History

The Manitowoc County Snowmobile Alliance was started on December 2nd, 1971, with Al Reindl as president, Andy Endries as vice-president and Theresa Holschbach as secretary.

In the fall of 1972 a meeting was held between the alliance staff and the Manitowoc County Planning and Park Commission to discuss the possible development of the public trail. A three year trial program was set up.

In April of 1973 the public trail was started with 32 miles of trail, all on private property. This trail ran from the Sheboygan County line north to Taus and involved 67 landowners. The trail was formally dedicated on January 6th, 1974 at the Viking Bow and Gun Club. In 1973, there were already 15 snowmobile clubs in the alliance. On October 19th, 1973, the Manitowoc County Snowmobile Alliance was incorporated.

Manitowoc County was the first county in the State of Wisconsin to put a public snowmobile trail on private property. Prior to this the only public snowmobile trails in Manitowoc County were 3 miles in the Collins Marsh and a 4 mile loop in Point Beach State Forest.

In 1974 the East-West trail was added connecting Calumet County and a trail to Point Beach which added another 40 miles and another 67 landowners. In 1975 another 34 miles of public trail was added connecting Brown County, Kewaunee County and Cleveland and another trail to Sheboygan County. This gave Manitowoc County a total of 106 miles of public trail in 3 years.

In 1974 a safety program was suggested to put a safety flag on a 4-foot flexible rod on the back of the snowmobile. Another flag below it of a different color would identify the various clubs. Any snowmobile without a flag would identify a snowmobiler not belonging to a club.

Mr. Mike Wallander was the first groomer for the public trail assisted by Elton Lutzke. Later the Viking Sno-Riders, Louis Corners Sno-Birds, Lakeshore Snowmobile Club, American Sno-Sports, and Ronald Schmidt added groomers.