- Staff
- #141
Didn't see you out there. Maybe next time. Snow was real sugar hard to get to set up for a good trail
Cataract creek snowmobile area offical thread 2015/16
- Thread starter Kaz Dog
- Start date
Didn't see you out there. Maybe next time. Snow was real sugar hard to get to set up for a good trail
- Staff
- #142
Was nice to see all the riders out there today. Like that many were families which this trail system is geared towards. I was grooming today and had Kaz Dog on my other unit. So far we have put 220 km between 2 sleds on grooming out there. Made some great progress today but ran into a few blocks on the trail. One caused by mother nature and the other by a active logging road. Meet some nice people out there and also had good volunteers helping us pack some trails and remove a few downed trees off the trail. Thanks to those who have helped today.
If I can ask one thing it would be for the riders to spread out across the trail a bit more. we groom the trail as wide as we can and would appreciate if riders can use the width best they could. Many riders are following in a row down the middle and the trail is starting to pound out a bit. Please spread out a bit across the trail so wear is evened out across the trail.
We have flagged a route from the Cataract Creek staging area to the other trails. Logging has used a section of the old trail as a road now and we have a orange flagged trail to follow now. Thanks to Darryl from High River for doing this and other things this year.
Work has called me again so grooming will continue in a week. Hope for more snow. The Backcountry Flood Repair Group has done a wonderful job with new bridges and trail reroutes. The contractors were snowed out and as some of you may have noticed the trail route onto some of these bridges is a little tight turn. They are coming back again next summer to continue installing a few more bridges and clean up some of the trail issues.
Its a great start to the season and without the work of Kaz Dog this area wouldn't be as good as its getting. A few more years and it will be back to its glory days of the 70s and 80s. This will take some time and money to get it there.
The bigger groomer unit is coming. This unit will help move some snow around and pack the trails better and will do a way better job than my old girls. Look here for more info on this special project offered to the Calgary Snowmobile Club and the Cataract Creek Snowmobile trail System. I'm really looking forward to working with this company to show what this unit will do.
Thanks again and make sure you help out. Buy a trailpass and get involved
If I can ask one thing it would be for the riders to spread out across the trail a bit more. we groom the trail as wide as we can and would appreciate if riders can use the width best they could. Many riders are following in a row down the middle and the trail is starting to pound out a bit. Please spread out a bit across the trail so wear is evened out across the trail.
We have flagged a route from the Cataract Creek staging area to the other trails. Logging has used a section of the old trail as a road now and we have a orange flagged trail to follow now. Thanks to Darryl from High River for doing this and other things this year.
Work has called me again so grooming will continue in a week. Hope for more snow. The Backcountry Flood Repair Group has done a wonderful job with new bridges and trail reroutes. The contractors were snowed out and as some of you may have noticed the trail route onto some of these bridges is a little tight turn. They are coming back again next summer to continue installing a few more bridges and clean up some of the trail issues.
Its a great start to the season and without the work of Kaz Dog this area wouldn't be as good as its getting. A few more years and it will be back to its glory days of the 70s and 80s. This will take some time and money to get it there.
The bigger groomer unit is coming. This unit will help move some snow around and pack the trails better and will do a way better job than my old girls. Look here for more info on this special project offered to the Calgary Snowmobile Club and the Cataract Creek Snowmobile trail System. I'm really looking forward to working with this company to show what this unit will do.
Thanks again and make sure you help out. Buy a trailpass and get involved
The climb before you drop in was sugar snow and slippery rocks. Saw a group of 3 make it up. Had to take a couple runs at it. Sleds were taking a beating. One more dump would be better.
Orrin
Active VIP Member
Put 65 km out there on the T3 today, the trails were pretty good for the amount of snow and the grooming really helped. Still sketchy in lots of spots but had lots of fun. Thanks for the work Sledderglen.
- Staff
- #145
I'm going to use this weather station as a guide of what has been going on daily. Thanks Scott for this info
- Staff
- #146
Thanks Orrin but this is a group effort not just me. It takes a lot of volunteers and dedication to get this all together. Scott is the #1 volunteer that does all the Government work and the many volunteers that have cleared the trails and continue to help when we ask them. This is just the start lots more coming over the next few years
Orrin
Active VIP Member
Thanks for clarifying, the credit should absolutely go to all those who worked so hard to clear and make ready the trails. I was a trail steward at one time for quad trails south of Rocky, I wasn't super involved but did enough to gain an appreciation for whats involved. I also joined the Calgary Snowmobile Club show some support. Can't wait to go again.
- Staff
- #148
Thanks for joining the club. Thanks for volunteering. Volunteers willing to help seem to be a dying breed. We are all so busy these days. I'm busy volunteering.
- Thread starter
- #149
- Thread starter
- #150
101110101101
Member
I'm going to have to look at the map to know where "Fallers Trail" is. As it stands I don't think I've ever been there. Sure looks awesome to me!
- Thread starter
- #152
101110101101
Member
Interesting to see.... I wasn't sure how it might look/work. Is that a single sled pulling both?
- Thread starter
- #154
These are the machines and drags doing all the work currently. Glen owns both old "fat girls" and homebuilt drags. He has vast experience in grooming trails, and is an awesome asset to both the Calgary Snowmobile Club and the Cataract Creek Snowmobile Trail system. Much is planned for the future, and the future started "yesterday". Join the club and add your passion for snowmobiling to the mix - if you can. Would sure love to hear from you on the Trails Committee, or at a meeting......
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- Thread starter
- #155
I think my next photo answered this question.....LOL.
