Cataract creek snowmobile area offical thread 2015/16

[Kaz Dog]

Here is a map showing where we groomed yesterday, Dec. 21. With the very cold nights this past week, the snow is "hard" on the trails - set up real nice (no dirt on the trails, but some rocks coming through/falling onto some trails - but hardly any over the whole of the network). That said, some of the bumps did not fully get "cut" down. I am sure you will find it better than before we had Glen's snowmoblies & drags on the trails, just not as good as they are going to be with more snow/the larger machine & drag that is coming out this winter.

 

[Sledderglen]

Thanks Scott

 

[Calg_Rider]

Make sure you all buy your trail passes so that these guys have the funds to continue this wonderful grooming and maintenance. $70 before Jan 1, $80 after

Thanks for the reminder Tyler - currently the club is increasing its expenses with these activities at a time of economic challenge in Alberta which is making some of our other fund raising activities a bit less effective than usual. Trail fees and/or donations to the club are critical to our efforts to maintain and enhance the grooming program.

 

[Aaron84]

What way do you go to get over the fording pass

 

[Kaz Dog]

What way do you go to get over the fording pass

You do not go over Fording Pass unless you are a very good snowmobiler with avalanche equipment, and are experienced with the area - how to get in and out. Better yet, always go with a group of people. There is a dedicated trail through the Don Getty Wildland Park that is not to be gone off of until you are to the B.C. border - and there are no signs on the B.C. side. I would say do not go there if you have never been before unless you are with an experienced group because if the clouds/fog rolls in - and it does regularly - you will be lost. Be very careful/respectful heading over Fording Pass.

 

[Sledderglen]

Merry Christmas Cataract trail riders. Be safe ride fun. Will be back grooming after New Years.

 

[Bunn]

Merry Christmas to you as well Glen. Thank you for everything you and Scott have and are doing for the trail system. It is VERY appreciated. Merry Christmas

 

[GasCan]

Anyone heading out today or tomorrow? Been busting to get my Viper out for a good ride and would like to find someone to ride with. Maybe ride the trails to the south end and see what the snow is like?

Graeme

 

[knee deep in it]

Anyone heading out today or tomorrow? Been busting to get my Viper out for a good ride and would like to find someone to ride with. Maybe ride the trails to the south end and see what the snow is like?

Graeme

Graeme, pm me if you are interested in castle tomorrow

 

[moparmadman40]

Could someone ask the CO that patrols down there if he would allow snow bikes to use the cataract trail system

 

[cammont]

Earlier in this thread, around entry number 66, began the discussion about snow bikes. Not sure exactly how it displays on your browser or app, but if you can go back that far you can review that info/discussion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[retiredpop]

Could someone ask the CO that patrols down there if he would allow snow bikes to use the cataract trail system

Here's the answer to that question.

Snowbikes are not allowed on the sled trails anyhow. They are registered as bikes, not sleds.

At some point it would be nice to see them update the laws regarding snow bikes but for now there is no "legal" definition of what they are, other than its registered as a bike, so its a bike

 

[Kaz Dog]

Could someone ask the CO that patrols down there if he would allow snow bikes to use the cataract trail system

Mopar, you again raise an interesting conundrum......a snowbike will work on nothing but snow - given that big ski on the front. Currently, it is recognized legally as a motorcycle, not as a "snow vehicle". BUT.....all of the guys I chat with that have bikes, talk of operating them "through the trees/in the powder", which flies in the face of what Cataract Creek Snowmobile Trails were constructed for, a trail system - not off trail. The "official" response (via written regulations) one gets talking to the CO's is that there is to be no riding off trail. And we all know what really happens........

I do not know what the future holds, but to become recognized as an "official snow vehicle" would be a great first step, for the manufacturers - not the riders. They invented the machine, it should be up to them to understand the laws the machines operate under and do the work to update the laws - not the riders. IMO

 

[moparmadman40]

My interest is in possibly getting back into the bc side through cataract, the trails can be fun as well if there is fresh snow on them and also the bikes can ride on the edges where the sleds usually stay away from. I would just like somewhere to ride that has snow and is decently close to calgary. We sometimes ride up at sundre/caroline/rocky but there's no snow up there yet. The legal definition of the bike will never change, it's tied to the vin number on the registration and therefor it is a motorcycle. It would have to be a change in the governments definition of a "snow vehicle" which may or may not be a gray area. Is a snow cat a snow vehicle?.... this is why I am interested in the answer from the horses mouth, because in the end it is really up to the discretion of the CO's managing the area whether or not they would allow or deny access to the bikes if they were using the system responsibly.

 

[ronmexico]

Looks like it's storming right now in Cataract


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ministik Man]

My interest is in possibly getting back into the bc side through cataract, the trails can be fun as well if there is fresh snow on them and also the bikes can ride on the edges where the sleds usually stay away from. I would just like somewhere to ride that has snow and is decently close to calgary. We sometimes ride up at sundre/caroline/rocky but there's no snow up there yet. The legal definition of the bike will never change, it's tied to the vin number on the registration and therefor it is a motorcycle. It would have to be a change in the governments definition of a "snow vehicle" which may or may not be a gray area. Is a snow cat a snow vehicle?.... this is why I am interested in the answer from the horses mouth, because in the end it is really up to the discretion of the CO's managing the area whether or not they would allow or deny access to the bikes if they were using the system responsibly.

QUESTION from a trail maintenance and grooming perspective;
1- if you can convert a rubber tired motor bike to tracks and allow if on snowmobile trails.
2- Then when the quad guy see the bike guy go down the trail with tracks he goes and get tracks for his 400cc quad
3- then the other quad guy goes and buys tracks for his 1000cc XMR quad
4- buddies not to be left behind so he buys tracks for his 1000cc XMR Maverick

so the trail see a sleds weight at 170 hp and 600lbs now go up 400% to 2500lbs 4place SideXSide
Bikes, quads and especially SxS just distroy a groomed trail PERIOD

i maintain and groom a multi-use trail every year --- it does not work worth a SH!T.......
seasonal time frame use of a trail works - but not at the same time.......

 

[Kaz Dog]

I can not make it out to Cataract today but will tomorrow, and I am hoping someone who goes there posts current conditions. I am expecting good, new snow news........

 

[101110101101]

I can not make it out to Cataract today but will tomorrow, and I am hoping someone who goes there posts current conditions. I am expecting good, new snow news........

I was out Sunday for a couple of hours..... For me it was the best ride yet. Seen places I had never been to before. This was Sunday, it was snowing lightly, but you can't tell in the picture.

 

[burnmaxx]

Doesn't look like there is much snow there


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kaz Dog]

From what perspective/knowledge? His picture from Sunday? I heard the snow came yesterday.

Doesn't look like there is much snow there


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk