We're making tracks! These trail grooming updates are emailed first to the 2009-2010 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 2009-2010 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!
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TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #67
3-8-2010
Roger and I will start grooming the Vasa trail tomorrow morning with the
snowmobiles and Ginzu's at 4:30AM. We will be touching up the skating lane
and perhaps try to set new Classic tracks in the areas where the tracks have
deteriorated. We will probably not be able to set very good tracks because
of the hard base and if they do not turn out better than the existing tracks
we will leave them alone. Depending on how the snow is acting we may groom
in tandem with the first Ginzu loosening the base and the second one cutting
a little deeper. If the base is loose enough and the results are good with
one Ginzu we may split up and each groom part of the trail to finish faster.
If we stay together we will be following the normal grooming pattern
starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail and finishing on the 25K loop.
The forecast for the rest of this week calls for daytime temperatures in the
mid to upper 40's and overnight temperatures remaining above freezing. If
this forecast holds true we will not be able to groom. If the forecast
changes and we get a cold night we may try to groom again. If we are able to
get out we will send out another email. Conditions should be best early
tomorrow.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #66
3-7-2010
Paul reports that a vehicle drove on the Vasa Trail last night. They started
at the trailhead and drove on all of the 5K Headwaters Trail destroying the
Classic Tracks in some spots. The driver then drove on portions of the 11K
loop as well. Paul has called the Grand Traverse County Sherriff's
department to investigate and he will meet the officer on the trail. All of
this means that he is running late and may not be able to groom the 25K
portion of the trail before it starts to soften up later this morning.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #65
3-6-2010
Paul will start grooming the Vasa Trail early tomorrow morning with the
snowmobile and Ginzu. He will touch up the skating lane and leave the
existing Classic tracks. He will follow the normal grooming pattern starting
with the 5K Headwaters Trail and finish with the 25K loop. Temperatures are
expected to rise into the 40's tomorrow so the skiing conditions will most
likely be the same as they were today with the best skiing early in the day.
Grooming this time of year depends on the temperatures falling below
freezing at night and how fast the trail firms up after the daytime warm
ups. As long as it continues to freeze overnight we will try to groom for
Tuesday (Monday night or early Tuesday morning), Thursday (Wednesday night
or early Thursday morning), Saturday (Friday night or early Saturday
morning) and Sunday (Saturday night or early Sunday morning) unless we get
more snow while we still have a good base.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #64
3-5-2010
I will start grooming the Vasa trail tonight after the temperature drops
below freezing (probably around 7:00PM) with the snowmobile and Ginzu. I
will follow the normal grooming pattern starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail
and finishing with the 25K loop. I will be touching up the skating lane and
leaving the existing Classic tracks. With the temperatures predicted to rise
into the 40's tomorrow the best skiing will once again be early in the day.
For those of you have not skied lately check out Becky Kalajian's blog
about spring skiing pasted below. It should get you motivated to get out
there.
Mark your calendars!! The 2010 Groomer Appreciation Party will be held at
Right Brain Brewery on Monday March 22 from 5-7PM. Russ has promised to save
a barrel of "Fresh Corduroy" for occasion.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #63
3-3-2010
Glen started grooming the Vasa Trail this evening at 7:30PM with the LMC. The temperatures dropped rapidly after the sun went down and the trail firmed up enough to get the LMC out. He has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and is now on the 11K loop. He will then move on to the 25K loop resetting Classic tracks on all loops. The skiing should be excellent early tomorrow then becoming a little softer as the temperatures warm.
The forecast calls for above freezing temperatures during the day for the rest of the week with below freezing temperatures at night. If this holds true we will continue to groom in the evening or early morning after the trail sets up as long as no new snow is predicted overnight. As the base begins to diminish we will be forced to groom exclusively with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #62
Gary groomed the Leelanau Trail today with the snowmobile and Ginzu. He reported that the trail is in good condition and should be great for spring skiing. The longer days and sunshine will make for great skiing before or after work. The moon has been spectacular these past few nights for a really late ski too. Enjoy the snow before it melts!
Pam
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #61
3-1-2010
Roger started grooming the Vasa Trail this evening at 8:30 with the snowmobile and Ginzu. He will follow the normal grooming pattern and touch up the skating lane while leaving the existing Classic tracks. He should be finished around midnight.
The forecast calls for cold temperatures tonight then rising slightly above freezing for tomorrow. The trail will most likely be hard in the morning then gradually soften up as the temps warm tomorrow.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #60
2-28-2010
Paul started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 5:00AM with the snowmobile and Ginzu. He is using the Ginzu because the temperature stayed right around freezing overnight and is expected to rise during the day. He did not want to use the LMC for fear that it would warm up too quickly and the snow would start clogging the tiller. He has completed the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and as of 7:30 he was at The Wall on the 25K loop. He is just touching up the skating lane and leaving the existing Classic tracks that were set yesterday morning. he will make a pass over the 3K Meadows Trail once he returns to the trailhead.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #59
2-27-2010
I will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 4:30AM using the LMC. I will follow the normal grooming pattern starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K , 25K, and finish on the 3K Meadows Trail. I will be mixing in the new snow that has fallen since Glen’s groom yesterday morning and resetting Classic tracks on all loops.
It should be a great day to ski and stop by the TART Trails 5th Vasa Pathway Open House of the season after you are finished. We will be serving warm drinks and homemade goodies from 11AM to 1PM and will have the fire going to help you keep warm.
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #58
2/25/10
Dave groomed the Leelanau Trail yesterday and reported 2 new inches of snow. The section between Dalzell and DeYoung Natural Area will need a few more grooms to be in top notch shape. We are confident that the trail will not be plowed again; thanks to a little investigative work by a Michigan State
trooper. Dave installed "No Snowmobiles" signage along the trail and reports
less snowmobile activity. The weather forecast is predicting March will come in like a lamb so get out and enjoy the great trail conditions over the
weekend. A reminder that Vasa Pathway open house #5 will be held on
Saturday from 11-1, please stop by and enjoy the hospitality.
See you on the trails!
Pam
PS Dave is grooming Veronica Valley Park in Lake Leelanau again on Friday.
It's a very family friendly place to ski!
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #57
2-25-2010
Glen started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 4:30AM with the LMC. As
of 6:30 he has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and has
started grooming the 25K loop. He reports about an inch of new snow has
fallen since Tuesday mornings groom and he is mixing that in with the
existing base and setting new Classic tracks.
