A year’s-long effort to connect Tomahawk and Rhinelander snowmobile trail systems ended successfully this fall with the completion of the “missing link” underneath a Canadian National rail trestle at Highways 8 and 47 just west of Rhinelander.
“Many people contributed to this effort, and years of work finally paid off in a very positive way,” said Hodag Sno-Trails President Scott Hetland of Rhinelander.
“We just kept at … we didn’t want to take ‘no’ for an answer,” echoed Northwoods Passage Trail Club President Tim Debels of Tomahawk.
The problem connecting the two trail networks had always been getting the approval and resources to cross under the railroad trestle that is owned by Wisconsin Central Ltd. and operated on by the Canadian National (CN) Railroad across State Highway 47. State Railroad Commissioner Roger Breske is credited with facilitating communication between the railroad and the City of Rhinelander.
“Once CN Railroad came to the table, we knew we could find the resources to complete the earthwork under the rail trestle,” said Rhinelander Mayor Dick Johns.
Resources came in the form of a $10,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources snowmobile fund which was added to the recent state budget by State Sen. Jim Holperin (D-Eagle River).
All involved in the project acknowledged the economic advantages of connecting the two trail systems. “Now snowmobilers coming from Tomahawk and other points west will have direct access to the motels, restaurants and gas stations on Kemp Street and will have a way to access the city,” said Johns.
“This project is all about helping small businesses thrive,” Holperin said. “When people wonder what the state is doing to save and create jobs in our small cities, it’s little projects like this that make a big difference.”
Club officials said the connecting link into Rhinelander would be signed and open to snowmobiling when the two trail systems open for the 2009-10 season.
