We're making tracks! These trail grooming updates are emailed first to the 2011-2012 Grooming Badge supporters. TART's grooming program prepares both the Vasa Pathway and the Leelanau Trail for classic and skate style skiing.
To support this program, simply click here to BUY YOUR 2011-2012 GROOMING BADGE FOR $100!!
Check out the groomer in action by watching our TART Grooming YouTube video! The video shows the equipment TART uses on the Vasa and Leelanau Trails as well as some footage from inside the groomer and some trail before and after photos. It's good stuff!
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
Report Date: Thursday March 31, 2011
Last Groom: Thursday March 31, 2011 5:00am-9:00am
Loops Groomed: 5K-11K-25K
Classic Tracks Set: Friday March 25, 2011
Last Snow: Saturday March 26th (trace)
Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots: Dirt is showing up in the bottom of the Classic tracks in quite a few places. The dirt spots are getting larger every day where the sun is strong notably on the first downhill at the trailhead and on the 25K loop the long downhill between the 7K and 8K posts.
Local Weather Forecast Here
More ice and bare spots are appearing as the sun has been out pretty much nonstop for the past few days. Many of the power line crossing have bare spots as well as some downhill’s. If you ski use caution on all downhill’s and watch for dirt and ice. Today was our last groom of the season. After today the best skiing will be after the snow softens up. For ski reports after today or anytime you can check the nordicskiracer.com website.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
87 |
| Date |
3.30.11 |
| Time |
8:00pm |
Roger will start grooming the Vasa trail tomorrow (Thursday) morning at 5:00am.He will leave the existing Classic tracks and touch up the skating lane on the 5K,11K and 25K loops.
This will be our final groom of the season. Some of the grooming statistics for the 2010-11 ski season on the Vasa Pathway are: First groom – December 6th, Last groom – March 31st, Total Vasa grooms -71, Total grooming man hours – 670, Total grooming miles – 1800+, Total grooming K’s - 2916+, Days between first and last groom – 116.
ART Trails and the groomers would like to thank everyone who purchased a Grooming Badge or made a contribution at the fee pipe for your support. We will be ready to groom again on December 1st with Mother Nature’s cooperation.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
Report Date: Wednesday March 30, 2011
Last Groom: Wednesday March 30, 2011 5:00am-9:00am
Loops Groomed: 5K-11K-25K
Classic Tracks Set: Friday March 25, 2011
Last Snow: Saturday March 26th (trace)
Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots: Dirt is showing up in the bottom of the Classic tracks in quite a few places. Ice is starting to return in a few spots where the sun is strong notably on the first downhill at the trailhead and on the 25K loop the long downhill between the 7K and 8K posts.
More ice and bare spots are appearing as the sun has been out pretty much nonstop for the past few days. Many of the power line crossings have bare spots as well as some downhill’s. If you ski use caution on all downhill’s and watch for dirt and ice.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
86 |
| Date |
3.29.11 |
| Time |
8:45pm |
I will start grooming the Vasa trail tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 5:00am.I will leave the existing Classic tracks and touch up the skating lane on the 5K,11K and 25K loops.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
85 |
| Date |
3.28.11 |
| Time |
8:45pm |
Paul will start grooming the Vasa trail tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at 5:00am. He will leave the existing Classic tracks and touch up the skating lane on the 5K,11K and 25K loops.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
Report Date: Monday March 28, 2011
Last Groom: Monday March 28, 2011 5:00am-9:00am
Loops Groomed: 5K-11K-25K
Classic Tracks Set: Friday March 25, 2011
Last Snow: Saturday March 26th (trace)
Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots: A little dirt is showing up in the bottom of the Classic tracks in a few places. Ice is starting to return in a few spots where the sun is strong notably on the first downhill at the trailhead and on the 25K loop the long downhill between the 7K and 8K posts.
More ice and bare spots are appearing as the sun has been out pretty much nonstop for the past few days. The very cold overnight temperatures then refreeze the trail making it hard to penetrate in some spots with the grooming equipment.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
84 |
| Date |
3.27.11 |
| Time |
8:15p |
Roger will start grooming the Vasa trail tomorrow (Monday) morning at 5:00am. He will leave the existing Classic tracks and touch up the skating lane on the 5K,11K and 25K loops.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
Report Date: Sunday March 27, 2011
Last Groom: Sunday March 27, 2011 5:00am-9:30am
Loops Groomed: 5K-11K-25K
Classic Tracks Set: Friday March 25, 2011
Last Snow: Saturday March 26th (trace)
Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots: A little dirt is showing up in the bottom of the Classic tracks in a few places. Ice is starting to return in a few spots where the sun has been strong the past few days most notably on the first downhill at the trailhead and on the 25K loop the long downhill between the 7K and 8K posts.
Should be excellent spring skiing today.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
83 |
| Date |
3.26.11 |
| Time |
5:00pm |
I will start grooming the Vasa trail tomorrow (Sunday) morning at 5:00am. I will leave the existing Classic tracks and touch up the skating lane on all loops. I will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop.
This will be the last weekend we will groom. Our contract with the DNR is from December 1st to March 31st each year. The skiing should be very good this weekend so get out and enjoy the trail.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
Report Date: Saturday March 26, 2011
Last Groom: Saturday March 26, 2011 5:00am-9:30am
Loops Groomed: 3K-5K-11K-25K
Classic Tracks Set: Friday March 25, 2011
Last Snow: Friday March 25 (trace)
Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots: None
Trail is looking good for this weekend.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
82 |
| Date |
3.25.11 |
| Time |
6:00pm |
Paul will start grooming the Vasa trail tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 5:00am. He will leave the existing Classic tracks and touch up the skating lane on all loops. He will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. Skiing should be best early before the sun warms up the snow.
This will be the last weekend we will groom. Our contract with the DNR is from December 1st to March 31st each year. The skiing should be very good this weekend so get out and enjoy the trail.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
| Report Date | Friday 3-25-2011 |
| Last Groom | 3-25-11 5:0am-9:00am |
| Loops Groomed | 5K-11K-25K |
| Classic Tracks Set | Friday 3-25-2011 |
| Last Snow | 3-25-2011 (1/4â€- 1/2â€) |
| Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots | None |
| Local Weather Forecast Here | |
All trails are groomed, including Jack Pine, and classic tracks have been set. The trail is still a little soft because of all the new snow and the skating lane isn’t perfect, but overall the trail is awesome!
Happy Skiing!
Deb
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
81 |
| Date |
3.25.11 |
| Time |
4:15pm |
Gary is out grooming the Leelanau Trail right now. This will be the last weekend we groom, so we hope you can get out and enjoy it!
Deb
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
80 |
| Date |
3.25.11 |
| Time |
4:15am |
Roger and I will groom all loops except for the Meadows loop on the Vasa trail starting at 5:00am. We will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters loop, 11K and finish with the 25K loop. We will reset Classic tracks on all loops. Because of the large amount of snow we received on Tuesday night/ Wednesday we did not groom the Jack Pine Valley portion of the trail yesterday. If everything goes OK we may make a pass through there today but skiers should not count on it being groomed.
