Skiing offers fun, exercise

By MARY BRAY

Cross-country skiing is a sport that combines the opportunity for aerobic exercise with the pleasure of scenic beauty, and it’s a sport that’s appropriate for almost all ages.

In the Alpena area, there are two trail systems for the public’s enjoyment, free of charge.
Norway Ridge is the closer trail system. It is located a few miles west of Alpena on Werth Road. It boasts multiple double-track groomed loops, from one to seven miles, geared to beginning to intermediate skiers, said Vince Call, Thunder Bay Trails Association public promotions officer.

“The trail goes through pine ridges and gently rolling terrain,” Call said. “It’s probably the more popular trail because it’s close to town and because it’s geared to all ages and levels of skill.”

Trails association members maintain Norway Ridge on a year-round basis, not only to benefit skiers, but also for hikers who enjoy the scenery during spring, summer and fall.
The association owns grooming equipment, which allows it to set tracks whenever new snowfall dictates the need.

In the summer, members spend many hours trimming trees and removing brush, which crowd the trail. They also maintain signs that guide users around the loops.
And over the past few years, the association laid hundreds of feet of decking to cover low, wet spots on the trail.

Maps are available at the trail head to guide newcomers to the system.
The other trail system is known as Chippewa Hills, located at the west end of Nicholson Hill Road.

Chippewa Hills, with its more difficult trails and steeper terrain, is better suited for intermediate to expert skiers, Call said.

“They can expect rolling hardwoods with the opportunity to see deer and turkey,” he said.

Chippewa Hills has three groomed loops, simply called A, B and C. The longest loop runs for about eight miles.

For up-to-date trail conditions and other information about Norway Ridge and Chippewa Hills or the trails association, visit the association’s Web site www.thunderbaytrails.org.

Call said more and more people are using Norway Ridge for snowshoeing.

Although the activity doesn’t require a groomed trail, the trails association, for the first time in 2004, set one side on the front loop at Norway Ridge for snowshoeing.

In addition to the two local trails in the Alpena area, Northeast Michigan has several other trail systems including;
þ Ocqueoc Falls on M-68, west of Rogers City;
þ Black Mountain Forest Recreation Area, on the western edge of Presque Isle County;
þ Garland Golf and Ski Resort, south of Lewiston;
þ Buttles Road, outside of Lewiston;
þ Clear Lake State Park, north of Atlanta on M-33;
þ Hoeft State Park, north of Rogers City.
A Web site sponsored by the Great Lakes Nordic Ski Council offers information about cross-country skiing throughout Michigan. It can be found at www.skicrosscountry.org.