Lake County staff recommend leasing snowcats, prioritize Mineral Belt Trail grooming for 2025–26 season

Lake County staff and community volunteers discussed options to expand winter grooming for the 2025–26 season at a June 11 work session, with staff recommending leased snowcats, a dedicated seasonal operator, and a focus on grooming the Mineral Belt Trail before expanding to the golf-course Nordic venue.

Duncan Chisholm, director of Pathway Creation with Open Space for Lake County, told the meeting he and public works recommend leasing snowcats to increase grooming frequency. "My recommendation along with public works is to lease 2 of them for 2 seasons," Chisholm said, calling the two-season lease a way to test machines before deciding whether to buy. Chisholm presented a range of lease scenarios and said staff estimated roughly $247,300 per season for two leased machines in one set of assumptions and later described a separate public-works estimate that was "just under $350,000" per season when staffing and other costs are included. He described those figures as estimates that depend on the number of machines and service level chosen.

Volunteer groomer Dan (no last name given) and several community members urged the county to prioritize the Mineral Belt Trail, arguing earlier grooming and more…