Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Hello Everyone: The trails are open and the conditions are GREAT at MECCA Trails in Mercer. I have attached an updated media release about our Winterfest event to be held live on February 5th with virtual options starting on December 18th. Thank you for your consideration,
Recent Trail Grooming at MECCA Trails in Mercer. Click on image to enlarge.Mercer, WI– MECCA Trails and its volunteers are ready! There’s been lots of snow and we’ve hit the trails with everything we’ve got: our new Ski-Doo snowmobile, two groomers with track setting equipment, two packing rollers, and our John Deer Gator UTV tracked workhorse. It takes our volunteer groomers 5-10 hours to pack, groom, set tracks and spiff up the skate lane to make it ready for striders and skatersways . The snowshoe trails are ungroomed and always ready to shoe through the beautiful forests and wetlands surrounding the chalet. Trail conditions are regularly updated on the website at www.meccatrails.com.
The trails will be in great shape for the MECCA Trails Winterfest on Saturday, February 5, 2022, with virtual options starting on Saturday, December 18, 2021. Cross-country skiers have three races to choose from including the Turtle River Pursuit (two, 11K legs, classic and skate) and Flowage 15K Freestyle and Claire d' Loon 5K. All three races have a virtual option and participants may ski the courses and time themselves between December 18, 2021 and February 18, 2022. The Flowage 15K Freestyle and Claire d’Loon 5K are offered as live, timed races on Saturday, February 5, 2022. The start line for all three races is nestled into a grove of hemlocks behind the chalet off Fierick Road. Race maps can be viewed and downloaded from MECCA’s website.
The Mercer Springs Snowshoe Tour is back again by popular demand. This event is a virtual, non-competitive snowshoe tour through the beautiful forests and wetlands surrounding the MECCA chalet. The Klondike loop (1 mile) and Donner Pass (1/4 mile) trails wind through black spruce, tamarack and cedar wetlands then climb though hardwood and stately pines. The Mercer Springs trails (2 miles) leaves the parking lot across from the chalet into mixed hardwoods then up into a stand of pines. At the halfway point the trail enters the Mercer Springs, an 80-acre open area with the headwaters of the Little Turtle River. Snowshoers cross an abandoned beaver dam then hike up into the hardwoods circling back through the pine plantation. The trail connects with Klondike, giving hikers the option of the short shoe to the chalet or an additional mile on Klondike.
All registrants will receive a commemorative 2022 long-sleeved Winterfest logo shirt. Awards will be given for fastest times in both live and virtual ski races. On February 5th all participants will be offered a delicious hot lunch at the Awards Ceremony at Noon at the Mercer Community Center.
Winterfest is presented by MECCA Ski Club in collaboration with the Gogebic Range Health Foundation as a fundraising event. Proceeds from the event are used to enhance and expand the trails, facilities and equipment. MECCA also funds the MECCA Experience, a community outreach program for students, families and seniors.
For information on registration, cost, awards and times, please visit http://MECCATrails.com or email info@meccatrails.com
We’re looking forward to a great season of skiing and shoeing! See you on the trail!
Contact: Mike Shouldice
info@MECCATrails.com
612-309-4359
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