It’s a “bad news, good news” situation for Leelanau Trail users.

Year-round, TART Trails relies on volunteers to maintain its network of local trails, including the Leelanau Trail here in the county. In the wintertime, that work includes plowing the trails, sometimes on a daily basis, to keep them clear of snow.

On Wednesday afternoon, TART announced that, due to technical difficulties with one of its plow trucks, a section of the Leelanau Trail was going to have to go without plowing until further notice.

“Our TART truck decided it needed a little TLC,” TART shared on Facebook, noting that the brakes had gone out on the vehicle requiring it to be brought in for repairs. “Because of this equipment issue, we’ll need to temporarily pause plowing on the Leelanau Trail from Carter Road to DeYoung, as well as the Cherry Bend and Shady Lane trailheads. We hope to be back up and running soon. Thanks for your patience, and please check back for updates.”

Fortunately for fans of the Leelanau Trail, an update came through just a couple hours later, when TART shared that “a rockstar volunteer, Rick Robbins, [had] stepped up to plow the Leelanau Trail from Carter Road to DeYoung, and clear the Cherry Bend and Shady Lane trailheads.”

Robbins, of course, is best known to most Leelanau residents as a sitting county commissioner. He represents the county’s first district, having won the seat in 2024 as a Democrat.