Contrary to popular U.P. myth, there are no "snow fairies" waving wands over the Upper Peninsula landscape to create the smooth, groomed snowmobile trails all snowmobilers enjoy.

In truth, these trails are the result of weeks and even months of hard work by area snowmobile clubs and other interested organizations. The "labor of love" by these hard-working folks only gets the trails ready for the grooming season; it's then up to Mother Nature to deliver her side of the snowmobile trail partnership -- an abundance of snow.

Dec. 1 marks the unofficial start of Michigan's snowmobile season. The 16-day deer hunting "holiday" has just ended, and it's time for the snowmobile trail groomers to get to work.

4:30 a.m. A groomer's day starts early. An important part of the job is to perform all the necessary maintenance on the equipment before actually going out to groom (smooth) the trail. When you are operating a piece of equipment that costs in excess of $150,000, preventive maintenance is not an option; it is critical to the longevity of the equipment and, by extension, the trails entrusted to the groomer's care. Another reason for the early start to the groomer's day is to get the trails groomed and allow them as much time as possible to set up before the snowmobilers arrive. A groomed trail that has a good setup will hold up a lot longer than a trail that doesn't set up properly.

6:00 a.m. Grooming the trail is underway. On this particular day, it's cold enough so the snow doesn't ball up in front of the drag, but not so cold that it has little or no moisture. There is a delicate balance to trail grooming. This trail was graded before the season, so minimal amounts of snow can provide a smooth, enjoyable trail. But if the season starts with moguls (holes and bumps) in the ground base, these moguls will develop in the snow base right away. It also takes a lot more snow to smooth out a rough base.

6:30 a.m. The groomer stops at an intersection to replace a stop sign that has been stolen. Because such road signs frequently are taken, most groomers carry a supply of caution signs on their groomer. To help protect both snowmobilers and the public, the groomer will make a note to replace this stop sign and make sure the other operators keep an eye on this area in case the vandalism continues.

7:15 a.m. This morning's run
is looking outstanding as the groomer frequently checks the trail behind his machine. The temperature is still around 25 degrees and, with just a little humidity, the snow is packing very well. If these conditions hold, the trail could set up in two to three hours if it doesn't get pounded right away. That's why the grooming schedule on the DNR Web site is always posted one day behind. If a snowmobiler rides the trails that were groomed yesterday, today's grooming will get that critical setup time.

8:30 a.m. On a good day, groomers can do about eight miles of trail per hour. Today, the groomer had to make a few unplanned stops to remove trees that had been blown over in a storm. For such emergencies, most groomers carry a chain saw, gas, oil and even some pruning poles. Blow downs typically are a problem only when someone rides faster than they should on the trails and comes upon a downed tree with little or no time to stop. Excessive speed is one of three contributing factors present in nearly all fatal snowmobile accidents.

10:30 a.m. The temperature is holding steady at 26 degrees, so the groomer should be able to get back to the groomer barn with the trails holding up fairly well. The new drag is doing an outstanding job. While it's the drag that's actually doing all the work, a drag is about one-tenth the cost of a grooming tractor. Most groomers agree: if you don't have a good tractor to pull that drag around, day after day, in all conditions, your trails aren't going to amount to much.

12:30 p.m. Arrived back at the groomer barn. The driver for the next shift is getting ready to take the groomer back out on the other trail segment. The two groomers discuss trail conditions and what was found during the morning run, especially to make the afternoon driver aware that more blow down might be found on his run. Finally, the groomer calls the nearest DNR field office to report the trail segment that has been groomed, the location of the downed trees and the road signs that need to be replaced. That's more or less a typical day in the life of a groomer.

So, the next time you're out having some winter fun on Michigan's snowmobile trails, remember the work performed by the more than 67 trail sponsors who, in cooperation with the DNR, keep 6,500 miles of snowmobile trails groomed for you to ride.

For current snow conditions in Michigan throughout the snowmobile season, visit www.msasnow.org/trail_conditions/trailreports.asp