La Grande Sno-Drifters Grooming News

[sagerider]

Two Color

Is two color pretty booked during the winter? More likely to get it during the week maybe? I'd like to take family group in there some time this winter.

Finally got OUT TODAY!!! Start breakin on Wife's MM, just picked up mine tonight. I dig the 153 x 2.5, new top end, and some other goodies. I might have to go out tonight. Not enough snow, but enough to do a break in on the roads and keep the hifax wet. Only going about 5500, to get any higher has some pretty good pulls through the trees, stumps, and rocks that are definetly there (got one today, almost a cartwheel, but not quite).

Heading for Troy tomorrow to go fishing I already told some guys I would be there. Thursday morning going for a long ride to sumpter or something, got to get these breakin miles behind me.

 

[suitcase]

The two color cabin can't be rented after the 1st of jan. One of there stupid policies. They miss out on a lot of renters in the winter mounths. Groomed up there to day.

 

[suitcase]

A good day with the family at Catherine creek summit.
A little pep talk for his first little shoot.

The thrill at the top of my 10yr old sons first little shoot.

 

[suitcase]

Ladd Canyon Groomed

Groomed from Ladd Canyon parking lot to the wolf creek turn off, at 5 corners. Then down the 4315 around to the beaver pond above the parking lot, also groomed the cut off road from the beaver pond to the 43. Not real good weather, the wind was blowing and it was snowing, so the drifts will be back in no time. I plan on grooming to Anthony lakes on Wed. of this week.

 

[sagerider]

Nice Groomer!

I've never put in at Wolf Cr. before... would it be better to go in Pilcher or Wolf Cr to hit the trail to Anthony? I've been up Pilcher before, just past the reservoir, but never found a groomed trail and ended up in a bunch of windblown nastiness that took hours to dig me, wife, and kid out of (Last winter).

We'd be able to sled Anthony a lot more, putting in at Wolf or Pilcher. The Dodge and 4 place don't like the drive up the mountain in bad conditions. The dodge really needs a track!

Got another 30 miles of breakin done this morning.... be ready for some WOT this weekend I hope.

 

[suitcase]

It is closer for you to go to pilchur, I plan on grooming down to the bottom this Wed. You can park just past the lake. And run up to the 43 RD. on top, a lot of time we will only groom up to the summit, it depends on the weather across the burn. If the wind is blowing it will close as fast as you can open it up. This yr. I plan on keeping this post open so the people that ride in our area will beable to know what is groomed and when.

Get those sleds broke in, it was snowen real good when we left up there today. It was fantastic at Catherine Cr. yesterday! And more is on the way!!!

 

[sagerider]

Cool... thanks for the info and updates. We'll be heading that way soon, I'm sure. I'm trying to get them broke in.. still have some book work lingering, the new baby, some cow problems. etc... If the snow would stay on the valley floor then I could just go to "check fence" and take off...ha ha.

Had wife and baby out for a short one. She thinks she can take him on a nice day for a break in. That would help. Mech said to go 200 miles on mine, due to the kind of pistons we put in. I'm trying, but it's hard. Another tank of gas and I'll start pushing it.

Was over at section 6 today, I was afraid the deep powder was pulling on the engine to much and turned back (arrrrrg). Buddy found a rock and turned his trailing arm into a horseshoe. Still rode it out though. Snow was nice, a little crusted, but not bad. Powder still in your face.

 

[suitcase]

Had the groomer out at catherine creek yesterday, went from the summit to our warming shelter, then on to west eagle and down to eagle creek. Made a double pass on the 77 road, it was hammered. We had lots of people enjoy our warming shelter and our trails up there is last weekend. It was snowing hard above 5000 ft. snow is a little wet, but lots of it. The trail is in good shape now to eagle creek, except where the big slide is down by eagle creek. WE had to leave that one alone yesterday. If you want to hear the story go to(http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=193470). I will have the groomer up pilcher creek tomorrow and finish up there. Don't think we will be going to anthony, but all of the lower trails will be groomed.

 

[suitcase]

On Tues. we did groom from the Catherine Creek summit to eagle creek, It was raining when we left the parking lot. By the time we hit the warming shelter it was snowing, wet heavy snow, it was a little better on the West Eagle side. The Avy danger was high, Saw to slides that would put an end to your day in a fast hurry.

Groomed Ladd Canyon yesterday, we left the parking lot and went up the 43 to the pilcher creek road and down to the county road, which they where plowing when we showed up with the groomer. A thin ice layer was on top of the snow, real crunchy!!!

