In a coordinated effort following the High Peaks Alliance’s Emergency Motorized Meeting in December 2024, Dana Bowman of the North Franklin Snowmobile Club and a dedicated team of volunteers have made significant strides in repairing the motorized trails along ITS 89 and 84. These vital repairs are funded by a generous $100,000 from the Franklin County TIFF, secured by Dana Bowman and John Rogers, both members of the High Peaks Alliance Board of Directors.
The focus of the repairs has been on the trails which are owned by the North Franklin Snowmobile Club. Key improvements include a complete rebuild of 3.5 miles of railroad bed from Reed’s Mill to the Orbeton Bridge crossing. This project has been bolstered by the support of Franklin County and Linkletter, who provided 4,000 yards of tailings. $11,000 has been invested in necessary culverts.
Our thanks to Dana Bowman for his leadership in coordinating these volunteer-led efforts, as well as to the Northern Franklin Snowmobile Club’s dedicated volunteers: Tyson Chase, Muff Berry, Hayden York, and Joel Reed and his sons. Your commitment to our trails is invaluable!
The Orbeton Crossing currently features a temporary bridge due to the storms of 2024, which was unfortunately vandalized in early September. This act of vandalism has made it difficult to maintain the access we’ve worked so hard to secure.
As Dana Bowman expressed, “It’s sad that the North Franklin Snowmobile Club just invested in ITS 89 and 84 in preparation for the permanent bridge, which is probably not going to happen this year. That temporary bridge is pretty important.”
The permanent replacement of the bridge is not expected until next summer, which will open up access to the Linkletter Easement and the Berry Pickers Trail.
