Snow Grooming | March 2015

MARCH 2015 | ISSUE 8

PISTENBULLY DEBUTS WORLD’S FIRST DIESEL-ELECTRIC GROOMER INSIDE SKIDOO’S VERSATILE UTILITY SLEDS

WHAT IS THE SNOW GROOMING INDUSTRY

SAYING?

> 2015 SNOW GROOMING INDUSTRY SURVEY RESULTS

VISIT US ONLINE

For articles, events, product catalogue and more! snowgroomingmag.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

March 2015 | Issue 8

04 08 14 20

PistenBully - A Greener Snow Groomer

By Mark Halsall

Snow Logic Inc. - Redefining Low Energy Snowmaking

04

By Mark Halsall

The 2014/2015 Snow Grooming Industry Survey

By Connie Lester

Skidoo - Winter Workhorses

By Mark Halsall

08

24 28

28

32 36

32

ABOUT THE COVER Loftness Mfg. - Clearing a Path for Success

By Jim Timlick

American Track Truck Biggest Bang for the Snow Grooming Buck

By Mark Halsall

Grooming with the Pittsburg Ridge Runners

By Megan McClelland

The Oil Man: Helping Your Older Snow Grooming Vehicle Last Longer

By Shawn Daniels

40 44 48

V&V Insurance - Blazing an Insurance Trail

By Jim Timlick

Mountain Grooming Equipment Tiller Helps to Cultivate Savings for Snow Groomers

By Jim Timlick

Andrea Willey profile Unsung Hero

By Jim Timlick

48

Painting by Iowa artist Dawn Vagts

I met Connie Lester, publisher of Snow Grooming Magazine, in June 2014 at the International Snowmobile Congress held at the Keystone Resort in Colorado. It was one of those rare meetings of instant rapport and we immediately began talking. After I told Connie I was an artist and showed her my work, she asked if I would be up to painting a grooming landscape. I immediately took on the challenge and the cover of this issue was born.

I have a Studio Art degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and have been painting for many years, but only recently started promoting myself professionally. What a great opportunity and artist’s dream to be able to land a cover for a magazine!

The cover’s original acrylic painting is 11 x 14 inches and was painted from a photograph. I typically paint in oils and with a more painterly style, but tight brushwork and acrylic medium was the better approach for this painting. If you’re interested in seeing more of my work or in purchasing prints of this painting, please visit my online portfolio at dawn-vagts.fineartamerica.com where you can find different sizes and formats for ordering. If you’re interested in purchasing the original or working with me on a commissioned basis, I can be reached at dmvagts@gmail.com.

Many thanks to Connie Lester and Snow Grooming Magazine for such a unique opportunity and artistic challenge!

– Dawn Vagts

You’ll like what we leave behind!

IN YEARS

ESS BUSIN

For the best quality snow groomers & over-snow vehicle trailers, look no further than Maxey Manufacturing

2101 Airway Ave. | Ft. Collins, CO 80524 office 970-482-1202 | toll free 1-800-456-2939

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PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE March 2015 | Issue 8

Connie Lester

Published by

Publisher

R

2851 Henderson Highway Winnipeg, MB R2E 0C5 Website: snowgroomingmag.com Email: info@snowgroomingmag.com Phone: 1-204-505-5858 Fax: 1-204-505-5859

Publisher Connie Lester clester@snowgroomingmag.com Managing Editor Mark Halsall editor@snowgroomingmag.com Design & Layout Edge Marketing Strategies © 2015 Integrit Media Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the authors and/or editorial sources contained in Snow Grooming Magazine are those of the respective parties and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the publisher.

Welcome to Snow Grooming Magazine!

S

pring is coming, and soon snow grooming organizations throughout North America will be evaluating the past season’s equipment and expenses. Staff will be making recommendations to buy and sell equipment, and taking stock in order to improve upon their current business models for next season.

This issue is meant to provide some insight into the industry in terms of costs of equipment and expenses on the snow.

An accurate assessment of our snow grooming sectors is important for many reasons. Manufacturers can plan better in order to keep manufacturing costs down, which in turn helps keep retail prices down. Governments can realize the true economic impact of our on-snow sports, ultimately providing better support for health and outdoor winter recreation enthusiasts. Even consumers can accept current recreational pricing, or at least better understand why the charges for traversing trails and ski visits are the price we pay to enjoy our snow sports.

The Snow Grooming Magazine team has provided this 2015 outlook for equipment costs and expenses. Different snow grooming sectors were selected at random and the data evaluated based on your feedback in a survey we offered online. THANK YOU to all those who participated. It is because of you that we can provide this bird’s-eye view into the snow grooming industry for 2015.

Snow Grooming Magazine is about providing information for the snow grooming industry to consider when they make decisions on the snow. We look forward to hearing your feedback from the data we gathered this past season.

Sincerely,

Connie Lester, C.E.O. Integrit Media Publisher of Snow Grooming Magazine

Publication Mail Agreement #42677534.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 2851 Henderson Highway Winnipeg, MB R2E 0C5 Printed in Canada.

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

3

A Greener Snow Groomer The PistenBully 600 E+ is making its North American debut this winter.

By Mark Halsall

The PistenBully 600E+ is the world’s first diesel-electric snow groomer.

4

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

E

nvironmental sustainability is considered a serious social responsibility at Crystal Mountain Resort. So for the progressive-minded management at this bustling alpine ski resort in Washington’s Cascade range, a decision to add the PistenBully 600 E+ – the world’s first diesel-electric snow groomer that’s downright miserly on fuel – to its fleet of snowcats was a no-brainer.

