Volunteers wanted to help clear area recreation trails

Cook County Commissioners and county staff agreed volunteers and donations are likely the most realistic approach to assist with clearing the vast network of recreation trails in the county.

This consensus comes one week after the commissioners agreed to reach out to the Department of Natural Resources, various state agencies and the State Legislature to see if funding could be provided to help remove heavy snow and fallen or sagging trees from the miles of yet un-cleared, and therefore unusable, recreation trails in the county. The DNR and the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) said no emergency funds were available for the county with regard to paying trail-clearing crews or other similar expenses.

“Right now, we’re hitting walls,” Board Chair Heidi Doo-Kirk said in regard to obtaining the funds. “But it doesn’t mean we’re not looking.”

The local Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club was provided a small amount of funding from IRRRB to assist with trail clearing in advance of last weekend’s Gunflint Mail Run sled-dog race, according to Doo-Kirk. At the very least, this allowed the Mail Run to take place. In response, Commissioner Frank Moe praised the efforts of the Ridge Riders in opening trails for the race and throughout the county.

However, Doo-Kirk pointed out, there are still many miles of recreation trails in dire need of help. For example, Doo-Kirk said, the Banadad Ski Trail still has 16-miles of trail yet to be opened this year.

Heavy snowfall in December plagued area trails with an abundance of sagging or fallen trees, making many of the trails nearly impossible to use. Crews, both paid and volunteers, have been working to clear the trails for recreational use. Thus far, those efforts have been slow to make progress.

Anyone interested in volunteering or donating funds to assist with clearing recreation trails in Cook County can either contact a local business or organization in need of help, or simply contact County Administrator Jeff Cadwell and he will provide contact information or direction for where and when to help.

Cadwell can be reached directly at (218) 387-3687.