Because they are so much fun and so well received TART will be hosting the
5th Vasa Pathway Open House of the season this Saturday from 11AM-1PM at the
Acme Trailhead. Be sure to stop by for warm drinks, warm fire, and homemade
goodies.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #56
2-23-2010
Roger started grooming the Vasa trail this morning at 5:00AM with the snowmobile and Ginzu. He is touching up the skating lane and mixing in the 1 inch of new snow that fell since Sunday mornings groom. He will leave the existing Classic tracks. As of 7:15 he had finished the 5K Headwaters Trail, the 11K loop and was at the top of The Wall on the 25K loop.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #55
2-21-2010
I will start grooming this morning at 4:30AM. Right now the plan is to use the snowmobile and Ginzu to touch up the skating lane and leave the existing Classic tracks. I will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop, and finish on the 25K loop. I will also touch up the 3K Meadows Trail when I finish the other loops.
Be sure to stop by at the Acme trailhead between 11AM and 1PM for the 4th TART Trails Vasa Pathway Open House. There will be warm drinks, a warm fire and homemade cookies.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #54
2-20-2010
Paul started grooming the Vasa trail with the LMC this morning at 3:30AM. As of 8:00AM he had finished the 5K Headwaters Trail, the 11K loop and was near Timber Ridge on the 25K loop and on his way back in to the trailhead. He reports that no new snow had fallen since Glen’s last groom on Thursday morning but the trail had received heavy traffic. He has reset Classic tracks on all loops and reports the trail looks good. Temperatures are predicted to rise slightly above freezing today so the best skiing will be this morning.
Don’t forget the TART Trails Vasa Pathway Open House at the Acme Trailhead tomorrow morning starting at 11AM until 1PM. There will be warm drinks, a warm fire, and fresh homemade cookies.
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Grooming Report #53
2-18-2010
Dave and Jim met in Suttons Bay at 8:00 am this morning to train two new groomers for the Leelanau trail. Welcome Gary and Bill.
Dave then groomed the entire Leelanau Trail from Suttons Bay to Cherry Bend and back. He used the snowmobile and ginzu groomer attachment and groomed for skating and classic.
Warning: Near Dalzell Rd, someone has snowplowed the trail AGAIN (the third time that we are aware of this winter.) We called the Sheriff this time to report it. We don’t know who is doing the snowplowing, but it is counter to our grooming efforts. I’m still hopeful that we could clear this misunderstanding up if we knew who was doing it and could explain that we are trying to keep the snow to groom the trail for skiing. Let us know if you have any clues.
Enjoy the trail,
Missy
PS. TART is hosting the 4th Vasa Pathway Open House of the season this Sunday February 21st from 11AM-1PM at the Acme Trailhead. Stop by for a warm drink, homemade baked goods, and a warm fire before or after your ski.
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #52
2-18-2010
Glen started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning with the LMC a little before 5:00AM. As of 6:30 he has completed the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and is now heading out on the 25K loop. He reports that there was approximately 2-3 inches of new snow that fell since Roger groomed last on Tuesday morning. He is resetting Classic tracks on all loops and reports that the trail is looking good.
TART is hosting the 4th Vasa Pathway Open House of the season this Sunday February 21st from 11AM-1PM at the Acme Trailhead. Stop by for a warm drink, homemade baked goods, and a warm fire before or after your ski.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #51
2/16/2010
Roger started grooming this morning at 5:00AM with the LMC. As of 7:15 he has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and is now heading out on the 25K loop. He reports that about 2 inches of new snow has fallen since we finished the last groom about 6:00PM on Sunday afternoon. He is setting new Classic tracks on all loops. He reports that everything is going well and the trail looks great.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #50
2-14-2010
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Well Mother Nature decided to mess with us again. After not receiving much new snow for several weeks, 3-4 inches fell on the Vasa Trail during the groom and before the race. Paul and Glen started grooming about 8:00PM on Friday night and had finished with the LMC about 3:30AM. It had started snowing while they were out there and was still snowing when they finished. They decided that there was not enough time to groom with the LMC again so they decided to wait and see how much more snow fell before race time. At about 6:00AM they headed back out with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s to pack and work in the new snow before the Vasa racers hit the trail. They finished at 9:30 (about 40 minutes before the first Classic skier finished and not too far ahead of the top 50K freestyle skiers finishing their first lap). There was not enough time to reset the Classic tracks so hopefully Bud’s fantastic crew of forerunners was able to save the day for the Classic skiers.
Roger and I will start grooming for the Gran Travers and the Valentine’s Day tour starting at 4:00AM. We will be setting two sets of Classic tracks on a portion of the Vasa Trail and they will be there most of the day. To see which parts of the trail will be double tracked please visit the Vasa website @ http://www.vasa.org/map-grantraverse.html If you are planning on skating today, please respect the tracks and either double pole in the tracks in these areas or get out your Classic skis and enjoy the tracks either racing or touring. For more information on race or the tour visit the Vasa website @ http://www.vasa.org/images/tourposter.jpg There will also be plenty of trail that is groomed in the normal single track/skating lane configuration for you to enjoy. After the last 6K racer has left Timber Ridge at approximately 9:15AM we will re-groom the Headwaters trail then proceed to the 25K loop before the tour starts. After the tour, we will re-groom the remainder of the trail in the normal configuration.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #49
2-12-2010
I will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 6:00AM with the snowmobile and Ginzu. I will be leaving the existing Classic tracks and touching up the skating lane. I will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters trail,11K loop and 25K loop. I will be checking out the entire trail system and if need be repairing any questionable spots before the Vasa race grooming starts tonight with the LMC.
Paul and Glen will start grooming later tonight for the Vasa race tomorrow using the LMC. They will be setting Classic tracks on all loops and tilling up some of the older snow to mix in with the 4-6 inches of new snow we have received over the past couple of days.
Good luck to all Vasa skiers. The conditions should be excellent.
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Grooming Report #48
Hi Skiers,
Dave M is finally back from his travels abroad and made the complete groomfrom Suttons Bay to Traverse City this morning. He groomed with the newGinzu and set the trail up with classic tracks and a skate lane in the middle.
Warning: Near Dalzell Rd, someone has snowplowed the trail again (the second time that we are aware of this winter.) We don't know who is doing it, but it is counter to our grooming efforts. So, if anyone lives in that area and
has clues for us, let us know. I'm sure that whoever is plowing the trail
thinks they are doing us a favor and a simple phone call could clear this
misunderstanding up.
Enjoy the trails and good luck Vasa skiers!
Missy
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #47
2-11-2010
Glen started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 5:15AM using the
snowmobile and Ginzu. As of 7:00AM he has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail
and the 11K loop and is now grooming the 25K loop. He is leaving the
existing Classic tracks that were set yesterday and mixing up the new 2-3
inches of snow that fell since yesterdays groom with the existing base.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #46
2-9-2010
After Paul finished grooming yesterday morning it started to snow. This was
a good thing for the trail as the new snow had something to stick to other
than a hard packed trail. It was not necessarily good for skiing since the
new snow was cold and slow.