“We think the diesel-electric is the wave of the future,” says Scott Bowen, the resort’s vice president of mountain operations.

Bowen said PistenBully’s president paid a visit to Crystal Mountain in 2012, and was told at that time that the resort would like to be the first one in North America to use this ‘greener’ (both in a literal and eco-friendly sense) groomer on its slopes.

“PistenBully stepped up to the plate, and got us the first one,” Bowen says.

Well, actually two – the resort also decided to buy a 600 E+ demo model.

The machine – which also happens to be the 20,000th PistenBully groomer made by company since production began in 1969 – was delivered in an official ceremony at the resort on Dec. 9, 2014, and the 600 E+ saw its first snow grooming action on Crystal Mountain later that month.

“It’s been fantastic. We’re really surprised with the fuel consumption,” says Bowen, who describes the 600 E+ as a “phenomenal cat.”

On its first 10-hour shift on the slopes, the 600 E+ consumed about 36 gallons of fuel – or almost half of what a PistenBully 600 Polar (the other snow grooming vehicles in the Crystal Mountain fleet) would use each night.

“They were promising 20 per cent ( fuel savings), so I’m pretty surprised.

Delighted, actually,” says Bowen.

“ As technology evolves, you have to always be looking to the future and what means are out there to advance your product to make it efficient and more productive.”

– John Glockhamer

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

5

A special ceremony was held at Washington’s Crystal Mountain Resort in December, 2014 to mark the delivery of the first PistenBully 600 E+ in North America. Pictured are (left to right): Colin Hales, Sales, PistenBully northwest; Stefan Spindler, Vice President Sales, PistenBully worldwide; Jens Rottmair, CEO, PistenBully worldwide; Scott Bowen – Crystal Mountain – Vice President, Mountain Operations, Crystal Mountain Resort; John Gilbert, President, PistenBully North America; and Dennis McGiboney, Vice President Sales, PistenBully North America.

Years in the Making While the PistenBully 600+ is making its North American debut this winter, the machine has actually been years in the making.

It was first introduced as the prototype PistenBully EQ1 with dieselelectric (or hybrid) drive at the 2009 Interalpin, an international trade fair for alpine technologies, in Innsbruck, Austria. Two years later, PistenBully raised the bar for sustainable snowcat technology even further, unveiling a second diesel-electric concept vehicle at 2011 Interalpin.

Production on the 600 E+ began in 2012, and by the end of that year PistenBully had delivered the machine to its first customer in the renowned resort area of St. Moritz, Switzerland.

“Our philosophy is that we’re a leader in snowcat technology,” says John Glockhamer, PistenBully marketing manager for North America. “As technology evolves, you have to always be looking to the future and what means are out there to advance your product to make it efficient and more productive.”

6

The hybrid drive system of the 600 E+ is an electric drive with its own power plant in the form of two generators driven by a powerful diesel engine.

Electrical energy is produced to drive the machine and power the tiller motor.

The PistenBully 600 E+ is equipped with a six-cylinder, 12.8 litre engine from Mercedes-Benz that delivers 400 horsepower. This is the same engine that is in a standard PistenBully 600.

The radical departure is in the transmission – it is electrical in the 600 E+,

rather than hydrostatic. It consists of two electric generators, two electric motors for the tracks, and one electric motor for the tiller.

In comparison to the traditional hydrostatic drive found in standard snow groomers, the hybrid drive of the 600 E+ can achieve a higher level of efficiency with lower power.

“Diesel-electric drives are much more efficient than hydrostatic drives,” says Rod Elwell, PistenBully technical service manager for North America.

600 E+ Engine Technical Data Type

Mercedes-Benz OM 460 LA

Cylinders

6

Displacement

12.8 litres

Power Output (ECE)

400 horsepower

Maximum Torque

1,400 pound-feet at 1,300 rpm

Fuel Consumption

From 4.22 gallons per hour

Fuel Tank Capacity

73 gallons

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

“We think the diesel-electric is the wave of the future.”

– Scott Bowen The electric drive transmission system in the PistenBully 600 E+ includes two electrical generators.

Better for Environment The result of this technology is a more environmentally friendly snow groomer. According to the company, the 600 E+ consumes 20 per cent less fuel than a conventional PistenBully model with a diesel engine and hydrostatic drive. In addition, the machine’s diesel-electric drive is purported to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide by 20 per cent.

Lower fuel consumption means lower running costs for operators, who also benefit from lower maintenance costs. The electric drive transmission has a long projected lifetime and requires less service than a hydrostatic transmission. For example, the transmission coolant oil in the 600 E+ needs changing only once every five years.

These operational savings can add up over time, making ‘going green’ a more affordable choice. “Because of the technology, the initial purchase price on a 600 E+ will be a little bit higher than a standard groomer,” Glockhamer says.

“But then… the efficiencies will pay it back going forward.”

The 600 E+ may be more fuel-efficient and produce fewer emissions than standard groomers, but there are no sacrifices when it comes to power. According to Elwell, “The 400-horsepower 600 E+ has the equivalent pushing power of the PistenBully 600 Polar, which has a conventional drive and packs 500 horsepower.”

The electric drive of the 600 E+ is not only highly effective, but also

guarantees a consistently high torque even at very low engine speeds. “ You have full torque available with the electric motor right from the second the machine starts,” says Elwell.

