Cataract creek snowmobile area offical thread 2015/16

[Kaz Dog]

Was thinking of heading to Cataract tomorrow but heard from someone that was there today (second hand) that there is no snow and it sucked. I can't see that really from the snow that the city has gotten and that Eden Valley got.

Can anyone confirm?

I'm thinking one persons idea of crappy snow might be different than someone elses. Crappy because there isn't a foot of fresh or crappy because bare spots etc.

Thoughts?

There are no bare spots on the groomed trails, as there is a "hard" base of 5"-6" we packed down in early December. If anyone is thinking of Cataract as a "powder" destination, do not come until after a large, fresh dump of snow. Cataract Creek Snowmobile Trails is a TRAILS area, not a powder area - you will have to go elsewhere for that. We have not been able to attend to all the trails that now require a grooming - yet - but in a recent post I indicated where we did smooth out the bumps.

We were there today with the new/prototype groomer, and he did a bit of work out of Cataract Creek, beside some testing on snow in another area.

 

[DoCDoo]

There are no bare spots on the groomed trails, as there is a "hard" base of 5"-6" we packed down in early December. If anyone is thinking of Cataract as a "powder" destination, do not come until after a large, fresh dump of snow. Cataract Creek Snowmobile Trails is a TRAILS area, not a powder area - you will have to go elsewhere for that. We have not been able to attend to all the trails that now require a grooming - yet - but in a recent post I indicated where we did smooth out the bumps.

We were there today with the new/prototype groomer, and he did a bit of work out of Cataract Creek, beside some testing on snow in another area.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Pretty sure the person that mentioned there was no snow was trying to compare it to Golden or something. And if that was the case, I've seen Quartz look like a groomed ski hill. lol

 

[Sledderglen]

-20 at Etherington staging area. Signage work is a go today. Warmer tommorow

 

[TylerG]

-20 at Etherington staging area. Signage work is a go today. Warmer tommorow

Bundle up!

 

[retiredpop]

It's really nice to see all the buzz about Cataract this year. I'm pretty sure the government is taking notice too. Maybe they will expand the number of designated trails out there. Kudos to Kaz Dog and Sledderglen and all the volunteers for all their work as well as the Calgary Snowmobile Club for getting this place back on the map.

 

[tucker_98]

Hi guys, been a lurker on the forum for a while and thought I would post up after having a short ride in Etherington/Cataract today.

Trails we saw were in good shape and was a good learning experience for my girlfriend (first time on a sled). Was also my first time in the area and unfortunately my GPS died. Went as far as Baril Loop and lunch then came back out... Well signed in most areas there but alot of offshoots so I didn't want to risk it.

Met Kazdog in the parking lot. Planning on doing alot more riding in this area throughout the season.

Thanks Kazdog for the info regarding where/how to purchase trail passes. I just joined up with CSC and will have our trail passes soon. Happy riding and great work!

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

 

[Sledderglen]

Hi guys, been a lurker on the forum for a while and thought I would post up after having a short ride in Etherington/Cataract today.

Trails we saw were in good shape and was a good learning experience for my girlfriend (first time on a sled). Was also my first time in the area and unfortunately my GPS died. Went as far as Baril Loop and lunch then came back out... Well signed in most areas there but alot of offshoots so I didn't want to risk it.

Met Kazdog in the parking lot. Planning on doing alot more riding in this area throughout the season.

Thanks Kazdog for the info regarding where/how to purchase trail passes. I just joined up with CSC and will have our trail passes soon. Happy riding and great work!

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

That's how the system works right there folks. Check it out like what you see help support the system. With your trailpasses you can ride on any of the Alberta Snowmobile Trails in Alberta.
Thanks good to see you had a good day

 

[Sledderglen]

Was another productive day in Catartact Trails. Thanks for all the volunteers that came out in the cold and helped us do some updated signage for the area. We would like to thanks the Alberta Snowmobile Association for the signs for the trail. Proper signage help make a safer and more enjoyable trail system for all to enjoy. This is how your trailpasses get put to good use. Keep on buying them and lets continue to improve this area. Oh and lets get some more snow. Loggers just about done which will give us more trails to use when they are gone.

In the meantime please don't use any of the logging roads. They are not for sledding yet. Major safety issue. Let them do their job and get the logs out of there.

Be extra careful on your drive to the area. Logging trucks are big and long and always seem to meet them at a corner. Please slow down and drive in slowly and be aware of the big trucks coming out.

 

[Highfly]

We were first on the trails this morning. We all took turns riding the groomed single track on the way out. At the end of the day we had a broken A arm at the most south point of the trail system. Hate to say it but we used the logging road a little ways to limp it out. Sliders were burning, engines running hot. Not an ideal situation at all.
Saw a few families on the trail path, what a great sight to see. Both were stopped. Made sure they were OK and off we went.
The Etherington parking lot was FULL. Trucks were also parked on the side of the entrance road. Most must have been heading to Fording as the trail system didn't seem all that busy compared to the amount of trucks..


Curious what the end goal is with the grooming? The entire trail system?
The signage and warning poles were nice to see.

 

[Sledderglen]

We were first on the trails this morning. We all took turns riding the groomed single track on the way out. At the end of the day we had a broken A arm at the most south point of the trail system. Hate to say it but we used the logging road a little ways to limp it out. Sliders were burning, engines running hot. Not an ideal situation at all.
Saw a few families on the trail path, what a great sight to see. Both were stopped. Made sure they were OK and off we went.
The Etherington parking lot was FULL. Trucks were also parked on the side of the entrance road. Most must have been heading to Fording as the trail system didn't seem all that busy compared to the amount of trucks..


