51 FALL 2020 ISSUE 01 / VOL . 02 SNOWGOER . COM
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THE WEST : Richard Krupp
Richard Krupp discovered snowmobiling when it was a young activity and he was a young man , and soon got involved in helping to build a secure infrastructure for the sport .
“ I ’ ve been in this business of building and maintaining snowmobile trails since about 1970 – I ’ ve been at this forever ,” said Krupp . He lived in downstate Michigan earlier in his life and was a snowmobile club president for 17 years before serving various positions – including president – of the Michigan Snowmobile Association ( MSA ).
Despite being what some Yoopers sarcastically call “ a troll ” ( because he lived “ under ” the Mackinac Bridge that unites the two halves of the state ), Krupp ’ s heart was always in the U . P . He owned land , hunted and snowmobiled in the U . P . since the 1970s and moved there in 1994 when he bought what would become Krupp ’ s Resort and Mini Mart near Twin Lakes – businesses he has since sold . What makes riding in the U . P . special to him ?
“ It ’ s the different types of riding that you can do ,” Krupp said . “ There are miles and miles of railroad grade and miles and miles of twisting , turning trails and hills and all kinds of riding . And , especially in this area around the Keweenaw , you can pretty much guarantee snow from December 5 until April 1 .”
When asked to describe two rides on which he ’ d like to lead U . P . newcomers , two paths immediately sprang to mind .
Day 1 : The Run To Copper Harbor
“ The number one place that everybody likes to go to when they come here is the ride up into the Keweenaw and to Copper Harbor ,” Krupp said . “ That ’ s a 200-mile trip that they ’ ll never forget because of all of the different , diverse terrain that there is and the amount of trails .”
The ride starts with a run up Trail 3 through dramatic territory that includes crossing long bridges on a railroad grade while the land falls away beneath you . But the biggest
The view from the Lake of the Clouds overlook in the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park is a must see when in the western U . P .