you are stranded on a trail, or an unfortunate accident should happen, by calling in the nearest emergency marker information, emergency personnel through the 911 system will know where the closest access point is to rapidly provide help. GPS and Cellular telephone technology is the future for the users, businesses, and a safety line for our trail systems.

Trail users, please protect safety and emergency marker signs, they are your link to a safe and fun experience.

For More Information Please Contact:
Elmer Cone, Vice President
Itasca County Snowmobile Alliance
Phone 218/245-1725
Itasca County Sheriff 800/458-8732