Cataract Creek Snowmobile Area Thread for 2014/15

[knocksum]

Looking to tag along with a group over fording this weekend. Snow should be good this week. Send me a PM.

 

[JZ1]

Anyone know how much snow has fallen at CC this week, if any?

 

[Summit X]

If anybody is headed out to try the pass this weekend, I would personally recommend that if they know of any fun areas on the AB side to go there first. Going over the pass has about 30cm of fresh on the AB side, but it is about 5cm of fresh on top of lots of old tracks on the BC side. None of the snow from this week that fell in the foothills Made it into BC.

 

[JZ1]

If anybody is headed out to try the pass this weekend, I would personally recommend that if they know of any fun areas on the AB side to go there first. Going over the pass has about 30cm of fresh on the AB side, but it is about 5cm of fresh on top of lots of old tracks on the BC side. None of the snow from this week that fell in the foothills Made it into BC.

were you out yesterday?

 

[Summit X]

Yes I was.

 

[Pantherscry]

Yes I was.

How was it? Thinking of heading this week. Can u stage without killing the sled.

 

[Summit X]

How was it? Thinking of heading this week. Can u stage without killing the sled.

Sure you can stage, there was a couple inches of snow on all the trails we saw, but you could certainly hear the rocks underneath of it scratching your skis up. Like I mentioned above, probably not worth going over the divide until it gets another dump, at least in my opinion. We didn't go south, so no idea what the snow is like down there. I won't be going back there unless they get another foot of snow.

 

[JZ1]

Saw a lot of people at etherington staging area, I think they all went over the pass as I didn't see anyone on trails.

maybe this is common knowledge but I found out the hard way that the valley bottom trail is impassable. Was heading back to etherington from cataract area and I always get disoriented around there. Trails are not very visible and I vouldnt find I sign so I followed what looked like fresh tracks. Headed north on valley bottom only to find that tracks ended, few trucks were staging just off the main road at locked gate. I've never been on this trail and it was getting late so I kept heading north, not much further north I come upon a wasted out bridge and a massive log jam. There was no turning back, I manage to find a way around to get back on the trail, would not recommend this. One portion of the trail is completely washed out with no way around. I know this a big no no but I managed to get on main road about a mile south of etherington entrance and ride back to staging area.

all in all it was a good day, weather was freat

 

[JZ1]

Wonder if someone can help out. On the south end of fallers, North end of oyster and skyline where the trails intersect I think I went south on the black dotted line. When coming south on fallers and you get to the intersection there is a sign indicating T intersection but there is I believe 4 options, going back north on fallers being one of them.

my question is this, if going south on black dotted line should I at some point cross the Pasque trail? Not sure how far south I went on dotted line but mile marker said 29 before I decided to turn around and I didn't see the crossing at Pasque. Maybe I passed it I didn't notice cause there were no tracks on Pasque

Also at some point a came to a gate which was open so I kept heading south, shortly after a saw a 5th wheel trailer as well as another holiday trailer on my left. Where the hell was I lol???

when I turned around and started to head back north I saw a sign at the open gate that said something along the line of wildlife management area. Was I out of bounds?

 

[Highfly]

Wonder if someone can help out. On the south end of fallers, North end of oyster and skyline where the trails intersect I think I went south on the black dotted line. When coming south on fallers and you get to the intersection there is a sign indicating T intersection but there is I believe 4 options, going back north on fallers being one of them.

my question is this, if going south on black dotted line should I at some point cross the Pasque trail? Not sure how far south I went on dotted line but mile marker said 29 before I decided to turn around and I didn't see the crossing at Pasque. Maybe I passed it I didn't notice cause there were no tracks on Pasque

Also at some point a came to a gate which was open so I kept heading south, shortly after a saw a 5th wheel trailer as well as another holiday trailer on my left. Where the hell was I lol???

when I turned around and started to head back north I saw a sign at the open gate that said something along the line of wildlife management area. Was I out of bounds?