Curious what the end goal is with the grooming? The entire trail system?
The signage and warning poles were nice to see.

The end goal of grooming is to save your back and your sled and give riders a enjoyable riding experience no matter what they are riding

 

[Highfly]

The end goal of grooming is to save your back and your sled and give riders a enjoyable riding experience no matter what they are riding

LOL I realize that. Just curious how much of the area will you be trying to save our backs on ;-)

 

[Sledderglen]

Never made it out there today. Wear and tear on my old pulling sleds so I had a few repairs to do today. Starter issues and recoil issues on one sled and electrical issues on other. These old girls are working hard to keep this area going. Getting my 3rd 5 litre jug of oil for the thirsty 1997 Skandic. Mosquitoes will be fewer down there this summer with all the fogging I have been doing. LOL. Have logged on over 500 km on each sled so far. Most of those are pulling our trailsetter drags trying to groom best as we can. I can see steel and a welder in my future to build a more groomer style drag that will groom the moguls better.

Glad this area is being used but much more work is needed and time and money. Helpers are always welcome anytime.

 

[Sledderglen]

LOL I realize that. Just curious how much of the area will you be trying to save our backs on ;-)

100% of the trails. The trails approved by the government.
You probably noticed we have not been to the S/W section yet. This week getting ready for the Rally. Need to shovel the drifts up on Skyline to access with the sled and drags. To much off camber right now.

 

[Kaz Dog]

Curious what the end goal is with the grooming? The entire trail system?

The end goal with the grooming is to put the necessary equipment and people at the Cataract snowmobile area to properly groom all trails for every weekend during the season. This is a lofty goal, and can only be accomplished with the cooperation of mother nature #1, adequate funding, and proper oversight by the provincial authorities. The pursuit of this goal began prior to the flood of 2013, and soon became apparent that time would be needed to accomplish it. The area is perfectly set up to introduce new people to the sport of snowmobiling - and for me - ease one out of my powder-pursuit days; which are not over yet, but I know will not last forever. As well, I can not think of a better area near to Calgary-Okotoks-High River-Airdrie-Strathmore-and points east for families. The trails currently number in excess of 250 kms., and who knows how many more in the future.......

 

[Kaz Dog]

Great, and eventful weekend.

As Glen, the trusted lead groomer, has already indicated, new/more signage was installed on Saturday. I will post more about who the wonderful volunteers were that helped out with this on another post - so I may get all their names correct - but I want to thank them all profusely for coming out in the very cool weather, early in the day. There was a team of 3 that worked Cataract Creek Trail from the parking lot to the SLS bridge over Cataract Creek, Cummings Trail, and the intersection/beginning of Skyline Trail. I took out three others with me on Etherington Trail, Baril Loop Trail, Lower Raspberry Trail and Cataract Creek Trail from the SLS bridge to the west end intersection - along Cataract Creek/past the trapper's cabin - with Etherington Trail.

Sunday, instead of signage, a new plan was made to attend to a concern with the iced over ramp coming out of a creek bed along Cataract Creek Trail. My trusted Trail Boss and his equally talented friend came up with a plan to re-purpose the unused ramp behind the day shack/cook shack in the Cataract parking lot. At the end of the day, after two fellow sledders stopped to join and help us, we have a safer crossing across the "high ice flow" in the creek bed - I have never seen it this high before.

It was a full weekend, and I hope you all come out next weekend to the Poker run - $10 for one hand, $20 for three hands - to see these additions for yourself, and help us raise funds to put back in the system/area.

Have a great week - Glen, I, and others will be out to groom as much as possible this week.

 

[Kaz Dog]

https://www.facebook.com/Calgary-Snowmobile-Club-198646396814898/?ref=hl

Please see the link above for information on the Poker Run at Cataract Creek Snowmobile Trails, starting at the Cataract Creek parking lot.

 

[101110101101]

https://www.facebook.com/Calgary-Snowmobile-Club-198646396814898/?ref=hl

Please see the link above for information on the Poker Run at Cataract Creek Snowmobile Trails, starting at the Cataract Creek parking lot.

Curious why that parking lot and not Etherington? I only ask because I've never been there and wonder if it is bigger. I probably won't be doing the poker run but it's not impossible.

 

[Highfly]

Not just parking , Cataract has the cabin with wood stove in it.

Etherington zoomed all the way in...
https://www.google.ca/maps/@50.3281201,-114.6306539,329m/data=!3m1!1e3

Cataract zoomed the same.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@50.281755,-114.5900823,329m/data=!3m1!1e3
Cabin can be seen upper left of the parking lot.
Cataract I noticed has 2 new bathrooms and two new loading ramps as well.

 

[101110101101]

Not just parking , Cataract has the cabin with wood stove in it.

Etherington zoomed all the way in...
https://www.google.ca/maps/@50.3281201,-114.6306539,329m/data=!3m1!1e3

Cataract zoomed the same.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@50.281755,-114.5900823,329m/data=!3m1!1e3
Cabin can be seen upper left of the parking lot.
Cataract I noticed has 2 new bathrooms and two new loading ramps as well.

Well F me.... I had no idea there was a cabin anywhere out there... *sigh* I always thought the Etherington creek staging area was awesome lol. Clean ****ters.... plenty of space.

 

[Highfly]

LOL. Last weekend (2 weeks ago) we staged at Etherington and made our way over to Cataract for lunch. No one had a fire going yet but its always nice to have a place to sit down. That's when I found the two brand new bathrooms (could darn near park a sled in them) LOL and the shinny new ramps.