 

[sagerider]

Sec 6

Got over 100 miles on breakin finally, high compression setup, still supposed to take it easy for a while. But couldn't help myself and went up to sec 6 with a buddy. Down low was awful, frozen solid. Stopping continually to load skid with snow/ice. Started getting better about 5500 ft and north slopes, fair at 6500 and pretty awesome at 7 and up. Floatation with new setup awesome, one pic shows MM floats, Ironworker does not. Other pic shows Marble Point. Buddies little jump pic shows castle rock (Ironside) in distance.

HEY... last pic... anyone ever see anything like this?? This tree was really weird, bark and limbs TORN off up to about 18 feet. Nothing else like it anywhere around, no sign of another tree falling against it. Very odd.

 

[mummbles-700rmk]

never been riding in this area where is the best place to go for some newbees to the area?

 

[RXB-1]

HEY... last pic... anyone ever see anything like this?? This tree was really weird, bark and limbs TORN off up to about 18 feet. Nothing else like it anywhere around, no sign of another tree falling against it. Very odd.[/QUOTE]

My best guess would be the area might have had some heli-logging last summer and that tree was raked by one the flew out?

 

[sagerider]

HEY... last pic... anyone ever see anything like this?? This tree was really weird, bark and limbs TORN off up to about 18 feet. Nothing else like it anywhere around, no sign of another tree falling against it. Very odd.

My best guess would be the area might have had some heli-logging last summer and that tree was raked by one the flew out?[/QUOTE]

No fresh logging there... fairly sagebrushy type slope with only a very few and small bull pine.

 

[suitcase]

never been riding in this area where is the best place to go for some newbees to the area?

We have groomed trails out side of Union OR, go to union on HWY 30 from lagrande and follow the signs to catherine creek summit. It is about 15 miles out side of union all pavement. That is where the warming shelter is. About 12 miles from the parking lot, there is lots of good riding for everyone from 6yrs old to 60yrs. of all riding levels. I groom that at least 2 times a week. There is also good groomed trails at ladd canyon, leave east on the FWY from lagrande and take the first exit after the rest area (don't know the exit # off hand), the parking lot is about 3 to 4 miles in. You can get to Anthony lakes from there, it is about a 35 mile ride one way. There is alot of groomed trails in the ladd canyon area. I groom there at least twice a week also. Both places are great riding with groomed trails. I try to keep our grooming updated on here so others will know what is groomed and a little about the snow! (not a weather man) LOL.

 

[wheresthesnow]

Thanks for your updates! I rode at Catherine Creek once last year and really liked it.

 

[suitcase]

Will be grooming Ladd and Catherine Creek, Tuse, and Wed. Hopen for some new snow!

 

[suitcase]

Groomed Ladd canyon today, I went from the parking lot at ladd to 5 corners, then down to wolf creek to where the county plows. I also worked on the parking area where they quit plowing made a little more room. Then groomed back up to our cut off road that goes back to the beaver pond, groomed the upper loop road back to the 43, then went up the 4305 and opened up the 4305 road to a few of the cabins.
The groomer made a nice trail it was a little hard but I ran the tiller backwards so to make the trail softer. Coming out of the parking lot there is not a lot of snow, there is not much to work with. Only groomed one pass wide and left the other side ungroomed so we have some snow to keep things cool. After you get to the beaver pond it gets a lot better. It was snowing on top, not real sure what you would call in down low but it was not snow!! LOL.

 

[sagerider]

Pilcher

Was hoping to sneak out and ride a while tomorrow. Might try Pilcher and go up from there. It was raining (lightly) and bout 40F in Baker today.
Was going to go back up top here, but afraid of the long dry run to get to any decent snow. Snow level supposed to be 5,000ft tonight.

 

[F-Bomb]

Yea Suitcase and a big atta boy! People of the western caps and elkhorns you have no idea how lucky you are to have Suitcase on the task. An unsung bunch of volunteers who are doing a better job then several PAID EMPLOYEES just across the river in Idaho.

 

[suitcase]

We made it out and groomed Catherine Creek summit today, Left the parking lot (a little wet) It started snowing at about 5300 ft. (GPS) which is about halfway to the warming shelter. Still preaty good snow at Flag staff and West Eagle. Looked like about 10" to a foot of new since monday. We left Flag staff and went across Glendenny to the Big creek side, then down to Eagle Creek, then to West Eagle and back to the warming shelter.