Snowmobile clubs are grooming their trails following the winter storm that slammed the Eastern Upper Peninsula Wednesday, December 9. In many areas, including St. Ignace and Cedarville, trails are ready to ride.

With 101 miles of trail to work with, the Straits Area Snowmobile Club of St. Ignace waited until Thursday to release its groomers. Vicepresident Neil Hill said the club waited until about six inches of snow had fallen before preparing the trails for eager riders.

"It was a good, heavy snow, so that's good for the trail," he said.

People have been checking trail conditions on the club's Web site since Wednesday's storm. The site will be updated with trail conditions at least four days a week.

The snow was a welcome sight.

"People were trying to ride as soon as the snowflakes fell," she said. "They were pretty impatient this year."

The Straits Area Snowmobile Club has completed its railroad grade brushing project that extends from St. Ignace to Trout Lake. The project widened out the trail, Mr. Hill said, as it had become overgrown with brush. The trail should be 16 to 18 feet wide in most places now .

If good snow continues, Mr. Hill said the club may settle into a regular grooming schedule in the next few weekends. The club maintains trails extending from St. Ignace to Trout Lake, Rexton, Cut River, Brevort, and a connector trail to I- 75.

Groomer drivers for the Les Cheneaux Snowmobile Club in Cedarville combed their trails the day of the storm, President Stuart Volkers said. The club maintains trails extending from Cedarville to Pickford, Pickford to DeTour, and DeTour to Cedarville, and from the clubhouse to I-75. While many of the trails can be used now, he stressed riders should be careful of swampy patches in some areas.

"Use due caution," he cautioned. "Everything hasn't frozen over yet."

Mr. Volkers expects the trails to be completely frozen in a few weeks, if snowy conditions continue.

"We're looking forward to it," he said.

South of the Mackinac Bridge in Mackinaw City, the Cheboygan Trailblazers wasted little time in preparing the trails. With the club's new grooming tractor and drag, members began working on the trails extending from Cheboygan to Mackinaw City, Long Point, Mann Road, and Black Mountain recreation area. Fred Brandt, president of the snowmobile club, said high winds felled some trees across the trails. Groomers use chainsaws to clear the trails.

The Big Mac Pack snowmobile club at Naubinway is encouraged by the snow, but must wait until December 15 before the trails can be groomed. Many of the maintained trails sit on private property, and are not open until December after muzzle loader season. President Harrol Beebe of the club said members are excited by the weather.

"It's creating a little bit of a stir of excitement right now," he observed. "I've had my machine ready to go."

The Big Mac Pack volunteers its time to support the Curtis Chamber of Commerce trail groomers, Mr. Beebe said. The club assists with trails extending to Gould City, Germfask, and Newberry.

Kelly Chamberlin, who reports on trail conditions to the Curtis Chamber of Commerce and other organizations in that area, was of the same opinion.

"Everybody is going to be really excited now," she said. "All it takes is a snowfall and people get ecstatic."