|
Attention
snowmobilers!
Please stay off
logging roads. Even if roads are not plowed logging companies still
utilize the roads until they are impassable. After a road is plowed
definitely do not snowmobile on it. Snowmobiling on logging roads is
extremely dangerous! Log trucks CAN NOT get out of the way or stop
quickly. Continued snowmobiling on logging roads could cause a trail
closure.
Please do not jeopardize our trail
system!
|
Perfect groom! 2-26-04
A volunteer trail
crew prepares a newly cut bypass around some of the 2003
logging activity near Beaver Mountain, ITS 84 (11-8-03)
Photo: Leslie
A. Ferguson
|
RLSC
owns and operates three state-of-the-art
grooming tractors with trail drags utilized to groom a flawless
trails network. Our regional trail system boasts
one of the largest organized clubs out of 277 in
the State of Maine. Our
club draws from a solid (but over-tasked) group of volunteers and
paid groomer operators to keep our trail system unmatched in New
England.
These professionals have refined trail grooming into an art.
The typical snowmobile trail is approximately 16 feet wide and manicured
to perfection. Our
trails are straight and fast.
|
RLSC's Piston
Bully groomer |
 |
Trails get
groomed late at night allowing them to freeze to a smooth solid hard-pack.
Grooming late at night allows time for trail to “set up” and this
keeps the trail flatter for a longer period of time.
Also, grooming at night is much safer for riders.
Meeting a groomer on a corner on the trail in the daytime is very
dangerous. The lighting on the
groomers at night alert riders that a machine is heading in their direction.
The Maine
Snowmobile Association inspected our trails in March 2001
and the reports that came back
were very good to excellent. Thank you to Clark Allen,
District Trailmasters and our grooming people for your hard work
and dedication.
RLSC
has a
“District” system with three districts, each with its own manager
(trail master). The Eastern district is headed up by Paul
Ferguson-Packard and Mark “Sparky” Bridges. Matt Kennedy backed up
by Clark Allen manages our Central district. Mike Koob manages the
Western district. This approach cuts down on the total mileage
under a trail master so that they can focus their efforts on trails
they are most familiar with. Each District is responsible for a
grooming machine, a drag, its trained operators and their grooming
schedules. Even divided into three parts, these are demanding jobs
so give these people the thanks they deserve. This grooming process is what improved the ride on our trail network and
enables the RLSC to handle the huge influx of snowmobiles on our trails every
weekend.
The Rangeley trail districts
plan on grooming every other night with all the trails usually
covered each groom.
|
