so when does the groomer start running, u think ?. just got back from riding today, and wow thought i was going to need a kidney transplant . The middle fork is tore to hell, great day in the back country today, the sun was out and no wind .
TAMPICO 2012/2013 Part 1
- Thread starter Snodawg
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From what I understand, we need to have about 12" of snow at the trail head to be able to justify 'closing the road' to wheeled vehicles and commencing the grooming season. This has always been an issue with the Ahtanum as the parking lot sits extremely low compared to the riding areas it accesses. As of last night's groomer's mtg, there are only a couple of snow-parks that are even close to that requirement. You have to keep in mind that you can't close a road and begin grooming if you don't have any snow to build a birm with at the trail head.
We also need to keep in mind that with the reduced funding that we have for this season that once the grooming starts, it's that much less grooming that we will be able to afford to do later in the season - The best guesses from the groomers is that they have enough to do approximately 10 weeks if we have an average snow pack.
A side comment on last night's Yakima Grooming council mtg.
It was a good mtg, both Vic and Roger were optimistic about being ready to begin grooming as soon as it's realistic (and legal) to do so. The only hurdle we have to overcome this year (other than snow) is the lack of funding.... Once the grooming starts, they only have enough to go for about 10 weeks or so as there's not much more cutting back they can do to extend things out farther than that. If you reduce your frequency on heavily used trails then they will become 'unfixable' and the quality will just go down while the effort required to maintain them goes up. The longer we wait to get the grooming started, the longer it will last us in the prime season.
Don R. from the DNR also agreed that there isn't enough snow down low to justify closing the roads just yet, but DID want to let it be known that there will be no other hurdles to overcome once we get snow, that is NO WINTER LOGGING, NO CHIPPING, NOTHING to interfere with this season's sledding opportunities as soon as the snow's here!!!
From what I've heard, there is some snow coming in later this weekend and early in the week, hopefully that will get us closer to our trail-head requirements so that the roads can be closed and groomed.Vic and Roger have been working hard to get their machines ready to go, and in my opinion after coming out of that mtg was that it should be a good season once we get some good snow down low.
Any word on what happened at tampico today, we were taking our riding partner out at about 11:30 with a broken ankle. we seen an ambulance at the ranger station then passed west vally fire and rescue then another ambulance then search and rescue with the sleds and tobagan and a couple more rescue vehicles. Hopefully everything turned out fine.
Everything was OK
A woman had broken her leg when her snowmobile overturned on her up top near the radio tower. My wife and I and the other couple we were riding with helped the woman and her boyfriend until ems arrived, we started a fire and kept her warm and calm, thanks to all the passers by who stopped to help and gave up their space blankets and hot hands. Snowmobilers are great people and it showed on the hill today. Ems was able to get the woman down safely and from what we understand was resting comfortably in the hospital tonight. It was a miracle we were able to keep her warm and dry as she had no signs of hypothermia when she arrived at the hospital. Thanks again to all who helped, made me proud to be part of the close knit snowmobiling community today.
A woman had broken her leg when her snowmobile overturned on her up top near the radio tower. My wife and I and the other couple we were riding with helped the woman and her boyfriend until ems arrived, we started a fire and kept her warm and calm, thanks to all the passers by who stopped to help and gave up their space blankets and hot hands. Snowmobilers are great people and it showed on the hill today. Ems was able to get the woman down safely and from what we understand was resting comfortably in the hospital tonight. It was a miracle we were able to keep her warm and dry as she had no signs of hypothermia when she arrived at the hospital. Thanks again to all who helped, made me proud to be part of the close knit snowmobiling community today.
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Went up today. Late start. We unloaded at the winter recreation site.lol. I'm glad it's open now. We left the trucks at 12:30. Got back to trucks at 5:00 and had 3" on the trucks and another in. While loading and undressing. I saw search and rescue heading up on my way down. I hope all is ok.
I got 32 miles on today, in some awesome dry fluffy snow. U could play on the sidehills and bash through the meadows. It was over the hood most places we went. Still difficult to climb the big hills but not like last weekend. The snow was awesome today.