This will be the last weekend we will groom. Our contract with the DNR is from December 1st to March 31st each year. The skiing should be very good this weekend so get out and enjoy the trail.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
| Report Date | Thursday 3-24-2011 |
| Last Groom | 3-24-11 4:30am-9:30am |
| Loops Groomed | 3K-5K-11K-25K |
| Classic Tracks Set | Thursday 3-24-2011 |
| Last Snow | 3-23-2011 (12â€- 14â€) |
| Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots | None |
| Local Weather Forecast Here | |
All trails are groomed, except Jack Pine, and classic tracks have been set. A 4-wheeler got on the trail at Holiday Hills – it took six passes to smooth out the ruts. The trail may be a little soft because of all the new snow. They plan to groom again on Friday morning.
Enjoy some great Spring skiing!
Deb
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
79 |
| Date |
3.23.11 |
| Time |
2:20pm |
It looks like the End of Season / Groomer Appreciation party was a little premature. The season is not over yet. Thanks to everyone who attended and everyone who couldn’t but still purchased a Grooming Badge this year. The Silent Auction raised over $3000 toward the LMC repairs incurred this season.  Thanks to everyone who bid and everyone who donated items. Attached is a photo taken by Amy Powell showing groomers Glen and Paul enjoying a beverage at the party.
Glen and Roger will pack the Vasa Trail tonight starting at 5:00pm. Paul and I will start grooming tomorrow morning at 4:30am. We will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 3K Headwaters loop, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. There should be enough new snow to set Classic tracks.
If the weather forecast is correct the skiing should be very good through the weekend.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
78 |
| Date |
3.19.11 |
| Time |
5:30pm |
We have decided that even though the temperatures are predicted to drop below freezing tonight we will not be grooming in the morning. There is too much dirt and boilerplate on the trail for us to attempt to make it safe for skiers. With the temperatures predicted to warm up tomorrow the best skiing will be after the snow softens. If you do decide to ski be careful, there are areas of dirt and or ice on many of the downhill’s.
On Tuesday March 22nd TART is hosting a groomer appreciation party at Right Brain Brewery, coupled with a silent auction fundraiser. Please join us at Right Brain from 5-8pm next Tuesday. We’ll raise a toast to the awesome groomers and have wonderful silent auction items to bid on. Pangea’s pizza (pepperoni and local market) will be available to purchase. For a sneak preview of silent auction items go to http://www.traversetrails.org/blog/groomer-appreciation-and-silent-auction-march-22nd/
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
Report Date: Saturday March 19, 2011
Last Groom: Saturday March 19, 2011 5:00am-8:30am
Loops Groomed: 5K-11K-25K
Classic Tracks Set: Sunday March 13, 2011
Last Snow: Saturday March 12th (1-3â€)
Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots: 3K Meadows Trail has not been groomed due to dirt showing in many spots. Some bare spots on all loops especially at power line crossings.
Local Weather Forecast Here
Quite a few bare spots and boilerplate ice are appearing on all loops some of these are on downhill’s and could be dangerous. If you ski be careful. The Classic tracks are thin or nonexistent in most spots.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
77 |
| Date |
3.19.11 |
| Time |
4:30am |
I will start grooming the Vasa Trail at 5:00am this morning. I will touch up the skating lane on the 5K, 11K, and 25K loops. I will follow the normal grooming pattern. If you ski today be on the lookout for bare spots and ice. The best times to ski will be early.
On Tuesday March 22nd TART is hosting a groomer appreciation party at Right Brain Brewery, coupled with a silent auction fundraiser. Please join us at Right Brain from 5-8pm next Tuesday. We’ll raise a toast to the awesome groomers and have wonderful silent auction items to bid on. Pangea’s pizza (pepperoni and local market) will be available to purchase. For a sneak preview of silent auction items go to http://www.traversetrails.org/blog/groomer-appreciation-and-silent-auction-march-22nd/
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
| Report Date | Wednesday 3-16-2011 |
| Last Groom | 3-16-11 6:00am-9:00am |
| Loops Groomed | 5K-11K-25K |
| Classic Tracks Set | Sunday 3-13-2011 |
| Last Snow | 3-13-2011 |
| Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots | The trail is starting to narrow in places. Ice is starting to show up in the low-lying areas. |
| Local Weather Forecast Here | |
The skate lane is in good condition. The classic tracks are visible and remain in fairly good condition.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
76 |
| Date |
3.15.11 |
| Time |
2:30pm |
Paul and I will start grooming the Vasa Trail at 6:00am (temperatures permitting) tomorrow morning. We will touch up the skating lane on the 5K, 11K, and 25K loops. If one pass is sufficient to provide good conditions we will split up, if two passes are required we will follow each other around the normal grooming pattern.
Temperatures are predicted to be in the 40’s so the best skiing will be early. With higher temperatures and rain predicted later in the week, this may be one of the last times we will be able to groom this season.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
Report Date: Sunday March 13, 2011
Last Groom: Sunday March 13, 2011 6:00am-10:30am
Loops Groomed: 5K-11K-25K
Classic Tracks Set: Sunday March 13, 2011
Last Snow: Saturday March 12th (1-3â€)
Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots: 3K Meadows Trail has some dirt showing in spots. Ice is starting to appear by bridge.
The trail remains in great shape. The skate lane was touched up this morning and the Classic tracks were reset. Temperatures are staying right around freezing so trail is a little soft in some spots.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
75 |
| Date |
3.13.11 |
| Time |
5:15am |
Roger and I will start grooming at 6:00am this morning. We will groom all loops and attempt to set new Classic tracks. If we are unable to reset the tracks we may split up and just touch up the skating lane. Skiing should be very good today with the colder temperatures.
The forecast does not look favorable for grooming next week but the skiing should remain good for awhile. We will continue to groom whenever possible as long as it makes sense to do so and conditions permit until the end of March.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
| Report Date | Saturday 3-12-2011 |
| Last Groom | 3-12-11 5:00am-9:00am |
| Loops Groomed | 5K-11K-25K |
| Classic Tracks Set | Friday 3-11-2011 |
| Last Snow | 3-11-2011 (2â€-5â€) |
| Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots | 3K Trail has some thin spots all other loops OK |
The trail remains in great shape. The skate lane was touched up this morning and the Classic tracks remain good.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
74 |
| Date |
3.11.11 |
| Time |
4:45pm |
Paul will start grooming the Vasa Pathway tomorrow morning at 5:00am. He will leave the existing Classic tracks and touch up the skating lane on the 5K Headwaters Loop, 11K loop and 25K loop. With temperatures predicted to once again rise above freezing the best skiing will be earlier in the day before the snow begins to soften.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
73 |
| Date |
3.11.11 |
| Time |
12:15pm |
Gary is out grooming the Leelanau Trail this afternoon. The trail has 95% coverage with some bare spots around Lakeview and Shady Lane. The trail is groomed for skating and overall is in pretty good condition.
