Cataract Creek Snowmobile Trails offical thread 2016/17

[raceu4it]

I'm sure Glen could find a place to stay in the village before K-country and after Longview!!

 

[TylerG]

I'm sure Glen could find a place to stay in the village before K-country and after Longview!!

is that the one where all you hear is the song from deliverance as you walk around?

 

[Sledderglen]

My hunting camper. Just call me the "backcountry hermit groomer guy"

 

[takethebounce]

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.

Correct. A snowmobile is registered as a "snow vehicle". It has a OHV permit but it's type is different. A Atv or sxs and dirt bikes have OHV permits but the type of vehicle prohibits their use on snowmobile trails.

Not to stir up the pot to much and I enjoy snow bikes but they can be harder on "trails". The skinnier tracks are capable of trenching quite a bit when the operator is not considering the effect of such. Sleds can be just as ruthless to a groomed trail but the snow bike tracks are even worse.

I would love to have a snow bike for shoulder season riding especially in the Cataract area since it's close to home but I can foresee issues in the future when the legislation changes to allow them in the PLUZ areas.


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[Kaz Dog]

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

I know, I know, I know......I can not stop or slowdown the man, he is a machine! That said, a voluteer like Glen is priceless. He has responsibility for winter grooming and signage for the Trails Committee, and takes these very much to heart. I can not say how much of a god-send this man is to our club efforts out there. We always need additional volunteers to assist Glen out there, as I never like to hear he has returned from a solo grooming trip, even if he has a sat phone and InReach with him. Any member of the public from the area (Longview, Black Diamond, High River, Okotoks, Aldersyde, Cayley, or Nanton) or Calagay interested in helping, to improve the area for all, are sure welcome

Darryl Lennox, at The Accessory Shop in High River, has been invaluable in helping out the club, both as a corporate sponsor and volunteer, but he is in the same category as Glen. He loves Cataract, and has gone over and above finding people to help out and committing hours upon hours there as our summer Trail Boss, and Glens right hand man during the winter. It is through his efforts alone that we were able to bulldoze the trails at no cost to the government and club - for all members of the pubic to enjoy the trails, summer and winter, without run-off damage. It did end up costing some money to get the equipment on the trails to do the improvements, but we had to insist to K & C Gravel from Calgary, that they accept some funds for the transportation of extra equipment that they brought.

Message Glen or I here on Snow and Mud and we will get back to you, if you would like to volunteer.

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

We miss Glen.


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[Sledderglen]

Fixed the sled this morning and then groomed from Cataract Staging area up Raspberry and to the Etherington Staging area. There is still a couple gates closed. Come on Government open ALL the gates.
Meet a few riders out there that liked what we are doing out there.

Hey if you want to help us in our efforts buy a trailpass or the groomer operator will take FUEL CARDS. Todays trip was 5 gallons of fuel. 40 km and 5 gallons. We have over 400 km on the new to the club sled already. All these KMs eat fuel x 2 sleds 90% of the time.

Rocks are getting covered as long as I don't cut to deep.

 

[Sledderglen]

I know, I know, I know......I can not stop or slowdown the man, he is a machine! That said, a voluteer like Glen is priceless. He has responsibility for winter grooming and signage for the Trails Committee, and takes these very much to heart. I can not say how much of a god-send this man is to our club efforts out there. We always need additional volunteers to assist Glen out there, as I never like to hear he has returned from a solo grooming trip, even if he has a sat phone and InReach with him. Any member of the public from the area (Longview, Black Diamond, High River, Okotoks, Aldersyde, Cayley, or Nanton) or Calagay interested in helping, to improve the area for all, are sure welcome




Darryl Lennox, at The Accessory Shop in High River, has been invaluable in helping out the club, both as a corporate sponsor and volunteer, but he is in the same category as Glen. He loves Cataract, and has gone over and above finding people to help out and committing hours upon hours there as our summer Trail Boss, and Glens right hand man during the winter. It is through his efforts alone that we were able to bulldoze the trails at no cost to the government and club - for all members of the pubic to enjoy the trails, summer and winter, without run-off damage. It did end up costing some money to get the equipment on the trails to do the improvements, but we had to insist to K & C Gravel from Calgary, that they accept some funds for the transportation of extra equipment that they brought.

Message Glen or I here on Snow and Mud and we will get back to you, if you would like to volunteer.

Thanks Scott. Its a passion we all have for snowmobiling that makes us do what we all do. Some ride, some make things better for others to ride.

We did alot of work to this area this summer and we need to thank the other volunteers and the ASA for the financial assistance in our project

 

[Jonmudry]

Hi guys,

Does anyone know if there are cross country ski trails near cataract. Thinking of dropping my girlfriend off somewhere close to ski while I go for a rip.
Would it be too dangerous to ski in cataract with the sled traffic?


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[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Glen...we love you just the way you are...lol...

Thanks Scott. Its a passion we all have for snowmobiling that makes us do what we all do. Some ride, some make things better for others to ride.