Roger and I will start grooming at 5:30AM using the snowmobiles and Ginzu's.
With the weather forecast not predicting a lot of new snow between now and
this weekend we do not want to till up the existing base any more than we
have to. We plan on using the LMC to groom for both Saturday and Sundays
races and we do not want to over till the base. We will mix the new snow we
received since yesterday morning with the top layer of the existing base. We
will attempt to set new Classic tracks with the Ginzu's but if there is not
enough new snow they may be shallow. We will have to see how it goes and if
the new tracks are not as good as the existing tracks we will just leave the
old tracks. We will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and 25K loop.
We will be grooming in a counter clockwise direction which is the opposite
direction we normally travel to attempt to redistribute the snow that has
been pushed down the hills by the skiers. If you are planning on an early
ski watch for us coming up the hills as you are going down. There is not a
lot of room to get by the grooming equipment so wait for us to get to the
top before you ski down.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #45
2-8-2010
Paul will start grooming the Vasa Trail Tuesday morning using the snowmobile and Ginzu at 5:00AM. He will be leaving the existing Classic tracks (which are still in very good shape) and touching up the skating lane. He will follow the normal grooming pattern starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and 25K loop. He will finish on the 3K Meadows Trail. With the extra use the Headwaters Trail receives he may decide to make two passes over that section to help smooth it out a little better.
Hopefully no one will ever need this but thanks to William Lee DDS, Mike Tarnow, Mike Aja, and Russell VanHouzen - Timber Ridge now has a defibrillator that is available for Vasa Pathway skiers in the event that they might need one.
Think Snow
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #44
2-7-2010
I will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning using the snowmobile and Ginzu. I will follow the normal grooming pattern starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and 25K loop. I will be leaving the existing Classic tracks and touching up the skating lane.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #43
2-6-2010
Glen started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 5:00AM using the snowmobile and Ginzu. He has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and is now grooming the 25K loop. He reports that no new snow has fallen since the last groom. He is leaving the existing Classic tracks and touching up the skating lane. It should be a great day to ski.
Good luck to all of the White Pine skiers.
Jim
Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #42
Roger started grooming the Leelanau Trail this morning at 8:00am. He reports the trail has thin coverage between the Cherry Bend Trailhead and Dalzell (which can be attributed to someone having plowed it early on.) The trail conditions will be optimal immediately after he finishes, since the forecast is for temperatures in the low 30’s. The North American Vasa Sprints will be held on Sunday at Hickory Hills Meadows at the top of Randolph Street from 1-5. The sprints kick off Vasa Week and are open to all skiers free of charge. You can register online at www.vasa.org or starting at noon on the day of the race. Whether you compete or attend as a spectator you’ll have time to get home before the big game.
It’s February in northern Michigan with lots of great ski events all month long!
Enjoy the trails and sunshine,
Pam
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #41
2/3/2010
With the additional 2 inches of snow we received since Roger groomed
yesterday morning we are convinced that we can once again groom with the
LMC. Paul will start grooming on Thursday morning at 5:30AM. He will be
mixing the new snow with the existing base and resetting the Classic tracks
on all loops except for the 3K Meadows Trail. He will start on the 5K
Headwaters trail, 11K loop and finish with the 25K loop.
With no new snow predicted through the weekend we will most likely go back
to the snowmobiles and Ginzu's for the next couple of grooms to touch up the
skating lane and leave the Classic tracks. The recent snow came just in time
as the Classic tracks were getting pretty worn out from the last time they
were set.
Think Snow
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #40
2-1-2010
Roger will start grooming the Vasa Trail on Tuesday morning at 5:30AM. Since we have not received any significant snow recently he will be using the snowmobile and Ginzu to touch up the skating lane and leave the existing Classic tracks. He will follow the normal grooming pattern starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and 25K loop. He will finish with the 3K Meadows Trail.
Think Snow
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #39
1-31-2010
I will start grooming the Vasa Trail system this morning at 5:00AM. I will start on the 11K Trail then move onto the 25K loop. I will finish on the 5K Headwaters Trail so that I can attempt to remove a couple of stumps that are close to the trail. I want to do this in the daylight. I will be using the snowmobile and Ginzu and just touching up the skating lane. I will leave the existing Classic tracks on all loops.
We are using the Ginzu so that we can leave as much of the base undisturbed as possible. Using the LMC without new snow requires tilling up to much of the base to set Classic tracks. Eventually this will diminish the depth of the base. It also causes the snow in the base to lose its characteristics. As they say at the ABR Grooming clinic “If your tilling, you are killing”. We do not want to kill our base. Using the Ginzu allows us to still have very good to excellent skiing conditions and not kill our base.
The third TART Trails Vasa Open House was a huge success with many skiers stopping by for a warm beverage and some homemade baked goods. Thanks to Gail and Dick for serving drinks and keeping the fire going and to all of the volunteer bakers who supplied the goodies. They were well received.
Thanks,
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #38
1-29-2010
Paul will start grooming the Vasa trail tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 6:00AM. If we receive enough fresh snow overnight he will use the LMC if not he will touch up the skating lane with the snowmobile and Ginzu. He will reset Classic tracks if he uses the LMC and leave the existing tracks if he uses the Ginzu. He will do the normal groom pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. If there is enough snow he will groom the 3K Meadows Trail as well.
If you are skiing and notice any tire tracks or vehicles on the trail please take pictures and get as much information as you can to turn into the Sherriff’s department to help with the investigation of the recent vandalism on the Vasa Trail. If you have any information or see any vehicles please call the Grand Traverse Sherriff’s Department at 922-4550.
Don’t forget the TART Trails Vasa Open House at the Acme Trailhead on Saturday from 11-1. A hot fire, warm drinks and homemade cookies and other snacks will be available.
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Grooming Report #37
1-29-2010
Glen started grooming at 8:00 am this morning on the Leelanau Trail. He reported that Mark has fine tuned the new Ginzu Groomer, so it’s laying down a great trail surface. Despite getting stuck in some 3-foot drifts near Lakeview Road (where he had to dig out with a shovel), Glen reports that the trail is in great shape! The Leelanau Trail is groomed for classic and skating all the way from 4th Street in Suttons Bay to Cherry Bend Road in Traverse City.
Have a great weekend,
Missy
PS. Don’t forget about the trail open house at the Vasa trailhead tomorrow from 11-1:00.
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #36
1-28-2010
Roger started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 5:30AM using the LMC. He has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and is now on the 11K loop and will then move on to the 25K loop. He will decide on whether to groom the 3K Meadows trail after all other loops are finished. He reports about 2 inches of new snow has fallen since the last groom on Tuesday. He is attempting to reset Classic tracks on all loops but the lack of new snow is making it difficult so they may be shallow in spots.
