IRONWOOD -- A group of snowshoers trekked through the "Caves" Sunday afternoon to get a firsthand look at the proposed Miners' Memorial Heritage Park and Trail System. Cold temperatures but sunny skies were on tap for the snowshoers, who covered much of the planned trail.
Organized by the city of Ironwood Parks and Recreation Department's Trails Subcommittee member Lily Palmer, the snowshoe walk was planned to familiarize the public with the potential non-motorized trail from the former sites of the Ashland Mine to the west to the former Pabst Mine on the east.
The area is known as the Caves because land in the area caved in after it was mined.
The trails subcommittee is presenting its plan to the parks and recreation for approval to parks and recreation on Feb. 2. If approved there, it will move on to the planning commission in March.
It could then go to the city commission for final passage.
Palmer and trails enthusiast Sam Davey, who is also active in the trail concept, led a group of snowshoers on the approximately 5.5-mile trail that follows former ATV trails along the area in the city's center.
Once considered some of the least valuable land in the city after mining disappeared in the 1960s, Davey said the land could become some of the most valuable land primarily for its recreation and tourism potential. Planners are hoping to develop the non-motorized trail, historical mining plaques at the former Ashland, Norrie, Aurora and Pabst mines, a replica mine headframe memorial, a proposed dog park and parking and trailheads using grants and other non-governmental funds.
The land is owned by the city of Ironwood. Organizers hope to tap recreational nonprofits and other funding sources to develop a trail. According to Davey, the trail could someday connect with trails now being planned from Wakefield and Bessemer, as well as one of the nation's largest walking trails: The North Country Trail that is about one-third complete from Maine to North Dakota.
"I think it's a great opportunity for the community to come together and embrace our mining heritage," Palmer said.
Palmer said it would be especially beneficial to area children to open up the area again to a variety of four-season non-motorized trails. Both Palmer and Davey talked about past generations that used the area extensively for recreation. Several ski jumps and sledding hills occupied the Caves last century.
Davey said a series of memorial plaques at each of the former mining shaft locations would list vital statistics focusing on industrial facts concerning the mines.
Organizers have developed a rough draft of a map showing the trail that would run from roughly Bulinski Road to Iron King Road, once completed.
