| Blewett Pass Sno- Park users, please note: Please obey posted groomer access signs and maintain a 20 foot wide lane through the west side parking area so the groomer can access the trails. We understand that parking is limited in this crowded area. If it is full, consider traveling further south to the Mineral Springs Sno-Park. Thank-you. |
| For areas groomed by other contractors, click here. |
| CleElumTrails Grooming Team |
| IMPORTANT NOTICE January 5th: Blewett Groomer Most people have heard by now that the Bombardier groomer slid off the road at the rockslide. Here is the situation: Last week, Ross and Pete were grooming back down the rockslide from the Table Mountain road, something Ross has done probably 500 times, when suddenly the snow gave way under the downhill track and the cat slid about 150 feet down the hill and came to rest on a large rock. The cat was threatening to roll, so Pete and Ross abandoned it, and walked back toward Blewett Pass and were met enroute by Todd and Deb on snowmobiles. Both Ross and Pete are OK, thankfully, but the cat sustained some damage to the steering levers and windshield (at least). The situation's a little difficult to describe, but the lower track is just barely resting on this big rock, and the only way to avoid major damage to the undercarriage is to pull the cat sideways directly uphill a few feet to get it off the rock and back on its tracks. We then think we can pull it up to the road. So we have two cats (bulldozers, not snowcats), along with all manner of block and tackle lined up to come up later this week to help us do that. Given the weather and avalanche predictions, it looks like Thursday will be the best and safest day to do that. Now getting those cats up there may involve some plowing of the road. If that is necessary, we will keep everyone in the loop, and we'll put the snow back on the road and re-groom it afterward. In the meantime, we will be using the Pisten-Bully cat to do all the grooming, double-shifting it as necessary. Yesterday, we did Durst Creek, Lion Gulch, and 3507/Snowshoe Ridge. Today, we will do Haney Meadow/Devils Gulch in the day, and Table Mountain tonight . I'll send out periodic updates as this thing unfolds. |
| Before you hit the trail, remember you must have a valid Snowmobile registration tag AND a valid and properly displayed Sno-Park pass on your vehicle. Rules and regulations are strictly enforced on the Cle Elum Ranger District. Remember, those fees go to pay for over 500 miles of groomed trail! |
| Cle Elum Trails Grooming Report - 2008-09 Tim Foss |
| Sno-Park passes and Snowmobile registration tags are strictly enforced. Don't ruin your visit by getting an expensive citation. Remember your passes. |
January 14th -
On Friday, we got our Bombardier groomer out from where it
had slid down the blewett rockslide. It took 2 d-6 cats rigged
up with an elaborate block and tackle, and much manpower,
but it was freed and taken down to the shop at Blewett pass. It
sustained some damage, most notably a cracked hydraulic
drive motor, which we're not sure right now if it can be repaired
or must be replaced. Ross is up assessing any other
damage today, so we'll have clear picture soon of how soon
that cat will be back in service. The cats had to plow the road
to get up there, but we put the snow back on the road and
groomed it out afterwards. Due to the ice involved, it's still
pretty bumpy, and we'll continue to work on it this week.
Blewett Pass remains closed so this will give us some time to
get it shaped up.
In the meantime, we will continue to do all the grooming by
double-shifting the Pisten Bully. We did not groom last
Thursday due to hazardous conditions of the freeway, and
Friday the P-B was tied up until 11 PM helping with the rescue
of the Bombardier, but we did groom the Keechelus ridge
system on Saturday. Our intention this week is to be back on
the normal schedule for Keechelus Ridge, and to groom the
east end in the most efficient manner we can while
double-shifting. Tim Foss at tfoss@fs.fed.us
On Friday, we got our Bombardier groomer out from where it
had slid down the blewett rockslide. It took 2 d-6 cats rigged
up with an elaborate block and tackle, and much manpower,
but it was freed and taken down to the shop at Blewett pass. It
sustained some damage, most notably a cracked hydraulic
drive motor, which we're not sure right now if it can be repaired
or must be replaced. Ross is up assessing any other
damage today, so we'll have clear picture soon of how soon
that cat will be back in service. The cats had to plow the road
to get up there, but we put the snow back on the road and
groomed it out afterwards. Due to the ice involved, it's still
pretty bumpy, and we'll continue to work on it this week.
Blewett Pass remains closed so this will give us some time to
get it shaped up.
In the meantime, we will continue to do all the grooming by
double-shifting the Pisten Bully. We did not groom last
Thursday due to hazardous conditions of the freeway, and
Friday the P-B was tied up until 11 PM helping with the rescue
of the Bombardier, but we did groom the Keechelus ridge
system on Saturday. Our intention this week is to be back on
the normal schedule for Keechelus Ridge, and to groom the
east end in the most efficient manner we can while
double-shifting. Tim Foss at tfoss@fs.fed.us
January 18th - Last Saturday night, the Pisten-Bully sprung a
hydraulic leak while grooming between Keechelus Ridge and
Gold Creek. Mikki and I snowmobiled up to assist Jason but
we were unable to find the source of the leak that night. We
went back up on Sunday and found the leak where a hose
connects to the tiller pump, and fixed it enough to get out of the
woods. The effect of this was we only groomed one pass from
Kachess to Gold Creek on Saturday. We are spending
Monday replacing what turned out to be a bad O-Ring and
hope to be up and running Tuesday . But even with
double-shifting we will not get all of the east end groomed in
the next two days. Assuming we get the cat fixed today, our
plan is to do Haney/Devils and Table Mountain tomorrow, then
and Blue/Jack/Redtop and Durst/Lion Wednesday. And of
course back to Keechelus Ridge Thurs-Sat.
On the Bombardier, we found the damage to the hydraulic
motor to be only a cracked case which Berenson Fluid power
is replacing and we hope to have done by tomorrow. The tiller
damage was a little more extensive, and the most economical
option turned out to be purchasing a whole used tiller from
Prinoth. They are shipping that today and if the stars all line up
right, we could have the Bombardier back in service by late this
week.
hydraulic leak while grooming between Keechelus Ridge and
Gold Creek. Mikki and I snowmobiled up to assist Jason but
we were unable to find the source of the leak that night. We
went back up on Sunday and found the leak where a hose
connects to the tiller pump, and fixed it enough to get out of the
woods. The effect of this was we only groomed one pass from
Kachess to Gold Creek on Saturday. We are spending
Monday replacing what turned out to be a bad O-Ring and
hope to be up and running Tuesday . But even with
double-shifting we will not get all of the east end groomed in
the next two days. Assuming we get the cat fixed today, our
plan is to do Haney/Devils and Table Mountain tomorrow, then
and Blue/Jack/Redtop and Durst/Lion Wednesday. And of
course back to Keechelus Ridge Thurs-Sat.
On the Bombardier, we found the damage to the hydraulic
motor to be only a cracked case which Berenson Fluid power
is replacing and we hope to have done by tomorrow. The tiller
damage was a little more extensive, and the most economical
option turned out to be purchasing a whole used tiller from
Prinoth. They are shipping that today and if the stars all line up
right, we could have the Bombardier back in service by late this
week.