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
| Report Date | Friday 3-11-2011 |
| Last Groom | 3-11-11 Â Â 5am-9am |
| Loops Groomed | 5K-11K-25K |
| Classic Tracks Set | Friday 3-11-2011 |
| Last Snow | 3-10-2011 (2â€-5â€) |
| Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots | 3K has some thin spots |
Skiing is great on the 5K, 11K and 25K loops. New classic tracks have been set and the skating lane is flat and firm. The skiing will be best this morning before it warms up. Enjoy!
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
72 |
| Date |
3.11.11 |
| Time |
4:15am |
Paul rolled the Vasa Trail last night starting at 7:00pm. Roger and I will groom this morning and try to set new Classic tracks starting at 5:00am. We will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters trail, 11K loop and finish with the 25K loop.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # | |
| Date |
3.10.11 |
| Time |
7:30am |
With temperatures predicted to rise above freezing today and with more snow/rain in the forecast, Paul has decided to wait until the temperatures drop before grooming.
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
71 |
| Date |
3.7.11 |
| Time | 11:00am |
The Leelanau Trail was groomed on Sunday, March 6th. Bill reports that there is 95% snow coverage on the trail but there are some bare spots. The trail is groomed for skating, so go out and go fast!
Deb
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
| Report Date | 3-7-2011 |
| Last Groom | 3-7-2011 |
| Loops Groomed | 5K-11K-25K |
| Classic Tracks Set | Last set 2-27-2010 |
| Last Snow | 3-5-2011 (1-3â€) |
| Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots | 3K Trail has some bare spots. |
Skiing remains very good on all loops except for the 3K Meadows Trail where dirt is showing in some spots.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
70 |
| Date |
3.7.11 |
| Time |
4:15am |
I will start grooming the Vasa trail this morning at 5:00am. I will be touching up the skating lane on all loops and will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters loop, 11K loop and finish with the 25K loop. I will leave the existing Classic tracks that were set on Saturday.
The 5K and 11 K loops will be done early however I will be installing new Vasa Pathway Emergency Locators signs on the 25K loop so that will take awhile. Watch for more information on these new signs coming soon.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
| Report Date | Sunday 3-6-2011 |
| Last Groom | 3-6-11 5:30am-9:30am |
| Loops Groomed | 5K-11K-25K |
| Classic Tracks Set | Saturday 3-5-2011 |
| Last Snow | 3-5-2011 (1â€-3â€) |
| Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots | 3K Trail has some thin spots all other loops OK |
| Local Weather Forecast: Click Here | |
Skiing remains very good on all loops. Yesterdays snow firmed up overnight with the cold temperatures and Paul was able to set good corduroy. The Classic tracks set yesterday remain very good in most spots.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
69 |
| Date |
3.5.11 |
| Time |
9:45pm |
Paul will start grooming the Vasa Trail tomorrow morning at 5:30am. He will be touching up the skating lane on all loops and will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters loop, 11K loop and finish with the 25K loop. He will leave the existing Classic tracks that were set today.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Ski Conditions
| Report Date | Saturday 3-5-2011 |
| Last Groom | 3-5-2011 6am-12pm |
| Loops Groomed | 3K-5K-11K-25K |
| Classic Tracks Set | Saturday 3-5-2011 |
| Last Snow | 3-5-2011 (1â€-3â€) |
| Ice/Dirt/Bare Spots | 3K Trail has some thin spots all other loops OK |
| Local Weather Forecast: Click Here | |
Skiing remains very good on all loops. Set new Classic tracks this morning. Because of temperature (29-30) new snow did not set up very well so trail was soft in some spots. Forecast is for colder temps tonight. Skiing should be great tomorrow.
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
68 |
| Date |
3.5.11 |
| Time |
5:15am |
Roger and I will start grooming the Vasa trail this morning at 6:00am. Depending on what we find at the trailhead will determine how we will proceed. If we have enough new snow or if the trail has become so hard that it requires two passes with the Ginzu’s to make it skiable we will stay together and follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters loop, 11K loop and 25K loop. If at all possible we will reset the Classic tracks on all loops. If there is not enough new snow and one pass with the Ginzu provides the best skiing we may split up and each groom different loops. Either way all loops will be groomed with the possible exception of the 3K Meadows loop and the skiing should be very good for the entire weekend.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
67 |
| Date |
3.1.11 |
| Time |
9:15pm |
With the temperatures predicted to drop below freezing tonight Paul will start grooming the Vasa trail with the snowmobile and Ginzu tomorrow morning at 5:00am. He will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. He will be touching up the skating lane and leaving the existing Classic tracks. He will probably not be able to groom the 3K Meadows trail until we receive more snow.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
66 |
| Date |
2.27.11 |
| Time |
4:45am |
Glen and I will start grooming the Vasa trail with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s this morning at 5:30am. We will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. We were able to set new Classic tracks on all loops. Hopefully they will not be skated over since it has been awhile since we have had enough snow to set good tracks. We will make a pass over the 3K Meadows trail when we are done with the other loops if it looks like there is enough snow to cover the bare spots.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
65 |
| Date |
2.26.11 |
| Time |
7:15am |
Roger started grooming the Vasa trail with the snowmobile and Ginzu this morning at 5:30am. He is touching up the skating lane on all loops and has finished the 5K Headwaters trail and 11K loop and is starting on the 25K loop. He reports about an inch and a half of new snow has fallen overnight. He tried to set Classic tracks in a few spots but there is not enough new snow.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
Brought to you by TART Trails, Inc.
| Report # |
64 |
| Date |
2.25.11 |
| Time |
9:30am |
Paul is out grooming the Vasa Trail this morning.  It is snowing and Paul reported about a half inch of new snow on the trail so far. He is grooming all loops starting on the 5K Headwaters trail, then the 11K loop and finishing on the 25K loop. A jeep or truck did get on the 11K loop but the trail is so hard, it didn’t do too much damage.
It should be a great weekend for skiing!
Deb
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
63 |
| Date |
2.22.11 |
| Time |
9:30pm |
Roger will start grooming the Vasa trail with the snowmobile and Ginzu tomorrow morning at 5:30am. He will be touching up the skating lane on all loops starting on the 5K Headwaters trail, 11K loop and finishing on the 25K loop. There are many bare spots on the 3K Meadows trail and we will not be grooming that loop again until we receive more snow.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
62 |
| Date |
2.21.11 |
| Time |
5:00am |
I will start grooming the Vasa trail with the LMC this morning at 5:30am. I will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and 25K loop. I will try to set Classic tracks on all loops however there may not be enough new snow.
After Saturdays groom we had to make some modifications to our track repairs yesterday as well as fix a problem with the track setter pressure. Hopefully we have everything repaired and the grooming for the rest of the season will go well.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
61 |
| Date |
2.19.11 |
| Time |
8:00am |
Paul and Glen started grooming with the LMC this morning at 5:30am. With the cold temperatures returning the base has become very hard once again. They are able to just scratch the surface with the tiller and are not setting any Classic tracks. They are attempting to level out the trail and remove any frozen skate marks left by skiers who ventured out when the trail was soft. As of 8:00am they have finished the 5K Headwaters trail and the 11K loop and are heading out onto the 25K loop. They also have a snowmobile they are using to go ahead of the LMC so they can remove the debris from the high winds easier.
