Just wondering if any of you guys who ride/live in Michigan ever work with or belong to a group that does trail grooming on the Baldwin, MI trails. I have been thinking about lookin more into who does that up there, and when they do it. If I could drive up on a Friday and participate on say Sat, then ride Sunday before I had to go back home (live bout 3.5hrs from there downstate). Basically I dont mind the down trees to an extend if they arent so loaded with branches you cant even think about getting over it, they can be a fun obstacle, if i dont face plant over it, LOL! I am more concerned with the leaves. Now I dunno, since I rode in November this past year and it was my first trail ride in 6+ yrs, if the leaves in the spring/summer are an issue, or if they broke down etc enough to be a non issue. I just know when we were cruisin pretty good through some of the heavily leaf covered trails I was just hoping there was no big buried log, rock, root, etc...cuz that could get ugly.

I have access to backpack leaf blowers and 2 legs to walk quite a few miles of trails blowin em off. If anyone does this kinda stuff, lemme know where you are doing it through. A friend of mine who lives up there is going to talk to the motorsports dealer there, possibly get some info that way. Also, what other activites do trail groomers do?

Big O/Little O are maintained by the USFS. While they receive grant funding from the MI DNR, they have their own schedule for trail clearing/maintenance.

Little Manistee/Lincoln Hills/Tin Cup (trails, not Routes) are maintained by the CCC (member clubs of that org) through the DNR's grant programs, which are funded by ORV Sticker fees.
I believe Irons Area Tourist Association is maintaining the Routes on Lincoln Hills and Little Manistee, not positive on Tin Cup.

You can hook up with these groups to help with the maintenance on the latter systems. If you want to help on Big O/Little O, give the Baldwin Ranger Office a call.

Leaves on the trail are part of the experience and... we actually want them on the trail so that they decompose and become part of the trail base. That woody material mixes with the sand and makes it a "stronger mixture" so the sand does not move so much and whoop out as fast.

Leaves are kinds of a seasonal item, spring it may be mud (should we move the mud?) and summer is dust (should we water the trail) and fall it's leaves (get the rake out?) and winter it's snow (snowblower?). If the seasonal condition(s) are not to your liking, it's best to not ride at that time of the year (seriously) just like I don't ride, the bike much, when the trails are frozen and covered with ice/snow; however I have no problem riding through the conditions of the other seasons.

Those in the maintenance program remove trees across the trail, trim branches back and keep the signs up (confidence triangles and stop signs).
There is a separate grading program where they take a small tractor with a scraper to smooth out the trails (oversimplifying things here).

West Michigan Trailriders take care of Lincoln Hills and Cabberfee. We welcome anyone who wants to come along. Typically spring cleanup is down limbs, sticks and trees. Fall cleanup is usually brushing, clearing the face slappers. As far as leaf removel? Thats not a pryority. An example: It waill take roughly 6 guys 6-7 hour to spring clean Lincoln Hills. Multiply it by 2 for the the fall. So close to 80 man hours for that trail. And thats on bikes. 2traKR explains it pretty well.

Thanks guys, I was only wondering if leaves were part of it, since I can get backpack blowers easily. I am not "afraid" of the leaves, lol. I like the different aspects of the trails. I used to race some back in the day, and I ALWAYS liked trail riding more.

Anyhow, someone else had gotten in touch with me about the West MI Trailriders clean ups. I think my friend and I are going to do our very best to make it out for one this spring. He said he is going to send me a schedule if I wanted to help with whatever.

Thanks!

is it legal to still ride MI's trail systems in the winter? does anyone stud up and ride MI's ORV trails?
THANKS

I never have, but then again I haven't rode in years either until recently (pre-snow). If you can't find it on google, I'd say for the best possible answer, know the trails you wanna ride, figure out if they are state (DNR) or federal (National Forest Service) land, call the appropriate agency, and get the 100% answer. Last thing you wanna do is get hit up for somethin out there, its never cheap.

audacity, on 20 January 2012 - 06:45 AM, said:

Yes, Trails are open year round.

Bumpin this topic in hopes the guy I spoke with from WMTRs a couple months ago can re-pm me. I lost the emails, and was curious as to if the schedule was ever produced. Thanks