Grand Lake Area

[MNSledShed]

Looking at maybe going to Grand Lake in a month or so. Been going to Togwotee the past 8 years and looking for somthing new. Im looking for suggestions where to stay and opinions on the area. We like to climb and boondock through the trees. Thanks in advance!

 

[bcriderm8]

Bumping for the same info. Will be out new years, never been so maybe a guide suggestion?

 

[glmtnapex]

The Rapids Lodge

The Rapids Lodge and Restaurant. 970 627 3707

therapidslodge.com

Call Carol of Faith and they should be able to help you. The Rapids has a wide variety of room configurations, for hotel style room on up to nice condos.

Max

 

[glmtnapex]

Bumping for the same info. Will be out new years, never been so maybe a guide suggestion?

There aren't any 'official' guide services in Grand Lake that I know of. But if you stop into the Rapids Restaurant and ask for me (Max) I should be able to help you out.

 

[Lander]

Why don't you try the Snowy Range, it's closer.? Always see MN, IA, SD, ND guys around there.

 

[bcriderm8]

Snowies. Could not find a place close to the riding to stay at that wasn't booked. Trying to make the best of broken plans, we had rooms at Bear in the big horns, but they have no snow. Oh well, I'm up for a new adventure.

 

[glmtnapex]

It's been snowing in Grand Lake for the past 2 days, with 2 more solid days predicted for Friday and Saturday this week.

Merry (Snowy!) Christmas!!

 

[bcriderm8]

That's what we want to hear! At home in IA today we have rain. Merry Christmas and a snowy new year!

 

[Pro-8250]

I would love to ride Grand Lake someday. I say go for it, if possible.

 

[Bladeguy]

General questions for next week trip

We are coming Dec 28-Jan 1. Riding 137-144 inch crossover sleds. The two strokes clutched for altitude, 4 stroke not. A few questions: 1. Is the town of Grand Lake the only place to get gas on the trail? 1a. Should we carry gas? 2. How is the conditions down low and into town - and in town - snow on the roads? 3. How torn up are the trails at the end of they day. I understand the town trail is the worst - how about the rest? 4. We would like to do some moderate powder riding off trail - not steep slopes or super deep - but still deep enough for us to have fun. Should we bring avalanche beacons? 4a. If so where an we get them? Thanks!!

 

[SnoKing]

We were out there a couple of times in the early 80's. Only had short tracks then. Have an 8mm movie of me not making it up Chicken Hill and sliding down backwards straddling the sled to keep it from rolling.

Trail to Gould went over Illinois Pass which is listed at 11,000 ft. Back then only had gas in Grand Lake and a general store in Gould.

 

[glmtnapex]

We are coming Dec 28-Jan 1. Riding 137-144 inch crossover sleds. The two strokes clutched for altitude, 4 stroke not. A few questions: 1. Is the town of Grand Lake the only place to get gas on the trail? 1a. Should we carry gas? 2. How is the conditions down low and into town - and in town - snow on the roads? 3. How torn up are the trails at the end of they day. I understand the town trail is the worst - how about the rest? 4. We would like to do some moderate powder riding off trail - not steep slopes or super deep - but still deep enough for us to have fun. Should we bring avalanche beacons? 4a. If so where an we get them? Thanks!!

1. Yes. The trails are on National Forest land. There are no businesses on the trail. 1a. Carrying gas depends on your sleds mpg and how far you want to ride. It would be a LONG day of riding in Grand Lake to do over 100 miles due to the terrain and altitude. I never carry gas, in fact sometimes I go out with less than a full tank to save weight because I only ride 25-35 miles a day. But I do NOT recommend this to anyone unfamiliar with our trail system. Be safe, always leave with a full tank!

2. Nearly all town roads are currently snow-packed, as well as all lower trails.

3. The Grand Lake trails are well groomed. I think they groom 6 days a week. However, the lower trails and the town trail can get bumpy, especially during/after a busy holiday or weekend. The fact that we have great snow will give the groomers a better opportunity to overcome the high traffic, but the lower trails will be bumpy at the end of the busy days. Like you have heard, the town trail is the worst, the main trails are much better. One way to avoid the bumps and a lot of the traffic is to trailer to the Idelglen Parking area about 6 miles outside of town.

4. There is plenty of opportunity for off-trail riding in Grand Lake, everything from mild to wild. There is some avalanche danger right now. Just use common sense. If you have beacons, you should bring them. I don't know of any places to rent beacons in GL. But you can buy one at the local Polaris Dealer just outside of Grand Lake or at Power World in Granby (16 miles).

GL is a wonderful place to ride for all skill levels. But there is plenty of danger, not only from the terrain and avalanche, but also from people making bad/inexperienced decisions. Be careful and understand that many, if not most people riding over the Holidays are novice renters who can not only hurt themselves, but hurt you as well.

Best tip: eat lunch at the base of Gravel Mountain, and watch the 'show'!

Come see me at The Rapids Restaurant for dinner and tell me your riding stories! Max

 

[MilwaukeeDoo]

1. Yes. The trails are on National Forest land. There are no businesses on the trail. 1a. Carrying gas depends on your sleds mpg and how far you want to ride. It would be a LONG day of riding in Grand Lake to do over 100 miles due to the terrain and altitude. I never carry gas, in fact sometimes I go out with less than a full tank to save weight because I only ride 25-35 miles a day. But I do NOT recommend this to anyone unfamiliar with our trail system. Be safe, always leave with a full tank!

