"It's like trying to cut through a log cabin wall."
That's how Adrian Tessier, the grooming co-ordinator for Thunder Bay Adventure Trails, describes the current condition of the local groomed trail system.
"We got major problems with the trail," he said Wednesday. "We had some super heavy snow and rain that has brought down a bazillion trees."
Tessier said some club members started clearing trees from the 400-kilometre trail system on Monday.
"After five hours, we had cleared only two miles of trail (just wide enough for) a snowmobile."
"We figure we have more than 100 km of trail," that is impassable due to broken and bent trees, he said, adding that members planned to take out the club's groomers on Thursday to see what they can do about removing the smaller trees.
Tessier said that trees up to three inches in diameter are bent over the trail and frozen into the snow on the other side.
"I've never seen anything like this before."
"We're going to see how the groomers work. We're using just the tractor part equipped with a dozer blade on the front, and we've built extra guarding on the machines so we don't damage them." he said, adding that "we still need people to follow along with the groomers and cut the larger trees off the trail and clean up (tree branches)."
In that regard, the club is looking for volunteers to help out with the trail cleanup. To help out, people can call Tessier at 631-2214 or Bob Slusar at 355-8200.
This year, the club is hoping to have almost 400 km of trails open. The trails begin in the Kakabeka Falls area and connect to the U.S. at Gunflint Lake and to Atikokan and points west.
