Trail Grooming

[zal]

How soon do you guys get out on the trail to start grooming for the start of the season? What is the general rule if there is one?

 

[old mountain man]

Normally two requirements. Enough snow and enough frost! Also deadfall needs to be cleared!

 

[zal]

Trails have been mulched, and the slashing crew has been through cleaning up. We have snow, but was told it was too hard and really not much. We are all learning the grooming part so any little bit of advice is much appreciated.

 

[Sledderglen]

With your sled and groomer you should of been out a long time ago. Lift the drag and pan and pack the snow. Best to start when just a bit of snow and pack from the ground up. I have been over our trials since the first snow in early December. We have a trail setter and a light drag. Go to the Fort Snow Angels section and look for pics of what we use. Just because its light doesn't mean it wont work. Our trails stood up to 25 mountain sleds excellent one day. Cold is the best time to do it.
How is the Cat and Drag working?

 

[Sledderglen]

This is what we use.

 

[Sledderglen]

These are made of thin steel to be light and bendable if you hit a log or rock early season. Made two of these and we pull together with Skandics. Even your Arctic cat will pull these. Simple height adjustment. Have a few sleds go ahead of you and you follow up with this and it will lay a nice worked trail behind you which will set up in no time at all when COLD.
We are so happy with how theses worked out that we wonder why we spent the big dollars for our other drag. This will move packed snow but it wont remove iced up moguls. Then you need your heavier drag that you have already and cut the mogul out over multiple passes. Best to get out early and pack from the bottom.

This works for us on our trails that don't see a pile of users should work for you guys up there. Good Luck

 

[zal]

Thanks for the great info. We would have been out, but we didn't get much snow yet and we just ran the mulches on our trails Dec 20. Now we actually have wide trails to groom and with the snow we just received, I might be heading out then.

The one time we used it, it works awesome. LOL. Last year we didn't have any snow.

 

[Sledderglen]

Thanks for the great info. We would have been out, but we didn't get much snow yet and we just ran the mulches on our trails Dec 20. Now we actually have wide trails to groom and with the snow we just received, I might be heading out then.

The one time we used it, it works awesome. LOL. Last year we didn't have any snow.

What did you use for mulchers ?

 

[zal]

We hired out a couple companies. I think Troy would know better than I. Track machines approx. 6ft wide mulches on them. Slashers went out last week to finish the job.

 

[Sledderglen]

What did that cost or did it get donated or a deal? Looking to get some of our trail done. FFFfffffing willows

 

[zal]

For the final $'S and so on, best to PM Troy (Teeroy) . He would have that info Glen. I do know we had some very generous donations for the project.

 

[Megrizzly]

I use a nearly identical setup for grooming my trails between my cabin and the groomed trails. I will agree that they work quite well. I used grader blades although and I also installed a single jack on the front of the centre bar in front of the cutting blades. Sure helps when you encounter too much snow or get stuck. I pull mine with a tracked atv, so it can take a bit more abuse than the sleds will. I figure on 3 passes will put a trail in great condition.

 

[Sledderglen]

I use a nearly identical setup for grooming my trails between my cabin and the groomed trails. I will agree that they work quite well. I used grader blades although and I also installed a single jack on the front of the centre bar in front of the cutting blades. Sure helps when you encounter too much snow or get stuck. I pull mine with a tracked atv, so it can take a bit more abuse than the sleds will. I figure on 3 passes will put a trail in great condition.

I`m looking to build a stronger one with cutting blades. will be used after the trail gets harder and rougher than what the trailsetter can handle. I like your idea with a jack to lift and grader blades