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Re: Riding on the Grand Mesa in western Colorado!
GRAND MESA (WEST SIDE) - POWDERHORN TRAILS
Trail Groomer Contact: Ken Simpson, 800-551-6372
Updated By: Ken Simpson / Grand Mesa Lodge, 800-551-6372 on 2/27/05 - 04:51 PM
Trail Information View Trail Map
This trail report is for the marked and groomed trails in the Western Area of the Grand Mesa. This report covers the area's around Mesa Lakes Lodge, The Lands End area, south to Grand Mesa Lodge, east to Electric Mountain Lodge, Dyke Creek and Steven's Gulch.
<font color="red">So far this season the West End of the Grand Mesa has received 313 inches of snow. That is over 26 feet.</font>
Trail Conditions Update Conditions (groomers only)
No new snowfall reported during the last 48 hours.
IMPORTANT NOTICES:
1. THERE ARE OVER 200 LAKES ON THE MESA. THERE ARE REMOTE CABINS FOR WATER CONTROL FOR THESE LAKES. THERE ARE TELEPHONE LINES THROUGH THE WOODS TO THESE CABINS THAT ARE NOW NECK HIGH AND VERY HARD TO SEE. LOOK FOR TELEPHONE POLES AND CROSS UNDER THE LINES AT THE POLES. TRY NOT TO LEAVE TRACKS INTO DANGEROUS AREAS THAT OTHERS MIGHT FOLLOW. TALK TO A LOCAL BEFORE RIDING.
2. TRAIL 13 ON THE LANDS END SIDE CUTS BETWEEN TWO CROSS COUNTRY SKI AREAS. STAY ON THE SNOWMOBILE TRAIL OR LOOSE THE ENTIRE LOOP.
3. STAY ON THE TRAIL AROUND LODGES AND CABINS TO AVOID PROPANE TANKS, WATER OUTLETS, POWER AND TELEPHONE LINES, AND BULLETS.
4. THE NEW SNOW IS ALREADY STARTING TO SLIDE ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE LODGE. I WOULD GUESS THAT THE AVALANCHE DANGER IS PRETTY HIGH.
Help make the trails last for the rest of us. There is 800 square miles of riding up here, so go off trail and race etc. Then you will have a nice trail to come home on at the end of the day.
YOU NEED TO REALISE THAT THE SNOW HERE IS SOFT. WHEN WE GROOM THE SNOW, THE TRAIL MUST HAVE A CHANCE TO "FREEZE IN" AFTER GROOMING. IF YOU WANT TO HELP US WITH TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND HAVE NICE TRAILS STAY OFF THE FRESHLY GROOMED TRAILS FOR ABOUT 10 HOURS OR OVER NIGHT, IF YOU CAN. IF YOU CAN'T RIDE SINGLE FILE ON THE EDGE OF THE TRAIL. ALSO, IF YOU AVOID DEACCELERATION AND ACCELERATION OVER BUMPS AND ON CORNERS AND JUST PRACTICE CONSTANT THROTLE ON THE TRAILS, THE TRAILS WILL HOLD UP MUCH LONGER. I HAVE TO TRAVEL 240 MILES TO GROOM 130 MILES OF TRAILS AT AN AVERAGE OF 6 MILES PER HOUR ON A LIMITED BUDGET, SO YOUR HELP IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. <font color="red}I caught someone brushing the snow off their truck and trailer the other day. Remember that any snow that falls on your stuff while you are here, you must take it with you, we dont have room for it. [/color">
We are definitly having a 4+ wire winter. For you city people that means that the snow is over the 4th or top wire of a 4 wire fence. Now if that wire is just under the snow it can come up over your snowmobile hood and cut your throat so slow way down and stand up when crossing a fence line.
Most grooming will have to be done during the day so we can see where we are going since many of the trail markers are covered. They may reappear as the snow settels.
<font color="red">The snow usually starts to stay around the middle of October. 35 feet or 420 inches is average for this area per year. We normally snowmobile from late November thru the month of May.</font>
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