After all the storms that rolled through last week and the week previous, the grooming techniques need to change up a bit. We have to go from "packing things down" and being able to soft-groom things, to putting the tiller and leveling bar down, which is slower and a bit more tedious, but produces that nice smooth corduroy surface we all love... and the firm, deep classic tracks.
We also started packing in and tilling out the big meadow loop, which is just now starting to take shape. It also needs a lot of tiller passes before it's 100% smooth, but we'll get it there.
Tom went and rolled the edges of the trails that had gotten narrow, then the meadow loop, then switched to the G2 to till out some ridges (Tuesday evening).
Last evening, I got the G2 tracksetter motor-powered actuator installed (the old one broke), set a few classic tracks on Camp May for practice, then went back out after dark to run the tiller and leveling bar on the upper meadow trails. I made 5 passes and got things even wider in spots, and the new meadow loop is starting to smooth out a bit. It'll take another 5 before it's really in good skiing shape because it was just so lumpy and bumpy out there, and the snow was setting up hard in the frigid cold.
Speaking of cold -- I probably would have run more passes, but even with a little heater in our little "Kermit" snowcat, it was FREEZING and I was getting cold, so I had to pull the plug and get back home. It was definitely a cold one last night!
I'll go out Friday night to till up the trail, then set the "best line" classic track for the Chuck Calef Classic club fun race on Saturday. You don't need to be in any sort of race shape to participate, and it's free. We just do it for the challenge and to celebrate our old friend, Chuck Calef. Be sure to wear your most awesome outdoor wool sweater to commemorate Chuck!
Overall, conditions are still awesome with lots of snow and cold temperatures. This is what we live for, so go ski!!!
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