Chappell Creek Grooming PILOT PROJECT

[VARDA]

Chappell Creek Grooming Schedule Adjustments

Chappell Creek has long been a difficult recreation area to manage successfully due to the cost associated with the lengthy trail and the relatively low user numbers on non-peak days.

The VARDA Board has been continually discussing potential solutions to the issue and will be implementing a PILOT PROJECT for the month of February in order to try to provide an improved and more consistent product to our guests that utilize this area.

Beginning Saturday January 31st the grooming schedule for Chappell Creek will be adjusted as follows:

Grooming will be done on the evenings of Saturday, Wednesday and Fridays.
(user numbers and conditions depending of course)

Users should expect to pay trail passes at all times, although should we exceed trail numbers mid-week and adequate funds are generated, collections will be stopped until the next groom. An example of this scenario could result from higher than expected numbers on Sunday and Monday resulting in no trail passes required for Tuesday or Wednesday based on the discretion of VARDA management.

VARDA is constantly reviewing our operations and making adjustments accordingly to meet the needs of our visitors. This PILOT PROJECT is intended to improve the services that VARDA currently offers to our valued guests and gauge the sustainability of the additional operations.

Thank you,

VARDA

 

[maxwell]

What is it currently still Thursday evenings only?

 

[tmo1620]

And fridays if there were enough users i think


Sent from my iPhone because I'm sledding or to lazy to get off the couch

 

[Ministik Man]

I imagine it is very much a balancing act to manage your 3 trail systems.
All three areas are under contract to VARDA per season - is that correct?
So the contractor only makes money when the groomer is running and the groomer can only run when VARDA has received sufficent funds to pay the groomer contractor to groom -- correct

Most groomers run 7-10 k per hour so to groom the Mileage Trail must take at least 5 - 7 hours running round trip -- Plus 1/2 warm up/fuelup equipment check -- plus 1/2 hours shut down -- so they are on Site for about 8 hours -- that's a long time in the dark at night on a mountain.

Do not forget this is expensive equipment at over $100,000.00 for groomer and $15,000.00 for a good drag and I believe they operate 3 sets of groomers to avoid trailering set up/hauling/unloading for each groom.

Also the groomers use over 20 litre per hour running x 3 units that adds up fast...

Enough of the costs... VARDA is doing an excellent jobs with the funding it has to work with....

HELL if we paid trail passes like the ski hills at $80.00 person, the trails would be groomed every night with a budget like that, we can only dream

 

[VARDA]

Correct to all, thanks for the kind words.

 

[TylerG]

I imagine it is very much a balancing act to manage your 3 trail systems.
All three areas are under contract to VARDA per season - is that correct?
So the contractor only makes money when the groomer is running and the groomer can only run when VARDA has received sufficent funds to pay the groomer contractor to groom -- correct

Most groomers run 7-10 k per hour so to groom the Mileage Trail must take at least 5 - 7 hours running round trip -- Plus 1/2 warm up/fuelup equipment check -- plus 1/2 hours shut down -- so they are on Site for about 8 hours -- that's a long time in the dark at night on a mountain.

Do not forget this is expensive equipment at over $100,000.00 for groomer and $15,000.00 for a good drag and I believe they operate 3 sets of groomers to avoid trailering set up/hauling/unloading for each groom.

Also the groomers use over 20 litre per hour running x 3 units that adds up fast...

Enough of the costs... VARDA is doing an excellent jobs with the funding it has to work with....

HELL if we paid trail passes like the ski hills at $80.00 person, the trails would be groomed every night with a budget like that, we can only dream

can you imagine the complaining that would take place if it was $80 per day to access the trail....... Oh dear lord..........

 

[X-Treme]

can you imagine the complaining that would take place if it was $80 per day to access the trail....... Oh dear lord..........

Isn't that just the sad part tho?

 

[08summit]

Good news and Great Job VARDA

 

[FastFarmer]

Become a member.......season passes are a cheap investment for the amount of entertainment you get out if it