Trail Report

Skiing today was superb. We had some skiers checking in to ski at 9 AM and they skied till 5 tonight …..with smiles. The temps never warmed up like the forecast and we got snow not rain! High temp today was 30 and it was down to 8 last night.

mar20-01

It has been snowing, we have a good inch on the ground and it is snowing now. The new snow will mix in with the old snow and ski well for the weekend. We will be out in the early AM hours resetting clssic tracks and powertilling skating/classic. We may not groom all 60 km but we will groom some nice skiing. Sunday looks very good for skiing as well.Don’t miss the Spring Party this weekend. Events start at 10 AM and go till 7 PM, see the schedule.

Trail Report

Spring skiing conditions today. The new snow mixed in well with the old snow. It was only 1/2 inch or so but it turned out real nice. Many reports are: “one of the nicest days this season”, “died and went to heaven”, “I need a cigarette”….etc. We have corn snow covering much of many of the trails. We are grooming aprotion every day with the Pisten Bully. What is groomed is skiing very well with a few dirt spots and thin areas, the ungroomed trails groomed the day before can be icy.We are moving our Spring Party up to this Saturday see the details online. We plan to close on Sunday, March 22nd at 5 PM.

Trail Report

We won’t mix the chocolate with the merde. It has been warm… highs today were 54 today and 51 yesterday. It is now 48 at 8 PM and I just groomed 18 km of trail although the air temp was 48 + the surface was freezing. I saw a few thin areas on the trail…and I saw many areas with over 1 foot of base. We did run the PB on 20 km of trail this morning. There is no cold dry powder, but there is spring corn snow. Since we groom daily and with the Pisten Bully the base is firm and the corn softens only about an inch at mid afternoon. Skaters find fresh cord and fast conditions at 9 and then the classic skiers find good classic towards late morning and into the afternoon….waxless and klister.
Season Passes now on sale: Buy your season pass now and ski free for the rest of this season. $105 Adults, $89 for Jr. and Sr., $270 for Families. This is a big savings from next year. We use the money for trail work.
This applies to the next few days. What will happen then? My guess is that we will have spring skiing through the weekend but we may not make it past then. We will continue grooming since we have snow, and lodging guests and season pass holders who are still skiing with nice spring skiing conditions. We may not make the next week….If you are thinking of skiing one last time you may want to make your way up North.

Trail Report

Staying at mid-winter conditions with cold dry powder, due to the last snow storm on Tuesday.
I skied today at 10 AM on green kick wax, nice glide with firm tracks. Nice glide….nice grip….sun was out. March is my favorite Month! Looks like a nice weekend forecast.


2009 Grooming Clinic Agenda

This year ABR will again be hosting the Midwest Grooming Clinic, Tuesday and Wednesday Jan 20th and 21st 2009. The format will be set the same as we have had the last 8 years with different topics as listed.

What is a Grooming Clinic?

For those of you who have not heard of the Clinic, let me try to describe it as a combination of a Clinic, Seminar, Workshop, Trade Show, and Show and Tell. You can take part, demo equipment, exchange ideas with the pro’s and vendors or you can browse the demo’s and watch and listen to the presentations. Groomers from the most experienced to novices are invited and have attended. Even veteran groomers will learn something if they keep an open mind. Speakers are invited from all over the country. Dress warm for the outdoor mornings and cooler for the afternoon indoor talks. Don’t forget to bring your ski clothes!

Costs

The cost for the Clinic is $150/person or vendor.

This includes printed grooming material and handouts, a 60 minute grooming DVD, rolls and coffee, lunch both days and the Tuesday night dinner. Trail use for grooming and/or skiing. Grooming Clinic instruction, clinic seminars, workshops, demo opportunity, etc.

We will have free ski rentals for all registered participants.

Lodging

Book your lodging and ask for the groomers clinic discount. Check the ABR website for lodging and links …www.abrski.com

Clinic Equipment

  1. 2008 Pisten Bully PB 100 with Bachelor Renovator
  2. 2007 Can Am ATV with a blade and Camoplast Tatou Tracks
  3. Small and Medium Tidd Tech G2 groomer with the scratchers
  4. Yellowstone Track System Ginzu Groomers 60”, 84”, 108”
  5. Yellowstone NEW SwitchBlade Low Snow Groomers 60 and 84 inch,
  6. Ski-Doo SWT 550 Fan, SWT V-800 4 stroke, TUV 1000 4 Stroke,
  7. Kubota RTV by Lulich
  8. Bachelor Renovator
  9. 4 stroke Yamaha VK Pro
  10. ASV Scout with a 8 way blade and PT 100 Forestry with blower
  11. Polaris NEW IQ wide track 4 stroke
  12. Yanmar T80 NEW tracked vehicle
  13. Various rollers and drags
  14. Saratoga Ranger/Polaris NEW speciality tracked vehicle
  15. 50 foot free span 8 ft wide bridge show special $12,000

There were many sales as a result of the Clinic. Vendors did sell their demos and we are encouraging this year’s vendors to load up their trucks and trailers for the Clinic.

The heated “Race Building” will again house tables for vendor’s displays, and will have grooming video tapes/DVD’s playing during the 2 days.

Tentative Schedule

Tuesday January 20th

8- 9:00 Registration coffee and rolls in the Groomer Barn

sponsored by UP Fabrication Inc

9- 12:00 Vendor Demos 15-20minutes /

vendors on snow and hands on equipment demos following

12:00-1:00 Pasty lunch in the Cabin sponsored by Yellowstone Track

1:00-1:30 Choosing your grooming snowmobile/ evaluation of 5 popular machines

1:30-2:00 Ideas To Reduce Grooming Costs Without reducing Skier Enjoyment. Phil Zink

2:00-2:30 Grooming from a Skiers Prospective: Jim Waters

2:30-3:00 Snowcat purchasing : Greg Toomire

3:00-3:30 Trail Building and maintenance: Eric Anderson

3:30-4:00 Crossing wetlands using bridges : Rick Kauppila

4:00-5:00 Open skiing and demo of grooming equipment

6:30 –7:30 Social hour and vendors indoor table displays at Tacconellis 215 S. Suffolk St in Downtown Ironwood. Social hour sponsored by Tidd Tech

7:30-8:30 Dinner at Tacconelli’s sponsored by ABR Trails

Tacconellis is on the intersection of McCloud and Suffolk Streets, turn left at the last intersection instead of going to US2 on Lake Street after leaving ABR

8:30-9:00 Presentation : TBA

9:00–9:10 Grooming Trivia Test and Prizes

Wednesday Jan 21st

8-9 AM coffee and rolls sponsored by Motion Industries

9:00-9:20 Grooming competition/demonstration for deep snow

9:20-9:40 Grooming competition/demonstration for medium snow

9:40-10:00 Grooming demonstration/ competitions on a challenging ice course

10:00-10:15 Snow Cat Renovator demonstration

10:15-10:45 How to make your snowmobile steer with a groomer

10:45-11:15 Snowmobile Grooming Safety by Rick Slade

11:30-12:30 Bratwurst Lunch sponsored by Pisten Bully

12:30- 1:30 Grooming 102 DVD presentation and discussion Eric Anderson

1:30-2:30 Basic grooming on snow- hands on

2:30-3:30 Setting up your Snowmobile for grooming Rick Slade (wiring, cooling and suspension)

3:30-5:00 Open skiing and grooming

This tentative schedule is being developed and details and specifics subject to change. Watch the website for updates. The general time slots will remain the same.

Bring your used equipment that you have for sale or a photo and ad to post on the FOR SALE board at the clinic!