It's the middle of February and by all accounts we should be in the prime of the winter season. Every blue-bird day should be a riding day. That's how it works; snowmobiling at its finest.
So how come I'm sitting at my desk pounding away on the computer instead of out busting power? The answer is simple-the snow sucks.
We are presently going through a weather pattern which has brought little or no snow to the higher elevations during the past two weeks. The little snow in the mountains, particularly at elevations lower than 8,000 feet, has become dehydrated, crusty or hard . not the snow you really relate with busting powder.
Temperatures have gone up and down-cold, warm, cold-which leads to deteriorating snow conditions. Basically, riding conditions are just not good.
So that means there has been no real desire to go out and fight with nature. And with the lack of fresh snow along with the already low snow depths, there's just not that much ground cover to protect your sled from rocks and stumps. (This is speaking from experience-I've already replaced three A-arms this season.)
Don't get me wrong-I'd rather be riding in bad snow than sitting at my office fingering a keyboard and watching winter slip away. But now I'm just content biding my time and watching every storm front move across the radar maps.
The snowmobiles are all fueled and ready to go. I'm working ahead on assignments to free up my schedule. All it will take is one fat-looking snowflake to float down from heaven to get me up out of my chair and heading for the mountains.
After all, winter is half over . but I hope I'm just getting started with the riding season.
SJ