We packed up old Hannah, our cat Bee and headed towards base camp, a 13 km trip. "Miss Piggy" the 800 SWT had 3/4 a tank, "Poncho" the little Tundra 300 had 1/2 tank.
The SWT was acting like a snowplow ..... the snow out 6 to 7 feet in front was moving. Behind a trench 30" deep was left. The snow was coming up over the hood... the head lamp was buried.
We had to shovel 3 feet of snow off 4 to 5 hills. One 75 feet long and one 40 feet long. This picture below shows the shoveled hill before we skidooed up. Hill is at a 35% climb. Bryan is 100 feet from top of hill.
At dusk we were still at a point where we could turn the skidoos around and go back to the line cabin, but there was the consideration of the fuel consumption. Once we started to go downhill towards the lake we were committed to keep going down.
Vikki thought for a few minutes that they might be curled up by a fire for the night under a tree but Bryan said NO!!!!! we are going to be in a cabin tonight. Which one he didn't know.
As we started to loose elevation the new snow fall was less. Only a foot. The going got better.
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5 comments:
Hey Trappers glad you got back home thats a lot of snow. None for us this christmas. Anyway I hope that my two trappers friends have a great christmas take care :)
Merry Christmas Brian and Vicky!!
Normally I mention "travel safe" because moving about is always a shaky event in winter. In MN those trips can also get really cold. Glad you made it. Rest up. Merry Christmas.
We have no snow in central MN this year and none on the forecast. I've been out in the woods clearing for a planting of white pines next spring. Walking to the site is a breeze; no snowshoes required and a bit less to worry about in terms of getting myself into trouble. Temperatures have been global warming warm, rarely below 20 F.
To me, your shovel method for beaking trail seems like a lot of unnecessary hard work.
When we are busting trail in a lot of new, deep snow, when we get to a steep or tough section, we'll park the sleds, and put on the snowshoes.
Two of us will walk the section, making a couple of passes each, then head back for a coffee/tea break.
After a break, the "packed" trail will almost always allow us to get through. That Tundra LT should do pretty well on its own.
Everyone has their own method of course. Do you folks use snowshoes much, or is the snow just too soft/deep in your neck of the woods?
Merry chistmas!
Hi Paul.... We would have used our snow shoes if they would have helped. (we don't travel without them). The 550 Long Track could have made it but it was back at the base camp. The 300 Tundra was having enough problems just trying to follow in the trough. The shoveling this time was the only way. In the 5 years here we have never had such terrible snow conditions. Also trying to get your feet up on top of 36" is real hard.
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