Welcome

 Welcome to the Mountain Trails Grooming Association website.  While sledding is good, please be aware every trail has a hazard of some kind eg. water, ice, washout/slide areas, and trees.  Ride with caution and be safe.  We are working as fast as possible with our small crew to clear the trails and keep them clear. If you carry a saw, feel free to help cut trees if you come across one. The grooming schedule is evolving as we can get trails open. You can view the schedule by clicking on the Schedule tab. 

1/22 Grooming Report

 

Removing moguls on lower Harts Pass.  We also groomed Hwy 20 this chilly morning with a temperature of 4° at Cutthroat. The Harts Pass trail to Ballard has 2 washout/slide areas and 1 area that has had water in the trail but is now frozen with patchy snow. The snow is thin which prohibits completely removing the moguls, so we anticipate they will be back soon.  We just need more snow!

1/21 Grooming Report

 

Beautiful chilly 11° morning on the way to Buck Lake. Tree removal was completed today on the Sherwood Forest Loop.  A big thanks to Methow Valley Snowmobile Club members for cutting the trees. 

There has been lots of water on this section of trail. Most of it is frozen now but will return with warmer temperatures. Be careful crossing Ortell Creek, it is currently running a lot of water for this time of year and there is not enough snow for a snow bridge. 

We also groomed from Eightmile to Sweetgrass today.  The trail is holding up well.  The drifts on top are still a little bumpy.  Even Sweetgrass needs more snow!

Trees

More

MVSA cutting trees

Sherwood Forest

Water Crossing

Cub Pass

Sweetgrass

1/20 Grooming Report

 

Today we groomed W. Buttermilk Rd to Black Pine Lake, Poorman Creek, Libby Creek and to Foggy Dew. Temperatures were 12° at the start. We removed 15 trees and several rocks from the trails. The snow is light at lower elevations and a little better higher up.  There is dirt showing on the trail in Poorman Creek. This trail will not be groomed again until we receive more snow. 

Black Pine Lake

Black Pine Lake

Wheeled Vehicles in Libby Creek

Libby Creek

Between Libby Crk and Gold Crk

Poorman Creek

1/20 Grooming Report

Today we groomed West Buttermilk to Black Pine Lake, Libby Creek, Foggy Dew and Poorman Creek. The starting temperature this morning was 12°.  Snow depth varied with a little more on top. We removed several trees and rocks from the trail.  

It's a nice ride right now but needs more snow!

 

1/18 Trail Condition Update

 

Tree removal is continuing with more scheduled for this week. Most of our trails need more snow before we can groom them again. Hopefully the predicted snow later this week will give us what we need.

Boulder SP – Groomed on 1/2 to Roger Lake Y.  Low snow depth of 6” – 8”.  Not enough snow to build the berm from the snopark to the trailhead or to fill the cattle guards. The county was scheduled to groom over Lone Frank to Roger Lake on 1/7.

Cub Creek TH(new) – 1/10 groomed to Sweetgrass.

Eightmile SP - 

            Eightmile to Sweetgrass  – Groomed on 1/10.  There has been water over the road and it has narrowed the road in the Ortell area.  Sherwood Forest has trees down and is scheduled for clearing on 1/21.

            Cub Pass & Banker Pass – are open and groomed.

            Chewuch Loop – Groomed on 1/9 low snow depth. Trees were removed and trail was groomed. The creek crossing is not frozen over and there is water flowing.

Goat Creek SP – The lower section was groomed on 1/15 after the propane haul to Flagg Mountain.  The snow is very thin on the lower section and we were not able to fully remove the moguls. Water is continuing to flow on the road in several places. Whiteface Creek has created a large ravine that is now covered with a snow bridge – ride with caution in this area.

Silver Star SP – Groomed 1/15 and scheduled for 1/22

Twisp River Area – Groomed 1/16. Tree removal is complete on the North side of the river. There is one large pine tree partially blocking the trail, water on the road and a washed-out culvert on the North side.  The crew ran into a couple areas of slides, washouts and big rocks on the South side of the river making it impassable after the War Creek bridge.

            Poorman Creek TH – Scheduled for tree removal and grooming on 1/20 to Black Pine Lake and W. Buttermilk Rd.

Yellow Jacket SP – Not groomed.  Good snow depth has been reported along with lots of trees down in the trail. The second hairpin above the Snopark has 8-10 large trees across the road. These will block the path for the groomer. There is a decent sled-only bypass however.

            Harts Pass – Scheduled for grooming on 1/22 to Ballard. Reports of slides and washout between Robinson and Monument trails and again at Cache Creek.  Trail is challenging but passable with enough snow.