CRIVITZ, Wis. — There really isn’t much of a slow season at JC PowerSports in Crivitz.
What You Need To Know
- Outdoor recreation accounts for a nearly $9 million economic impact in Wisconsin
- That includes activities ranging from skiing to snowmobiling
- Snowmobiling helps drive winter business in Wisconsin’s Northwoods
Sales and service of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles/utility terrain vehicles keep staff like Jeff Schwaller busy through all four seasons.
“Snowmobiling, as it has been since the early 70s, has been crucial to the economic impact in this area,” he said. “It’s to the point where winter, there is no slow time. It’s busy year round. Winter is no time to rest. It’s go, go, go.”
That’s the case for all outdoor recreation in Wisconsin, which, according to the state, had a nearly $9 million economic impact in 2021. That’s up about 14% from the previous year.
Late December and early January are when the snowmobile season usually kicks off in earnest, though the peak of the season can waver.
“The heart of the winter season is when the snow is on the ground. It’s all about Mother Nature, it’s all about the snow,” Schwaller said. “We can have some January thaws where you’d think you’d be at the peak of the season and there just isn’t the snow there. Luckily, that doesn’t happen real often.”
Leon Popp owns Popp’s Resort about a dozen miles northwest of Crivitz. It’s adjacent to snowmobile trails and in the depths of winter, snowmobilers account for about 60% of the resort’s seasonal business.
“Traffic on the trail here, if you sat at any particular point, you’d probably have anywhere from 600 to 800 sleds come by you on a day,” he said. “It’s a big influx. It’s a lot of people.”
He said he’s seen the number of ATV/UTV users growing in recent years. Those riders are also bringing in much needed business.
“Especially on the shoulder seasons in the spring and in the fall when they like to get out and ride the most anyway,” Popp said. “It brings in business to all of the area here in those shoulder seasons when we really need it.”
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said there are more than 200,000 registered snowmobiles in the state and more than 25,000 miles of groomed trails. That includes hundreds of miles in Marinette County.
“We have nine snowmobile clubs that all contribute towards the trail system of well over 700 miles of trail just in Marinette county,” Schwaller said.