We did alot of work to this area this summer and we need to thank the other volunteers and the ASA for the financial assistance in our project

 

[Kaz Dog]

Hi guys,

Does anyone know if there are cross country ski trails near cataract. Thinking of dropping my girlfriend off somewhere close to ski while I go for a rip.
Would it be too dangerous to ski in cataract with the sled traffic?


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A long time ago, the Government of Alberta put down cross-country ski trails on the east side of the Forestry Truck Road at Cataract Creek parking lot, and had a groomer there for the snowmobile trails on the west side of the Forestry Truck Road. I remember this from the early-mid 1990's.

Unfortunately, times do change, and governments with them. The Klein years' cutbacks affected Cataract Trails - both motorized and non-motorized equally. What once was a jewel maintained by the government has had a couple of hits. One was the flood of 2005, the more devastating flood of 2013, loss of trails being up kept for many years, and more. We from the Calgary Snowmobile Club have tried to assist the area on the snowmobile trails, but the cross-country ski trail were severely damaged along Cataract Creek, down stream of the parking lot.

There is a place, about 1.5-2 kms before Etherington P.R.A./campground/parking lot where cross-country skiers access, that I am aware of. It looks like a small parking area, and you unload here and head up the northside of Baril Creek, following the ridge. Another place that may work, but I am guessing here, is the blocked former road accessed just before the Etherington Creek bridge, from what looks like a parking are, but is not. I do not know how far the blocked road goes, or even if it is cleared for travel, but....???

Just thought of something best - the roads within the campground, going to all the sites. Snowmobile access is not recommended down the "Valley Bottom Trail" - nor encouraged this winter season - which is accessed from the east side of the campground. There is a brand new bridge there, but the trial does not go all way to Cataract Creek Trial, as there are three creek crossing, with out bridges along it. (#2 on the hit parade next summer to fix). I think she could have a great time investigating the loops.

 

[Sleddhed]

Anyone headed to Cataract Creek tomorrow? Riding alone and wouldn't mind joining up. Coming from Okotoks.

 

[polarice]

hi there
i am interested in lending a hand

I know, I know, I know......I can not stop or slowdown the man, he is a machine! That said, a voluteer like Glen is priceless. He has responsibility for winter grooming and signage for the Trails Committee, and takes these very much to heart. I can not say how much of a god-send this man is to our club efforts out there. We always need additional volunteers to assist Glen out there, as I never like to hear he has returned from a solo grooming trip, even if he has a sat phone and InReach with him. Any member of the public from the area (Longview, Black Diamond, High River, Okotoks, Aldersyde, Cayley, or Nanton) or Calagay interested in helping, to improve the area for all, are sure welcome

Darryl Lennox, at The Accessory Shop in High River, has been invaluable in helping out the club, both as a corporate sponsor and volunteer, but he is in the same category as Glen. He loves Cataract, and has gone over and above finding people to help out and committing hours upon hours there as our summer Trail Boss, and Glens right hand man during the winter. It is through his efforts alone that we were able to bulldoze the trails at no cost to the government and club - for all members of the pubic to enjoy the trails, summer and winter, without run-off damage. It did end up costing some money to get the equipment on the trails to do the improvements, but we had to insist to K & C Gravel from Calgary, that they accept some funds for the transportation of extra equipment that they brought.

Message Glen or I here on Snow and Mud and we will get back to you, if you would like to volunteer.

 

[Jonmudry]

Thanks For the info Kaz Dog, we might check out the trail on Sunday!


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[Kaz Dog]

Anyone headed to Cataract Creek tomorrow? Riding alone and wouldn't mind joining up. Coming from Okotoks.

Sorry I missed this post. I was there to do some prep work for the the poker rally next Sunday, yesterday. Next time perhaps? Or come out next Sunday for the Poker Rally - 3 hands for $20 with an A.S.A. Trail Pass, $30 for 3 hands without. Prizes are being put together now, but it appears that the 1st Prize is a Polaris 1000 Watt Generator!

 

[Kaz Dog]

hi there
i am interested in lending a hand

Great, PM me you phone number for a conversation, we can chat about what you'd like to do - winter, summer, groom, trail clearing, volunteer at an event, are just a few.

 

[Kaz Dog]

Thanks For the info Kaz Dog, we might check out the trail on Sunday!

Did I meet you at the Cataract Creek Parking lot today?

 

[Jonmudry]

Did I meet you at the Cataract Creek Parking lot today?

Nope that wasn't me, I was out on the trails all day Saturday. Great riding and thanks to all you gents who work hard to maintain the trails!


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[oler1234]

What are condition like out here... was thinking of heading over fording with all the recent snow we have been getting

 

[Sledderglen]

What are condition like out here... was thinking of heading over fording with all the recent snow we have been getting

Trail conditions bit better but have not received a fording report lately. Open water on the creek crossing going in to Fording on first crossing