- Thread starter
- #156
Grooming Report - Saturday, December 5, 2015
The trail system was able to be groomed on Saturday, December 5, 2015, with two snowmobiles and drags.
The work began at Etherington Parking Lot/Trailhead and proceeded straight west down the valley floor. We continued on the trail where it turns south, onto the new re-route the Government of Alberta's Backcountry Trails Flood Rehabilitation project team had constructed, over the new bridge (them too!), up and over the ridge, and down to Cataract Creek Trail. We then groomed east, past the trappers' cabin along the creek, and then left the trail about a third of the way down the valley, at the Fallers Trail intersection. We turned south here, as the large bridge is out at this point, where there is only a small, 4 foot bridge remaining.
We groomed the entire length of Fallers Trail, from Cataract Creek Trail traveling south and then east, to the point where the trail intersects with Oyster Excursion Trail. From here we tried to get to Cummings Creek Trail, but were stopped by a Bulldozer at the Lost Creek Road intersection, as well as the road being graded and no snow remaining on it. We tried to get up the "old" snowmobile cross-over trail, but run-off damage and low snow volume cause this trail not to work for our snowmobiles and drags together.
We then groomed south on Oyster Excursion Trail to the intersection of the two creeks - where there is major damage - and a re-route and bridge to go in next year is planned. Here we decided to call it a day and head back the way we came.
So, all of Etherington and Fallers Trails were groomed, as well as a third of Cataract Creek Trail (western portion) and the "top-end" of Oyster Excursion Trail (about a quarter of its' length) - TWICE (in and out).
The work consisted of smoothing out the accumulated and driven on snow. The drags used do not have "true" cutting blades, but I was able to see and feel a couple of snow "bumps" - which I suspect were left from people "peeling out" with their mountain sled tracks on the trail - get "cut" down. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS - SPINNING YOUR TRACK ON THE TRAILS - PLEASE. This action causes those "snow bumps" to harden on the trail and makes it less enjoyable for those who follow you......not preaching, just asking.
Including the "three sled grooming days" before, coupled with the "two" today, there is a total of 220 kms. groomed so far this year. This does not include those people who were organized to "go ahead of us to flatten the snow wide" so we could more effectively groom "wide" today.
The trail system was able to be groomed on Saturday, December 5, 2015, with two snowmobiles and drags.
The work began at Etherington Parking Lot/Trailhead and proceeded straight west down the valley floor. We continued on the trail where it turns south, onto the new re-route the Government of Alberta's Backcountry Trails Flood Rehabilitation project team had constructed, over the new bridge (them too!), up and over the ridge, and down to Cataract Creek Trail. We then groomed east, past the trappers' cabin along the creek, and then left the trail about a third of the way down the valley, at the Fallers Trail intersection. We turned south here, as the large bridge is out at this point, where there is only a small, 4 foot bridge remaining.
We groomed the entire length of Fallers Trail, from Cataract Creek Trail traveling south and then east, to the point where the trail intersects with Oyster Excursion Trail. From here we tried to get to Cummings Creek Trail, but were stopped by a Bulldozer at the Lost Creek Road intersection, as well as the road being graded and no snow remaining on it. We tried to get up the "old" snowmobile cross-over trail, but run-off damage and low snow volume cause this trail not to work for our snowmobiles and drags together.
We then groomed south on Oyster Excursion Trail to the intersection of the two creeks - where there is major damage - and a re-route and bridge to go in next year is planned. Here we decided to call it a day and head back the way we came.
So, all of Etherington and Fallers Trails were groomed, as well as a third of Cataract Creek Trail (western portion) and the "top-end" of Oyster Excursion Trail (about a quarter of its' length) - TWICE (in and out).
The work consisted of smoothing out the accumulated and driven on snow. The drags used do not have "true" cutting blades, but I was able to see and feel a couple of snow "bumps" - which I suspect were left from people "peeling out" with their mountain sled tracks on the trail - get "cut" down. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS - SPINNING YOUR TRACK ON THE TRAILS - PLEASE. This action causes those "snow bumps" to harden on the trail and makes it less enjoyable for those who follow you......not preaching, just asking.
Including the "three sled grooming days" before, coupled with the "two" today, there is a total of 220 kms. groomed so far this year. This does not include those people who were organized to "go ahead of us to flatten the snow wide" so we could more effectively groom "wide" today.
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- Thread starter
- #157
101110101101
Member
I do not think I have ever peeled-out on a trail... but it really has never occurred to me so I am glad you mentioned it. I will point it out to everyone in my family. I like this kind of info. You also mentioned earlier (or someone did) about not riding "single file" and to spread out ... that was also counter-intuitive to me, as I'd instinctively stick to the right. Any other etiquette type tips? I don't want to be "that guy" lol.
101110101101
Member
Wow! I have never seen this... I'm twice as anxious to go now. Thank you for all the info, pictures, updates, and of course the work!
- Thread starter
- #160
On a final note, Cataract Creek Trail was able to be "flagged" - from the Trailhead at the Cataract Creek parking lot, west along the valley on the south side, to a new-old cross-over point acros the creek. The flagging continues to an intersection with the "new" Lost Creek Road - "owned"/leased by Spray Lakes Sawmill. PLEASE USE THIS CROSSING POINT ONLY, FOR SAFETY SAKE. From this cross-over point, the trail was flagged west to Raspberry Pass Trail intersection and further west on Cataract Creek Trail past the Cataract Creek bridge, newly installed this year by Spray Lakes Sawmill. Please cross the creek not on this bridge while it is being used, but rather on the creek, assuming it is frozen and safe.
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