Tollgate Trailfinders Grooming Report
Grooming Report for Saturday, April 1, 2023
It's still snowing! 
Grooming Report for Saturday, March 25, 2023
Finally started getting cold Thursday night and snowing. We got some powder, 6 to 8 inches, on top of the wet snow the first of the week. Groomed today on the inner trails near the highway and in and out of the Snoparks. Temps were good at 19 early this morning and 28 when I finished at 10am. The outer trails were in good shape when I rode Wednesday on my snowmobile. It's going to warm up again by the first of this next week bringing our grooming program to a close for this year. A good year lots of snow to groom and Temps were better too. Next Saturday is April 1 so watch out for the 4x4s on the trails.
Thanks for the support.
Grooming Report for Saturday, March 17, 2023
The weather has changed to spring this week with rain and snow and warm temps above freezing during the mid day hours. We are grooming when we can in the early morning hours. We groomed to Bone shelter on 64rd, Elk trail, 3719rd, up through Spout to Woodland to Andes to 31rd and back Gordon loop, also Shumway Chalet loop, in and out of the Snoparks, to the store and back. We will groom as many trails as temps below freezing will allow us to do this next week.
Grooming Report for Saturday, March 11, 2023
We have groomed this week to both shelters and 31rd, Gordon Creek loop, Balloon Tree loop, 3719rd Coyote, Chalet Shumway loop, McIntyre loop, 64rd to Jubilee to Bone, back Skyline trail, Elk trail, to Spout, Woodland, to the store and back twice, in and out of all the Snoparks. We are no longer grooming around the viewpoint on Baldy due to severe drifting and Advailanche danger. We also groomed out 4x4 tracks in Jubilee road all the way to the turn off to Timothy. The tracks continue on down the road towards Timothy, be careful the ruts are deep.
Grooming Report for Friday, February 3, 2023
We started grooming this week on Monday while temps would be cold the first part of the week. We have been to both shelters, Bone Springs and Ruckle. Trails groomed include 31rd, Balloon Tree loop, Grodan Creek loop, up through Spout twice, Pole Trail, 3719Rd from the store to Spout, McIntyre loop, 64rd out to Jubilee, Skyline, Elk trail, Baldy mountain twice, down to the Chalet and back. In and out of all the Snoparks. Thanks to the McBrides and Gary for trimming brush on the Shumway Chalet loop. Should be able groom down there soon.
Thanks Jess Thompson TTF
Grooming Chairman
Grooming Report for Saturday, January 28, 2023
Good week of grooming.We groomed 64rd to Bone shelter, Skyline, 6411rd, 31rd to Ruckle, Balloon Tree loop, Gordan Creek loop, Andes Prairie, up through Spout to Woodland Snopark, Pole trail, 3719rd, McIntyre loop to the store, down to McDougall crossing and back, In and out of Morning Creek twice.
Grooming Report for Friday, January 20, 2023
With new snow on Wednesday of this week, 4 to 6 inches, both cats have been running the last 2 days. We have been to both shelters, 31rd, Balloon Tree loop, Gordan Creek loop, up through Spout, 64rd out to Baldy, Bone, 6411rd, Skyline, Elk trail, 3719 coyote trail, McIntyre loop, Target Meadows, in and out of all the Snoparks, store 2 trips, Morning creek snopark 2 trips. Nice to have cold temperatures the last 2 days, 10 degrees this morning, but warming up this weekend and snow in the forecast Saturday late afternoon. Thanks again to our drivers for being flexible with their time to groom when condictions are good for making smooth trails.
Jess Thompson, TTF Grooming Chairman
Grooming Report for Wednesday, January 11, 2023
We have been grooming the last 2 days after getting 6 to 8 inches of new snow Sunday and Monday. We have groomed to both shelters and all the main trails. That includes 64 Rd, 31 rd, Gordan Creek loop, Balloon Tree loop, 3719 Rd coyote loop, McIntyre loop, Target Meadows, 6411 Rd, Elk trail, Skyline, up through Spout, Pole Trail, In and out of all the Sno-Parks, to the store and back twice.
Thanks to the guys for getting all these trails done before the downturn in the weather starting tonight with rain and warm temps for the next 3 days.