Tuesdays groom with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s turned out pretty well. We were not able to remove all of the ruts left by skiers who ventured out onto the trail during the recent warm weather. The areas that seemed to be the most affected were on the 11K loop between the 4K post and the 7K post with some other parts of the trail rutted as well. We were able to mix in the new snow with the old base since the base had not had a chance to refreeze completely before we started our groom and the teeth on the Ginzu were able to penetrate the surface.
TART will host the third Vasa Trail Open House of the season this Saturday from 11AM to 1PM at the Acme Trailhead off Bartlett Rd. Stop by after you ski for a warm drink, homemade cookie and a warm fire.
For those of you that are headed to Marquette for the Noque this weekend, good luck and have a great race.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #35
1-26-2010
Paul and I will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 7:30AM. We will be using the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s to attempt to remove the ruts left from any skiers or other trail users who ventured out during the recent warm spell as well as mix in the little new snow that fell overnight. We will also try to fill in any bare spots that may have appeared and remove any large debris from the trail. We will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. The 3K Meadows Trail may have lost too much snow to groom. We will only be working on the skating lane and will need to leave the existing Classic tracks until we receive more snow.
Think Snow.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #34
1-22-2010
Glen and Roger plan on grooming the Vasa Trail on Saturday morning starting
at 6:00AM. They will be touching up the skating lane and will leave the
existing Classic tracks. They will be grooming with both snowmobiles and
Ginzu's following each other. They will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail,
11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. The 3K Meadows Trail was touched up
this afternoon.
The best skiing of the weekend will probably be in the morning as
temperatures are predicted to rise during the day with rain predicted on
Sunday.
Recent vandalism on the Vasa trail has made the news. Fridays Traverse City
Record Eagle carried a story on the front page and TV 9/10 visited the trail
on Friday afternoon to film some footage. A generous TART supporter has
offered a $500.00 reward for information leading to the arrest and
conviction of the vandals. The DNR Conservation Officer has been notified of
the problem and the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department has indicated
they will step up patrols. If you missed the story in the Traverse City
Record Eagle you can follow this link
http://www.record-eagle.com/local/local_story_022073719.html Hopefully this
will lead to an arrest or at least discourage future vandalism.
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Grooming Report #33
1-22-2010
Hello skiers,
The sunshine is out again today! Wow, it must be a January record! Paul just
called in to report that he's grooming the Leelanau Trail today with our
brand new ginzu groomer (that was just delivered late this week)! The trail
is being groomed for classic and skate skiing. He started grooming from
Suttons Bay and just called as he was turning around at the Cherry Bend
trailhead to head back.
With each groom, the trail should get better (and some new snow would really
help too)! The trail will be all set for weekend use, so get out there and
give it a try.
Happy Friday,
Missy
PS. The Record Eagle did a story about the recent vandalism on the Vasa
Pathway and we made the front page. A generous TART supporter offered a $500
reward for the arrest and conviction of the suspect. Read on.
http://www.record-eagle.com/local/local_story_022073719.html
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #32
1-20-2010
For those of you who skied this morning you may have noticed some 4 wheel
drive damage on the 10K trail (you couldn't miss it). That damage has been
repaired and the trail is now skiable again. Some of the emails that TART
received today stated that it was the worst damage ever on the Vasa Trail.
Believe me it wasn't. This is typical of the damage that is repaired by the
groomers before most skiers even arrive at the trailhead every time a 4
wheel drive vehicle wanders onto the trail. Luckily it was cold and hard
enough that they did not go all the way through to the dirt. This damaged
was deliberate and not caused by a poor lost driver. They destroyed signs
and pulled others out of the ground and threw them in the woods. TART has
been in contact with the DNR and Grand Traverse County Sheriffs Dept. and
are working on a plan to halt this destruction. More details will be
forthcoming soon.
On a positive note the temperatures have remained below freezing and I will
start grooming tonight about 9:00PM. I will be using the LMC and grooming
the trail in a counterclockwise direction. I will start on the 25K loop, 11K
loop and finish on the 5K Headwaters Trail. I will not go through the
section of the 25K loop between the 4K post and the 7K post because of the
thin base in portions of that section. I will reset Classic tracks on all
loops. The base is very hard and I will need to go slow to penetrate the
base to help level out the trail. The Classic tracks may be shallower than
usual because of this but they will be the best possible for the conditions.
Looking at the extended forecast, this may be the last time we can get the
LMC out until early next week. We will continue to groom whenever possible
with the snowmobile and Ginzu's to provide the best possible conditions.
Think Snow
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #31
1-18-2010
Temperatures on Saturday night/Sunday morning dropped to 16 degrees on parts
of the Vasa Trail. This caused the trail to set up very hard and Roger had
trouble penetrating the surface with the Ginzu teeth on Sunday morning.
Today's warmer temperatures and some new snow predicted overnight may be
just what the groomers ordered to get the trail back in shape.
Paul will start grooming with the snowmobile and Ginzu tomorrow morning
around 7:00AM. He will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and 25K
loop. If there is enough snow on the 3K meadows trail he will touch that up
as well. He will only be trying to scratch up the skating lane and will
leave the existing Classic tracks. Until we get some more snow we cannot
improve the tracks.
Think Snow
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #30
1-16-2010
Temperatures have already dropped below freezing and Roger plans to start
grooming the Vasa Trail at 5:30 Sunday morning. He will once again be using
the snowmobile and Ginzu to touch up the skating lane and leave the existing
Classic tracks. He will start on the 5K Headwaters trail, 11K loop and
finish on the 25K loop. He will check out the 3K Meadows trail to see if the
snow is sufficient to groom that loop as well.
Thanks to everyone who joined us for the TART Trails Vasa Open House today.
And thanks to Steve, Bob and Doug for helping to serve the drinks and keep
the fire going and to everyone who prepared the delicious cookies, brownies
and bars.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #29
1-15-2010
Glen will start grooming the Vasa trail Saturday morning starting at 6:00AM.
He will be using the snowmobile and Ginzu to touch up the skating lane. He
will leave the existing Classic tracks. He will start with the 5K Headwaters
Trail, 11K loop and 25K loops. If the 3K Meadows trail is still covered he
will make a pass over that loop as well.
The best skiing will be early and when you finish be sure to stop by to get
something warm to drink and try a homemade cookie or two or other snack at
the TART Trails Vasa Open House being held at the Acme Trailhead from
11:00AM to 1:00PM.
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Grooming Report #28
1-15-2010
Hi skiers,
Groomer Jim got a change of scenery today and groomed the Leelanau Trail
from Suttons Bay to Cherry Bend and back. He groomed with the snowmobile and
ginzu groomer. The trail is groomed with 2 classic tracks on either side
with a skating lane in the middle.