“There’s a much better feel for the operator as far as the finesse work and the stopping and starting goes – it’s much more crisp with the electric motor.”

According to Elwell, having that greater torque available at the lower engine rpm’s is one of the machine’s attributes that increases efficiency and lowers emissions.

The constant operation of the engine in the optimum speed range also makes it extremely efficient and economical.

The 600 E+ has an intelligent energy management system that ensures that energy produced on the downhill rides flows directly back into the drive for the snow tiller.

According to Glockhamer, the 600 E+ has been used mainly to groom alpine ski runs, although it can be used to create features in terrain parks. Because of its superb pushing power, he adds, the 600 E+ could become “the vehicle of choice” for special events at ski resorts when massive amounts of snow need to be moved.

Similar Controls Other than its green exterior, there’s not much in terms of looks that differentiates the 600 E+ from other PistenBully snow groomers – particularly when you’re inside one.

“If you were to sit in a 600 E+ and a standard 600, the only difference that you’d

notice in the cockpit would be on the display screen,” says Glockhamer. “When you start it up, you’ll see a little icon that tells you you’ve got electricity flowing.”

Glockhamer says because the controls are the same, the 600 E+ “runs just like you’re used to. And that’s a benefit in my mind, because you then don’t have such a big learning curve.”

The same probably can’t be said for the mechanics who are called upon to service the 600 E+ machines. While diesel-electric drive technology will be new to ski resort vehicle shops, PistenBully offers specialized training designed to bring service technicians up to speed as quickly as possible.

PistenBully is confident that the 600 E+, with its impressive performance figures, cost-effectiveness and low environmental impact, will be quick to gain a foothold in the North American ski landscape.

“The larger ski areas, once they hear some good feedback on how its working and everything, I think we’ll start to see that they want to incorporate it into their fleet and try it themselves,” he says. “I really do, because it has such great advantages… (The 600 E+) is truly is a big step forward in a technology that hasn’t been done before.” ❃

MORE ONLINE! To see the video on the PistenBully 600E+ go to snowgroomingmag.com/ PistenBully600E+

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

7

Redefining Low Energy Snowmaking Utah-based Snow Logic Inc. believed there had to be a better way to make snow. The company says it has found it with Dual Vector Nozzle Technology.

By Mark Halsall

S

now Logic Inc., an innovative snow making equipment manufacturer based in Salt Lake City, Utah, got its start in what may seem an unlikely place to North Americans – Australia.

Mitch Dodson moved to the United States from Australia four years ago, and set up Snow Logic along with a business partner who’s a fellow Aussie.

“We realized that the market was here,” says Dodson, whose title is company president. “I also had a good friend in the lift manufacturing business (who) said, “Why don’t you come to Salt Lake?

So that’s what we did.”

Dodson’s background is in ski field management at the Falls Creek Alpine Resort in Victoria, Australia. He says snowmaking is often a critical part of the resort management down under because of the generally mild climate in country’s snow belt.

While Dodson was able to apply some of the lessons learned in Australia to the U.S., he quickly realized North America’s diverse geography and distinct weather patterns present their own distinctive snowmaking challenges.

Dodson and his team at Snow Logic met those challenges by redefining low energy snowmaking through the development of an innovative nucleation process and a nozzle technology that is also unique.

8

“Most of the equipment on the market now has been using the same nozzle technologies since the 1980s,” Dodson says, referring to the ‘flat jet’ and the ‘whirl jet’ types of external nozzles. “We looked at the characteristics of those nozzles, and we came up with just a better way of doing it.”

New Nozzle Technology System According to Dodson, Snow Logic’s better way is Dual Vector Nozzle Technology. This patented system produces a flat spray pattern that diverges on a horizontal and a vertical plane, resulting in a powerful, highly directional plume with a flow rate up to 140 gallons per minute and a 50-footplus throw.

Dual Vector Nozzle Technology is available in two interchangeable forms: 1) plate nozzle designed for production type snow (switchable plates are used to adjust particle size, flow and snow quality); and 2) modular nozzle designed for high production and top dressing runs with dry snow.

The modular nozzle has a higher production rate than the plate nozzle and can be retrofitted to existing guns in the field. Dodson says an additional benefit is that particle size can also be adjusted during different steps in snowmaking process.

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

“ Most of the equipment on the market now has been using the same nozzle technologies since the 1980s.

We looked at the characteristics of those nozzles, and we came up with just a better way of doing it.”

– Mitch Dodson

Snow Logic says its technology is the most energy efficient and cost-effective snowmaking system in North America.

Pictured here is Snow Logic’s latest Modular Dual Vector Four Step Tower at Telluride Ski Resort, Colorado.

Jake Niece Photography

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

9

“You can have a smaller particle size in marginal conditions, and then as it get colder and there are really deep cold conditions, you can get a bigger particle that helps alleviate losses from sublimation,” he explains.

Snow Logic’s patent pending nucleation technology allows each snowmaking unit to operate on five to eight cubic-feet per minute of compressed air.

“If you look at the traditional ground gun technology, there are still guns out there which are using 700 to 800 cfm of air,” Dodson says. “We can run nearly a hundred of our guns compared to one of those.”

The modular nozzle has a higher production rate than the plate nozzle and can be retrofitted to existing guns in the field. Dodson says an additional benefit is that particle size can also be adjusted during different steps in snowmaking process.

