View from the south

Hi Guys:

Man!  Things at Mt. Haggin seem to mirror what's going on in the rest of  the world ... maybe us humans are having an effect on world climate.  You know all those dings in the trees along the trails from the late 90's when the implements carved their highest. This may be the season when the old marks get topped!

I admire your dedication to keep knocking down the new dumps,  so each layer is a firm base for the next.  As long as you and the equipment hold up, you'll keep mother nature in check.  I hope any skiers who venture out have some appreciation of what has gone on in their behalf!

We're overnighting in Nephi, UT.  St. George is currently catching spin-off from the same system in the Pacific that is plaguing you.  We'll drive under it tomorrow (just rain).  We saw satellite video of the system  on NBC tonight - it looks just like the hurricanes in the Atlantic, but maybe not quite as dense (but also without an arctic front to collide with) .

Regards, John

Hi Guys.  Looks like you have been doing a lot of work and barely staying ahead of the snow.  I'm getting tired of plowing or blowing snow with the tractor trying to keep our roads open.  This weekend looks like more work for me here.  When I get a break I'll help out with the grooming and I understand that John is not available for a while.  With all the work I hope you guys are still having fun.  Paul

Grooming outcome 2-28

Don't know if the Thursday night crew was up but today we groomed in another 8 to 12 inches.  It was snowing real hard so all we did is compact using rollers and the manual Tidd Tech. I'll try to get up there early tomorrow morning to compact what has fallen this afternoon and tonight. The way it was snowing and how dark the mountains have been today I expect more of the same.

Proposed time 9:00 AM

I can be there by 9:00 in the morning

Friday 2-28 start time

Any opinion on a start time for grooming tomorrow. I don't think temperatures are going to impact a need to adjust start times. Who's up for it and what time? Talked to Ray today and he is coming.

Thursday 2 27 status

Left Mt Haggin at 5:30  today after compacting everything and doing more grading on the entrance and the section from the warming hut to the start of Little Cal. Don't know if the Thursday night crew is going out tonight but it was 31 degrees and snowing. Smoothing out the  grading and compacting the new snowfall will be beneficial if they go. If not and it doesn't snow much tonight we will be able to get the ginzu's out and set tracks for the weekend.

Gas

I took two gas cans to Haggin this morning. I gassed the machines: The Yamahas are almost full, the Scandic and Bomba are full. I have filled the two empty cans and will bring them on my next trip. At noon today there was about 3 inches of new snow. Ray

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Out of the loop

Hi Guys:

I know I'm out of the loop regarding grooming at Haggin, but I think you need to post on Missoula Nordic what is going on for the benefit of all the skiers.

Update 2-22

As you know the active weather has made it difficult to keep the trails consistently groomed. Gus and I Tuesday I repaired the grader,  did all the trails on Monday after I broke the grader, di some grading on the entrance and Crooked John. After grading I groomed off what had been graded. Ray has been up almost daily trying to keep the trees off the trail. I'm going up this morning to try and cut back the drifting and grade the drifts out. Afterwards I'll have to groom out what has been graded. The drift by the cabins at the bottom of Deaths dip is bigger than it has been in a few years. Getting machines through there will be difficult.

Let's wait

I talked to Paul and the weather on the Haggin side is still active.  The advisory runs till morning and there will be wind and snow all day afterward.  Let's wait till Saturday and see if things improve.

Is there any grooming scheduled for Friday, February 21, 2014?

Meet at 9:00 AM?

Equipment

I suggest that each machine have a tow rope, a small saw, and a claw hammer.  Ray

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Saturday's project

Went to ski Saturday and found another 6+ inches of snow. I packed with the manual Tidd Tech as there was a fair amount of hopping from the rollers on Friday. Shoveled out the two ginzu's and the heavy Tidd Tech so when we get to use them next it won't be such a struggle. We need to equip all the machines with saws since increased snow depths and snow load on the trees are creating more obstacles. Should we get more short saws that fit under the seats?

Friday - 8:00 AM

I can make it Need fuel, I have two gas cans?

Grooming 2-14-14

I'll be there at 8.    Ray

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Valentines Day Grooming Schedule

Mark is out rolling the upper end today, so it will have overnight to firm up.  We had better start at 8:00 to beat the heat. Any takers?

Rolled trails

Sara and I skied Spire yesterday and found a foot of snow up high. Rolled all trails and since it is snowing again, am postponing doing finish work. Good temps for snow consolidation.

Well this morning there's a new dump.  6 plus inches of new snow and I'm tied up on Sunday moving stuff here.  Neighbors are also having problems with snow removal so... more work for me.  Paul

Surprise! Surprise!

Mark: I'm sorry you got in trouble late yesterday.  I have to say that we are becoming complacent about getting stuck.  Until recently we haven't had any significant dumps, and we haven't had any serious problems.  Before we had all the fancy (and heavy) equipment, when we got a big dump, we would make a machine pass, then roll, and finish up pulling the tracksetter, leaving everything soft and hoping things would  harden overnight.

We used to have a policy that nobody operated alone.  In the name of efficiency, and because guys like Paul and you, Mark, seem to avoid getting in trouble, or are able to extricate yourselves, we forgotten that.

At least we should get back to the idea that it is best to just pack when we have a dump, and come back a day later to finish.  We've got enough guys to make it work. And it's kind of stupid to have 5 guys show up when there is little new snow.  It would be a lot better to follow the weather and try and keep the system in decent shape all the time.

We should accept that some operators are better than others, but on average, we'll end up with better grooming results if we spread the work among us, and under normal conditions have a rotation, with no more than 3 or possibly 4 guys on a shift, and make sure everybody does a turn on each machine and implement. There's no magic about grooming and tracksetting - only practice. And we must get serious about rotating in new blood.

Grooming Feb 8, 14

Got stuck and couldn't get myself and the implement out yesterday so this morning Paul and I went up, retrieved the ginzu. While we were there we made a turn around at the bottom of deaths dip and tried to pack death's dip out to sleepy. I hope our issues of getting stuck are resolved. With all the new snow we groomed Crooked John and set track along with finishing the grooming not completed on Little Cal. With so much new snow, I ran the tidd tech on Sugar Loaf. Dave, if you plan to groom on Thursday night could you post by Wednesday evening. That way I'll try to do more leveling Thursday during the day.

Sounds like a full crew

Nothing like 48 hours or so of being cooped up to bring out the cabin fever.  You guys coming from Butte (or better yet going home) should take the long way and travel the frontage road between Feeley and Divide. There is an elk herd that Vanna estimates at 700 hanging low behind Smith's ranch.  Yesterday about 4:30 when we went by they were all headed down toward Divide Creek.  Quite a sight!

See ya all tomorrow.  Dibs on riding the grader some.

Friday at 1:00PM

I can be there.

Grooming 2-7

I'll meet at 1. I'll bring the filled propane bottle. This bottle's shutoff valve does not close all the way and should be replaced when it is empty.   Ray

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Friday Grooming

Ok I'm in. Going stir crazy and need more outside time than an hour at a time. Do you want me to come get the grader in the morning and then transfer the trailer when you get there?

The plan is to haul grader to Haggin on Friday getting it set up and maybe doing some grooming.  Plan to meet at about 1:00.  Let the group know if you have any interest in helping out.  Low of 38 below this morning so hopefully it will warm up a lot tomorrow.  Paul

Gas at hut

I put 5 full gas containers in with the Alpine today. Who do I talk to about changes on the trail brochure? The scenic views from Little California are of the Anaconda Range not the Pintlar Range. Ray

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