Trail Conditions for Calgarians

PB Forum :: All Mountain, Enduro & Cross-Country
Trail Conditions for Calgarians
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flag leftypumpkin
O+
Posted: Nov 13, 2023 at 19:39 Quote
Yeah, seems the place to be are the trails off the west side of Moose Road - Billy Dog yesterday and Jean Guy today were both in top summer condition.
flag R-M-R
Posted: Nov 13, 2023 at 21:44 Quote
Anything with a southwest exposure that's taking the full force of the Chinook. Exshaw is also good.
flag leftypumpkin
O+
Posted: Dec 2, 2023 at 15:15 Quote
Rode the short Powderface Loop - fantastic fatbike conditions, probably 90%+ packed snow. Also rode out and back up the backside of Prairie Mountain - much less snow and pretty icy off the packed trail (hidden under a skiff of snow).
flag husstler
O+
Posted: Dec 2, 2023 at 16:51 Quote
Went up shattered and down family guy - was looking for an easy ride. Summer tires, zero ice. Very pleasant.
flag leftypumpkin
O+
Posted: Dec 5, 2023 at 16:25 Quote
husstler wrote:
Went up shattered and down family guy - was looking for an easy ride. Summer tires, zero ice. Very pleasant.

Thanks, did the same today before the rain/snow comes - pretty much dry the whole way until we crossed elbow at the bottom of Family Guy then snotty mud.
flag sweaman2
O+
Posted: Dec 5, 2023 at 20:22 Quote
Just back from the same. What is with Ings car park as it seemed to be sheet ice despite above zero temps and no recent precipitation. Poor drainage?

Anyway take care on entry / exit as sketchier than the trails.
flag leftypumpkin
O+
Posted: Dec 17, 2023 at 13:03 Quote
Groomer was out on the front side of Husky (Flo & Shoulda, then out elbow valley to the bottom), not sure what else they hit (saw groomer tracks from the road on Brakeless). Both were running super-fast.

If there is a go-fund-me for groomer's beer fund, please post it up (and if we can convince the groomer to add more body english in the big corners I bet we'd have snow-berms for the winter).

Bottom half of sidetrax was good - two tire tracks wide, death ice hiding underneath but seemed grippy enough.
flag sprung-mass
O+
Posted: Dec 18, 2023 at 15:49 Quote
Insideline bike shop is doing grooming on husky this year and they've done flo and ushoulda so far. They said steeper tails are a little dangerous on the snow dog. I went and laid first tracks on Loamzilla yesterday. I noticed snow shoe tracks down it so it was easier to follow. The snow is surprisingly grippy since it had some time and high temps to compact. Road to Gondor can be pedaled too.
flag husstler
O+
Posted: Dec 18, 2023 at 16:33 Quote
Good for Inside Line - this and them just being generally competent is why I keep going there!
flag fuzbucket
O+
Posted: Dec 20, 2023 at 18:58 Quote
I should mention, we (Inside Line) have had a lot of help from Deven the MMBTS trail lead in maintaining and operating the snow dog we bought last fall. Not sure how much beer Deven drinks but please send him some kudos if you like what you see.

Our groomer was designed for riding across frozen lakes. It’s quite sketchy on the steep trails and mixed snow conditions we have on this side of the Rockies. It’s definitely a year of experimentation with this new equipment. If anyone has input on our grooming program, don’t hesitate to email me at cam@theinsideline.ca

Happy holidays!
flag Broughen
O+
Posted: Mar 13, 2024 at 11:02 Quote
From my view atop the COP chairlift, it looks like Bowmont could be getting close.

Could be just moon dust on sideshow and mud in all the valleys.

Anyone close by know otherwise?
flag R-M-R
Posted: Mar 13, 2024 at 16:39 Quote
Broughen,

There's quite a while between when the snow is mostly gone to when it's suitable for riding.

The clay dirt in Bowmont is weird stuff. Low spots trap water and the dirt behaves like cement: foul sludge when wet, then dries rock-hard. The damage that can be done when wet is greater than other compositions of dirt and it's particularly difficult to repair. They don't just heal themselves, it's people who fix them - very often me. I'm personally asking you - and everyone who reads this - to not ride wet dirt in Bowmont. I don't mean "99% good to go!", I mean 100% dry. On a 10 km ride, 99% dry still means 100 m of damage. It can take ten minutes to half an hour to fix a meter of damage, plus the time to haul tools in an out.

In short, please be patient for Bowmont to fully dry.
flag Broughen
O+
Posted: Mar 13, 2024 at 20:01 Quote
I think that translates to “not yet”?

Thanks!
flag R-M-R
Posted: Mar 13, 2024 at 20:38 Quote
"Not even close."
flag Jones1Eto
Posted: Apr 11, 2024 at 9:15 Quote
pbuser16709 wrote:
A standardized format would be good. Like the one I proposed a few months ago, but very few followed. Razz

The only change I'd suggest is placing the trail first, since that's more useful information to me than the date, but perhaps others feel differently.

Elbow Loop - September 23

[text]

Okay, I'm done splitting hairs.

 


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