Jim passed 12 happy skiers while out on the trail today. He said to use
caution near Shady Lane where there are some thin spots due to drifting.
The trail is in great shape for the weekend. As evidenced by the picture in
this report, I enjoyed the Leelanau Trail this past weekend.
Have a great weekend.
Think Snow,
Missy
P.S. TART Open House on Vasa Pathway- Just in case you didn't get enough
free hot cocoa last Saturday as part of Winter Trails Day, we're planning
another TART Open House this Saturday January 16 from 11:00-1:00 at the Vasa
Pathway trailhead. Go for a ski or snowshoe and when you are done you can
warm up by the bonfire, nosh on homemade cookies and sip a warm beverage! It
doesn't get any better than that!
P.P.S. Groomer Jim also wrote about "the
<http://inspiringactiveliving.com/2010/01/14/the-perfect-groom-almost/>
perfect groom" on our blog. Check it out.
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #27
1-13-2010
Assuming the weatherman is correct and the temperatures remain below freezing overnight Paul will start grooming the Vasa Trail with the snowmobile and Ginzu in the morning at 6:00AM. He will be touching up the skating lane and leaving the existing Classic tracks (sorry Classic skiers it looks like you will be stuck with the tracks I set yesterday for awhile). He will start on the 5K Meadows Trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. If the trail looks OK when he finishes he will touch up the 3K Meadows Trail as well.
If you have not done so already, please check out TART’s new blog. Below is an excerpt from a recent post by Becky Kalajian. For the complete post and more of Becky’s blogs visit: www.inspiringactiveliving.com
Think Snow
Jim
Manning Up to Jack Pine
by Becky Kalajian
Jack Pine serves up sweat and terror in three short kilometers, making it a special place for those who ski it.
There’s something special about Jack Pine.
It’s far enough away from things that you know the people you run into out there are geeks like you.
It serves up enough pain to make you think twice about going there, but enough downhill to frighten you in that good, roller coaster way.
Hey, I won’t lie. Jack Pine is tempting to pass by, especially coming from the Bunker Hill parking lot, but it’s always been worth it. What other ski hill’s got an oil drill pumping away next to it? And who doesn’t love a good shock when other skiers are barreling at you? Makes you actually think about your skiing, especially after that long autopilot from the Rock or Timber Ridge.
So for those of you who make Jack Pine a part of your ski routine, way to man up. And next time you see a skier hesitating about taking the plunge, just shout, “You don’t know JACK!” as you bomb down that first hill. If nothing else, you'll make a lasting impression.
For more of Becky's blogs, visit www.inspiringactiveliving.com.
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #26
1-12-2010
The repairs on the LMC held together for Glen on his Saturday night groom. I will start grooming with the LMC this morning at 4:15AM. I will groom all trails and reset Classic tracks mixing in the new snow we received yesterday with the existing base. I will start with the 5K Meadows Trail, 11K loop, 25K loop and finish with the 3K Meadows Trail.
Brick Wheels Wax Clinic
Join Roger Putman for a clinic focusing on glide waxing and structure. All levels welcome.
Wednesday, January 13 from 6-8PM
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #25
1-9-10
The TART Trails / Vasa Ski Club Winter Trails Day was a huge success. Thanks
to everyone who attended and to all who helped make it a great day including
the volunteer ski instructors, the volunteer cookie bakers, the Open House
volunteers, Brick Wheels, The Vasa Ski Club, everyone else who helped out,
and Mother Nature for a beautiful sunny day.
Doug had problems this morning with the tiller and track setter so that some
parts of the trail had less than perfect Classic tracks. Glen, Roger, and I
worked on the problem this afternoon and we believe it has been repaired. We
tried it out on the 3K Meadows trail after the repairs and it worked fine.
Glen started grooming at 7:00PM tonight and will attempt to re-groom all
loops starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K
loop. He will reset Classic tracks on all loops. He will be stopping
frequently to check the repairs and if he notices anything wrong he will
return to the barn and not finish the groom.
Vasa/Timber Ridge Open House & Vasa Ski Club Potluck Sunday, January 10,
12-5 pm at Timber Ridge Resort on Hammond Road Free skiing all day! Bring
your friends and enjoy some social skiing. Group lessons are available from
Vasa Ski Club members by contacting Todd Vigland at tvigl...@gtrlc.org
<mailto:tvigl...@gtrlc.org%3cmailto:tvigl...@gtrlc.org> . Top off a great
day of skiing with an après ski potluck at 5 pm at Timber Ridge. Bring a
dish to pass, libation of choice and good cheer.
You can also use the following links for more information:
http://www.vasaskiclub.com/events-72-2010-01-10.html
http://www.timberridgeresort.net/calendar/viewEvent.php?eventNumber=71
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #24
1-8-10
Doug will start grooming with the LMC tomorrow morning at 6:00AM. He will
groom all trails with the possible exception of the 3K Meadows Trail. If
there is insufficient snow cover to groom the entire trail he will at least
groom the flat section for the ski lessons. He will start on the 5K
Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finish with the 25K loop. He will reset
Classic tracks on all loops.
Roger repaired some four wheel drive damage near the Holiday Hills Rd.
crossing during his last groom on Wednesday. The frequency of this damage
seems to be increasing over the past couple of years. It is hard to catch
the violators since most of the damage seems to occur late evening/early
morning when there are no skiers on the trail. It also occurs at different
days of the week and at different sections of the trail. Just be careful if
you ski after dark since these vehicles can do a lot of damage and cause
dangerous conditions on the trail especially on the downhill’s.
Please remember to join us at the Acme Trailhead tomorrow from 11:00AM to
1:00PM for Winter Trails Day presented by TART Trails and the Vasa Ski
Club. There will be skiing lessons, snowshoe lessons, free rental equipment
provided by Brick Wheels, as well as free hot drinks, snacks, cookies and a
warm fire. Please check the TART or Vasa Ski Club website for more details.
Vasa/Timber Ridge Open House & Vasa Ski Club Potluck
Sunday, January 10, 12-5 pm at Timber Ridge Resort on Hammond Road
Free skiing all day! Bring your friends and enjoy some social skiing. Group
lessons are available from Vasa Ski Club members by contacting Todd Vigland
at tvigl...@gtrlc.org. Top off a great day of skiing with an après ski
potluck at 5 pm at Timber Ridge. Bring a dish to pass, libation of choice
and good cheer.
You can also use the following links for more information:
http://www.traversetrails.org/blog/winter-trails-day/
http://www.vasaskiclub.com/news-28.html
Looks like a great weekend to get out to ski and socialize.