The Michigan State High School Nordic Ski Championships continue today with a1K sprint race being held at the Acme Trailhead. The race starts at 9:00am and the parking lot will be full. The course crosses and uses a portion of the Vasa trail near the trailhead. If you arrive early please listen to the course marshals to avoid any problems with the racers.
We were able to splice a section of the old track belt into the broken section of the belt we replaced two years ago to get the LMC going again. We are hopeful that the patch will get us through the rest of the season.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
60 |
| Date |
2.18.11 |
| Time |
12:15PM |
The Michigan High School Nordic Ski Championships are taking place on the Vasa 5K Headwaters Loop today. The 5K loop was groomed this morning for the Classic Race. After the race, the 5K loop will be re-groomed for the Freestyle race starting at 2PM. No other loops will be groomed today but Paul does plan to groom the 11K and 25K loop tomorrow.
We have a good snow base on the trail, however due to the high winds there are a lot of leaves and twigs on the trail. There are snow showers in the forecast for tonight, as well as Sunday and Monday.
Deb
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
59 |
| Date |
2.15.11 |
| Time |
7:00am |
One of the drive belts broke on the LMC this morning while Paul was grooming. Currently it is blocking the 5K Headwaters Trail between the 3K shortcut and the 4K shortcut. Paul and I will finish grooming the skating lanes with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. We will work on getting the LMC back to the barn later today.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
58 |
| Date |
2.14.11 |
| Time |
8:45pm |
Paul will start grooming with the LMC tomorrow morning at 5:00am. He will follow the normal grooming pattern starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop, 25K loop and finish on the 3K meadows loop. He will reset Classic tracks on all loops. Since the temperature is predicted to rise above freezing tomorrow afternoon the best skiing will be early.
I ran the Ginzu over the 5K Headwater Trail this afternoon to loosen up the frozen surface. It was working well and improved the skating however the snowmobile started to overheat and I could not complete the 11K loop. The snowmobiles use loose snow from the tracks to help cool the engine. Since the trail was hard packed and the air temperature was above what we usually encounter the snowmobile was unable to function properly.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
57 |
| Date |
2.12.11 |
| Time |
11:15pm |
Paul and Glen started grooming for the Vasa Race at 9:00pm Friday night and finished at 7:00am Saturday morning.
Roger and I will start grooming for the Sunday Gran Travers Classic Race and the Valentines Tour at midnight tonight. We will first groom the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 25K loop setting up the trail in the normal configuration with the skate lane on the left and Classic tracks on the right. We will then groom for the race and tour on the 11K loop and a portion of the 25K loop setting two sets of Classic tracks. This portion of the trail will remain in that configuration for most of the day, then we will remove the extra set of Classic tracks later in the afternoon.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
56 |
| Date |
2.12.11 |
| Time |
10:30am |
Gary groomed the entire Leelanau Trail yesterday from Suttons Bay to Cherry Bend.
Jim
VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
55 |
| Date |
2.11.11 |
| Time |
3:15am |
Our LMC has returned from the repair shop. We tried it out on the 3K Meadows Trail yesterday afternoon and everything seems to be working fine. I will start grooming with the LMC this morning at 4:00am. I will follow the regular grooming pattern starting with the 5K Meadows loop, the 11K loop and 25K loop. I will also make a pass through Timber Ridge to touch up the Vasa Start/Finish area. I will reset Classic tracks on all loops.
The Vasa Race has decided that we should wait until tonight to groom the 50K portion of the trail with the LMC. Paul and Glen will head out later tonight to do the final race groom for Saturday. They will be re-grooming all loops and resetting the Classic tracks.
Jim
VASA Ski Race Pep Talk by Scott Howard, TART Trails Board President
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Fellow  skiers:
I hope  you are all as excited for this year's Vasa as I am.  The weather is  shaping up for another great race.  If you haven't registered yet, I  strongly encourage you to sign up and participate in this fantastic community  event.  What keeps bringing me back year after year is not necessarily  the competition, but the comrade of the ski community.  We all go out  and push ourselves a bit, but then all swap stories, hugs, handshakes and  laughs at the end of the race.  It is truly one of my favorite days of  the entire winter.  I hope to see all of you out on the trail over the  weekend, getting your Vasa on!
I also  wanted to take a moment to say a special thanks to our groomers.  As you on this list are aware, the LMC groomer broke down on the trail just over two  weeks ago.  While we were all hoping to have the LMC back in service for the race, it hasn't happened yet (we are still hoping that we may get it just  in time tomorrow, but there are no promises).  Despite the lack of the  LMC, our groomers have been working almost around the clock to buff out the  course for this year's race with the TART snowmobiles. They’re even pulling in  the Leelanau Trail equipment to help get the job done.. While we have been  blessed with an abundance of snow this winter, the recent fresh stuff and the  lack of the LMC have made the groomers’ job that much more difficult.  In  addition to the normal grooming done these past two weeks, they’ve stepped up  their time on the trail putting over 60 hours in since Tuesday.  They  plan to spend about 16 hours on the trail during the day on Friday, and then  groom throughout the night in order to have the trail in the best possible  shape for the race. They’ll head back out Saturday night so the course is set for Sunday.
I am  confident that we are going to have a great race on a great course this  weekend.  So please come out and join the festivities, preferably as a  participant but at least as a spectator.  And, if you see a groomer,  please join me in saying thank you for going above and beyond the call of duty  to get the trail ready for the race.  Their dedication and passion for  making a memorable race is both humbling and inspiring.  Let's all give thanks and enjoy the fruits of their hard work.
Scott  Howard
TART Board President
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VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
54 |
| Date |
2.9.11 |
| Time |
8:30pm |
Paul and Glen will start grooming with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s at 5:30am on Thursday. They will be grooming all loops including the 50K race loop. They will determine the grooming pattern when they are out on the trail and concentrate on the areas of the trail that need the most attention. They will reset Classic tracks where required.
Roger and I groomed all loops today and made two passes with the Ginzu’s over the 50K portion of the trail.
The Vasa Race has requested that as many skiers as possible ski on the 50K portion for the next few days to help pack the trail for the race.
There is still a chance that the LMC will be repaired before this weekend but we are preparing the course in anticipation of not having it back in time. Either way conditions should be excellent for the Vasa race.
Jim
VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
53 |
| Date |
2.9.11 |
| Time |
3:45am |
Paul and Glen spent the day yesterday on the trail with Snowmobiles and Ginzu’s and the roller. They reported that about 6 inches of new snow had fallen on the trail since the last groom. They groomed the new snow then went back over all loops a second time to continue to pack the additional snow. They made two passes over the 50K portion with the snowmobiles and roller.
Roger and I will start grooming at 4:30 this morning. We will start with the 5K Headwaters loop then move onto the 25K loop and then groom the 50K portion of the trail. We will finish with the 10K loop and the 3K Meadows Trail. We will reset Classic tracks where needed.
The Vasa Race has requested that as many skiers as possible ski on the 50K portion for the next few days to help pack the trail for the race.
