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