Some Michigan legislation, a trail closure in Canada and a pending relocation top what we've heard lately about snowmobile trail closures. Keep us updated if something is happening in your area by emailing us at amsnow@amsnow.com or posting it in the Dear AmSnow forum.
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Michigan According to the Michigan Snowmobile Association, there is currently pending legislation which could allow snowmobile trail development along Interstates. For more information,
Go here to read a letter from the Michigan Snowmobile Association.
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Michigan's Upper Peninsula- Segments of the popular Route 2 snowmobile trail in the Upper Peninsula have been closed because of a loss of private land and easements.
The route will be closed from Rapid City to Escanaba. A detour is available if you ride north on the Nahma Trail, connect with the Baldy Lake Trail and go to the Chatham Trail. On the Chatham trail, go west to the Arnold Trail, where there are several connecting trails that go west and south.
The second closure affects Trail 15 between Chassell and Painesdale in Houghton County. The detour to travel west involves connecting with Trail 109 south of Baraga, and the detour east is Trail 3 to get from Bruce Crossing to Houghton, or Trail 109 to access the eastern U.P. routes.
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Ste. Jovite, QC - Because of snowmobile noise, a judge recently ordered that the municipal and provincial governments of Quebec close a section of a popular trail and award those who live within 100 meters of the trail $1,200 (Can.) for each year they've lived along the trail since it opened 7 years ago.
The area affected by the closure includes a 40 km stretch between St. Faustin-Lac Carre and Labelle. The plantiff in the case reported seeing and hearing up to 1,500 snowmobiles per day on the section of trail and reported the noise has caused insomnia and other health issues.
The Judge stated that any snowmobile trail on municipal property should be located 100 meters away from any residential dwelling- a ruling that contradicts the current standard that says snowmobile trails should be at least 30 meters away from homes. This could have a big impact, as many municipalities in Quebec allow trails set closer than 100 meters from homes to pass through their towns.
The FCMQ snowmobile organization is reviewing the ruling at this time. Any appeal to the ruling must be filed by the municipal government.
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Concord, N.H. - A state judge is expected to make a ruling in the next few weeks about the relocation of a popular trail in this area. The Appalachian Mountain Club's new Highland Center is located 500 yards from the new proposed route, and the group is strongly protesting the location. This trail would replace the 5-mile long Base Road to Mount Washington's Cog Railway. An estimated 2,000 snowmobiles travel this route each week in winter, according to the state.