Jim
VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
52 |
| Date |
2.7.11 |
| Time |
7:45pm |
Paul and Glen will start grooming the Vasa trail tomorrow morning at 5:30am using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. They will start with the 5K Headwaters loop, 11K loop, and 25K loop until they get to Timber Ridge. They will then go through Timber Ridge and continue on the 50K Vasa race portion of the trail in preparation for this Saturday’s race. They will come back onto the 25K loop at the 12K post and continue grooming back to the trailhead. They will finish on the 3K Meadows loop. They will be resetting the Classic tracks on all loops with the possible exception of the 50K portion.
We still do not have the LMC back yet. While it would be nice to have it back before the race we will continue to groom with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s until we get it back and are confident that we will have the trail in excellent condition for the race.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
51 |
| Date |
2.6.11 |
| Time |
4:50am |
Roger and I will start grooming the Vasa trail this morning at 5:30am using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. We will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters loop, 11K loop, 25K loop and finish with the 3K Meadows loop.
Jim
Vasa Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
50 |
| Date |
2.4.11 |
| Time |
8:15pm |
Paul and Glen will start grooming the Vasa trail tomorrow morning at 5:30am They will be using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s and do a complete groom resetting Classic tracks on all loops. They will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters loop, 11K loop, 25K loop, and finish with the 3K loop.
Right now it looks like the repairs on the LMC will not be completed until Monday. Hopefully we will get it back then. The groomers are all looking forward to using the LMC to groom again. The thermometer in Jack Pine Valley read -10 when we went by there on snowmobiles yesterday morning.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Report
| Report # |
49 |
| Date |
2.04.11 |
| Time |
noon |
Gary called into the office a little before noon today to let us know that he’s groomed the Leelanau Trail from Suttons Bay to Cherry Bend Rd. So it should be in great condition for a ski this evening and over the weekend.
_________________________________________________________________
VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
48 |
| Date |
2.4.11 |
| Time |
8:30AM |
Paul and Glen started grooming the Vasa trail this morning at 6:00AM. They are using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. As of 8:00am they have finished touching up the skating lanes on the 5K Headwaters loop and the 11K loop. They left the existing Classic track. They are now grooming the 50K portion of the trail used for the Vasa race.
The question about who to contact in case skiers see snowmobiles on the Vasa Trail came up the other day. Lee Maynard from the TART Staff found that they should try to get the registration number and call officer Kehoe @ 231-922-5280. If a vehicle is spotted try to get the license number and description and call the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s department.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
47 |
| Date |
2.01.11 |
| Time |
noon |
Bill was out on the Leelanau Trail yesterday packing the new snow, knocking down snowdrifts and shoveling openings in the snow banks at road crossings in preparation for grooming this weekend.
Lee
VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
46 |
| Date |
2.3.11 |
| Time |
4:45AM |
Roger and I will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 5:30AM. We will be using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. Yesterday we packed and groomed the 5K Headwaters loop. Even after packing and using the Ginzu’s the snow remained soft so we decided to just pack the 3, 11 and 25K loops and let the snow set overnight. We used the roller and snowmobile with the snowmobile on the far right to pack the Classic pole plant area. Just pulling the roller we were having trouble climbing some of the hills because of a lack of traction due to the new snow consistency. Several areas had considerable drifting and we made multiple passes through those areas with just the snowmobile to knock down the drifts.
Today we will do a normal groom resetting Classic tracks on all loops.
Jim
VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
45 |
| Date |
2.2.11 |
| Time |
9:30am |
Roger and I will meet out at the Vasa Trail at 11:00AM this morning to begin packing the snow we received overnight. We anticipate slow going and that we will not be able to use the Ginzu’s effectively until we make a pass with the roller and snowmobile. We will pack the 5K Headwaters Trail then use the Ginzu’s to groom and set tracks. We will then move onto the 11K loop and follow the same procedure. We may or may not have enough time to do the 25K loop.
The pumps for the LMC are due to be back today (barring any weather delays) and installation and reassembly can begin. They are still anticipating that the repairs will be finished late this week.
Jim
VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
44 |
| Date |
2.1.11 |
| Time |
7:45am |
Glen and Paul started grooming the Vasa trail this morning at 6:00AM using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. As of 7:30 they have finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and were at the 7K post on the 25K loop. They are doing a complete groom and resetting the Classic tracks on all loops. They reported about one inch of new snow had fallen since the last groom on Sunday.
Jim
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VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
43 |
| Date |
1.30.11 |
| Time |
5:15am |
Roger and I will start grooming the Vasa trail this morning at 6:00AM using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. We will follow the normal grooming pattern starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop, 25K loop and finish with the 3K Meadows Trail. We will snow comb the skating lane and reset Classic tracks where necessary.
Thanks to everyone who helped with the Open House yesterday. The homemade cookies were awesome and Lee, Gail, and Glen did a great job with the drinks and keeping the fire going.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
42 |
| Date |
1.29.11 |
| Time |
3:00PM |
Gary started grooming the Leelanau Trail at noon from Suttons Bay. He will groom to Cherry Bend Rd. then back to Suttons Bay. He will set Classic tracks and groom for skating.
Jim
VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
41 |
| Date |
1.29.11 |
| Time |
8:00AM |
Paul and Glen started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 5:30AM using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. They have finished grooming the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and are now just past The Wall on the 25K loop. They report a temperature of 14 degrees with about 4 inches of new snow since yesterdays groom.
The LMC is in the repair shop and they confirmed it was the drive pump for the left track. They have also found that the pump for the right track needs to be rebuilt as well. The pumps have been removed and will be sent in to get rebuilt. Right now they still estimate it will be finished by late next week.
TART is hosting the third Vasa Pathway Open House of the season this Saturday January 29th from 11-1 at the Acme Trailhead. Lee Maynard TART’s new Trail Planning and Program Director will be on hand. Tart Board member and Trail Ambassador Gail Dall’Olmo, and Glen Rauth a member of TART’s Grooming team will also be there with homemade cookies and hot drinks. They will also have a warm fire going.
Jim
VASA Pathway Grooming Report
| Report # |
40 |
| Date |
1.28.11 |
| Time |
5:15am |
Roger and I will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 6:00AM using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. We will touch up the skating lane on all loops and reset the Classic tracks where necessary. We will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K, 25K and finish on the 3K Meadows Trail.
The LMC is in the repair shop and they confirmed it was the drive pump for the left track. The pump has to be removed and rebuilt or replaced. It is quite a project just to get the pump removed from the LMC. Right now they estimate it will be finished by late next week.
TART is hosting the third Vasa Pathway Open House of the season this Saturday January 29th from 11-1 at the Acme Trailhead. Lee Maynard, TART’s new Trail  Planning and Program  Director, will be on hand. Tart Board member and Trail Ambassador Gail Dall’Olmo, and Glen Rauth a member of TART’s Grooming team will also be there with homemade cookies and hot drinks. They will also have a warm fire going.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
39 |
| Date |
1.27.11 |
| Time |
11:15AM |
Bill Heitman has just completed grooming the Leelanau Trail from Suttons Bay to Cherry Bend. He is headed back to Suttons Bay now and says the trail looks great!
