Grooming idea by Arctic Cat

[heikki]

Might seem a bit light duty but I though this was worth posting.....

perhaps an alternative for a smaller club ??


ArcticInsider - Feb. '11 Trip to Arctic Cat

 

[Bunn]

Not a bad looking item for Catarac/Etherington.Good idea.I think it would at least knock down some of the big whoops.I wonder how much?

 

[Sledderglen]

Not a bad looking item for Catarac/Etherington.Good idea.I think it would at least knock down some of the big whoops.I wonder how much?

Slim chance that the gov will ever groom there again. May as well get the Calgary club interested and get a small groomer to start with. Need to do it often. Have any seniors with time on their hands?

 

[ferniesnow]

.......Have any seniors with time on their hands?

Be careful what you wish for! We can be a pain in the ares.....

 

[heikki]

Not a bad looking item for Catarac/Etherington.Good idea.I think it would at least knock down some of the big whoops.I wonder how much?

I would think that a guy would not be able to cut the tops off the big whoops with a light groomer without doing a whole lot of passes.....on the other hand if it was dragged over the rough stuff on a regular basis before it got really pounded out it might work just fine.....

definitely a small skid would go in tight trails where a big skid could not....

 

[calgarysledguy]

I think we would need someone with no job to do all that grooming.Wait a min,i think that might be me.LOL.It would probably work like you said but would have to be on top of it before they get as bad as they are.It would probably burn out a sled in a hurry grooming 300 miles of trail with that thing. Probably would be better with a quad with tracks on it.Probably have to go twice over every trail as that groomer is only so wide.... compared to the trails.

 

[heikki]

I think we would need someone with no job to do all that grooming.Wait a min,i think that might be me.LOL.It would probably work like you said but would have to be on top of it before they get as bad as they are.It would probably burn out a sled in a hurry grooming 300 miles of trail with that thing. Probably would be better with a quad with tracks on it.Probably have to go twice over every trail as that groomer is only so wide.... compared to the trails.

I guess Cat is suggesting its to be used with the Bearcat WT660 HD with 20in wide track also has additional rad with aux fan....5th wheel mount, light beacon and handlebar controls for the skid.....

of course you'd have to go slow.....and it would be cold !!

 

[Klingon Warrior]

Not a bad looking item for Catarac/Etherington.Good idea.I think it would at least knock down some of the big whoops.I wonder how much?

Wouldn't be a bad idea if we could get all users of the area to share in the capital costs and operating expenses, otherwise, why would any club or individual lay out the expense? Just sayin,,,

 

[imdoo'n]

Wouldn't be a bad idea if we could get all users of the area to share in the capital costs and operating expenses, otherwise, why would any club or individual lay out the expense? Just sayin,,,

trail fees and club fees.

 

[Bunn]

I don't mind paying a trail/user fee if it gets a groomer to work once a week.I really feel like this area has been ignored by the local clubs though.Alot of people use this area for families and just a close alternative to not have travel to the Crowsness Pass or Golden area.This was the second year in a row that there was no club clean-up down there.The first couple of times out we had to move trees,re-position the orange snow fence west of Etherinton parking lot etc.Just a few years ago the clubs used this as their primary riding place and took ownership of it,I don't think this is true anymore.I know the past few years have been a little slimmer on snow,but we are all still using the trails.I also believe that if we could groom on a regular/consistant basis,the snow would last longer.I'm sure if club monies were designate to this area,that there could be a small groomer and someone to run it.Heck I wouldn't mind learning how to run it and take my turn...still gets me out of the house and making a difference for other riders.I'm not venting,just offering up some suggestions.

 

[heikki]

I agree with you guys on the trail fee's...its gonna have to happen

Much of the expense and trouble with grooming Cataract is in the cost and the trouble of hauling the set up all the way around through Calgary......because of Hwy40 closure..a large part of the solution(likely wont happen) lies in keeping equipment at the Cataract area which is another kettle of fish altogether...

it costs money to park in Calgary..go to a show..just about everything you do costs money...a day at wild rose MX park costs me $20....anyone gone skiing lately holy cow lets not go there....

I am not complaining and am thankful for what we have at Cataract...sometimes I dont mind shooting across those whoops just for fun if I'm in the mood...but I feel for the young folks or the less adventurous as they will stop going there..and thats not a good thing

I have no quarrel paying an additional fee if things were kept to a higher standard

 

[Plattler]

How much is a small groomer? Just looking at the pictures it doesn't look lke it would be tough to make one that would be specific for the needs of the Cat trails and the machines available to pull it. Might be an interesting project.

 

[Bunn]

Agreed.I'm thinking more along the lines of trying to get some of the corperate companies to help out.Donation of a sled/quad to tow the unit,donation of tracks for quad,someone to manufacture/provide pull type grooming device.I can think of a couple of dealers around the area that could
help their tarnished images with some nice donations.

 

[Klingon Warrior]

I don't mind paying a trail/user fee if it gets a groomer to work once a week.I really feel like this area has been ignored by the local clubs though.Alot of people use this area for families and just a close alternative to not have travel to the Crowsness Pass or Golden area.This was the second year in a row that there was no club clean-up down there.The first couple of times out we had to move trees,re-position the orange snow fence west of Etherinton parking lot etc.Just a few years ago the clubs used this as their primary riding place and took ownership of it,I don't think this is true anymore.I know the past few years have been a little slimmer on snow,but we are all still using the trails.I also believe that if we could groom on a regular/consistant basis,the snow would last longer.I'm sure if club monies were designate to this area,that there could be a small groomer and someone to run it.Heck I wouldn't mind learning how to run it and take my turn...still gets me out of the house and making a difference for other riders.I'm not venting,just offering up some suggestions.