“You can have a smaller particle size in marginal conditions, and then as it get colder and there are really deep cold conditions, you can get a bigger particle that helps alleviate losses from sublimation,” he explains.

Snow Logic’s patent pending nucleation technology allows each snowmaking unit to operate on five to eight cubic-feet per minute of compressed air.

“If you look at the traditional ground gun technology, there are still guns out there which are using 700 to 800 cfm

of air,” Dodson says. “We can run nearly a hundred of our guns compared to one of those.”

Being able to operate more snowmaking units enables operators to open and rebuild more terrain sooner – a big benefit for resorts facing challenging snowmaking conditions. In addition, the technology features an early startup temperature of 28°F, another feature that enables resorts to open up more terrain sooner.

According to Dodson, the system is also quiet enough to operate next to residential areas without any noise concerns. “You can have a conversation next to the gun because it’s so quiet,” Dodson says.

Fixed or Mobile Units The Snow Logic system features a four step and a six step process, both available with fixed or mobile units.

Offering the ultimate flexibility to make snow where it’s needed, the SL DV4 Snowmaking Technology system is cost-effective and easy to operate.

It has flow rates up to 80 gallons per minute and four configurable steps.

The SL DV6 Snowmaking Technology system is a high-output snow gun that can punch out up to 140 gallons per minute. With six configurable steps, these units can be placed in areas where big production is needed.

SL DV4 Stealth units can really get the snow out there. With a throw of up to 50 feet, the Stealth’s are well placed on cat tracks and access trails.

Snow Logic DV4 and DV6 Technical Specifications

10

SL DV4 Striker

SL DV4 Stealth

SL DV4 Tower

SL DV6 X-Wing

SL DV6 Tower

Steps

Four

Four

Four

Six

Six

Maximum Height

4 ft., 3 in.

10 ft., 8 in.

32 ft., 8 in.

18 ft., 0.8 in.

23 ft.

Width

4 ft., 3 in.

6 ft., 2 in.

7 ft., 8 in.

Length

6 ft. 5 in.

11 ft., 2 in.

13 ft., 4 in.

Weight

55 lbs.

196 lbs.

210 lbs.

728 lbs.

280 lbs.

Maximum Flow

80 gpm

80 gpm

80 gpm

140 gpm

140 gpm

Water Pressure

200-1,000 psi

200-1,000 psi

200-1,000 ps

200-1,000 ps

200-1,000 ps

Air

5-8 cfm (dependent on nozzle configuration)

5-8 cfm (dependent on nozzle configuration)

5-8 cfm (dependent on nozzle configuration)

5-8 cfm (dependent on nozzle configuration)

5-8 cfm (dependent on nozzle configuration)

Energy

1-1.5 kW

1-1.5 kW

1-1.5 kW

1-1.5 kW

1-1.5 kW

Noise

66 dBA @ 5 m

66 dBA @ 5 m

66 dBA @ 5 m

66 dBA @ 5 m

66 dBA @ 5 m

Suitable Terrain

All terrain

Flat to moderate

All terrain

Flat to moderate

All terrain

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According to Dodson, there are numerous customizable options for both the four-step and the six-step systems. “The customization really goes into looking at what people are wanting, what the temperature range is, and where they make their snow,” he says.

“We’re really trying to provide a solution for all resorts, really.”

Snow Logic claims its system offers the lowest overall capital investment for new installations and expansion compared to other snowmaking technologies on the market.

It also says the Dual Vector technology uses just one kilowatt of power per snowmaking unit, resulting in the lowest cost per acre-foot of snow on the U.S. market, and that fewer air compressors are required to run in, further reducing energy usage.

Dodson says getting a handle on energy expenses is issue facing every ski resort these days. “How do you manage that cost and still be sustainable? Our technology fits into that nicely,” he says.

“ It’s just been through time, of proving out and developing the technology for what the market needs, that we’re now really established.”

– Mitch Dodson Breaking into the Market Dodson admits it was tough sledding at first gaining a foothold in the North American snowmaking market.

“We were going up against companies that have been in business 40-plus years, and the market is fairly consolidated,” he says, adding there was lot of mileage racked up proving that it is indeed possible to make snow at five cubic-feet per minute of compressed air.

“We had to go through a fairly exhaustive process of doing a lot of demonstrations and getting our guns out, and we also had a lot of independent testing done,” Dodson says.

“It’s a big country… and as you can imagine, everybody wants to see it at their resort,” he adds.

“So there’s a lot of cost involved in getting demonstration units out.”

According to Dodson, all that monetary and sweat equity has paid off for Snow Logic, which does all its manufacturing at its facility in Salt Lake City.

“It’s just been through time, of proving out and developing the technology for what the market needs, that we’re now really established,” he says. “There’s a lot of good word of mouth now, a lot of good customers with repeat sales.”

Dodson, who says the company had a particularly great year for sales on the East Coast in 2014, is justifiably proud of his company’s accomplishments.

As the transplanted Aussie will tell you, Snow Logic’s snowmaking equipment is now found right across the U.S. from Nevada to Maine, and it doesn’t stop there. “We’re getting requests from all over the world,” he says.

Perhaps from even as far afield as Australia. ❃

MORE ONLINE! See more on this unique technology at snowgroomingmag.com/ snowlogictech

The SL DV6 X-Wing, seen here being transported by a snowcat, is a low cost fan gun alternative that is best placed in areas where big production is needed.

Jake Niece Photography

12

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

07459-03/2014 sons.

