Fumee panel entertains ski trail offer

By JIM ANDERSON, News Editor

IRON MOUNTAIN - A potential $75,000 donation for cross country skiing at the Fumee Lake Natural Area is a sensitive issue for members of the Fumee Lake Commission.

After hearing citizen concerns Tuesday that skiers might monopolize Fumee in the winter, commission member Dr. Daniel Mitchell said he's hopeful that all users can be accommodated.

"We'd like to see it improved, not monopolized," Mitchell said.

Dave Brule Jr. of Iron Mountain has offered $75,000 to improve skiing at Fumee, including $25,000 for an initial equipment purchase and $10,000 annually for five years to pay grooming costs and develop new trails.

One goal is to allow grooming when only several inches of snow is on the ground. Currently, about a foot is needed.

County Commissioner Frank Smith advised the Fumee panel Tuesday that it should avoid managing the county-owned property "for the exclusive or semi-exclusive use" of skiers.

"A lot of people like to go out there for other purposes," he said.

Robert Moraska of Iron Mountain said there are "too many skiers, entirely" on the Fumee board. Moraska cited a proposed stipulation in the donation requiring that snowshoe trails be marked.

"Snowshoers can use every trail," he said. "We all get to share in it equally."

Mitchell said talks are under way with the Menominee Range Ski Club to see if Brule's donation might better be directed to the club, which could then play a role in keeping Fumee groomed. Maintaining or developing ski trails in other areas has also been suggested, but the ski club currently has a relatively small membership.

"It would be desirable to include Fumee," Mitchell said. "It's the most feasible place to do it."

Trail development at Fumee is a difficult issue that would need county approval, he added.

Fumee board co-chair Robert Roberge acknowledged there are "user conflicts" at Fumee.

A horse-riding event this past weekend, for example, drew at least one written complaint about manure on the trails.

This past winter, no ski grooming took place at Fumee until near the end of January for lack of adequate snow. The Fumee Lake Commission budgets about $2,000 each winter for

grooming, about 22 percent of its current annual budget. A new groomer was acquired in early 2007 through private donations.

Brule's offer, which is also aimed at boosting tourism, requests a plan to make the ski trails self-funding beyond the five-year donation.

The Fumee panel is awaiting further talks with the ski club and Brule before deciding how to proceed. Other members of the commission are Susan Pope, Phyllis Carlson, Lucy Shampo, William Bailey and Stephen Soltis.

In other action Tuesday, Carlson reported that the annual Fumee Lake open house on Oct. 5 drew about 300 to 350 people. A year ago, more than 400 people attended.

"It was still a very good event," Carlson said. Higher fuel prices appeared to limit the number of out-of-town visitors, she noted.

Jim Anderson's e-mail address is janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.