2. Nearly all town roads are currently snow-packed, as well as all lower trails.

3. The Grand Lake trails are well groomed. I think they groom 6 days a week. However, the lower trails and the town trail can get bumpy, especially during/after a busy holiday or weekend. The fact that we have great snow will give the groomers a better opportunity to overcome the high traffic, but the lower trails will be bumpy at the end of the busy days. Like you have heard, the town trail is the worst, the main trails are much better. One way to avoid the bumps and a lot of the traffic is to trailer to the Idelglen Parking area about 6 miles outside of town.

4. There is plenty of opportunity for off-trail riding in Grand Lake, everything from mild to wild. There is some avalanche danger right now. Just use common sense. If you have beacons, you should bring them. I don't know of any places to rent beacons in GL. But you can buy one at the local Polaris Dealer just outside of Grand Lake or at Power World in Granby (16 miles).

GL is a wonderful place to ride for all skill levels. But there is plenty of danger, not only from the terrain and avalanche, but also from people making bad/inexperienced decisions. Be careful and understand that many, if not most people riding over the Holidays are novice renters who can not only hurt themselves, but hurt you as well.

Best tip: eat lunch at the base of Gravel Mountain, and watch the 'show'!

Come see me at The Rapids Restaurant for dinner and tell me your riding stories! Max

Thanks Max - we will stop by!

 

[bcriderm8]

Ok so a couple questions again. Does everyone clutch for 10,000 ft.? The topo map is showing lots of above 9,000.

We also ended up with rooms at Black Bear Lodge. Looks like about 5 miles to the nearest trailhead. Can we ride the ditch from the lodge or are we loading every day?

Tia,

 

[SnoKing]

Back when we were there in the 80's we didn't have injection fuel so the jetting was our primary concern. You don't have to worry about fuel.

We were only clutched @ 4-6,000, but we did gear down also.

As I recall they use to say for every 1,000 ft you lose about 3% H.P.

 

[CO Powder]

Ok so a couple questions again. Does everyone clutch for 10,000 ft.? The topo map is showing lots of above 9,000.

We also ended up with rooms at Black Bear Lodge. Looks like about 5 miles to the nearest trailhead. Can we ride the ditch from the lodge or are we loading every day?

Tia,

You can ride the streets in Grand lake but as far as I know, ditch riding is illegal in Colorado period.


I don't understand the aversion to trailering, we trailer everywhere...


I would think that not fitting proper primary weights would make already marginal trail sleds even worse to ride. I would use factory recommendations for the altitude and clutch for 10-12k feet. Just watch for over rev on the lower trails.

 

[glmtnapex]

Ok so a couple questions again. Does everyone clutch for 10,000 ft.? The topo map is showing lots of above 9,000.

We also ended up with rooms at Black Bear Lodge. Looks like about 5 miles to the nearest trailhead. Can we ride the ditch from the lodge or are we loading every day?

Tia,

Most, if not all Grand Lake trails are at or above 9000ft. So, as someone else stated, you should check your owner's manual for clutching stats at high altitude.

You will not need to 'ride ditches' in Grand Lake. As stated above, it is legal to ride on the streets of town if you obey the traffic laws, and there is a dedicated snowmobile trail directly from town up to the main trail system. The Black Bear Lodge is a couple miles outside of town, so you must trailer to town or Idelglen. You could cross the highway from the Black Bear Lodge and somehow make it to the ice covered Shadow Mtn Lake, then you could ride on the ice to town, and then up to the trail system. You would probably have to cross private property to do this, which might get you in some trouble. It would be MUCH easier and safer to trailer to Idelglen, without a doubt.

Idelglen is a nice trailhead parking area approximately 6+ miles outside of town that you can (I always do) trailer to to avoid much of the rental traffic and the bumpy trails that go with it.

Max

 

[glmtnapex]

I don't understand the aversion to trailering, we trailer everywhere....

I completely agree with you! I trailer every time I ride as well.

I think people are enchanted by the the idea of riding their expensive snowmobiles down the main street of town, even though nobody can tell who they are because they have a helmet on. I just drove through town (in my truck) and I saw a nice yellow 2016 Summit X 174" parked infront of a local restaurant for breakfast. Don't these people understand that a machine like that is made for deep snow, and to 'put-put' around town on ice-packed streets is going to destroy it in a very short amount of time!?!? At the very least, it's going to over-heat.

To each their own I guess, it's their money/sled.

 

[bcriderm8]

Thanks for the input. We usually ride the horns or Dubois so I just leave the stock weights in my M. Factory weights are for 6-9, so the 63 gram 9000 and above is what I will put in. Was just making sure the average around the area was in that range. Sounds like it is.

 

[capulin overdrive]

I completely agree with you! I trailer every time I ride as well.

I think people are enchanted by the the idea of riding their expensive snowmobiles down the main street of town, even though nobody can tell who they are because they have a helmet on. I just drove through town (in my truck) and I saw a nice yellow 2016 Summit X 174" parked infront of a local restaurant for breakfast. Don't these people understand that a machine like that is made for deep snow, and to 'put-put' around town on ice-packed streets is going to destroy it in a very short amount of time!?!? At the very least, it's going to over-heat.

To each their own I guess, it's their money/sled.

Part of the appeal of your town. The Midwest guys drive 15 or 20 hours and have had enough. Factor in that it seems to be the thing in the States to the north, and there ya go.


Suits me just fine, just means less people where I want to ride.