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Mornin’ to everyone interested in the best stargazing spots in Wisconsin. This is the Wiscampsin Weekly, the email that gets you in the know on the Wisconsin outdoors in 5 minutes or less. New reader? Subscribe here.

This week’s weekly:

⛸️ Glide Skating Ribbon receives award

🛶 New National Scenic Trail in Wisconsin!

🛡️ Weather-proofing Northwoods tourism

🐓 STORY OF THE WEEK: First sharp-tailed grouse hunting season since 2018

⛸️ Glide Skating Ribbon receives award LINK

• Boulder Junction’s Glide Skating Ribbon—a first-of-its-kind winter attraction in Wisconsin—just earned the 2025 First Ascent Award for Innovation at the Governor’s Outdoor Industry Awards.

• Repurposing an old railroad grade into a scenic skating ribbon, the project drew thousands of winter visitors and gave a major boost to local businesses.

• With community volunteers and bold planning at the core, Boulder Junction’s Parks Department is already eyeing expanded Winter Park amenities for seasons to come.

🛶 New National Scenic Trail in Wisconsin! LINK

• A 20-mile stretch of the Great Pinery Heritage Waterway—a 108-mile paddle route along the Wisconsin River—has officially been named a National Recreation Trail, spotlighting its natural beauty and historical significance.

• The route flows through rapids, forests, and Ice Age landscapes, with upgraded launches (some ADA accessible), interpretive signage, and an online guide making it easy for paddlers to explore.

• The new designation boosts visibility for central Wisconsin's paddling scene, putting the waterway on the national map for outdoor adventurers building their trail bucket lists.

🛡️ Weather-proofing Northwoods tourism LINK

• Wisconsin’s tourism industry hit a new high with $25.8 billion in 2024, and while Northwoods counties like Oneida and Vilas also broke records, some saw slower growth—or even declines—due to back-to-back low-snow winters.

• Warmer winters have challenged traditional snow-based tourism, but communities are adapting with new draws like bike trail expansions, the Hodag Dome’s indoor sports events, and Boulder Junction’s wildly popular ice-skating ribbon.

• Tourism remains a vital lifeline for the Northwoods—supporting over 6,000 local jobs and generating tens of millions in tax revenue—but leaders say diversifying year-round recreation is key to weatherproofing the region’s future.

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WISCAMPSIN WEEKLY POLL

30% of last poll’s voters got it right! The shortest duration of reordered ice cover on Lake Mendota is 21 days in 2001-02.

But let’s remember how the 19th century rule is defined - ice cover on Lake Mendota is defined as whether one can row a boat between Picnic Point and Maple Bluff.

A review from the trail… Great to hear neighbor!