Yes you would have went right past Pasque trail if you followed the main road (Black dotted line south). Its easy to miss as it is in a bit of an open area so no trees to give the trail away. It doubles back on a sharp angle and is up a slope. Can sometimes be wind drifted as well so just looks like nothing really.
Not sure where you were LOL but if you follow Pasque to the most southern tip you are technically out of bounds. No big deal. We venture down there often as there is a neat area to mess around in just south. I have never followed the main road for a long ways so not sure what is down there.

 

[JZ1]

Yes you would have went right past Pasque trail if you followed the main road (Black dotted line south). Its easy to miss as it is in a bit of an open area so no trees to give the trail away. It doubles back on a sharp angle and is up a slope. Can sometimes be wind drifted as well so just looks like nothing really.
Not sure where you were LOL but if you follow Pasque to the most southern tip you are technically out of bounds. No big deal. We venture down there often as there is a neat area to mess around in just south. I have never followed the main road for a long ways so not sure what is down there.

now that you say that I think I did see the Pasque trail, it was a steep trail to my left( left if heading south on dotted line)through a cut block. I definitely need a compass lol, I get easily turned around at intersections as I'm not fully familiar with area yet.

On another note, the cataract trail is terrible. Very hard to navigate your through if you are not familar with it. Lots of rocks and lots of different sled tracks through there trying to avoid the rocks.

I forgot to attach map in my last post for those who don't know what I'm talking about.

 

[Summitdoorule]

Wonder if someone can help out. On the south end of fallers, North end of oyster and skyline where the trails intersect I think I went south on the black dotted line. When coming south on fallers and you get to the intersection there is a sign indicating T intersection but there is I believe 4 options, going back north on fallers being one of them.

my question is this, if going south on black dotted line should I at some point cross the Pasque trail? Not sure how far south I went on dotted line but mile marker said 29 before I decided to turn around and I didn't see the crossing at Pasque. Maybe I passed it I didn't notice cause there were no tracks on Pasque

Also at some point a came to a gate which was open so I kept heading south, shortly after a saw a 5th wheel trailer as well as another holiday trailer on my left. Where the hell was I lol???

when I turned around and started to head back north I saw a sign at the open gate that said something along the line of wildlife management area. Was I out of bounds?

No you weren't out of Bounds... If you came across that Trailer and Fifth Wheel, you were on the Old Man Road... If you continued down this Road, you would eventually come out on the Forestry Trunk Road, hwy940

 

[JZ1]

No you weren't out of Bounds... If you came across that Trailer and Fifth Wheel, you were on the Old Man Road... If you continued down this Road, you would eventually come out on the Forestry Trunk Road, hwy940

So the old man road is the dotted line which is a old logging road correct? The people that dropped the trailers off would have had to come north up the 940 right? How far south from the bottom of Pasque roughly are the trailers?

sorry for all the questions, just trying to get to know the area better

 

[101110101101]

So the old man road is the dotted line which is a old logging road correct? The people that dropped the trailers off would have had to come north up the 940 right? How far south from the bottom of Pasque roughly are the trailers?

sorry for all the questions, just trying to get to know the area better

I'm with you.... I have the same map and have been out there 4 or 5 times, but I'm sure I've only ever seen 5% of what's our there. I'd love to head out there with someone who knows it far better than me. Sorry if this has been asked already, but what are the conditions like lately? I am considering going out there this weekend but I'm not sure if it's worth the drive. Any idea?

