It’s that time of year again when the Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails grooming crew is preparing for their favorite season- ski season. TART, a nonprofit trail and pedestrian advocacy organization, grooms both the Vasa Pathway and Leelanau Trail for cross-country skiing. The program is funded by ski enthusiasts through TART’s grooming badge program and by a partial stipend by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). TART recently found out from the State that our grooming contract was renewed; however, the stipend for grooming reimbursements has been lowered. The partial reimbursement program has been cut back to 2 days a week (from 3 days in last year’s DNR contract.) During a typical week with adequate snowfall, TART groomers are generally out grooming the trails between 4-5 days a week and the new grooming contract does not cover all of TART’s costs.

We also learned that the Traverse City DNR will not be grooming the Muncie Lakes Pathway for skiing due to lack of funding.

TART owns high-tech grooming equipment that is used throughout the grooming season to prepare the trails for skiing. The burly LMC snowcat grooms a 12-foot corridor that sets both a skating lane and classic tracks. TART also owns three snowmobiles with grooming drags.

If we have another great winter like last year, we suspect that our operating costs will also be increased this year. Please support the trail grooming program by buying a badge online for $100 at www.traversetrails.org or at the TART Trails office located in Old Town Traverse City. Grooming badge supporters will receive regular emailed grooming communications and a pin that supporters can display on their jacket or ski hat.