TrailBully

Trails for Riders on their long way home…

Piston Bully Ad

When there is a tough job to be done, you definitely need a powerful and reliable horse. A thoroughbred.

So get on your TrailBully! Do it for the Riders.

Strong – Mercedes Benz diesel engine just shy of 200 horsepower Powerful – 520 ft lbs torque for pulling larger drags Fast – Two speed-options to get your job done quickly www.pistenbullyusa.com

2014/2015 Snow Grooming Industry Survey

TH E 2014/2015

SN O G N I W GRO O M INDUS

TRY SURVEY

Increased costs in the snow grooming industry proven through the 2014/2015 Snow Grooming Survey.

By Connie Lester

W

e are very proud to provide you with our second annual snow grooming survey results for the snow grooming industry throughout North America.

When we think about grooming, in terms of the financial bottom line, it’s a large cost that isn’t given much respect by the snow sports enthusiasts and yet groomed snow is the main reason why so many more enthusiasts are a part of snow sports today.

The task of snow grooming has been seen as a “behind the scenes” operation in order to increase the volume of snowmobile enthusiasts and ski visitors.

14

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

The 4,200 readers who subscribe to our magazine were encourage to take part in our online survey.

This year, the number of grooming operators, managers and executives who participated in our survey grew from 230 to 346 people. Representatives from a total of eight provinces and 29 states took part in the survey.

Although we cover only some of the questions from the survey inside the pages of this issue, you can go to snowgroomingmag.com to get the results of all 23 questions posed to snow grooming industry experts throughout North America.

Snowmobile Club 70% Ski Resorts 16%

2014/2015 Snow Grooming Industry Survey

Snow grooming sector analysis

How many years have you been involved in snow grooming?

20+ Years

10-20 Years

Nordic/Cross Country Centres 8% Commercial/ Industrial Use 6% Catski Operation 1%

5-10 Years

Less than 5 Years

The snow grooming industry provides enormous economic impact to our respective regions and countries, and the people involved in snow grooming activities are a unique target market of passionate and caring people who truly believe in making snow sports the best for everyone who skis or rides.

Are you employed, either part-time or full time within an industry in which snow grooming is one of the primary activities?

No 53% Yes 47%

10% 20% 30%

More than 85 per cent of those surveyed have been involved in grooming snow for more than five years.

The breakdown in terms of number of years involved for individuals shows that the snow grooming industry has one of the highest ratings of longevity in terms of median years of tenure within an industry.

In which of the following industries are you primarily working or volunteering?

Snowmobile Club 60% Ski Resorts 32% Nordic/Cross Country Centres 8% Commercial/ Industrial Use 1% Catski Operation 0%

Snow grooming operations in the snowmobile sector in most cases are run by volunteers, while in the ski industry these jobs are typically paid positions. This result may spark interest to the resort sector to increase value within human resources departments to fill snow grooming positions with people who have volunteer experience with snow grooming equipment and operations from other sectors.

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

15

2014/2015 Snow Grooming Industry Survey

Do you volunteer your time within the snow grooming industry?

Yes 67% No 33%

How many groomers, or on-snow vehicles does your club/association/ ski resort own and/or lease?

9+ 5-8 2-4 1 None

10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Model AT-20HD

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SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

The Next Generation is Here.

The New BISON: a combination of power, performance, comfort and low emissions. Featuring the innovative Clean Motion engine, the industry’s lowest operating costs, un-matched visibility and outstanding grooming and park building capabilities ‌ discover the New BISON at prinoth.com/NEWBISON

2014/2015 Snow Grooming Industry Survey

Which of the following choices best represents the total asset value of snow grooming equipment (including groomers, drags, blades, parts, accessories and attachments, and snow making equipment) owned by your club/association/ski resort?

Over $5,000,000

Over $1,000,000 $500,000 to $1,000,000

$1,500,000 to $5,000,000

$250,000 to $500,000

$500,000 to $1,500,000

$100,000 to $250,000

$100,000 to $500,000

$50,000 to $100,000

Less than $100,000

Which of the following choices best represents the total annual expenses toward snow grooming operations, including labour, fuel, maintenance, repair and shop time for your club/association/ski resort?

$20,000 to $50,000 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Percentages from the above chart have been extracted from the 2014/2015 Snow grooming Survey and are used for theoretical purposes only.

Percentages from the above chart have been extracted from the 2014/2015 Snow grooming Survey and are used for theoretical purposes only.

Top types of equipment used after on-snow vehicles:

Please list in order of 1 to 5 (1 being the best source of information and 5 being the least used source of information) the main sources through which you receive data and updates on snow grooming now?

#1 Snowmaking Fans/Towers #2 Snowmobiles #3 Trail Groomers/Drags #4 UTV/SxS with Tracked System #5 Tractors with Tires

Associations

#6 Tractor with Tracked System

Social Media

Other equipment that was used to keep trails clear: • Brush cutters/ brushers • Heavy equipment such as loaders, backhoes, and excavators • Snow blowers • Chainsaws

18

Suppliers/ Manufacturers

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

Snow Grooming Magazine Other Industryrelated Publications

1 2 3 4 5

How often do you use the Internet (websites, social media) to get more information on snow grooming?

2014/2015 Snow Grooming Industry Survey

The Internet is being used more and more to get more information. Our survey shows that the snow grooming industry is not only using the Internet to get information, they are using it often.

