09.09 - Ski Trails-Wilderness Rd & Mayo Lake Nature Preserve

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To: Pequot Lakes City Council From: Tom Beaver Date: October 15,2015 Re: winter use of Mayo Lake Nature Preserve I write this memo with some suggestions for winter recreation using the newly acquired Mayo Lake property as well as the Wilderness Road County and State lands that I have maintained and trailed with the County's and State's blessing. The DNR supports the Wilderness Road trails and has signed said trails but will not put them on their trail maps because they are not managed by a club or unit of government. I created said trails out of a love for cross country skiing. I was a coach of the sport for 27 years and it's in my Norwegian blood. However, I am 80 years old and there will come a time when trail grooming will be beyond my abilities. The DNR needs more permanency in the responsibility for a trail site than a single individual. A ski club could be an option, along with a Pequot High School cross country ski team. I will pursue this with them. The Wilderness Road trail is only two miles of easy terrain and would not be enough for advanced skiing. Developing the Mayo Lake property would create a large trail system, one suitable for recreation and ski racing. Creating ski trails on the Mayo Lake property would not be expensive. We would work with the existing terrain. It would involve tree and brush removal and some leveling. Several area skiers and I are very capable of creating good trails which would cost the city nothing. Many trail setters and I use inexpensive homemade trail sleds (I have two of them) and a heavy duty snowmobile such as an Arctic Cat Bearcat,which I use on the Wilderness Road trails. So, which comes first—skiers or trails? We all know that answer: "Build it and they will come." If the City chooses to expand its park system to include skiing and snowshoing on groomed trails, I am willing to head up trail planning,talk to the school about ski teams, and pursue a club to work on the trails. We will be in Florida from October 23 to December 14 or 15,then we'll be back at home on Lower Cullen Lake for the hopefully snowy winter. I hope this will give you time to ponder my suggestion. If you decide to discuss it, we can set up . time to dialogue. I Tom Beaver 218-568-5904 (until 10/23 and . - 12/15) 218-831-6318 (cell) beaver @uslink.net