Whitecourt Trailblazers.ca

10/March/10

As of today, the trail system is closed and the staging area gate has been locked for the season.

Please be aware that there is ongoing construction on various parts of the trail. Watch for heavy equipment.

While the Silver summit trail was groomed last week, the remainder of our trail system remains ungroomed and in poor condition due to lack of snow and poor weather conditions. Conditions on Silver Summit trail are marginal at best. Grooming will recommence as soon as the weather smartens up and we get some more snow....Everybody Dance!!!!!!!!

07/Jan/10

Alex and crew have started grooming. Silver Summit trail has been groomed in it's entirety including the Groat Canyon trail from the Groat Creek Staging area up tothe existing Silver Summit trail. Be reminded that the snow is still skinny north of the Groat creek warmup shack so exercise caution. Thanks to Donny E from the Edson Snowseekers for grooming 10 or so Km of our trail on this side of the Tom Hill Tower Road. Grooming on the trails north of town will commence as snow conditions allow. 

Whitecourt Trailblazers are sponsoring an avalanche safety course this coming weekend, the itinerary is as follows:

Friday January 8, 2010

1730 – 1830: Course Registration

Bring in Completed Registration and Health Forms

1830 – 2200: Classroom Session

Saturday January 9, 2010

0800 – 1200 – Group 1

1230 – 1630 - Group 2

Sunday January 10, 2010

0800 – 1200 – Group 3

1230 – 1630 - Group 4

Cost will be $90.00-110.00 depending on the number attending. $40.00 for those attending the Friday night session only

Please download the following documents and bring them to the registration on Friday evening.

Information Pkg..pdf (155.19 kb)

avalanche course waiver+indemnity.pdf (84.56 kb)

avy courseRegistrationForm.pdf (68.56 kb)

Health Form WAC.pdf (68.38 kb)

Those planning to attend please email Jeff at the following:  jeffb@albertanewsprint.com

Dec 27 2009

Went for a ride to Groat Creek Cabin. Trail is rideable but very rough. There is not enough snow yet for grooming. Athabasca  River is still not safe to cross and backchannel north of river is slushy and open in spots. Staging area is now open. Trails north of town are rideable (barely) but rough. Need more snow before grooming can commence.  McLeod river is very rough with thin ice and open aresa south of the Hwy 43 bridge.   

17 Dec 2009 

Trails are not officially open Grooming has not yet begun. Trails are in poor early season condition with up to 1' of snow in some areas. Watch for frozen quad and heavy equipment ruts and please flag and report any hazards. (if you cannot remove them)

 

Trailblazers have been hard at work this past summer and fall getting funding in place (Courtesy of the Federal and Provincial Governments) to ad another 105 Km of groomable trails to our existing system. We are also Working on upgrading certain sections of the existing trail system.

     Progress to date:

Groat Creek Canyon: trail cut and signed from County campground (Now a winter Staging Area)at intersection of hwy 32 and Groat creek Road up to groat creek trail south of cabin. Use caution

Goodwyn Lake loop: off of Groat Creek trail North of cabin brushing is complete no signs have been erected. This has several hazards present and is NOT ready for use as of yet.

South Windfall Trail:  60 Km from Gundy rest area across the Athabasca to the Groat Creek Cabin. Brushing work has commenced trail is NOT ready for use and will have heavy equipment operating on it.

Existing trail system: There are several places on the existing system that have seen work. Use caution in all areas as heavy equipment may have caused ground disturbances that have frozen in place and the groomer has not been out yet.

14 Dec 2009

Trails are not yet officially open. As soon as there is something to report the trail conditions will be updated.

We have received complaints from oil/gas companies again this year of sledders riding on lease sites and close to surface piping. Please remember that a good number of the wells in this area are sour which means the product contains H2S which will kill you.  We have a good relationship with the companies in and around Whitecourt and would like to keep it that way. Please stay away from any oil and gas facilities or equipment you encounter.