The answers to this question shows us that only sometimes are the users of our industry’s online sites getting what they need. There is a need to increase efforts to maintain websites and keep online information up to date for users to receive the right message for each season.

More than 80 per cent of those surveyed are looking for specific information on snow grooming. Companies that have web pages that speak directly to this market are more likely to be visited again and again.

How likely are you to use a website that speaks directly to snow grooming topics?

Once a month Extremely likely 42%

Once a week

Very likely 38%

3-5 times per week

Moderately likely 14% Slightly likely 5%

Daily

Not at all likely >1% Never

10% 20% 30% 40%

Aluminum and Steel Track Grousers available for most makes and model machines.

Hans Hall custom and OEM Style replacement parts.

In conclusion

In one year assets and expenses within the snow grooming industry has risen an average of seven per cent overall. Fuel prices and equipment costs will be closely watched in order to keep our spending in balance for our industry. ❃

Rubber Fishbone grouser designed for Snowmobile and Nordic grooming.

Nut Rails are designed for use with BR350 semiclosed grousers.

Track belts keep your grousers in line while in operation. With proper tensile strength and design Hall belts will last and perform at the highest level.

Ideal for crossing roads and sensitive turf areas such as golf courses.

Narrow track for fitting through narrow forested areas.

MORE ONLINE!

To see all the results from the 2014/2015 Snow Grooming Survey also see snowgroomingmag.com/2015survey for the complete results.

TH E 2014/2015

SNO W GROOMING INDUS

TRY SURVEY

What Do All of These Have in Common?

Our non-coated sprockets are made of high density polyurethane that is highly wear resistant. Get 5 times the life than re -coated sprockets.

Tire Guides are where your bogie wheels roll through. Hall offers Aluminum, Plastic and steel Guides depending on machine and track.

“To get more info, go to answers roomingmag.com/ www.snowg hanshallpartsarticle”

You can get them all at Hans Hall USA or at any Hans Hall North American Distributor. Call or Email Andy at 801-820-7700 or andy@hallusa.net www.hans -hall.com

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

19

The Ski-Doo Expedition snowmobile is a good choice for moving people and cargo around at alpine ski resorts.

Winter Workhorses For a wide selection of tough utility snowmobiles for grooming trails or moving people and cargo around at ski resorts, look no further than Ski-Doo.

By Mark Halsall

20

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

The Ski-Doo Expedition is both a utility and touring vehicle.

W

hen it comes to making utility sleds, many would say nobody does it better than Ski-Doo, arguably the best known name in the snowmobile business.

“You’ll find when it comes to product breadth and the width of our utility line, it’s huge compared to everyone else,” says Steve Cowing, media relations manager for Ski-Doo brand at Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). “We’ve got the widest range around, period.

“We’ve got everything from the Tundra, a small, very lightweight and narrow machine that’s very easy to get in and out of the woods with, to (a sled with) a 24-inch wide track. That’s a big workhorse there,” says Cowing, referring to Ski-Doo’s Skandic Super Wide Track model.

“In between there, you’ve got the Expedition that crosses over between both grooming and working type situations to being an incredible luxury trail cruiser too.”

The Ski-Doo 2015 product line includes nine snowmobile models, but Cowing says the Skandic, Tundra and Expedition sleds are ones best suited for snow sport utility uses.

Utility snowmobiles are the workhorses of the ski slopes and trails, and while they may lack the fancy paint jobs and detail work of consumer-

oriented sleds, they have the muscle and equipment features required to get the job done. Many also feature longer, wider tracks for greater flotation, traction and handling on the snow.

Best Choice for Grooming Trails For grooming snowmobile and crosscountry ski trails, Cowing says Ski-Doo’s Skandic utility snowmobile is probably the best choice.

According to Ski-Doo, the Skandic sled delivers exceptional off-trail performance, fuel efficiency, work capabilities and towing capacity, and may be the most work-oriented product BRP offers.

The key to the Skandic model’s success is its deep snow and rugged terrain ability, accomplished through unique strut-style suspension that doesn’t get hung up on obstacles or drag through snow as well as the sled’s long, wide tracks.

Two feature packages are available in this product line: the Skandic Wide Track (WT) with a 20 x 154 inch track, and the Skandic Super Wide Track (SWT) that features a 24 x 154 inch track.

“Nobody else makes a sled like a Skandic Wide Track or Super WideTrack. They’re very unique in the

“ You’ll find when it comes to product breadth and the width of our utility line, it’s huge compared to everyone else. We’ve got the widest range around, period.”

– Steve Cowing sense that you can get them with different motor configurations,” Cowing says, adding that different engines options are available for other SkiDoo models as well.

“If you look at our motors, we offer two-stroke and we offer four-stroke.

Some manufacturers are going to limit the options that you can choose.

We’re not,” he adds.

Skandic’s two-stroke motors are the Rotax 550F and the Rotax 600 H.O. E-TEC engine which features an air radiator with a fan. The four-stroke motor options are the Rotax 600 ACE and the Rotax 900 ACE, which has been added to the Skandic powerplant choices this year.

Which Skandic engine is the best choice for operators depends on a lot of factors such snow conditions and the machine’s primary uses, Cowing says.

A four-stroke motor weighs more than a two-stroke, so if you’re setting tracks for cross-country skiers on a light snow base, you’d probably want to opt for the more lightweight engine, for example.

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

21

The extra wide tracks on the Skandic SWT provide the superior flotation and traction for trail grooming.

