Kewaunee County revels in snow A SKI-DOO SNOWMOBILE motors along this winter next to the Kewaunee By Kevin Boneske For The News-Chronicle After two winters of low snowfall in Kewaunee County, enough white precipitation landed this year to raise hopes for a variety of winter recreational activities. The Winter Park tubing hill, west of Kewaunee, is in its third season of operation. County Promotion and Recreation Director Mark Kanz said snow-making machines have provided a base for the hill's six tubing runs traveling 450 feet from top to bottom. He noted 75 tubes, which hook up to a tow rope bringing people to the top, are available at one time. Kanz said the hill's hours of operation are Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., while weekdays could be reserved by groups for special events. This winter, Kanz said individuals are able to go tubing on the hill for two hours at a cost of $5 each. Also offered is an $18 family rate for up to two adults and three children. Much of the help to operate the tubing hill, Kanz said, comes from volunteers with the Winter Park Recreation Association. He also noted that adults who volunteer to help run the hill on days it is in operation can receive two free passes for their children. To the north of the tubing hill is an adjacent ski hill, which has not been used in decades but opens this weekend. A lot of work went into getting the ski hill ready, Kanz said, and the T-bar lift has received state approval for use. Unlike the setup at the tubing hill, Kanz indicated the ski hill relies solely on natural snow because it presently doesn't have snow-making capabilities. Kanz also noted the hill isn't lit, although future plans call for both snow-making equipment and lighting. The ski hill hours are Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The cost is $10 for an all-day lift ticket. The hill doesn't have its own skiing equipment to rent, so Kanz said people should bring their own skis. The amount of snowfall in Kewaunee County this winter has also helped snowmobilers utilize the trails. Of the 275 miles of snowmobile trails in the county, Kanz said 165 miles are funded by the state's trail program. Along with seven snowmobile clubs which maintain the trails, Kanz said much of county's trail system wouldn't be accessible without landowners who allow the clubs to cross their land. Information on trail conditions and other winter activities is included on the county's 24-hour recreation hotline at (920) 388-7199, which is updated as conditions change. Kewaunee County holds claim to the largest Ski-Doo snowmobile dealer in Wisconsin at Simonar Sports in Luxemburg. LeRoy Simonar said snowmobile sales there were about 50 percent down the past two winters as a result of the low-snow conditions. He said Simonar Sports has many customers within a 30-40 mile radius of Luxemburg.