61 FALL 2020 ISSUE 01 / VOL . 02 SNOWGOER . COM
62
This view is from atop the cliff of Marble Head on Drummond Island ’ s eastern shore . It ’ s known as the first place to see the sun rise in the state of Michigan every morning .
THE EAST : John Griffin
Like so many lifelong Yoopers , John Griffin of Cedarville discovered snowmobiling at a young age . He soon got deeply immersed in the grassroots efforts to build and maintain trails and has dedicated much of his life to improving snowmobiling .
He started snowmobiling in 1969 and soon joined a club that started grooming its local trails “ using a twin-tracked [ Ski-Doo ] Alpine and a homemade drag to connect our two communities of Cedarville and Hessel .”
As the club stepped up and started getting better grooming equipment – paid for by club members themselves before state-backed programs existed – they also started developing more trails .
A plane was used to plan routes and spot existing logging roads , Griffin said . In addition , while he was then a township supervisor in the late 1970s , Griffin turned to an unusual place to get help .
“ We were able to get inmates to help us cut the trails ,” Griffin said . “ For three years the prison supervisor would come to my office every day with a vanload of nine prisoners and they would go with me out [ into the backcountry ] and I would show them where to cut the trail .
“ The inmates loved it – they got out of confinement and they were thrilled to be able to do it . I think they got $ 2.50 a day ,” Griffin said . Club volunteers , though , would cut trails in sensitive areas that crossed private land .
So what has kept him involved in trail work and trail riding for all of this time in the U . P .?