Deb
Vasa Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
38 |
| Date |
1.26.11 |
| Time |
5:15am |
Roger, Paul and I will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 6:00AM using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. We will reset the Classic tracks on all loops. We will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K, 25K and finish on the 3K Meadows Trail. We will also be shoveling snow in some areas where the base is still thin.
The LMC was picked up at the trailhead yesterday and taken to the shop for repairs. No word yet as to what they found or how long the repairs will take.
TART is hosting the third Vasa Pathway Open House of the season this Saturday January 29th from 11-1 at the Acme Trailhead. Once again a TART Staff person, a groomer and a Trail Ambassador will be on hand serving homemade cookies and hot drinks. They will also have a warm fire going.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
37 |
| Date |
1.25.11 |
| Time |
12:00PM |
Gary Joslin has just completed grooming the Leelanau Trail from Suttons Bay to Cherry Bend. He is headed back to Suttons Bay now and says the trail is beautiful!
Deb
Vasa Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
36
|
| Date |
1.23.11 |
| Time |
5:15AM |
Roger and I will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 6:00AM with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. We will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop, 25K loop and finish on the 3K Meadows Trail. We will reset Classic tracks where necessary.
Thanks to everyone who helped with the second TART Trails Vasa Pathway Open House yesterday. As always the homemade cookies were a big hit and the skiers enjoyed a hot drink and the warm fire on a cold day.
Jim
Vasa Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
35 |
| Date |
1.21.11 |
| Time |
7:15PM |
Paul and Glen will start grooming the Vasa trail on Saturday morning, January 22 at 6:00AM using the Snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. They plan on grooming all loops and will reset the Classic Tracks where necessary.
The LMC is currently out of commission and had to be towed off the trail today. It appears that there is a problem with the Hydraulic pump that drives the left track. It will be taken into the shop on Tuesday after they get a permit to haul a wide load on Monday. Hopefully we will get it back soon but in the meantime we are back to using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s.
Don’t forget the second TART Vasa Pathway Open House of the season on Saturday from 11AM-1PM. Homemade cookies have been made by our wonderful volunteers and hot beverages and a warm fire will be waiting for you at the Trailhead.
Jim
Vasa Trail Report 1-21-2011Â 9:30 AM
Hello Skiers,
Jim and Roger have groomed the 5 and 10K loops, but are experiencing problems with the LMC between the 6 and 7 K marker. They’re trying to determine why the left track is frozen. Please be advised that the 25K loop is not groomed and plan your ski accordingly. Jim reports a good 3-4 inches of snow with more coming down. Stay tuned….
Thanks,
Pam
VASA Trail Grooming Report
| Report # |
34 |
| Date |
1.20.11 |
| Time |
6:15PM |
Roger will start grooming the Vasa Trail with the LMC, if we get the predicted new snow overnight, on Friday morning at 5:00AM. If we do not get significant snow he may use the snowmobile and Ginzu to touch up the skating lane. He will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. He will be resetting the Classic tracks on all loops if he grooms with the LMC. He will decide about grooming the 3K Meadows trail when he returns to the trailhead.
TART Trails second Vasa Trail Open House of the season will be held this Saturday January 22nd from 11AM to 1PM at the Acme Trailhead. There will be a TART Staff person, a TART Groomer and a TART Trail Ambassador on hand to serve hot beverages and homemade cookies. They will also have a warm fire going to take off the chill after your ski.
Just a reminder, if you ski today or any time the LMC is on the trail use caution if you encounter the groomer. If you catch the groomer do not ski up close behind the tiller. Stay back and when it is safe to stop we will do so and let you pass. If you meet the groomer get well off the trail and make sure your poles and skis are off as well.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #33
1-21-2011Â 9AM
Bill groomed the Leelanau Trail from Suttons Bay to Cherrybend yesterday morning.
The trail should be in great shape for a ski today and this weekend. Thanks Bill!
On another note, TART would like to clear the Leelanau Trail south of Cherrybend to Tom’s/M-72 for walkers.
We are in need of a ‘snow angel’ with a front end loader to clear the trail so another volunteer can keep it cleared for the remainder of the season. Please contact me if you have any ideas on how we can achieve this.
Enjoy the Trail,
Lee
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #32
1-18-2011 7:00AM
Glen started grooming with the LMC this morning at 4:30AM. He has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and is now heading out on the 25K loop. He will be resetting Classic tracks on all loops. He reports there was 2-4 inches of new snow on the trail after yesterdays groom and the temperature was 30 degrees this morning. He will probably not take the LMC out on the Meadows Trail because of low snow depth on that trail. He will use the snowmobile and Ginzu on the Meadows Trail.
Just a reminder, if you ski today or any time the LMC is on the trail use caution if you encounter the groomer. If you catch the groomer do not ski up close behind the tiller. Stay back and when it is safe to stop we will do so and let you pass. If you meet the groomer get well off the trail and make sure your poles and skis are off as well.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #31
1-17-2011 3:45AM
I will start started grooming with the LMC this morning at 4:30AM. I will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. I will be resetting Classic tracks on all loops. It looked like there was 2-3 inches of new snow on the trail yesterday afternoon on the 11K and portions of the 25K loop after the groom. This was either new snow or snow that had fallen out of the trees after the wind had picked up. I will probably not take the LMC out on the Meadows Trail because of low snow depth on that trail. If that trail looks like it could use some grooming I will most likely use the snowmobile and Ginzu.
Just a reminder, if you ski today or any time the LMC is on the trail use caution if you encounter the groomer. If you catch the groomer do not ski up close behind the tiller. Stay back and when it is safe to stop we will do so and let you pass. If you meet the groomer get well off the trail and make sure your poles and skis are off as well.
Thanks to everyone who had a part in the TART Open House on Saturday. The homemade cookies were a huge hit and the parking lot was overflowing the entire time. It was probably the busiest Open House we have ever had.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #30
1-16-2011 8:00AM
Paul and Roger started grooming with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s this morning at 5:00AM. They reported about 2 to 3 inches of new snow had fallen since yesterdays groom. The new snow kept clogging the Ginzu’s so they switched to the LMC. As of 8:00AM they have finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and are starting on the 25K loop. They are resetting the Classic tracks on all loops. They may or may not take the LMC out on the Meadows Trail because of low snow depth on that trail.
Just a reminder, if you ski today or any time the LMC is on the trail use caution if you encounter the groomer. If you catch the groomer do not ski up close behind the tiller. Stay back and when it is safe to stop we will do so and let you pass. If you meet the groomer get well off the trail and make sure your poles and skis are off as well.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #29
1-15-2011 4:15AM
Glen and I will start grooming this morning at 5:00AM. We will be using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. Many areas of the trail still have marginal base and the LMC could cause damage if used in those areas. We will follow the normal grooming pattern starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail, then the 11K loop, 25K loop and finish with the 3K Meadows Trail. We will reset Classic tracks on all loops with the possible exception of the Meadows Trail.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #28
1/12/2011Â 12:30PM
Bill groomed the entire Leelanau Trail today. He had some trouble getting footprints out but said it’s in nice shape, so come on out for a ski!
Deb
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #27
1-12-2011 8:00AM
Roger started grooming this morning at 6:00AM using the snowmobile and Ginzu. He will leave the existing Classic tracks and touch up the skating lane on all loops. As of 8:00AM he has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and is starting on the 25K loop. he reports that about an inch of new snow has fallen since the last groom.
