FR 1640 to High Lake - Logan Valley 2/4/16

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Location:  FR 16 to 1640 jct

Road & Trail Conditions: FR 15 plowed awhile ago, deep truck ruts through snow, packed ice.  FR 16 regularly plowed, thin packed snow & ice.  1640 groomed a few days ago, a few snowmobile tracks, 1-4" new snow since.

Snow Conditions: 3-4' packed base depending on elevation. recent 2-4" almost powder on top. continual light to moderate flurries thru day

Skis on & temperature: 9:45am 28° cloudy  (JD 33°  cloudy )

Skis off & temperature: 5:45pm 34°

Distance: 19 miles,  elevation gain 3200 feet

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): 10

Comments:  this is one incredible journey. starts with 3+ miles level along bear creek.  slow gradual climb to 1648 jct.  from there steeper & through lovely forest.  breaks out into open area toward top.  lovely. lovely.  turned around 1/2 mile from 1640 end; late in day & west headwind was pushing me backward in tracks.  took this as a sign. will head back on a clear day to get over ridge to high lake &
strawberry peak.

elevation profile:

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downhill was super fun, controlled on forgiving powder & fast, 6mph easy to 1648 jct.

along ridge: temp at 20 windchill dropped to 10; hands got very cold without mitts.

past 1648 jct moves into burn area to the top.  very intense. am collecting photos from various burn areas to make into presentation.  frustrated that video won't operate more than 2 secs. in cold temps.

looking east toward logan valley

this trip had a big impact on me.  started as a conditioning run to take a shot at the top later; no sign at indian springs campground to signal turn around, just kept going.  partly the distance, partly the elevation, the views... and then, the burn area.  wind & blowing snow. black charred spars. snow & ice encrusted black charred branches.  it'll take awhile to find some words, maybe.

from conditioning run to awe inspiring pilgrimage

i love this place

Groomed Trails - Summit Prairie 2/3/16

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The Orange line is todays grooming, 2 3 16
Took cat 1 from Huddleston up 169, 101, 1649, 064, 1648, 1640 back to the 16. Walked cat on 16rd to Seneca, groomed the drag strip with cat 2 driven by Garrett.
Blue line is old groom from last week.
Cheers
Dave Hannibal

Dry Soda Lookout - Starr Ridge 1/31/16

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Location: Hwy 395 to Starr Ridge Campground

Road & Trail Conditions: 395 patchy ice with gravel; FR 196 & 3925: groomed 2 weeks ago, a few snowmobile tracks since, 1-4" powder on top.  pretty darn good.

Snow Conditions: 2-3' packed base, crusty layer then powder on top, more with elevation

Skis on & temperature: 9:30am 19° mostly sunny, wind on ridges dropped temp quickly (JD 28° cloudy)

Skis off & temperature: 6pm 22°  (JD 32° )

Distance: 16 miles, 1 mile elevation climb

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): 10

Comments: from the topo map the elevation is a little misleading, starting at 5200 at starr ridge, ending at 5400 at soda ash.  there is a lot of up & down in both directions.  here is an elevation profile from google earth:

 i love traveling along this ridge, alternately seeing canyon mtn, strawberry ridgeline to the north

 & bear valley to the south & west. 

the view from the lookout is extraordinary - worth the effort to get there.

FR 196 goes through several stages of the burn area; sometimes the southern border, sometimes right through the middle.  it is quite a journey to follow along the area, moving in the direction of the fire. most of the spur roads to the north are closed due to fire damage. from some of the viewpoints large sections of the burn area can be seen at once.  the camera could not capture the immensity of the area.

you can also approach from the other direction, FR 16 to 1620 up to 3925, same distance, another 500' elevation.

Groomed Trails - Summit Prairie 1/30/16

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Groomed Trails - Summit Prairie 1/29/16

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Groomed Trails - Logan Valley West 1/27/16

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from glen johnston:


Cat #2 with Gerald from FR 15/16 south on FR 15 and FR 1540, east on FR 546, and south on FR 166, south on FR 1630, southeast on FR 1540, continuing southeast on FR 373, north on FR 1643 (Dollar Basin), west and north on FR 373, north on FR 1630 to FR 16, then return to beginning.  Blue line on the map, sorry ran out of room on the southeast corner.  GJ

Why Ski Grant County? Antelope Valley - Seneca

from the fr 1601 looking ne toward strawberry mtn range

here is a panoramic video of antelope valley

here is a video of xc skiing along antelope valley