Grooming Report - Starr Ridge & West 1/31/17

> 1/31/17:  Travis Heiple and Glen Johnston with Cat #2 from the Starr Snowpark west on FR 333 to FR 49, then north to Forest Boundary, back to FR 094, east to FR 4920, continuing east to U.S. 395, the south on FR 456 to the beginning

FR 196 - Starr Ridge to Dry Soda Lookout 1/30/17

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Location: Hwy 395 to Starr Ridge Summit; east on 196, 1mile on 3920 to Dry Soda Lookout

Road & Trail Conditions: Hwy 395 clear; patchy ice on curves toward summit

Snow Conditions: 3+' base, groomed sunday, skate ski tracks for 2 miles, snomo for 1; pristine groom thereafter

Skis on & temperature: 9:30am  20° (JD 26°  )

Skis off & temperature: 4:30pm  29°  (JD 34° )

Distance: 17 miles; maybe 1500' elevation with lots of up & down

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Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): 9.5 (-.5 for sticky sno in aftn.)

Comments: groomed on sunday, super fresh & smooth, thanks to bill prophet. on the edge of sticky until about 2:30 & maxiglide wax applied then helped; also sno firmed up within 30 mins.  snotel showed 36 at 3 & dropped steadily thereafter. there is the line....

solid base allowed venturing off trail, only dropping 1-2"

off trail

skied to this same lookout from other direction 12/31.  entire road, 395 to FR 15 was plowed in dec. for logging; some activity started, looking like on pause for the moment.  more on the way.

you can also start at FR15 & ski west to lookout, a few miles shorter, less elevation up & down.

this road is the southern edge of the canyon burn & it is very educational to watch the process each year.

lots of good views, north to strawberry range & south to antelope & bear valley.  great views from lookout; today was overcast.

on return trip saw clouds started to break up through a gap with some great light on strawberry toward sunset.

forecast has chance of 1-2" at elevation each day this week.  great time to get out.....

Grooming Report - Starr Ridge 1/29/17

Bill Prophet in Cat #2 groomed FR 3925 from FR 15 To FR 196 (Slaughter Ridge) to Starr Ridge, groomed the sledding hill, then groomed to the Starr Snowpark. 

Grooming Report - Summit Prairie 1/25/17

SnoCat 1 ran from Huddleston east on the 1665 to the 625 and around to the 16rd then south on the 14rd to Antelope lookout turn around, back to summit prairie and up the 135, 101 and back to the shed.

See blue line (and short orange line east of Summit Pr)  on attached map

For you non-motorized users enjoying the trails please show your support by joining your local snowmobile club, no meetings are required, it takes a lot of time and effort to maintain the trail system and your support is greatly appreciated

I am glad we can help make your winter days more enjoyable

Cheers 

Dave

FR 1665 Loop - Summit Prairie 1/24/17

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Location: Co. 62 to FR 16 jct.  fr135 to huddleston snopark, 1665 to summit rock (1660 jct) & around east ridge to 478 west to 1660 & return to start.

Road & Trail Conditions: Hwy 26 clear; Co. 62 clear to last ranch then plowed, packed sno & ice

Snow Conditions: deep, deep, deep. groomed sunday, powder dusting on 135, 1/4-1/2" remainder. sunday ski tracks from huddleston 1/2 way up to summit rock; earlier monday (skate?) ski tracks last few miles 1660 to co.62.

Skis on & temperature: 10am  14°  (JD 24° )

Skis off & temperature: 5pm  24°  (JD 34° )

Distance: 20 miles;   elevation 2700'

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Rating (1-10; 10 awesome):  11+

Comments: skiing paradise for me - deep, deep snow, groomed previous day, powder on top, only ski tracks since, mid-20's temp., long distance loop, high elevation, great views, new trail.

this is the depth dave hannibal groomed on sunday.  the bank on left is over 8'
FR 1665 underneath summit rock

fantastic day

 

 

Grooming Report - Huddleston/Summit Prairie 1/22/17

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>
> I groomed east from Huddleston on the 1665 to Summit Rock and on east to the 478 rd. Back to the 16 road and lower lot to back to parking. The snow was very deep once you gain any elevation the going was very difficult and slow, only made 31 miles in 7 hours. The quality is not 100% so be aware of some rough spots.
> See attached map, black line is todays.
> Cheers
> Dave
>

FR 31 - Bear Valley 1/19/17

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Location: Hwy 395 south to Co 63 west, 12 miles to FR 31 jct

Road & Trail Conditions: 395 hazardous in am; much improved by pm.  63 plowed, packed ice.