TART will host the first Vasa Pathway Open House of the season on Saturday January 15th from 10AM – 1PM at the Acme Trailhead off of Bartlett Rd. These open houses are intended as a thank you to all skiers who have purchased 2010-2011 Grooming Badge, K-sponsor sign, or donated to the fee pipe at the trailhead. There will be a warm fire, hot drinks and homemade cookies waiting for you if you finish your ski between 10-1. Deb Westphal will be on hand from the TART Trails staff to answer any TART related questions. She will also have grooming badges available for those who have not yet purchased their badge and wish to do so. We will also have a Trail Ambassador on hand to answer questions about that program. I will be there to answer any grooming questions.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #26
1/11/2011Â 1:30PM
Gary groomed the Leelanau Trail today from Suttons Bay to Shady Lane. The remainder of the trail will be groomed tomorrow morning.
Deb
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #25
1-10-2011 8:00AM
We really did groom the Vasa trail yesterday. When we arrived at 6:00AM about 3 inches of new snow had fallen. After trying a couple of different equipment combinations Glen and I settled on a Ginzu with track setter and a roller. We groomed the right half of the trail with the Ginzu and set tracks and the left side of the trail with the roller. Most of the time we were grooming it was snowing heavily and some parts of the trail received about 8 inches of new snow. The longer we were out there it became a struggle to get the equipment through. Stopping long enough to put the track setter down resulted in the Ginzu getting stuck. The roller also became stuck numerous times. We decided to make one pass and let the snow settle overnight and groom again on Monday morning. After 6 hours on the trail there was about 3-4 inches of new snow on the part of the trail we groomed first.
Paul started grooming this morning at 7:00AM with the LMC as of 8:00AM he has finished the 5K headwaters Trail and is starting on the 11K loop. He will finish on the 25K loop. He started later than usual because he was not sure if there was enough base after the last thaw and he wanted to be able to see what was happening on the trail. If you ski today or any time the LMC is on the trail use caution if you encounter the groomer. If you catch the groomer do not ski up close behind the tiller. Stay back and when it is safe to stop we will do so and let you pass. If you meet the groomer get well off the trail and make sure your poles and skis are off as well.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #24
1-8-2011 5:10AM
Glen and I will start grooming this morning at 6:00AM using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. It will depend on what we find when we reach the trailhead what we do. If there is no new snow and the Classic Tracks are in good shape we may split up and just touch up the skating lane on all loops. If there is new snow and/or we can improve the Classic tracks we may groom in tandem and reset the tracks. Either way the skiing should be good by the time daylight arrives.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #23
1-8-2011 10:00AM
Paul and Roger started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 6:00AM using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. With no significant new snowfall they left the existing Classic tracks and just touched up the skate lane. They reported that the wet snowfall that was groomed yesterday has frozen overnight and hardened up so the skiing should be great.
The base is still pretty thin in many spots so we are not able to get the LMC out at this time.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #22
1/7/11 Â 12:30PM
Gary Joslin is out grooming the Leelanau Trail. He started this morning and just made it from Suttons Bay to Cherry Bend. There is a lot of snow on the trail!
Happy Skiing!
Deb
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #21
1-7-2011 4:15AM
Glen and I will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 5:00AM. We are planning on using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail. Depending on the amount of snow the Vasa Trail has received we may need to make two passes on each loop to first pack and then groom the new snow. We will make every attempt to set new Classic tracks on all loops. After we are satisfied with the 5K Loop we will move on to the 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. We will be checking the base as we go on various parts of the trail and hopefully we will find enough to bring the LMC back out this weekend.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #20
1-6-2011 8:00AM
Roger and Paul started grooming with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s this morning at 6:00AM. They have finished the 5K Headwaters loop and the 11K loop and are now heading out on the 25K loop. They report about an inch to an inch and a half of new snow has accumulated on the trail since the last groom on Tuesday. They are mixing the new snow in with the old snow and leveling the base. They are also setting new Classic tracks but report that they are still shallow in spots. There is not enough snow to groom the 3K Meadows loop yet.
Think Snow!
Jim
1/4/2011 Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #19
Happy New Year Skiers!
Bill groomed the Leelanau Trail today and was able to set classic tracks from the Cherrybend trailhead north to the Fouch trailhead. On the Suttons Bay end he set classic tracks from Suttons Bay south to Shady Lane. The middle section of the trail still has some bare spots. The plan is to groom the entire trail on Friday.
Think snow!
Pam
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #18
1-4-2011 5:15AM
Glen and I will be grooming the Vasa Trail this morning starting at 6:00AM. We will be using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s to try to mix the new snow in with the frozen base and to smooth out some more of the skate marks and footprints left during the recent thaw. We will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail then move onto the 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. We will not be grooming the 3K Meadows Trail due to many bare spots on this trail. Because of the lack of significant new snow we will most likely not be able to set Classic tracks.
Think Snow!
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #17
1-2-2011 8:00AM
Happy New Year!!!!
Paul and Roger started grooming what is left of the base this morning at 6:00AM using the snowmobiles and Ginzus. As of 8:00AM they have finished two passes on the 5K Headwaters Trail and report marginal results. They will make two passes on the 10K and the 25K loops and skiers are advised to ski at their own risk. They report that they were able to scratch up the icy base but joggers and skiers who ventured out during the warm weather have left their mark and they are having trouble removing the frozen skate marks and footprints. They also report that there are many dirt spots showing on the trail.
Think Snow!!!!
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Trail Report
12-30-2010
With the warmer weather predicted for the next couple of days we will not be grooming the Vasa Trail. Hopefully skiers and other trail users will stay off the trail while the snow is soft. Any marks left in the snow are difficult to remove once it freezes and we are able to groom again.
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #16
12-28-2010 8:15AM
Paul started grooming the Vasa Trail with the snowmobile and Ginzu this morning at 6:30AM. He has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and is now grooming the 25K loop. He is touching up the skating lane on all loops and leaving the existing Classic tracks. He reports no new snow has fallen since Rogers last groom on Sunday.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #15
12-26-2010 8:00AM
Roger started grooming the Vasa Trail at 5:00AM this morning. As of 8:00AM he has made two passes over the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop using the snowmobile and Ginzu. He has reset the Classic tracks on both of those loops. He is heading out on the 25K loop and reports that the Classic Tracks are good. Unless he finds there has been some damage to the tracks he will just touch up the skating lane.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #14
12-24-2010 6:30AM
Roger started grooming the Vasa 5K Headwaters Trail this morning at 5:00AM using the snowmobile and Ginzu. He has finished making two passes on that loop setting Classic Tracks on the second pass. He is now heading out on the 11K loop and is planning on just touching up the skating lane on the rest of the trail and leaving the existing Classic Tracks. He reports about 2 inches of new snow has fallen since the last groom on Wednesday morning.
Merry Christmas!
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #13
12/22/10 9:00AM
The Leelanau Trail was groomed yesterday afternoon. The trail is in great condition and perfect for a moon lit ski.
