Cataract Creek Snowmobile Trails offical thread 2016/17

[Sledderglen]

Thanks for all that you guys do!!! Braaaap

Were you out there???

 

[Ronaha]

Yes sir, we did all the trails!Awesome place,we live far away and,are gunna try to go once a year from now on!

 

[jazz 111]

Warrentb68 we staged from etherington all the way south skyline trail area where we found great conditions and still trails that have not been touched.
As for snow on the lower elevation was okay some sections wind blown otherwise pretty good.

 

[Bunn]

Went out today as well and had a good time. Lower snow conditions than most years but we did find some snow to play, you just have to know where to go.

 

[warrentb68]

The wife and I went out yesterday and unloaded at Cataract and put on 90 km all over and had a great day. We found lots of fresh deep snow and had good fun on the trails. The valley bottom was thin but I have seen way worst so all in all a great day. On a side note a couple of guys were out in a Tyrex SxS with tracks and roughed up some areas but they did leave later on once they realized they are not really aloud, but they did put on quite a few miles.

 

[tucker_98]

Nice meeting you on the trails today SledderGlen! Look forward to running into you again when I'm back down in a few weeks.

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[Sledderglen]

The wife and I went out yesterday and unloaded at Cataract and put on 90 km all over and had a great day. We found lots of fresh deep snow and had good fun on the trails. The valley bottom was thin but I have seen way worst so all in all a great day. On a side note a couple of guys were out in a Tyrex SxS with tracks and roughed up some areas but they did leave later on once they realized they are not really aloud, but they did put on quite a few miles.

Thanks you for the post. We don't want them in the area. They are not allowed. No matter if they have tracks. If they are registered as a OHV they are not allowed. Must be registered as a snowmobile to be allowed. Snowbikes we heard are allowed but they are not trail friendly. Hard to ride on a trail

Thanks if you talked them and educated them.

 

[Sledderglen]

Nice meeting you on the trails today SledderGlen! Look forward to running into you again when I'm back down in a few weeks.

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Nice to see you and your Dad out there today. Thanks for the help removing that big tree on Lower Raspberry. It was just going to be me, myself and I until you 2 showed up and then that family from Okotokos. Thanks for the assistance.

 

[Sledderglen]

So made it out there today to do a trailwork day. Did some signage updates and removed that tree on Lower Raspberry. Thanks again Tucker98 and his Dad

Sorry for the way the trails are getting a bit rough. Way rougher than what I want them to be. It is what it is for now. Me and Ed will be out trying to groom some more this coming week. Snow is better than I was expecting and grooming is needed. For now our equipment is small and lightweight and this area is way bigger than what they can handle BUT we are trying. I thought I would post here explaining what`s going on before the complaints started to roll in.

Thanks for coming out and enjoying the area. If anyone has a tracked vehicle with blade in their shop doing nothing and want to help give me or Kaz Dog a message. Doesn't hurt to ask. We may get the All Track unit back again or we may have another opportunity with a fellow ASA club. Time will tell.

Looked again today and gate still closed at Etherington staging area.

I have also noticed tracks along the road from Cataract staging area to Etherington Staging area. Just talked to our trail team about trying to find a way to open up Valley bottom trail to get that linkage back going. No reason to go down the road. Logging trucks win at any collision with them let alone any vehicle on the roads. It might not be pretty but we will see.

Thanks again

PS trail passes help upgrade the trails. Buy yours to support the trails down here

 

[Bunn]

Our group also came across the two gentleman with the SxS with tracks and I was very straight forward and told them they are not allowed. They turned around right after I talked to them and were worried I was going to report them. I told them I would not but told them if they get caught by the authorities, they could have their machine taken. They said they saw the signs but figured if the two guys with the snow bike were allowed, they were. They were at least 20km in from Cataract loading zone when they turned around.

 

[Sledderglen]

Our group also came across the two gentleman with the SxS with tracks and I was very straight forward and told them they are not allowed. They turned around right after I talked to them and were worried I was going to report them. I told them I would not but told them if they get caught by the authorities, they could have their machine taken. They said they saw the signs but figured if the two guys with the snow bike were allowed, they were. They were at least 20km in from Cataract loading zone when they turned around.