Snow Conditions: fr31 groomed tues, with 4-6" since.

Skis on & temperature: 10am  32

Skis off & temperature: 4:30pm 33

Distance: 11 miles; 800+' elevation

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): 9

Comments: with as much recent snow, finding groomed or snomo tracks is helpful.  even with groomed there was still 4-6" to break trail.  slightly warm temps made sno sticky, even with maxiglide before & during trip.  return in my tracks was much easier.

this is a lovely trip, all gentle climb at first & downhill on return. once at the top of ridge, flat for several miles, many open meadow areas, as 31 continues down toward FR 37.

can connect with snowshoe trail loop from 31; looked 2+' deep & no tracks when i went by

FR 333 - Starr Ridge 1/15/17

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Location: Hwy 395 to Starr Ridge Snow Park

Road & Trail Conditions: 395 plowed & packed sno, FR 333: 2', snomo & ski tracks

Snow Conditions: deep

Skis on & temperature: noon 28

Skis off & temperature: 5pm  22

Distance: 5 miles

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): 9

Comments: started east scouting dixie summit/butte & halfway to unity. deep sno & no tracks on anything off of 26.

returned to starr ridge; no tracks & new, deep sno on 4920.   333 had 2 snomo & several ski tracks.

met jan mead at windfall creek.  she & friends broke trail day before.

without snomo tracks, too deep.

fr333 @ 4920 jct.

Grooming Report - Seneca 12/17/17

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from glen johnston:

Travis Heiple and I took Cat #1 from Seneca this morning, west through the shooting range, south on FR 310, to FR 3790 west on that to FR 37 then continuing west (up Camp Creek, then Crooked Creek) to FR 3760 on west to FR 31 at 500 Flat, then north on 31 to Izee hwy, back on the 31 to FR 3770, east on it past Wymer Meadow to FR 37 and return to Seneca.  Temps ranged from 8 below to +38F, snow groomed well, beautiful day.  GJ
>

Grooming Report - Seneca 1/16/17

Bill Prophet was out with Cat #2 today grooming trails west of Seneca.  West from the shooting range then south on FR 310, northwest on FRs 473,472, 237 and 3780 to FR 24.  South on FR 3780 (Damon Cr. and Burnt Cabin Cr.) to FR 37, then east to FR 3790, north then northwest back to the 472 and return to Seneca. 

FR 16 Summit Prairie to Logan Valley - 1/8/17

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Location: Co. 62 to Summit Prairie; FR 16 west

Road & Trail Conditions: a little bit of everything: clear, patchy snow, ice, plowed & packed, unplowed & deep ruts.  black ice on the way down.

Snow Conditions: groomed on thurs. + 4-6" since

Skis on & temperature: 9am 22°  (JD 32° drizzle)

Skis off & temperature: 5:30pm 32°  (JD 46°  rain)

Distance: 12+ miles

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome) 9 for first half; 4 for second; ave: 6

Comments:

hasn't been much grooming, or snomo tracks; trail options limited.  FR 16 groomed on thurs., new powder on top.  snowed all day, alternating lite to moderate.  4"+ on rig with return, tracks covered over on return.

 tree-friend provides shelter for snack break:

goggles were nice with blowing sno .

am sitting on a new piece of gear:



lightweight, insulated to sit on snow.  useful in an emergency if someone needs to sit waiting for help.
am buying more gear at backcountry.com; cheaper than rei, 2 day delivery with $50 order:

http://www.backcountry.com/therm-a-rest-z-seat

second half of trip was long & difficult as sno/ice got into binding & boot wouldn't stay locked in.  cleaned out multiple times; ended up walking the last 1+ mile. got into some deep wind drifts, knee to waist.

on drive down 62, nite, ranchland, roads cleared & dry. came around a curve to black ice with water on top & 8 deer trying to scamper off road. rig did a sweet Slalom ski movement, kept foot off brake, missed the hind end of the last scampering doe, returned pounding heart into chest.

