Trail Conditions: Closed
Snow Cover: Minimal
Date of Report: December 13, 2024
Area Report:
The Barnstormers have been busy getting trails ready for opening. We’ve cleared trails of fallen trees & brush. We are scheduled for inspection by the DNR on December 17 (all clubs must have their trails inspected before they are allowed to open). We’ve been out with our roller packing the little bit of snow we have in order to help create a firmer base. Essentially, all we need is for the frost to get a bit deeper and then more snow!
As of today, there is still no set date that the trails will open. Remember, all 11 clubs in Vilas county must be ready as we all open at the same time. Some clubs have a fair amount of swampy areas that need to freeze before they can go through with their equipment. Thankfully, the Barnstormers don’t have swamps to deal with, but we still have to wait until ALL clubs are ready.
Then, we just need snow!! We’ll keep you all posted as things develop.
Snowmobiling Information
The Sayner Barnstormers are proud groomers of the Sayner – Star Lake Wisconsin area snowmobile trails. Our club was founded back on November 26, 1969, with 27 charter members. The Barnstormers trails stretch all the way from Hwy 70, just east of Arbor Vitae, all the way up to Old Hwy B, just west of Land O Lakes. We groom these trails with three tractors each equipped with 9-foot-6-inch grooming drags built by Sno*Boss of Eagle River and Arrowhead Groomers of St. Germain.
Snowmobiling was born here in the 1920s, when Carl Eliason, of Sayner, invented the first snowmobile in 1924 (he called it a snow machine initially). He took his first patent out on November 24, 1927. He has been featured in History Magazine, in the Modern Marvels section. You can still see some of the very first snowmobiles to ever be ridden in Sayner’s History Museum and at Eliason Lumber, both located on Hwy 155 in Sayner.
Our trails cover a variety of terrains including beautiful wooded trails, lake crossings, and some road routes. Over the years signage has improved tremendously, with the most recent addition of intersection numbers, making it easier for snowmobilers to figure out where they are. These intersection numbers were also created to assist snowmobilers and emergency crews to find each other in the unfortunate event of an accident.
Through the combined efforts of the Sayner Barnstormers and our great neighboring clubs, we feel that Vilas County has the best maintained and marked trails in the world. Our trails adjoin St Germain’s BoBoen Club, Arbor Vitae / Minocqua Cross Country Cruiser’s, Eagle River SnoEagle’s, Land O Lakes Frosty Club’s , and Boulder Junction’s trails. Other clubs in the county include the Conover Snow Buddies, Manitowish SnoSkeeters, Presque Isle SnoBunnies, Phelps, and Lac du Flambeau Northern Horseshoe.
See you on the trails and always, Please Ride Safe!!!