 

[Kaz Dog]

Saw a lot of people at etherington staging area, I think they all went over the pass as I didn't see anyone on trails.

maybe this is common knowledge but I found out the hard way that the valley bottom trail is impassable. Was heading back to etherington from cataract area and I always get disoriented around there. Trails are not very visible and I vouldnt find I sign so I followed what looked like fresh tracks. Headed north on valley bottom only to find that tracks ended, few trucks were staging just off the main road at locked gate. I've never been on this trail and it was getting late so I kept heading north, not much further north I come upon a wasted out bridge and a massive log jam. There was no turning back, I manage to find a way around to get back on the trail, would not recommend this. One portion of the trail is completely washed out with no way around. I know this a big no no but I managed to get on main road about a mile south of etherington entrance and ride back to staging area.

all in all it was a good day, weather was freat

- a group of about 7 people went over the pass into B.C., I was told last night. Getting to B.C. was not great, as per Summit X's note above.

- Signage continues to be poor "on the ground" through out the trails system. This will not last, changes are being worked on between E.S.R.D. and the Calgary Snowmobile Club Trails Committee. More to come on these endeavours by the end of the season, or over the summer. We expect approvals to properly sign the trails for the 2015-16 winter season.

- Practically speaking, the north end of Valley Bottom Trail is "destroyed", near Etherington Campground, where you saw the "wasted out bridge and massive log jam". If the plans I saw two Thursdays ago happen, the trail will be (from the south, where the trail was destroyed through the stream on the south and east side of the campground) re-established with a short re-route, two small bridges put in place, and a brand new 80 foot bridge accessing the trail through the campground built. More to come on this.

 

[JZ1]

- a group of about 7 people went over the pass into B.C., I was told last night. Getting to B.C. was not great, as per Summit X's note above.

- Signage continues to be poor "on the ground" through out the trails system. This will not last, changes are being worked on between E.S.R.D. and the Calgary Snowmobile Club Trails Committee. More to come on these endeavours by the end of the season, or over the summer. We expect approvals to properly sign the trails for the 2015-16 winter season.

- Practically speaking, the north end of Valley Bottom Trail is "destroyed", near Etherington Campground, where you saw the "wasted out bridge and massive log jam". If the plans I saw two Thursdays ago happen, the trail will be (from the south, where the trail was destroyed through the stream on the south and east side of the campground) re-established with a short re-route, two small bridges put in place, and a brand new 80 foot bridge accessing the trail through the campground built. More to come on this.

Do you mean individual trail name signs at each trail head? If so that is a great idea.

I'm hoping to get out this weekend if my ribs feel better, did you get your sled put back together

 

[Summitdoorule]

So the old man road is the dotted line which is a old logging road correct? The people that dropped the trailers off would have had to come north up the 940 right? How far south from the bottom of Pasque roughly are the trailers?

sorry for all the questions, just trying to get to know the area better

Actually, well sorta...The dotted line is part of the Logging Road that hooks up to e Old Man Road... Spray Lakes Sawmills use to haul Logs down the dotted line and out the Oldman Road to the 940, South on 940 past Dutch Creek and then East through the Gap towards Maycroft which came out on hwy 22... From the corner of Pasque and Oyster, (bottom of Pasque) those Trailers are about 10km South

 

[Highfly]

No you weren't out of Bounds...

Actually yes he was... We all are if we venture down to the southern tip.



I inquired about this zone. Looked to me by the small map in the upper right that we were aloud over the mountain range to the east of Cataract. I was corrected and told this was a "proposed" area and that we were NOT allowed over there. A friend of mine who works for ESRD was going to put in a request to get the map changed as it is very misleading. We are technically aloud to be south out of the zone but not aloud East inside the zone LOL.

 

[X-Treme]

Actually yes he was... We all are if we venture down to the southern tip.



I inquired about this zone. Looked to me by the small map in the upper right that we were aloud over the mountain range to the east of Cataract. I was corrected and told this was a "proposed" area and that we were NOT aloud over there. A friend of mine who works for ESRD was going to put in a request to get the map changed as it is very misleading. We are technically aloud to be south out of the zone but not aloud East inside the zone LOL.

*allowed

 

[Highfly]

*allowed

Was never good at spelling, its a very sore spot with me and embarrasses me often. Thanks for making me feel 2" tall....