I got 32 miles on today, in some awesome dry fluffy snow. U could play on the sidehills and bash through the meadows. It was over the hood most places we went. Still difficult to climb the big hills but not like last weekend. The snow was awesome today.
Went up today. Late start. We unloaded at the winter recreation site.lol. I'm glad it's open now. We left the trucks at 12:30. Got back to trucks at 5:00 and had 3" on the trucks and another in. While loading and undressing. I saw search and rescue heading up on my way down. I hope all is ok.
I got 32 miles on today, in some awesome dry fluffy snow. U could play on the sidehills and bash through the meadows. It was over the hood most places we went. Still difficult to climb the big hills but not like last weekend. The snow was awesome today.
Looks like some good stuff... Allow me to kick myself for not going
Oh well, got a little bit of Christmas shopping done.
Lame excuse, Seth, Lame excuse!
Awesome day today, snowing like a banshee!
Would like to give a great big shout out to Brian1993 and his crew. They stuck around the snopark and helped us out when my Mike smacked a stump with his brand new F350. Blew the rim apart when the 37's hit the stump. Not a pretty site, but with all of the excellent help, we were able to get him out. Thanks, BIG TIME guys! That's twice these guys have helped us out up there and we have never heard one complaint from any of them. Gotta love it. Straight Up! One of these days we may actually get a full days ride in with ya.
Saw the S-n-R setup at the Lower Ahtahnum Snopark. Looked like they were heading out. Hope everyone is OK!
Awesome day today, snowing like a banshee!
Would like to give a great big shout out to Brian1993 and his crew. They stuck around the snopark and helped us out when my Mike smacked a stump with his brand new F350. Blew the rim apart when the 37's hit the stump. Not a pretty site, but with all of the excellent help, we were able to get him out. Thanks, BIG TIME guys! That's twice these guys have helped us out up there and we have never heard one complaint from any of them. Gotta love it. Straight Up! One of these days we may actually get a full days ride in with ya.
Saw the S-n-R setup at the Lower Ahtahnum Snopark. Looked like they were heading out. Hope everyone is OK!
can anyone tell me if they have started grooming tampico yet
Went up to rescue Mike's truck this AM. On the way in, within one mile, we went from blue skies and sunshine, to snowing sideways in a blizzard. Weird. Talked to the DNR guys up there. They were plowing the roads and parking lots, but knew nothing about when grooming will start. I would not be surprised to see the berm pushed up this week, but that is purely my speculation. Alot of new snow overnight with more to come later this week.
Is anyone going up Friday? It'll be about 10:00 before I can be at the main parking lot.
Grooming
On the grooming, I talked to the contracted groomer operator this morning; he indicated that he will be taking the groomer up tomorrow morning (wed). I told him that there is enough snow to start and indicated that the upper middle fork is rough. I also said it would be nice (and no reason not to) to get a round on that road prior to the weekend (and he agreed).
Remember, the DNR is in charge of all plowing this year.
AND, grooming funding took another hit this year -so an earlier start will mean a quicker ending. Based on my view, if he grooms with the same past frequency as in the past (and a 12/20 start date) we would run out of funds the end of February. We are hoping to extend to March 30 by reducing frequency and some routes, but that really depends on use and mother nature.
Tampico
On the grooming, I talked to the contracted groomer operator this morning; he indicated that he will be taking the groomer up tomorrow morning (wed). I told him that there is enough snow to start and indicated that the upper middle fork is rough. I also said it would be nice (and no reason not to) to get a round on that road prior to the weekend (and he agreed).
Remember, the DNR is in charge of all plowing this year.
AND, grooming funding took another hit this year -so an earlier start will mean a quicker ending. Based on my view, if he grooms with the same past frequency as in the past (and a 12/20 start date) we would run out of funds the end of February. We are hoping to extend to March 30 by reducing frequency and some routes, but that really depends on use and mother nature.
Tampico
Deeep!