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Grooming Report #23
1-7-2010
Leelanau Trail
Paul loaded up the Ginzu from the Vasa Pathway this morning and drove it up
to Suttons Bay where he hitched it to our snowmobile up there. He started
grooming the Leelanau Trail with the Ginzu this morning at 11:00AM.
Conditions look good and he expects to finish up by 5:00PM today. This is
the first official groom on the Leelanau Trail this season and the trail
will be groomed all the way from Suttons Bay to the Cherry Bend Trailhead.
To date, Mark has just been packing the trail with our snowmobile. So please
get out there and give it a ski! Let us know how it holds up.
The Vasa crew will be filling in on the Leelanau Trail until we get our new
groomer delivered later this month. Our volunteers who are clearing the
trailheads (Fourth Street in Suttons Bay, Fouch Road and Cherry Bend Road in
Traverse City) have made sure that the parking lots are free of snow. Clear
parking lots and a groomed trail, now all we need are skiers to come out and
enjoy it!
Please remember to join us at the Vasa Pathway Trailhead this Saturday at
11:00AM to 1:00PM for Winter Trails Day presented by TART Trails and the
Vasa Ski Club. There will be skiing lessons, snowshoe lessons, free rental
equipment provided by Brick Wheels, as well as free hot drinks, snacks,
cookies and a warm fire. Please check the TART
<http://www.traversetrails.org/blog/winter-trails-day/> or Vasa Ski Club
<http://www.vasaskiclub.com/news-28.html> website for more details and to
sign up for lessons or equipment. (If you need equipment, please call TART
at 941-4300 as soon as possible. Supplies are limited.)
Missy
P.S. Becky Kalajian has been full of skiing banter on TART
<http://inspiringactiveliving.com/> ’s blog. You’ll laugh out loud when you
read Don
<http://inspiringactiveliving.com/2010/01/07/don%e2%80%99t-ski-on-yell...
w/> ’t ski on yellow snow and you may be able to relate to her pain in Ski
<http://inspiringactiveliving.com/2010/01/07/ski-conditions-go-from-ma...
otatoes-to-creme-brulee-%e2%80%93-with-a-catch/> Conditions Go from Mashed
Potatoes to Crème Brulee – with a Catch Enjoy and have fun out there.
That’s what it’s all about.
Missy Luyk, Trail Program Specialist
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #22
1-6-2010
Roger started grooming the Vasa Trail with the LMC this morning at 5:30AM.
Conditions (freezing rain at the start) and problems with the hydraulics on
the LMC tiller have resulted in some delays. As of 8:30AM he was finished
with the 5K Headwaters trail and was at the 11K/25K split on the way to
finish up the 11K loop. Assuming everything goes well from now on he will
finish the 11K loop and head out on the 25K loop. Needless to say he will
finish up much later than normal. If you ski this morning or early afternoon
your chances of meeting the groomer are very good. Please remember to not
ski too close to the back of the groomer and to step completely off the
trail if you meet it head on.
Please remember to join us at the Acme Trailhead this Saturday at 11:00AM to
1:00PM for Winter Trails Day presented by TART Trails and the Vasa Ski
Club. There will be skiing lessons, snowshoe lessons, free rental equipment
provided by Brick Wheels, as well as free hot drinks, snacks, cookies and a
warm fire. Please check the TART or Vasa Ski Club website for more details
and to sign up for lessons or equipment.
You can also use the following links for more information:
http://www.traversetrails.org/blog/winter-trails-day/
http://www.vasaskiclub.com/news-28.html
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Grooming Report #21
1-4-10
Mark tackled the snow on the Leelanau Trail this weekend. He packed the trail on Saturday and Sunday with the snowmobile from Suttons Bay to Traverse City. The new ginzu groomer is set to arrive on January 20, but now that the LMC is in use on the Vasa Pathway, we are working out plans to transfer one of our existing ginzu’s to the Leelanau Trail. We’ll keep you posted!
Also, for those of you who overindulged over the holidays and were painfully reminded of it on your New Year’s Day ski, you can definitely relate to Becky Kalajian’s latest blog post on TART’s new blog http://inspiringactiveliving.com/
Enjoy the snow!
Missy
PS. Don’t forget about the fun we’ve got planned for Winter Trails Day on Saturday. See the complete scoop here.
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #20
1-4-2010
Glen reported up to 21 inches of snow had accumulated on parts of the Vasa trail since Doug and Paul groomed on Saturday morning. He also reported that 3-4 inches of new snow had fallen on the 5K portion of the trail that he started on before he finished. Since the snow continued to fall during most of the day on Sunday I will be grooming this morning starting at 5:00AM using the LMC. I will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finish on the 25K loop. I will make a pass over the 3K Meadows trail when I finish with the other loops. I will reset Classic tracks on all loops.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #19
1-3-2010
Glen started grooming with the LMC this morning at 5:30AM. He reported about
2-3 inches of new snow had accumulated since the last groom yesterday
morning. He will be starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and
finish on the 25K loop. He will be resetting Classic tracks on all loops. He
will decide if he will groom the 3K Meadows Trail when he returns to the
trailhead.
Just a reminder, if you catch up with the LMC while you are skiing please
stay back away from the tiller. We will see you and stop when it is safe to
do so. If you meet the groomer on the trail we will stop and shut off the
tiller so you can go around us or if the snow is too deep you will need to
get off the trail far enough so that we can get past you with the tiller
stopped. The tiller is turning at high speed and will pull anything close
into it to grind it up.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #18
1-2-2010
Doug started grooming this morning at 6:15AM using the LMC. He will be starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and finishing on the 25K loop. They will reset Classic tracks on all loops. Enough new snow has fallen to allow them to get the LMC back out on the trail.
Paul will be using the snowmobile, Roller and Ginzu to groom the 3K Meadows Trail.
Jim
TART Trails Leelanau Trail Grooming Report #17
12/31/09
Hello skiers,
Mark called in today to let us know that he groomed the Leelanau Trail from
Suttons Bay to Cherry Bend Road yesterday. He reports that the best
conditions are from Shady Lane north to Suttons Bay. Between Lakeview to Co
Rd 641 are many bare spots due to drifting. Thanks Mark for all your hard
work!
In Jim's last grooming report, he mentioned TART
<http://inspiringactiveliving.com/> 's new blog but he didn't talk about the
exciting posts about skiing on the Vasa Trail. I promise that you'll get a
kick out of Becky Kalajian's posts titled When
<http://inspiringactiveliving.com/2009/12/28/when-stars-align-and-othe...
cles-in-east-bay-township/> Stars Align and other Miracles in East Bay
Township and Oh
<http://inspiringactiveliving.com/2009/12/18/oh-conditioning-where-art...
can certainly relate!
Enjoy the trails and Happy New Year!