Thanks for protecting the area. Its not that I'm anti OHV but this area is OHV free Zone summer and winter.

 

[Kaz Dog]

On a side note a couple of guys were out in a Tyrex SxS with tracks and roughed up some areas but they did leave later on once they realized they are not really aloud, but they did put on quite a few miles.

Thanks for chatting with them and letting them know.

It is not that they are not allowed, it is that it is illegal for any motorized vehicle that is not a "Snow Vehicle" to be in the Cataract Creek Snow Vehicle P.L.U.Z. (Public Land Use Zone). This qualifies for snowmobiles, and snowbikes, as a converted motorbike with a track and ski on the front is purpose built to operate on/in snow. Legally - currently - the snowmobile trails are for snowmobiles only - not even snowbikes - but I hold the view that the legislation has not caught up to the technology, yet.

The one "kicker" to the above statement is, currently, the P.L.U.Z. has been operated as a "on trails" snowmobile access system - by regulation, backed by legislation. I have been told, talking for over four years now, and two different administrators, that all snowmobiles are to remain on the trails, within the system. That being said, those of us there for over 20 years now, have never seen an officer from any branch of the government (conservation, public lands, or forestry) heard or seen a person being written up for a ticket. I chalk this up to "responsibility on the ground" of the officers over the years. They see nothing is being destroyed by being on or off trail, on top of the snow, with the ground frozen. It is also why forestry - for one reason - leaves the stumps so high - you can not safely go into the cut blocks to ride, damaging the planted trees and forest regrowth.

An A.T.V.-Quad with tracks/Side-by-Side with tracks/wheeled O.H.V. is not a snow vehicle, but rather is still an all-terrain vehicle, engineered to operate on all surfaces except water/lakes (except an Argo, I suppose). They are illegal/not to operate at C.C.S.V. P.L.U.Z.

 

[Kaz Dog]

Thanks for setting them straight! The signage is terrible at both staging areas and on the way in. I will be talking to Public Lands and Alberta Parks in hopes for finding correct signs to educate the public on the/this area.

Our group also came across the two gentleman with the SxS with tracks and I was very straight forward and told them they are not allowed. They turned around right after I talked to them and were worried I was going to report them. I told them I would not but told them if they get caught by the authorities, they could have their machine taken. They said they saw the signs but figured if the two guys with the snow bike were allowed, they were. They were at least 20km in from Cataract loading zone when they turned around.

 

[Sledderglen]

We were there yesterday to gather up the grooming gear and upgrade it for more grooming type work. Cold as a mother in laws kiss. But we got about 4 inches of fluffy snow to aid in covering the ground and improving our base from the staging areas. We will be back at it trying to smooth the trails out best we can. It's going to be better than nothing that's for sure.
Thanks enjoy your ride

 

[t-bird]

Got a new copy of Snoriders in the mail and you guys' article is on the cover. Good job and keep up the good work!

 

[JZ1]

Here's a link to the above mentioned article

http://online.fliphtml5.com/xzdq/jwny/#p=6

 

[Sledderglen]

Test drive tomorrow. We did a bunch of modification to our lightweight drags to see if we can get some more out of them as grooming drags. Snow is better but getting moguled up a bit. We will see

 

[TylerG]

Test drive tomorrow. We did a bunch of modification to our lightweight drags to see if we can get some more out of them as grooming drags. Snow is better but getting moguled up a bit. We will see

is the club going to setup a residence out there for you soon?

 

[Sledderglen]

is the club going to setup a residence out there for you soon?

Good idea Tyler beats the 4hr drive every day. May need to build a cabin way in the back for a groomer operator house.

 

[TylerG]

Good idea Tyler beats the 4hr drive every day. May need to build a cabin way in the back for a groomer operator house.

Kaz Dog, are you paying attention, Glen needs a cabin at Cataract..... or the club needs to buy him a truck.... LOL