A Big Thank You to Millar Western for sponsoring one of our favorite lookouts that we can see Woodlands County and the Town of Whitecourt. It’s absolutely beautiful to see our community and region. In addition, you can also see the mill. We appreciate your support in sponsoring the lookout on the north side a favorite area to ride to and have a break. We have hosted many VIP/Media rides to this location as well as rally stop overs.
2022 Carmen and Cindy stopping for a rest at the lookout
Shelly Mifflin – Whitecourt Forest Interpretive Centre – Snowmobile Liaison
2018 Ride – Woodlands Mayor John Burrows and MLA Martin Long
The trails are holding up through the winds and warm temperatures. We are looking forward to seeing some snow and cooler temperatures come our way!! If you come across trees on the trail, please attempt to clean or remove debris as it helps when the snow cats go out. If you come across a tree down and you are unable to remove it, please advise us.
Snow: Close to 2′ in most places on trails
Staging areas open – Groat and Eagle are snow packed
Grooming: Everything has been groomed at least once on the system. Some trails have had 2-3 groomings. South Side – Snow cat was out from town on the Summit Trail to the Cabin, Goodwin and Groat Creek trails. In the north section, we are grooming the Golden Triangle Section from the Carson Cabin to Letter O this weekend with the 2 cats. It takes 3 days, so please watch for the snow cats filling and grooming. If you could go out and trail clean prior, it would help us immensely. Please let us know if you were able to help us out. We are expecting a few trees down with the winds the last couple of weeks. For a second time, that trail was cleaned 10 days ago. The high winds and warm temperatures are not favorable.
Hazards: There are trees and debris down on the trails from the high winds. Please watch for signs around #9 and #10 to slow down. The pipeline crossing in that section is completed and there is a small amount of debris on the trail. A reminder that our Golden Triangle section from the Gundy Cabin to Letter K is closed due to pipeline construction crossings. Re-Route from Carson Cabin to Athabasca Lookout to the Eagle River Casino and up to Chickadee Creek and Manweiler trails to Virginia Hills. Please watch for signs to slow down around the Gundy Cabin area to Virginia Hills and Fox Creek trail connector. Please be cautious if you are crossing larger water bodies. Lots of rough ice, big slabs, with open areas and flood waters. Reminder, that our trail ends prior to river crossings, you are crossing at your own risk. On the south side please watch for signs along the airport trail as they are logging in that area.
Reminder of our Annual Rally coming up Family Day weekend. Please register online through our website on Eventbrite starting February 4, 2022. For more information please visit our website at www.whitecourttrailblazers.ca.
Goodwin Lake Lookout – Sponsored by Millar Western Forest Products
What a day; very nice mild January day at +7c! The weather was fantastic and the ride was even better. We met at the FIC (Forest Interpretive Centre) which was a great staging place – Thanks to the Town of Whitecourt for letting us use the parking lot to stage. A second group of riders were waiting for us at the trail head to the south. We headed to Goodwin Lake, Summit Cabin and then home on the Manweiler, Bessie and Summit. Great day! Thanks to all the folks that came out. We met many new friends. Thanks to our VIPS – Doug Hansen from the ASA, David Geddes and Chad Stevens from AEP, Cst. Ethan Gelleny-RCMP, Paul Chauvet-Councillor from Town of Whitecourt, Shelley Mifflin from the FIC, Executive Members – Shirley Picard, Roxanne Brown, Robin Sebo, Jeff Brooks, Dave MacLeod, Cindy Brooks and Doug Hay and over 60 riders from Whitecourt, Edmonton and St. Albert areas. Thanks everyone for the great day. A big thank you to Don our snow cat operator it was a very nice ride from town and onto the system-great work! Looking forward to next year’s ride!
We received fresh snow and rain this past week. With the storm, came big winds. Please be cautious for hanging trees on the trails. If you are able to help us out, please cut what you can. If there are big trees across the trails, let us know and we will get to them. In addition, in the open cut block areas watch for snow drifts. Take caution this next week until we can get the cats out on the trails and clean up the debris.
Grooming – South Side – Grooming to Tom Hill from Summit Cabin completed. The Summit, Bessie, Manweiler trails have been groomed again this past week. North Side grooming completed to Gundy Cabin on Chickadee Creek to Manweiler Trails. Pipeline Hill #2 not groomed. Lots of traffic on both sides of the trail system; trails are getting packed. Golden Triangle from Carson Cabin to Letter O has not been groomed yet – limited traffic has been on it.
Staging Areas – We have had the areas cleaned multiple times. We have had lots of snow and warm temperatures. Please use caution entering and leaving these areas. The Eagle Staging Area is being cleaned today.
Hazards – hanging trees, all large water bodies have open areas/pockets, please use caution at all times. Our trail ends before the river, use at your own risk. Gundy Cabin to Letter K is closed due to pipeline construction. No other construction crossings are closed at this time. Please use the Golden Triangle re-route from Carson Cabin to Virginia Hills.
Thanks for helping us out with your sponsorship this season! Trimline Design has been a valued sponsor/donator of ours for many years. They have helped us out with our signage and with volunteering at the rallies. Thanks a bunch to one of our “Bronze Sponsors”!
President Roxanne Brown15 Year Anniversary in the passing of a great man Dale Gunderson – January 14, 2022. Our thoughts are with the family during this time.
Thanks for helping us out with your Bronze Sponsorship this season! Jason Thomas Enterprises has graciously sponsored the Carson Cabin for the second year, which has helped support the club. Jason and Carolyn Thomas are sledders and ride often on the Whitecourt trails. We look forward to seeing you out enjoying the abundance of snow we have.
Facebook
@WCTtrailblazers
Whitecourt Trailblazers Snowmobile Club
