Wolverine Nordic Ski Trails
By Andrew Gardner
January 2, 2003
I came home to my family in Upper Michigan last week to
find abnormally low snow, scarcely a foot. There were droves
of VO Max clad teenagers, sweating masters and people from
six states at Ironwood's other trails, ABR, all of these folks
were refugees from other trails without my favorite form of
crystalline precipitation. At Wolverine, however, it was quieter.
I could ski fairly undisturbed, listening to the wind swaying
in the trees, pondering particular pitches, curves and marks
made by worker bees of days gone by.
I feel a particularly sentimental attachment to the Wolverine
Nordic Trails System. My father was in the party that felled
the earliest trees in the name of the trails. I took my first
ski steps outside of our backyard at Wolverine. I've helped
design, cut, groom and maintain subsequent trails there. I've
given wax and technique clinics on the trails. I've raced
there.
The club is currently healthy, if not vibrant. Mountain Biking
is certainly partially responsible for this. The trails have
become a hotbed for fat tired frenzy in the summer. Inspired
by the substantial terrain, riders have maintained and expanded
the trails. The carry-over to winter is becoming more and
more evident. Singletrack has become snowshoe trails, manicured
paths have made way for shapely skating lanes. The skiing
is better than its been in decades at Wolverine.
I can remember lying in bed on Christmas morning feeling
the heaviness of newly fallen snow pressing on me before I
could even see it. Even in a poor year, there aren't many
days when winter doesn't push in on the existence of Ironwood
residence. Long has this been the bugbear of the Wolverine
System. Trails have been packed with light equipment. Though
pretty, the trails would sink leaving skating for only the
lightest skiers and classic skiing, mushy at best. Mushy trails,
however are no more.
In December, the club acquired a used Pisten Bully with low
hours. The smallish PB150 promises to sculpt trails from even
the softest of lake effect snow. Pair the machine with the
sturdy new warming cabin and Wolverine enters into the forefront
of Nordic skiing in Ironwood.
Trek & Trail owner and active club member Dave Johnson
is excited, "It will allow us to provide a better product
for our club members and for folks from out of town. This
a major financial step for a small club to undertake."
Johnson, a wave 4 Birkie skier will be one of coutless skiers
to benefit from the new skiing at Wolverine. Peak at the skiing
on the north side of Ironwood.
Photos
Photos from spring of 2002.
Skis on the map.
Coach Sten Fjeldheim and some NMU skiers.
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