While I appreciate what you're saying,,
Couple of facts you may not be aware of,, This is the home riding area of the Calgary Snowmobile Club, but the land and Trail system is controlled by SRD.
In order to do a trail clean up and bridge maintenance, we have to have their permission and have one of them accompany us to ensure what we do complies with their standards, something as simple as cutting a tree, or replacing a plank on a bridge, where you can or can't cross a creek,, where the snow fences are located. Having said that,, we have tried to get their cooperation to do a trail cleanup for the last three years, to no avail. They cite lack of staff and time to get this done. We usually do it at the beginning of the season before the snow flies, so we can get quads, tractors, trucks material in there to exact repairs. Every vehicle other than sleds in the area require special permits or they are illegal. They do not make it easy to do that. Since Wade left the area, it has kinda fallen off their radar and I for one have been trying very hard to get it back on. Hence, we lost the groomer as the costs didn't work for the people who run Kananaskis Country Trail Systems, also they don't have the manpower to run the unit. I'm told the gates at the Etherington staging area are still locked which I brought to the attention of SRD on Thursday at the Kananaskis Trial Users Group meeting.
Hopefully they will be opened shortly if they were seriously listening to me.
SRD, Parks and Rec, Kananaskis Regulators, all of the stiff shirts involved, thought this area was simply used as a conduit into BC for sledders so why put any effort into maintenance out there, when they asked me how many sledders I represented, I could only speak for the club, which has under 150 members, when I told them that, they seamed to think "big deal" until I stated there was probably 3 to 5 hundred who used the area on a weekly basis but couldn't prove it,, {the reason I ask people to join the club or the ASA} so we have a larger voice than the X Country ski and Mountain Bike groups who have a much larger presence at these meetings and seem to get all the attention and efforts on their wants and needs.
Now, they have stated to me that we could buy a groomer, maintain the area, but stop short of letting us charge a user fee to all who use the area, that won't happen, so I ask, why would the Calgary Club put the effort into fundraising for a groomer and paying someone to run it, not to mention the maintenance and repairs and operating costs that may be required, so the area can be used by everyone and anyone who wants to ride local, when the majority won't support the Club that they lament about being lax in caring for the area? I know some of you are club members, it's time the rest of you MAN UP, and join us in our efforts to keep this and other areas open, and make no mistake, if SRD gets wind of the area being "Unsafe" do to deadfall and bridges out, they will close the area to all as they won't want any "Liability" with the area, then what, all you're left with is trailering to the Crowsnest or BC to ride your sleds, or buy yourself a chunk of land that you can ride on. How many are familiar with The Bighorn Area, Y to Y Initiative, South Saskatewan Area, Westcastle Initiative, and all of the other fights on the table at the provincial level, all of these areas they are looking at closing to all motorized, some even to Outfitters on horseback, have you ever heard of the Alberta Wilderness Association?
It's easy to spout off in a forum like this, if you really want to make a difference or see conditions improve at Cataract and Etherington, join the ASA even if you don't want to join the local club, costs less than a day of riding, $70.00 for the ASA, $20.00 for the Calgary Club, stand and be counted so we can get their attention and make change happen. Don't lambaste the local club, we are doing everything we can to improve snowmobiling in Alberta, but we can use all the help we can get ! You don't have to be anything more than a member of Organized Snowmobiling if you desire, but at least we can say we represent a much higher number than we do, and change their way of thinking!
Sorry for my RANT, but it makes my blood boil to read comments like the one above, when I spend countless volunteer hours as well as my peers on the Executive, attending meetings with these starched shirts and other people who can make change, I/We do everything we can to keep the area open and get the grooming back, and every time I go down there I see heaps of people who use the area but don't have any interest in helping out and no Trail Pass, comments like "I learned to ride down there, Can't take my family out, Trails are rough, hard to get around" come to mind.
Man UP, be counted, help out instead of complaining, life will be better for all !
Sincerely,
Joel Wasnidge
President,
Calgary Snowmobile Club
Also,
Member of the Canadian Avalanche Centre
Snowmobile Safety Committee

P/S Feedback to president@calgarysnowmobileclub.net
I welcome your comments

 

[Bunn]

Wow...Way blown out of proportion...Like stated "I'm not venting,just offering up some sugestions".

 

[Bunn]

I am very aware of all the issues involving the SRD,Park and Rec,Alberta Wilderess Group and the issues up in the Big Horn area.I have been to many meetings with Government officials,Trail User Group meetings for the Big Horn area and Wiaporous area for many reasons.I am a member of the ASA and will be attending the conferance in June.So I know what it's like.Offering up my sevices to create a solution to the trail condition thats all.

 

[Klingon Warrior]

I am very aware of all the issues involving the SRD,Park and Rec,Alberta Wilderess Group and the issues up in the Big Horn area.I have been to many meetings with Government officials,Trail User Group meetings for the Big Horn area and Wiaporous area for many reasons.I am a member of the ASA and will be attending the conferance in June.So I know what it's like.Offering up my sevices to create a solution to the trail condition thats all.

I apologize for my rant, it was the comment about the club not caring that set me off,, I welcome any and all support in finding a solution to our woes and working together, which was the gist of my rant, hopefully will get us there,,
we need the support of all sledders,,

Joel