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What is the deal with Schow road?

999 views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Trail_Fanatic 
#1 ·
I was out doing some mapping with the GPS, and according to all my printed maps, including the cedar creek trail system map, there should be a road/trail at the end of Schow going down to a small pond/lake. All I see is a bunch of no tresspassing signs/dirt where the road should be.

Is this just old data on the maps that is no longer valid, or is it a neighbor who does not like others travelling on a public ROW and took it upon himself to close the road? I have ran across several of the latter lately.
 
#3 ·
checking your local register of deeds office, plat office or the like is the only sure fire way to determine if it indeed is a public ROW.

a "named" road/trail on a published map, or GPS/GIS data is not a reliable method of determining if it is in fact a public ROW... ½ of the time, even 'modern' County Road Commissions end up doing title work to verify title on property/ROW's - all too often performing said investigations after committing a trespass, and then having to pay huge mitigation fees after the fact...

I don't have any personal knowledge of this "schow" road you refer to however...
 
#5 · (Edited)
Let me guess, you were at the obstruction on the southern end of Schow Rd on the map below (pronounced Shoko [both long "o" sounds] by all the locals)?

It's an abutting land owner who has illegally obstructed the road.

These are the MCRC Roads, NFS roads are not shown:




Cedar Creek Township, The Two Trackers FWDC, GLFWDA, United, West Mich Snowmobile Council, and the Twisting Trails Sno Braves have expressed their desire to see these roads open. The MCRC has responded that they intended to reopen them and have the offending land owner notified of the action by the MCRC's Attorney by the end of '07. Obviously, that didn't happen. The GLFWDA Attorney suggests fully exhausting all political options before seeking alternative measures. Unfortunately, other issues have taken precedence over additional contact with the MCRC. Foamer, you're local too. Would you be able to help out attending some daytime MCRC meetings out on Apple Ave just east of Maple Island?

PS. Sure wish we could get in contact before you go out again.
There are local areas that we desperately need GPS'd because, while I have every inch memorized, I never owned a GPS until last year and haven't (and probably won't) have the time and gas to run them all myself before the Manistee MVUM comes out. I can also get you into areas you haven't been and explain what is and isn't legal to help keep you safe.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I will PM you my new number in a bit (gotta pick up a pizza and do some errands) My phone was stolen, so now I have a new phone, and a new number. I will be available to talk all day tomorrow, and was gonna go do some mapping tomorrow evening.

And yes, I would be willing to attend the meetings.

As for Schow rd. I kinda figured it was some neighbor blocking it. Also on maps, there is a road that runs east off the south end of Schow rd, and curves around Clear Lk., Is that a national forest road? I am not seeing it on the map above.

The obstruction heading north on Whetmire appears to just be a downed tree across the road (unless it is further up. The downed tree is a few hundred feet north of where the trail currently veers off into a very sandy area before going through the burned out area.)


I guess normal people wouldn't make such a fuss about these roads being closed, but I would like to produce maps showing all of the legal trails, and not have partial maps omitting parts of trails closed illegally by land owners.
 
#7 · (Edited)
As for Schow rd. I kinda figured it was some neighbor blocking it. Also on maps, there is a road that runs east off the south end of Schow rd, and curves around Clear Lk., Is that a national forest road? I am not seeing it on the map above.
No, that one is private and illegal.
(But still there on the Clear Lake side - careful)
 
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