Jess Thompson, TTF Grooming Chairman
Grooming Report for January 6, 2023
On the mountain today to check snow conditions and rode the VK snowmobile to see what the trails are like. The trails are in good shape especially the outer trails. The inner trails near the highway have choppy small bumps and all trails have a very hard base. We have not groomed since Monday when even the new tiller cat couldn't smooth the trails without new snow. We really need a dump of snow to smooth the trails. Temps the last several days have been a above freezing and today it was 40 degrees and last night it was a low of 33 degrees. I rode down to the Chalet and no surprise the snow is very thin since the rain before New Year's and not enough to groom. The forecast right now doesn't look good for daytime temps but there is snow coming next week, hopefully better conditions to groom.
Jess Thompson TTF Grooming Chairman
Grooming Report for Week of 12/30/22 - 1/4/2023
The weather forecast continues to deteriorate as a storm front comes in tonight through tomorrow. Forecast temps are going to be in the mid 30s with rain, snow and wind. The snow is hard like cement and doesn't groom as I found Monday when grooming early that morning The wet rain and slush from before New Year's froze and we have worn out the 4 inches of new snow we got after the freeze. We need new snow and cold temps on top of this to make smooth trails. The outer trails are still in good shape, but the inner trails near the highway have choppy bumps. I have reports of burned down engines and melted hyfax from the hard snow conditions. I will continue to watch weather conditions and groom when they improve.
Jess Thompson TTF Grooming Chairman
Grooming Report for Week of December 24-29, 2022
No surprise we have not done any grooming since the end of last week. Warm temps into the low 40s, freezing rain, and just plain rain has stopped us from doing any grooming. I was on the mountain yesterday and it was 40 degrees and raining, the snow was slush. Today it is in the mid 30s, rain showers with an inch of rain overnight. The weather is going to cool off in the next few days and start snowing again towards the end of the week. Hopefully we can do some grooming the end of this week.
Jess Thompson TTF Grooming Chairman
Grooming Report for Week of December 18-23, 2022
This week we have groomed 64 Rd to Bone Springs Shelter, Skyline Trail, Elk Trail, up through Spout to Andies Prairie, to 31 Rd to Ruckle Shelter and back Gordan Creek Trail, Balloon Tree loop. In and out of all the Snoparks and to the store and back.
The 20 cat now has a new driver side windshield which took a week to get with freight being so slow. Thanks to Marv's Glass for coming up the mountain to install the glass in this cold weather.
The weather starting tonight is going to be mixed, rain, freezing rain, snow and the freezing level going up and down all the way to 7700 feet. This weather will last into Tuesday. We will watch the weather and when conditions improve for grooming.
Merry Christmas
Jess TTF Grooming Chairman
Grooming Report for Friday, December 16, 2022
John from Tucker Snocat came and worked with us as we groomed 64 road to Jubilee to Bone Springs Shelter and back on Skyline Road, Elk Trail, and to Morning Creek Sno-Park and back. We will be grooming tomorrow on inner trails and Sno-Parks.
Grooming Report for Friday, December 9, 2022
Good week of grooming between the storms this week and cold temps helped set the trails. We have groomed all the highway crossings, Snoparks, and the trails to the shelters. Jubilee 64rd, Skyline, Elk Trail, McIntyre loop, 3719 Coyote loop, out through Spout to Andies prairie, 31rd, Gordan Creek loop, Balloon Tree loop, 6411rd. Also have been to the store. Next storm is coming in tonight with some high wind gusts, so watch for downed trees as we removed 5 today from the trails. The cats are running well so far with only minor problems. Remember the lower private land trails need a lot of brush cut back so we can groom and also make the trail safe to snowmobile.
Contact our club President to volunteer to help.
Thanks, Jess Thompson TTF Grooming
04/02/2022
For the month of March, we had a short grooming month as we had only 1 week of grooming weather. We had rain the first part of March and the last few weeks of March were in the 40's/50's during and day and not cold enough at night. Thanks to the guys this winter for again being flexible and generous with their time as we never knew what days we could groom and when we couldn't much in advance. We have a good team. Thanks to Jeff Wagner for posting the grooming reports weekly, and for the videos of our work he has taken. We lost probably 3 weeks of grooming during the season due to rain events and warm weather. Every year is a challenge, but this year seemed to be more so to try to groom. As usual, we had a late start in December, and an early finish to this season due to weather. Thanks for the club support helping cut some trees out of the trail, especially the big one out on Baldy.