The idea of snowmobiling in Sheboygan County is only that, with the one critical element – snow – missing from the ground and the forecast. But in the north country there’s snow – plenty of it, and many will go where the snow is to practice their sport.
The Wisconsin DNR is advising that even with snow, current warming trends have caused thin ice statewide, and they’re sounding a note of caution. Next week is Snowmobile Safety Week, and DNR Off-highway Vehicle Administrator Lieutenant Jake Holsclaw is reminding snowmobilers that “…no ice is ever completely safe, and that even areas that seem thick and covered with snow may be hiding patches of black ice that could break apart under the weight of the machine and riders.”
Holsclaw advises contacting local sport shops to determine local lake and river conditions, and to include a life jacket or float coat among your list of proper clothing. Avoiding unfamiliar areas and slowing down at night are also wise practices.
For now, those seeking snow need to go north of Highway 29 as a rough rule-of-thumb. As for the snow chances here, the months of February and March just might deliver, with near normal temperatures and above normal precipitation predicted by the National Weather Service.
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