Missy
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #16
12-31-2009
Glen started grooming this morning using the snowmobile and Ginzu. He will be touching up the skating lane on all loops and leaving the existing Classic Tracks. He reports about a half inch of new snow and temperature near freezing. He will follow the normal grooming pattern starting with the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop and 25K loop.
Check out the new TART Trails blog @ http://inspiringactiveliving.com
Happy New Year from all of the TART Vasa Groomers,
Doug, Paul, Glen, Roger and Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #15
12-29-2009
Paul started grooming the 1-3 inches of new snow that fell on the Vasa Trail this morning at 6:00AM. He is using a snowmobile and Ginzu. As of 8:30AM he has finished the 5K Headwaters Trail and the 11K loop and is now heading out on the 25K loop. He reset the Classic tracks on the 5K and 11K loops and will decide if he will reset the tracks on the 25K loop after he gets out there.
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #14
12-27-2009
Doug and Roger started grooming the 5K Headwaters Trail this morning at 5:30AM with snowmobiles and Ginzus. As of 8:00AM they have finished the 5K and 11K loops and were near the 11K post on the 25K. They have been trying to reset the Classic tracks but lack of snow and a hard base have been making it difficult. They report that the tracks are better on the 25K loop because of a little more snow that fell in that area. They also report that the trail is bumpier because of the snow that fell out of the trees during the recent warm weather and then froze in piles after it turned cold. They are doing the best they can to remove the bumps but it will take more snow and additional grooms to wipe them out entirely.
Jim
TART Trails Grooming Report #13
12-26-2009
After checking the conditions today we have decided to wait until morning to do any grooming. The snow has crusted over but remains slushy underneath. Waiting will allow the snow to firm up and hopefully we will get some additional accumulation.
Doug and Roger plan on starting early tomorrow morning probably using the snowmobiles and Ginzus. If the trail firms up enough and we get more snow they will try to use the LMC.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #12
12-24-2009
Roger spent most of the morning and early afternoon repairing 4 wheel drive vehicle damage on the Vasa Trail. The damage occurred along the 3K Meadows Trail and across the bridge and reverse direction on the 11K loop to the second power line crossing. He went out and made three passes over the damaged area with the snowmobile and Ginzu resetting the Classic tracks on the final pass. He also touched up the skating lane on the 5K Headwaters Trail.
While he was out there he learned of an injured skier at the 11K/25K split area near the 4K post. He rode out to bring in the injured skier and re-groomed that area as well to cover up his snowmobile tracks.
The forecast for tomorrow, Christmas Day does not look good for grooming with rain and above freezing temperatures predicted. The good news is that it is not predicted to stay around too long and snow is predicted for tomorrow night. Right now the plan is to wait until the ground refreezes and we receive some new snow accumulations.
Happy Holidays from all of the TART Groomers.
Paul, Doug, Glen, Roger, and Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #11
12-22-2009
I will start grooming the Vasa Trail with the LMC this morning at 4:00AM. I will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop, and 25K loop. I will finish on the 3K Meadows Trail if it looks like there is enough snow. I will be resetting the Classic tracks on all loops wherever possible.
If you are planning an early morning ski please watch for the groomer and don’t get too close behind it. We will see you and stop the machine and the tiller when it is safe to do so and let you pass by.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #10
12-20-2009
Some of you may have already received this report but because of some technical difficulties I am resending it.
Paul started grooming the Vasa Trail this morning at 6:00AM using the snowmobile and Ginzu. He touched up the skating lane and let the existing Classic tracks on all loops. He reported about one inch of new snow had fallen overnight and he mixed the new snow in with the existing base. He also reported that a snowmobile had ridden on a good portion of the trail overnight but had done minimal damage to the base. He was able to repair the damage except to a few spots where the snowmobile had run over the Classic tracks. He also reported that 4 wheel drive vehicles had left deep ruts where they have crossed the trail and that skiers should use caution in these areas. Please remember that if you do see any motorized vehicle ON THE TRAIL try to get their license or registration number and report them to the DNR or county sheriff’s office.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #9
Doug and I will start grooming this morning at 5:30AM. We will be switching back to the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s since the LMC brought up some dirt and there has been no new snow and a relatively warm Friday. We will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail, 11K loop, 25K loop and finish on the 3K Meadows trail if there is enough base on the 3K loop. We will reset the Classic tracks on all loops. Since we were able to get the LMC out on Wednesday the trail should be level and the Ginzu’s will freshen the corduroy and Classic tracks and the skiing should be very good for the weekend.
Jim
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #8
12-16-2009
Glen started grooming the Vasa trail at 7:00PM with the LMC. As of 9:00 he has finished the 5K Headwaters trail and the 11K loop and was heading out on the 25K loop. He is setting classic tracks wherever possible. He should be finished around midnight.
Skiers should notice a difference in the skiing and the trail should be flatter and firmer. The Classic tracks should also improve.
Jim
------------------------------------------------
Tart Trails Vasa Grooming Report #7
12-14-2009
Paul and Roger will start grooming the Vasa Trail at 6:00AM on Tuesday
morning. They will be using the snowmobiles and Ginzu's. They will start
with the 5K Headwaters Trail, then the 11K loop, 25K loop and finish on the
3K Meadows Trail. They will set new Classic tracks on all loops.
The base should have settled nicely after two days of warmer temperatures
and with the colder temperatures and new snow that is predicted the skiing
conditions should continue to improve.
Jim
-----------------------------------------------------------
12/14/09
TART Trails Grooming Report #6
Hello skiers!
Leelanau Update- Because we don’t have our new equipment for the Leelanau Trail (coming soon in January- a new Ginzu groomer with a tracksetter) the trail was packed with the snowmobile by Mark over the weekend. He packed the trail from Suttons Bay down to the first crossing of Cherry Bend (the S-curve) and had to turn around due to a downed tree (we’ve got a volunteer scheduled to clean that up this afternoon.) Mark reports that the trail is in great shape especially on the northern end (from Suttons Bay to Fort Rd) but has been torn up quite a bit by snowmobiles near Lakeview Road and Shady Lane. Mark reported seeing a handful of people skate skiing on the north end this weekend when he was out packing the trail.
Thanks a lot! We have 2 volunteers who came forward to plow the Cherry Bend and Fouch parking lots all winter- and they are all clear as of this weekend. Thanks to Paul Mauer and Mike Scharpf for picking up the slack!
Vasa Update: The trail will not be groomed today (those guys deserve a day off, but they are actually hard at work in the barn working on equipment maintenance--new battery, replacing a grooming light, etc.) Also, Jim wanted me to send out a caution: the trail may be icy due to the wintry mix that came down last night/this morning. So be careful out there. They plan on allowing the base to firm up again after yesterday’s warmer temperatures.