According to Cowing, two-stroke motors are not only lightweight but “they are very easy to start when it’s cold.”

Throttle Technology Both the Rotax 600 ACE and 900 ACE motors feature iTC or Intelligent Throttle Control. This throttle-by-wire technology features three shift-on-the-fly driving modes, including a more fuel efficient ECO mode and Learning Key feature, which limits the top speed of the vehicle when the ‘Learning Key’ is activated. iTC

also features a unique adjustable throttle that is switched easily, without tools, from thumb to finger.

Cowing says the transmission on a Skandic sled has a high and a low speed plus reverse, something you don’t find on most regular consumer snowmobiles.

The snowmobile also features a Lynx Telescopic Suspension system on the front as well as new-for-2015 Pilot DS 2 skis that are narrow and thin but also stiff, for easier counter-steering and sidehilling. The SC-5U Articulating Rear Suspension features settings

that maximize deep snow traction in reverse or lock out for towing.

Cowing says the Skandic SW and SWT models also have “a nice, long, wide track” that provides a lot of stability in the snow. The extra wide tracks on the SWT, he says, provide the best flotation and traction for trail grooming.

“With grooming the important thing is traction, being able to… pull the groomer without digging a hole in the snow with the snowmobile,” Cowing explains.

Snow grooming operators who choose a Ski-Doo snowmobile can select add-ons to enhance the machine’s utility on the trails, he adds.

For example, a heavy-duty hitch option is available for the Skandic sled, and it is also pre-wired for winches.

“If you go to our site and you look at Skandic utility sled and the options that are available for it, you’ll see a list of equipment that’s really utilityoriented,” he says.

A quick look at the Ski-Doo website reveals a plethora of customization options, with all kinds of

“The Grooming Professionals”

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Trail Grooming Equipment Specialists “Manufacturer of the Mogul Master Simply the finest trail groomer you can buy”

Sales / Parts / Service

WWW.THESHOPINDUSTRIAL.COM

112 Fielding Road, Lively, ON 22

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

1 (800) 663 – DRAG

Skandic WT Specifications and Features

different snowmobile tracks, skis and other parts available to choose from.

There’s also a wide assortment of cargo storage options for stowing equipment.

Operator Preference When it comes to which Ski-Doo utility sled to use at alpine ski resorts, the choice between a Skandic, Tundra or Expedition model “really comes down to the preference of the operator,” Cowing says.

“What are you going to carry on the vehicle? Are passenger capabilities

“ Nobody else makes a sled like a Skandic Wide Track or Super Wide Track. They’re very unique in the sense that you can get them with different motor configurations.”

– Steve Cowing

more important, or are cargo capabilities more important, or is it both?”

Cowing maintains Ski-Doo’s Skandic and Expedition sleds are probably the best choices for moving people or equipment and other cargo around at alpine ski resorts because they’re wider than the Tundra model, which is designed to be narrow and lightweight, and can pull heavy loads. They also float well on snow in very cold conditions.

Cowing says the Skandic WT sled is often used on ski hills because two people can ride on it, and it has a handy cargo rack at the back for carrying gear.

“At a ski resort, they tend to want to move people as much as they want to move equipment,” he says, because most operations have big snowcats that do most of the hauling and heavy lifting. ❃

MORE ONLINE!

Go online to snowgroomingmag.com/ skidootundra to see this machine in action!

Colour

Yellow/Black

Platform

REV-XU

Weight

594 pounds (with Rotax 550F Engine) to 655 pounds (with 900 ACE Engine)

Vehicle Length

127.5 inches

Vehicle Width

42.4 inches

Vehicle Height

52.3 inches

Track Dimensions (Wide Track)

20 x 154 x 1.5 inches

Skis

Pilot DS 2

Ski Stance

35.4 inches

Ski Length

41 inches

Windshield

23-inch One-piece with Mirrors

Engine Options

Rotax 550F (two-stroke) Rotax 600 H.O. E-TEC (two-stroke) Rotax 600 ACE (four-stroke) Rotax 900 ACE (four-stroke)

Transmission

Synchromesh Transmission with Reverse (2-1-N-R)

Drive Clutch Type

eDrive 2 or TRA III

Driven Clutch Type

QRS

Brake System

Hydraulic with Braided Stainless Steel Brake Line

Front Suspension

Lynx Telescopic Suspension

Front Shocks

Motion Control

Centre Shocks

Motion Control

Rear Suspension

SC-5U Articulating Rear Suspension

Rear Shocks

HPG

Seating

2-up Seat with Passenger Handholds and Standard Backrest

Gauge

Analog with Display

Electrical Start

Standard

Power Outlet

12 volt

Heated Grips and Throttle Lever

Standard

Cargo Rack

Standard

Hitch

Tongue Type

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

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SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

Clearing a Path for Success Loftness Specialized Equipment’s mulching head cutters are making it much easier for snowmobile and crosscountry ski clubs to keep their trails clear of unwanted vegetation.

By Jim Timlick

A

company with nearly 60 years of history in the agricultural sector is looking to plant some roots in the snow sport trail management market.

Loftness Specialized Equipment, established in 1956 in Hector, Minnesota by farmer Dick Loftness, got its start by manufacturing custommade V-type snowblowers for area growers. The company has expanded a great deal since then, and so has its line of products and its customer base, which now stretches all the way from North America to Chile, France, Japan and Australia.