~ happy to be home ~

Grooming Report - Huddleston to Seneca - 1/4/17

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> Cat one ran from Huddleston to Seneca and will be stationed there through the weekend to support the races and also to get caught up on the western trails.
> Roads 135, 16, 1619, 587,1601,703 733,723 to Seneca.
> Yellow line in picture is 1-4 groom
> Great snow and cold temps.
> Enjoy
> Dave
>

Free Nordic Ski day @ Anthony Lakes 1/8/17

As we ring in the new year, Anthony Lakes invites you to venture on over to the Nordic Lodge!

Join us on Sunday, January 8th, for Celebrate Nordic! This is your chance to learn to cross country ski, skate ski and/or snowshoe….FOR FREE! The Nordic Center will have free trail passes, free rentals, and free clinics all day!

Participants are entered to win a Nordic Season Pass!

Questions? Email info@anthonylakes.com or call the Nordic Center 541-856-3277 x31

Or Jimi at 541.620.4232

Late Grooming Report 1/1/17 - Summit Prairie

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 On Jan 1, 2017 10:13, "Dave Hannibal" <dhannibal2011@gmail.com> wrote:

Happy New Year

Cat one started out last Wednesday on a run to Antilope and had mechanical issues so it spent the next 3 nights alone in the woods on the 14 road. Repairs were completed yeaterday afternoon, thank you to Dan and Tim for the help.

As for fresh grooming the 135 from Huddleston to lower lot out the 16 to about 3-4 miles out the 14 (where the cat was broke done) and back to parking. Also the small loop just above Huddleston.

Further out the 16 from the 16rd 14rd Junction was pretty much untouched fresh groom with 8 inches of fresh on top. What was covered yesterday is set up hard, off trail is bottomless powder.

Wednesday I will groom from Summit prairie to Seneca and the cat will stay there through the weekend preping the race tracks and hitting trails out of Seneca.

Saturdays groom is the blue line on map.

Enjoy

Dave

Dry Soda Lookout - FR 3925 - Starr Ridge 12/31/16

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Location: Hwy 395 to Co 65 to FR 15 to 3925 to 1516 jct.  3925 to Dry Soda Lookout

Road & Trail Conditions: 395 blowing sno, patchy ice, co 65 & 15 plowed & solid ice. 3925 is plowed for logging to 1516 jct, then D6 cat tracks to lookout & beyond.

Snow Conditions: 2'+ packed base with slight powder on top

Skis on & temperature: 1pm 24   (JD 20 )

Skis off & temperature: 5:30pm  12 (JD 18 )

Distance: 8 miles

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): 9.5 (-.5 for skiing on frozen cat tracks)

Comments: plowed 3925 makes for easy ski to dry soda lookout, giving one of the best views of whole south side of strawberry mtn. range & south into bear valley & seneca.

cat tracks were wide, frozen ridges, a little too fast on descent, stayed on deeper shoulder powder on return trip.

looks like they are preparing these roads for logging this winter.  there is a lot of burned trees along this road.

noticed the 196 from 395 is also plowed going east.  not sure if it will be complete from both directions.

FR 4920-333 Loop - Starr Ridge - 12/29/16

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Location:  Hwy 395 to Starr ridge; FR 4920 to 607 up to Fall Mtn. Lookout.  back down to 4920 west & south to 333 to sno park; 987 back to start

Road & Trail Conditions: 395 patchy ice after Co 65, solid ice either side of summit

Snow Conditions: 18-24" base with 1' new powder on top

Skis on & temperature: 10:30am 14  (JD 18 )

Skis off & temperature:  6:30pm 8 (JD 18 )

Distance: 14 miles

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): 9

Comments:a relatively easy, if longish, loop.  not a lot of elevation climb, except for the side trip up to fall mtn. lookout.  i love a view.  very mild day, until 150 yds. from fall mtn summit, where it became deep winter very quickly; 40mph sustained winds.

crossing 395 twice inconvenient.  walked a ways east on the 196 to see how far it was plowed (can't ski).  went a long ways, possible to dry soda lookout, see next post.

navigating the ski area roads back to summit can be a little confusing.

views along the way:

canyon mtn - west face

4920 rd

allen creek at 4920/333 jct