Snowmobile club trail crews continue working to clear trees and branches from trails in the Upper Peninsula in the wake of recent snow and ice storms.

In the eastern part of the region, heavy tree damage and downed powerlines were reported after a strong Dec. 29 storm.

“Effects of this storm have been felt across the eastern Upper Peninsula, with Chippewa County suffering the brunt of the problems,” said Paul Gaberdiel, eastern U.P. trails specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Parks and Recreation Division. “We have intermittent trail segment closures. Riders should be cautious of falling or weakened trees and branches. Warmer temperatures forecast for the next couple of days are expected to produce an increased amount of water on trails.”

Trail crews are working to clear downed trees and limbs as quickly as possible.

Farther west, in Marquette County, Trail No. 5 – from Clowry to the AAA Road north of Champion – also has storm and brush damage from this past weekend’s freezing rain and heavy snowfall.

“The Moose Country Snowmobile Club is working hard to clear the brush,” said Pete Glover, a DNR forest fire supervisor at the Gwinn office. “After speaking with other clubs, much of the problems appear to be localized, at least in this part of the region.”

For the latest information on DNR trail and other facility closures, visit Michigan.gov/DNRClosures.

For more information on snowmobiling in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/Snowmobiling.

Review trail safety tips at Michigan.gov/RideRight.