Today was the best snow I've ever ridden up there. Sunshine and 20"-24" of powder. WOT all day breaking trail on the trail! Couldn't hardly find the trail from clover flats up to the top. It was awesome!! Getting stuck going down hill. Big wind blown snow drifts up on the top. Watch out. Some were over 10' tall straight down and wind packed. Hard landing. Other than that it was a total blast. Yes middle fork was pretty bumpy but if it dumps again tonight I'm not sure grooming the powder will be worth it till it gets beat out again? Just my opinion. Was cold today.
Today was the best snow I've ever ridden up there. Sunshine and 20"-24" of powder. WOT all day breaking trail on the trail! Couldn't hardly find the trail from clover flats up to the top. It was awesome!! Getting stuck going down hill. Big wind blown snow drifts up on the top. Watch out. Some were over 10' tall straight down and wind packed. Hard landing. Other than that it was a total blast. Yes middle fork was pretty bumpy but if it dumps again tonight I'm not sure grooming the powder will be worth it till it gets beat out again? Just my opinion. Was cold today.
They bladed the middle fork road down to gravel yesterday. Now they have another excuse not to groom, there's no longer 12" at the trailhead. What a joke.
It was too deep for me. I'm a trail grandma,(posting on my hubby's log in.) Beautiful but waiting for the groomers for this old gal!
"They bladed the middle fork road down to gravel yesterday. Now they have another excuse not to groom, there's no longer 12" at the trailhead. What a joke. "
According to the DNR, they were only supposed to do half the width only to the burn piles on a 1 time basis (this was from the December grooming meeting). They said there would still be enough left to groom. I talked to the groomer operator again this morning (who was still not up there) and he said he was planning on being there by Thursday. Whether that happens or not
?
Groomer had not indicated to me that the plowing of the road would be a reason not to groom - either at the meeting or in my conversations with him. Bottom line, he is aware we need to get a pass on middle-fork by the weekend. State Parks has also contacted him on the need to get going. State Parks has the contract and the enforcement of it. On the state parks website is a place with which to voice your complaints: http://www.parks.wa.gov/winter/On-Site%20Evaluation%20Form.pdf Although I love this forum, it doesn't carry much weight with state parks. Also, every year we seem to have this start-up problem; then grooming starts and everybody gets hunky-dory and forgets to file their earlier complaints.
DNR has no role in the grooming, the Yakima County Grooming Committee is a volunteer advisory group with no real enforcement ability on short term contractual problems. The grooming committee has value, but in a broader sense in areas like planning and funding applications. The grooming meetings also give us a chance to voice our frustrations, where they go into the minutes and thence to the offices of Washington State Parks. Unfortunately, by the time the next meeting comes around, he will be grooming and nobody will show up (besides the regulars). Happens every year. Really.
At least its not a drought year-
Tampico
According to the DNR, they were only supposed to do half the width only to the burn piles on a 1 time basis (this was from the December grooming meeting). They said there would still be enough left to groom. I talked to the groomer operator again this morning (who was still not up there) and he said he was planning on being there by Thursday. Whether that happens or not
?Groomer had not indicated to me that the plowing of the road would be a reason not to groom - either at the meeting or in my conversations with him. Bottom line, he is aware we need to get a pass on middle-fork by the weekend. State Parks has also contacted him on the need to get going. State Parks has the contract and the enforcement of it. On the state parks website is a place with which to voice your complaints: http://www.parks.wa.gov/winter/On-Site%20Evaluation%20Form.pdf Although I love this forum, it doesn't carry much weight with state parks. Also, every year we seem to have this start-up problem; then grooming starts and everybody gets hunky-dory and forgets to file their earlier complaints.
DNR has no role in the grooming, the Yakima County Grooming Committee is a volunteer advisory group with no real enforcement ability on short term contractual problems. The grooming committee has value, but in a broader sense in areas like planning and funding applications. The grooming meetings also give us a chance to voice our frustrations, where they go into the minutes and thence to the offices of Washington State Parks. Unfortunately, by the time the next meeting comes around, he will be grooming and nobody will show up (besides the regulars). Happens every year. Really.
At least its not a drought year-
Tampico
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