The Town of Greenville’s Snowmobile Trail Grooming Program is responsible for 70 miles of interconnecting trails running through Greenville and connecting with majors routes to the Forks, Blanchard, Rockwood, Kokadjo, and Brownville. Snowmobile trail grooming program veteran Paul Fichtner, owner of Big Lake Equipment, serves this year as the program director. Paul is working with Town employees and program volunteers to make sure our grooming equipment is ready to roll and that our schedule of volunteer operators will be full all season long.

In addition to the two 1980’s vintage Piston-Bully trail groomers owned and operated by the Town, the program plans to take delivery of a new 2003 Piston-Bully Trail Groomer and Mogul-Master drag by Monday, December 22. This new machine, which will be financed by the Town of Greenville and ultimately paid for through grants and donations to the program, will greatly strengthen the trail grooming program. “This new machine will make our jobs as trail groomer operators much easier and our work much more efficient”, said Program Director Paul Fichtner.

Trail grooming is heavily dependent upon weather conditions, which can change abruptly overnight. It is hoped that the rain received this week following two heavy snowfalls will help to produce a good base for the trails which will stay in place once being panned and ridden over. It is hoped that all ITS trails in Greenville’s system will have been groomed over the weekend. Despite the recent snowfall, trails which lie under thick tree canopies do not receive as much snow and can as a result be difficult to groom early in the season. “The Town and the Club are working together to open the trails as soon as possible, with the intention being for this weekend, weather permitting”, stated Town Manager John Simko. Traditionally, ITS trails in the Moosehead Lake Region are now opened until after the New Year.

Program Director Fichtner intends to communicate trail groomer activity and trail conditions to both the Moosehead Riders Snowmobile Club and also to Town Manager John Simko. Trail information will be made available on-line at the Town’s website www.GreenvilleME.com, at the Moosehead Riders Clubhouse 207-695-4561, at the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce, or by visiting Paul at Big Lake Equipment on Lakeview Street in Greenville.

For those with trail comments, a form is now available for you to fill out at both Big Lake Equipment and also the Town Office in Greenville. The Town wants to hear your complaints, comments and suggestions in order to make the program better. With the help of the public, the volunteers, the business community, the landowners, the snowmobile club and the Town, we can make this a great snowmobile season in the Moosehead Lake Region!