Contact for grooming updates @ Vail Pass?

[mannix]

Hey all - trying to figure out what to do for Tgiving day (other than eat). Kinda want to go to VP to ski, but only if the Ptarmigan catroad is in. We were there Saturday, and there is a sled-path in place, but it'd be challenging with much more than a foot of new snow, as we're riding 2-up to get out.

It looks like it'll have a foot at least (if not already), which should be enough to get the cat through - it was close on Saturday.

Anyone know who to call to find out if they've groomed it yet? A groomer-cat was out Saturday, did not get the chance to talk to him - seems like he came from Camp Hale, up to Ptarm, then back down 1/4 mile, made the road across to the hut - he did not go down the other side through Wilder Gulch, nor up the ridge (either side) to the Ptarm hut.

I'll hopefully be driving by Wednesday, and the rec-area officially opens Friday, but I'm hoping to find out (in the event that I don't need to drive up there Wednesday) for sure that the Wilder Gulch road is in.

It'd sure be nice if everyone had their own sled, as the current trail is just fine riding solo - but with 2 on each sled, it gets tricky. Alas, we only have 2 sleds so far....

Who does the grooming for the VP area? Is it one of the clubs (Holy Cross Powderhounds?), or a government deal?

Either way, I like them. They do a great job, at least for us skiers;).



Thanks!



Iain

[stingray719]

Grooming starts November 26. Please share with your skiing friends that SNOWMOBILERS pay for the grooming. (last staurday a cross country skier told one of our party we were going to fast and making the road rough)

[mannix]

Hey Stingray - grooming has already started. They've already done from Camp Hale up to Ptarmigan Pass, and then over toward the big hut SW of Ptarm peak.

I'm trying to figure out who to call to find out what ELSE has been groomed.

I found this:

http://www.coloradosledcity.com/cont...search_results

seems like a good start.

As far as my skiing friends - yeah, we ski, but we're skiing off sleds, we all pay the daily fee. We get it.

I can't fathom why XC skiers would go to VP. I've done a fair bit of backcountry (non-sled-assisted) skiing, and I don't know why they go there. If they were on Shrine Pass Road, AFAIK, that's a motorized _ONLY_ zone.

If they're on a multi-use trail, well, it is not where I'd go, but multi-use is just that - regardless of who pays for what, they've got every right to be there.

It is a two way street, literally and figuratively. For every five sledders I see who slow down and are courteous and respectful, I see one who *IS* going too fast/being a jackass. Hell, just yesterday, I watched a sledder drive up an icy parking lot, throttle wide open or close to it, track spinning on the ice, making all KINDS of noise, spraying chunks of ice and rock everywhere, within 20' of a group of skiers/snowshoers getting ready to go walk around.

We got loaded up, rode by the same group of people. It WAS icy, but you could roll along with light throttle and get there Just Fine.

We all pay for it. My friends know that. I'm not friends with all the XC skiers; when we go backcountry skiing without sleds, we're clever enough to go where the sleds cannot.

In my mind, it is ENTIRELY possible that the XC skier was being an unreasonable douchebag.

However, in my mind, it is ENTIRELY possible that you guys were going too fast.

I was not there, so I don't know, and I'm not passing judgment, but having been both the sledder AND XC/backcountry skier, having seen it from both sides, well, all I DO know is that ONE of the parties involved - XC skier or your friend - needs to have their speed-estimator recalibrated;). I don't know which, I don't even have a suspicion - MOST sledders are courteous, MOST XC skiers "get" it - if they're in a sled-OK area, they understand there may be SLEDS there.

Key word is "most."

Back to the point, though - does anyone know who to call? Kinda becoming a moot point; I'm driving by tomorrow and it *should* be in by Friday.

Hopefully, anyway! Snow is falling, things are looking good!



Iain

[stingray719]

Thanks for the response Ian.

Actually it was a group of about 10 XC skiers on Shrine Pass road AFTER DARK complete with required dogs...lol. I ALWAYS motor past slow as to not stir anything up.

Let me explain my view of XC skiiers at Vail Pass. Why would you go there unless your only goal was to cause hate and discontent? At least that is the case OR 4 out of 5 XC skiiers are azzhats. I try to be EXTRA courteous to them just to ruin there fun. But, the next one to hollar obscenities or flip me off I am going to stop and discuss etiquette in person

[mannix]

If they were on Shrine Pass ROAD, I _thought_ that was a "motorized ONLY" road - there's a parallel no-motor trail, AFAIK.

I've only had one truly negative experience with a sled while out walking around, one in every bunch, whatever. Virtually all of the sledders I've seen as a BC skier have done the right thing.

Riding my sled, though, well, yeah, there have been more than a few dirty looks/not waving back (I _always_ slow down and wave, like most of us), a couple of fist-shakers, and my favorite, the guy who intentionally blocked the trailer with his Subaru.

He took the time to tell us it was intentional.

ummmm, dude? Whatever, just parked the sleds behind his Subaru when we got back and moved the truck, took our merry time getting ready to leave. He did not show back up before we left, unfortunately.

Bah. Annoying. Half the problems (if not most of the problems....) would not be problems if people were not jerks out of "principle."



Iain

[XC]

Originally Posted by mannix

Half the problems (if not most of the problems....) would not be problems if people were not jerks out of "principle."



Iain

AMEN to that!!!