First Trail Grooming 12/16/15

Dave Hannibal took Cat #1 out today and sent the following report.  Thanks Dave

Begin forwarded message:
> Great Snow out there!
> Dressed up the lot at Huddleston and headed north, then up the 101 to the 1649 to 1648 to the 1640 (High Lakes turn off) Did not go to High Lakes as it is currently restricted for fire closure. Ran down the 238,934, 095, and 097 (railroad grade) back to lower parking lot. As the 16 RD is being plowed all our trails will have berms where they meet the 16 rd. Cut a trail from lower lot over to the 14 rd and bermed it as well, back to Huddleston on the 187. Many miles to go to get caught up. An average amount of blowdowns to be had and as usual watch the iceburgs in the new trails and rough trail conditions around areas where blowdown trees were removed.
> Enjoy the Snow
> Cheers
> Dave

map to come

Roads Closed - Fire

click on map for larger version

A few roads are closed because of fire damage from last summer.  The roads are posted like:

 

On the above map some roads are at the closure area edge (Star Ridge: 4920, 3925).  These seem to be open, roads going north from them are closed.

Ski Safe!

Why Ski Grant County?

fs 371rd west of starr ridge snow park

Starr Ridge 12/14/15

windfall creek meadow  333rd west from starr ridge snow park

Location: Hwy 395 south from John Day & Canyon City

Road & Trail Conditions: 395 in the morning was plowed with packed snow/ice, gravel on top the whole way - 35mph.  On return in aftn., patchy snow/ice in shade, rest wet pavement.  likely to frreze & thaw like this through the week. cattle gaurds mostly covered.

Snow Conditions:  12-16" new powder; no trail groming; ski and tire tracks with new snow

Skis on & temperature: 10am  26° (JD 34°)

Skis off & temperature: 2pm 36° (JD 36°)

Distance: FS4920rd  2+ miles; FS 333rd 4+

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): 9.5 would liked to have gone further

Comments: started at starr ridge campground, FS 4920rd west, Jan Mead skied this yesterday, her tracks mostly filled in, snowmobile tracks for a few hundred yards. switched to backcountry skis, wider, shorter, more scale area, less sinking into 16" powder.  break trail on way up, nice downhill return. at 093 rd. got too steep & deep.

starr ridge cg 4920 rd west
click on map for larger version

drove 1/4 mile south on 395 to snow park (requires snopark parking permit). took FS 333rd west,  353 north, 370 & 371 north.  starts downhill to windfall creek, nice little meadow. turned north & followed tire tracks until they stopped.  too deep to continue.

starr ridge snow park 333rd west
click on map for larger version 

this was a day of following ski & tire tracks & turning around when they stopped.  as the warm freeze cycle continues this week, snow should compress some.  add a little fresh on top & it could be
premium for awhile.

on the 371 rd

FS 16 rd. South 12/5/15

click on maps for larger versions (this route is split between 2 quadrangles.  looking at some software to 'stitch' them together).

fs 16 south at summit prairie

Location: Summit Prairie & South: County 62 rd from Prairie City or FS 16 rd. through Logan Valley.

Road & Trail Conditions: FS 15 & 16 rds. improving with warmer temps., dry pavement to packed sno & ice. no trail grooming yet. no snomobile tracks in the 16 rd south area, some tracks at 097. cattleguards partially covered.

FS 16 rd. South has fresh tire tracks with packed snow.

Snow Conditions: 2-6" moist

Skis on & temperature: 1pm 35°

Skis off & temperature: 2:30pm 41°

Distance: 6 miles

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): 10

Comments: it's amazing what a little distance east & elevation can do for snow conditions (see next post). the sno was great.  16 south has a 2 mile gradual slope, 400' to summit (1 hr.).  lovely descent on way back (10 mins.).  skied to junction with FS 14 rd south.  fresh tire tracks cont'd on 16, older tracks with 1-2" sno on 14.  14 goes down into crane prairie, one of my favorite places.  from the summit roads go east with options to loop back to summit prairie (600, 615, 1660 ). at the 16/14 intersection, 16 heads east above crane prairie with multiple loop options  (600, 657 ).  14 heads south (660, 154).

fs 16 rd south at summit looking north, 2 miles fun descent

FS 1643 Rd. 12/5/15

click on map for larger version

Location: FS 16 rd. west end of Logan Valley

Road & Trail Conditions: FS 15 & 16 rds. improving with warmer temps., dry pavement to packed sno & ice. no trail grooming yet. snomobile tracks on 1630, 1640, 1648, 1649. cattleguards not covered

FS 1643 south started with fresh tire tracks, packed - only for 1/2 mile.  remainder was older tire tracks with 1-2" damp snow

Snow Conditions: started packed, damp; ended very sticky

Skis on & temperature:  9:30am  35° overcast to partly sunny (JD: 47° & overcast)

Skis off & temperature: noon 42° mostly sunny

Distance: 6 miles

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): started as a 9 ended as a 3

Comments: decent fairly flat ski for 2 miles, then became too sticky & turned around when south exposure increased (orange dotted line above).  snowshoe stepping with 1-2" snow stuck to skis. great workout, poor skiing.

was planning to do a loop (purple dotted line above),  maybe a little ambitious. will try another time.

went looking for better conditions further east & higher elevation at summit prairie.  see previous post.

Trail Grooming Example

1/8/15 groom - click on map for larger version

a larger pdf version of this map is downloaded here.

this is an example of what trail grooming posts will look like:



County 62 rd: FS 101 west to 125 west to 1649 west to 702 east to 101 north & east to County rd 62.

some maps could also have several within a week or two depending on conditions:

1/1 and 1/8/15 groom - click on map for larger version

a larger pdf version of this map is downloaded here.