Snowmobiles are causing damage to both the Leelanau and Vasa groomed trails! If you are out there and see someone on a sled, please try to catch the registration number on the sled (I know, it’s difficult to catch when the sled is racing by). If you have a registration number, you can call the DNR at 922-5280 (for Vasa Pathway violations) or the Leelanau County Sheriff at 256-8800 (for Leelanau Trail trespassing) and report it. They will then call the sled owner and issue a warning and possibly a fine.
Have fun out there!
Missy
-----------------------------------------------
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #5
12-13-2009
Temperatures remained right around freezing overnight. I will start grooming this morning at 5:00 AM. I will just be touching up the skating lane with the snowmobile and Ginzu and leaving the existing Classic tracks. I will start on the 5K Headwaters Trail, then the 11K and the 25K. If the temperatures rise above freezing or it looks like I am damaging the base I will stop grooming and return to the trailhead.
Jim
-------------------------------------------------
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #4
12-11-2009
Roger and I managed to get the two Ginzu’s around the entire Vasa Trail system today. In spite of two full days of packing with snowmobiles the snow is still not adhering to the ground or itself as well as we had hoped. Still the trail is getting better every time we groom and today’s groom helped to fill in some of the rough spots and level out the trail. We set Classic tracks on the 3K, 5K, 11K and most of the 25K loops. Snow depths vary along the trail but the bench at the top of The Wall measured 15”on the seat. Packed snow on the trail measured between 2 and 4 inches. Three to seven inches of new snow fell since the last groom yesterday.
Paul and Glen will start grooming tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM with the snowmobiles and either a roller and a Ginzu or two Ginzu’s. Their groom should continue to fill in the low spots and help level the trail even further. They will be starting on the 5K Headwaters Trail, then the 11K and 25K. The 3K Meadows Trail was showing some vegetation and water coming through today in spots. So they may not groom that loop if we don’t get any new snow overnight. The skiing should be very good tomorrow so try to get out and enjoy the trail.
Jim
-----------------------------------------------
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #3
12-11-2009
We will start grooming the Vasa Trail this morning with the snowmobiles and Ginzu’s. We will try to set Classic tracks but if we are exposing dirt we will stop. We will not attempt to set any tracks on downhill’s yet. The plan is to start grooming around 6:30AM but first we need to repair the rear facing lights on the snowmobiles. They were both damaged over the past two days when they came in contact with low hanging snow laden branches. These lights are essential for the adjustment of the Ginzu blades and track setters when grooming in the darkness.
We plan to start grooming on the 5K Headwaters Trail, then move on to the 11K loop, then the 25K loop. We will finish on the 3K Meadows Trail. If we have received a lot of snow overnight on the trail, we may need to repack the trail with the snowmobiles again before we use the Ginzu’s.
The wet snow on Tuesday night/ Wednesday brought many branches down on the trail. Wednesday nights wind and snow brought more branches and some trees down. Each time we encounter debris on the trail we must stop get off the snowmobiles and remove it before we can continue. This added to the time it takes to complete the groom or packing. Wednesday it took two people 8 hours and Thursday is took two people 7 hours to finish the job.
Jim
-----------------------------------------------------
TART Trails Vasa Grooming Report #1
12-9-09
Roger and I will start packing the snow we received overnight this morning starting around 9 o’clock. With temperatures around freezing and wet snow it may not be possible to actually get any of the grooming equipment out on the trail without clogging the equipment. We won’t be able to tell until we start working with the snow to see how it reacts. So anyone that skis today may be skiing on snowmobile tracks.
With more snow and colder temperature in the forecast, packing now will improve the conditions in the future.
Jim
-----------------------------------------------------------------
12/5/2009
Vasa Snow Report.
There is not enough snow on the Vasa Trail to attempt any kind of grooming this morning. A few people were out skiing, but their skis were going through to the dirt below. They reported that the snow was slippery and were going to attempt to ski anyway. The ground below the snow is still soft so any grooming equipment on the trail would make the conditions worse while skier traffic will not hurt and will probably help in the long term. If you do ski be careful of the downhill’s. If it continues to snow today and tonight we may try to groom in the morning.
Jim
------------------------------------------------------------
12/4/09
Hello Grooming Badge supporters (from the 08-09 season),
With last night’s snow, it is perfect timing to send you all one last email to let you know that we will be purging last year’s Grooming Email list this morning and will be rebuilding the Email list with this year’s 09-10 supporters. (Thanks a ton to those who have already sent in their 09-10 grooming checks!) Haven’t done so yet? You can buy your badge online here.
It’s that time of year again when the TART grooming crew is preparing for their favorite season- ski season. We groom both the Vasa Pathway and Leelanau Trail for cross-country skiing.
Vasa update: We recently found out from the State that our grooming contract was renewed; however, the stipend for grooming reimbursements has been lowered. The partial reimbursement program has been cut back to 2 days a week (from 3 days in last year’s DNR contract.) During a typical week with adequate snowfall, TART groomers are generally out grooming the trails between 4-5 days a week and the new grooming contract does not cover all of TART’s costs.
Groomer Jim, said they might groom the Vasa Pathway tomorrow if it keeps snowing! If they do groom, they will go out during daylight hours to make sure that the ground is hard along the trail and they are not doing damage to the trail.
The grooming crew kept an eye on the recent logging on the Vasa Pathway between the 10 and 11K markers on the 25K trail. There were several stumps left behind by the logging contractor that the groomers flagged and Groomers Jim and Doug along with Gordon from Timber Ridge removed (just in time yesterday) them with a backhoe and a shovel. Thanks guys! The stumps could have been a problem once covered with snow and could have snagged and damaged our equipment.
FYI- Anyone who likes to start skiing at the Rock, Stromboli Road leading there is extremely torn up and rutted from the logging crew. As of yesterday, it seemed impassible with a normal vehicle unless the road gets re-graded. Use caution.
Leelanau update: With last year’s repeated equipment failure, the TART board approved the purchase of a new Ginzu groomer with a tracksetter for the Leelanau Trail. Unfortunately, the machine will not arrive until January. In the mean time, the trail will be packed with the snowmobile and when the Vasa trail can part with one of the Ginzu’s and we can arrange a trailer to transport the machine- it will be groomed for skating and classic. The good news is, when we receive new machine on the Leelanau Trail, we plan to groom the trail more regularly and have a viable skiing option for Leelanau County residents and folks who live on the west side of Traverse City who can’t always make it out to the Vasa.
We are again looking for volunteers to regularly plow the Cherry Bend and Fouch Road parking lots for us. Let us know if you can help us.
We hope to send many Grooming updates again this year! Last year at this time, we had already groomed 4 times. Let’s hope that we can have another snow-filled season!
Think snow!
Missy