Happy Holidays!
Pam
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #12
12-20-2010 8:00PM
Glen and I will start grooming the Vasa trail at 6:00AM tomorrow morning (Wednesday). Hopefully it will continue to snow overnight and we get at least a little more accumulation. The plan as of now is to use the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. We will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail, move to the 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. We will attempt to set new Classic Tracks on all loops. If the new tracks we are able to set are not as good as the existing tracks we will leave the old tracks. We will mix any new snow we receive with the existing base.
Some problem areas on the trail are: On the 3K Meadows Trail, construction of a new house and heavy driveway traffic has caused a rough area just past the old Vasa race start area. On the 25K loop road and power line crossings near the 17K post and 18K post have been plowed to allow for logging in the area. And on the 11K/25K return near Holiday Hills Rd. 4 wheel drive traffic has left some ruts in the trail. While they have only driven on a short section of the trail and crossed it in a few spots, they have left ruts that could be dangerous when descending the hill. Just a reminder that if you do see a vehicle driving on the trail try to get their license number and contact the Grand Traverse County Sheriff and or the TART Trails office. Hopefully we can prevent some of the damage that has occurred in the past and catch those responsible.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #11
12-16-2010 6:15AM
Roger started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 5:30AM. Because of the lack of new snow and the thin base in some spots he is using the snowmobile and Ginzu to touch up the skating lane and will leave the existing Classic Tracks. He has finished the Headwaters Trail and is now grooming the 11K loop and will finish on the 25K loop. He will also touch up the 3K Meadows Trail if necessary.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #10
12-18-2010
I will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 5:00AM. Because of the lack of new snow and the thin base in some spots I will be using the snowmobile and Ginzu to touch up the skating lane and leave the existing Classic Tracks. I will be grooming the trail in the opposite direction from normal in an attempt to redistribute the snow that has been pushed down some of the hills by skiers. I will start on the Headwaters Trail, move onto the 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. If I groom the 3K Meadows loop will depend on conditions.
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #9
12/15/10
Bill groomed the entire Leelanau trail today. He said it looked good!
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #8
12-15-2010
I will start grooming with the LMC his morning at 4:00AM. I will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail then groom the 11K loop before moving onto the 25K loop. I will reset Classic Tracks on all loops.
We received between 6 and 8 inches of snow by the time we groomed on Sunday and another 4-12 inches between then and Glens groom on Monday. Some of the open areas received heavy drifting Sunday night and Monday morning and Glen had to use the plow on the LMC in some spots to go through once before he could groom. Some areas are still a little soft where the heavier snowfall occurred but most places are firm and will continue to get better with continued grooming and skier traffic.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #7
12-13-2010 8:30AM
Glen is at the Vasa Trailhead ready to start grooming with the LMC. He reports 15 degrees and very strong winds. If all goes well he will be following the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finishing on the 25K loop. There should be enough base after yesterdays snow for the LMC. We were measuring between 4 to 6 inches of packed base after yesterdays groom in most spots however the LMC could bring up some dirt in spots especially near the trailhead where the wind has blown the new snow away.
Glen also reported that as of 8:30AM the trailhead parking lot had not been plowed.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #6
12-12-2010 11:00AM
Paul and I are heading out to the Vasa trail to try to groom the new snow we have received overnight. We plan on starting at noon. What we find when we get there will determine what equipment we use. If there is a lot of snow we will probably use just the snowmobiles to pack the trail making two passes with both snowmobiles. This will be in preparation of possibly using the LMC to groom tomorrow if it continues to snow for the remainder of the day and tonight. We will be checking the base as we pack to make sure we have enough snow to use the LMC.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #5
12-11-2010
Glen started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 6:00AM. He is using the Ginzu and snowmobile to touch up the skating lane. He will leave the existing Classic tracks. As of 7:00AM he has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 10K loop and is now starting on the 25K loop. He reported about 1-2 inches of new snow had fallen since the last groom. He also reported that the trail has been getting heavy use and the skating lane is pretty chewed up and the Classic tracks have been skated out in some places.
There is about 1-3 inches of paced base on the trail now. According to the weather forecast substantial snow may be headed our way later today and tomorrow. If it happens as predicted it will definitely help build up our base.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #4 2010-2011
Dave Monstrey groomed the entire length of the Leelanau Trail yesterday afternoon, from Fourth Street in Suttons Bay all the way to the Cherrybend trailhead. He reported that the snow cover was good the entire length of the trail and it is ready for skate and classic skiing. Thanks to Paul Maurer, the Cherrybend trailhead will be plowed all winter long.
Enjoy your weekend!
Pam
Vasa Grooming Report #3Â Â 2010-2011
Paul and I will start grooming the Vasa Trail in the morning (Thursday) at 6:00AM. We will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail and then move onto the 11K loop before finishing on the 25K loop. We will groom the 3K Meadows Trail if there is enough snow. We will set Classic Tracks wherever possible and with the new snow we have received since the last groom we expect to be able to set them everywhere and they should be good.
After two consecutive days of grooming we decided to allow the lake effect snow to accumulate and the skiers to help pack down the thin spots. Even with all of the snow we have received over the past few days the base is still thin in spots. Since the Vasa trail is not perfectly flat to start with, some of the high spots get uncovered when we run the grooming equipment over it while other spots may have 6 inches of packed snow in them.
Jim
Grroming Report #2Â 2010-2011
Glen and Roger started grooming this morning at 7:00 AM. They reported a temperature of 21 degrees at the trailhead and at least an inch of new snow since Paul and I finished the first groom of the season yesterday. It is snowing as they are grooming. They will do a normal groom starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail then moving onto the 11K Trail and finishing on the 25K loop. They set shallow Classic Tracks on the Headwaters Trail and will continue to set tracks wherever possible but the base is still pretty thin in many spots. Rock skis are recommended. They will not be grooming the 3K Meadows Trail. This trail was groomed yesterday and most of the trail had grass showing through the snow.
During yesterdays groom we measured between 7 and 14 inches of new show on the Trail. After grooming this compacted down to about 2 inches of base. The trail seemed to be mostly covered with a few bare spots showing. We first went over each loop with the roller and snowmobiles to pack the snow, then back over all of the loops with the Ginzu and roller again to level and groom. It took us about 10 ½ hours to finish. We were worried that skiers would be going through and hitting the dirt below but that did not appear to be happening. From the smiles and the thumbs up from many skiers we saw while finishing up it appeared the skiing was very good.
Jim
Grooming Report #1Â 2010-2011
The snow is here and the grooming has begun! Jim Dombrowski called in this morning and asked me to pass this on:
There was 7 to 10 inches of snow on the trail this morning. They packed the 5K once and followed that with the Ginzu & Roller. There was another 1 ½†of snow on the 5K by the time they finished. They were heading out on the 10K next. The snow is packing down to 1 ½ to 2â€. There isn’t enough snow to set classic tracks yet and you will need to be careful on the downhills because there may be some dirt spots.
Don’t expect corduroy yet, but if the snow keeps up, Jim thinks they will be out there grooming most of the day. He plans to send a follow-up report later today.
Let it snow!
Deb Westphal