And while its line of snowblowers is regarded as one of the best in the industry, Loftness Specialized Equipment is committed to creating innovative new products. An example of that commitment is its line of mulching

head cutters, which has been labelled the new gold standard in the vegetation management industry.

Although the mulching heads have been used on skid-steer loaders for land clearing and right-of-way maintenance for a number of years now, the company has only recently begun marketing them to snow sports clubs. The heads offer an affordable and effective way of clearing all kinds of unwanted vegetation from cross-country ski and snowmobile trails.

Dave Nelson, co-owner and senior vice president of Loftness, says it only made sense to reach out to snowmobile clubs and ski area operators since keeping trail systems free of vegetation is an ongoing challenge for them.

Nelson, whose father, Marv, bought the company from its founder in 1979,

says one of the biggest benefits of the mulching heads is that they can be attached to most skid-steer loaders.

That means instead of having to go out and purchase a dedicated clearing machine, a club can save as much as $100,000 by attaching the head to a loader they already own.

While the mulching heads can be attached to almost any type of skid-steer, they are ideally suited for machines with high-flow hydraulics and rubber tracks, according to Nelson. They are especially effective in the winter because trees aren’t producing sap, he says, adding the only real limiting factor is the depth of snow.

Loftness offers two different types of mulching heads – the Timber Ax and the Carbide Cutter. The Timber Ax has been around since 2002 while the Carbide Cutter was introduced in 2005.

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

25

Timber Ax Technical Specifications Model

53AX

63AX

73AX

83AX

Width of Cut

53 in.

63 in.

53 in.

83 in.

Overall Width

71.5 in.

81.5 in.

91.5 in.

101.5 in.

Length

40.5 in.

40.5 in.

40.5 in.

40.5 in.

Height

52 in.

52 in.

52 in.

52 in.

Number of Knives

12

14

16

18

Weight

1,920 lbs.

2,126 lbs.

2,314 lbs.

2,540 lbs.

Timber Ax

ered machine. It’s probably better for owner-operators than to put (it) in a commercial fleet-type of environment because you have to take a little more care with it,” he says.

Like the Timber Ax, the Carbide Cutter G3 features a similar two-stage cutting chamber with counter teeth and a shear bar.

This design produces the finest mulch with the lowest horsepower of any carbide mulching head, according to Nelson.

The staggered pattern and angles of the counter teeth help minimize the jamming that can plague other similar cutters. Ground material is partially reduced before being contained in a cutting chamber located behind the front bumper. It is then processed into fine mulch between carbide teeth and a recutter bar before being discharged toward the ground.

The Carbide Cutter’s innovative body design eliminates the need for a moving door while providing all of the same benefits of one, which means there is no need for an auxiliary valve or controls on a skid steer, no extra cylinder or hoses and no extra moving parts.

The Timber Ax features a two-stage cutting chamber with counter teeth and a shear bar, which provides more efficient cutting action and smaller particle size. Its hardened steel Carbide Cutter alloy blades can take on a wide variety of brush-cutting challenges and Loftness developed the Carbide can handle everything from dense Cutter about a decade ago in response brush to trees as large as 10 inches in to the demands of the marketplace. diameter in a single pass.

While the Timber Ax was still popNelson says one of the primary advanular with many customers, many tages with the Timber Ax is its unique commercial operators were demandreverse rotor rotation. Once material ing mulching heads that didn’t is engaged, it is then directed up off the require sharpening. ground by the rotors that operate at upwards of 1,700 rpm.

Cutter Carbide G3 Technical Specifications This helps reduce the amount of contact the blades have with Model 51CCH 61CCH the ground and increases the Width of Cut 51 in.

61 in. life of the blades, which can be easily sharpened. The Timber Overall Width 68 in.

78 in.

Ax also requires less power and Length 37 in.

37 in. provides a cleaner cut than Height 36 in.

78 in. most of its rivals, Nelson adds.

“If you’re not in rocky ground Number of Knives 30 36 and you don’t need to mulch Weight 2,415 lbs.

2,577 lbs. the equipment into the ground it will run on a blower-pow-

26

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

71CCH 71 in.

88 in.

37 in.

88 in.

42 2,759 lbs.

Nelson notes the unique design of the Carbide Cutter provides far greater rollback and allows operators to expose the rotor to a tree unlike most other machines, which have a front door that covers the rotor up. “Once you get used to it it’s a whole lot handier to run,” he says.

Another advantage of the Carbide Cutter is that its smooth rotor design offers far less drag than most other cutting heads, Nelson says.

“Some of the machines out there have bars across their rotor that they’re mounting their teeth to. When you’re mulching those bars just create drag and take power (away from your machine).

They’re not very efficient,” he says. “With a smooth rotor the material will flow past the teeth and is a lot more efficient.”

Something else separating the Carbide Cutter from some of its rivals is that it features spring-loaded tension on its belt.

“Most other machines you have to move the motor itself to put tension on the belt. If the belt stretches and you don’t keep it tightened you can

shear the cogs off the belt and it’s very expensive to replace,” Nelson says.

“When our belts stretch the springloaded tensioner takes up the tension on the belts and you just keep going.”

Leader in Snowblowers Despite the company’s recent success with its cutters, Loftness is still very much a major player when it comes to snowblowers. Its extensive SnowLogix line of machines and attachments remains an industry leader. For a full comparison of Loftness SnowLogix snowblowers, go to snowgroomingmag.com/loftnesschart.

Loftness Specialized Equipment recently introduced its I Series of industrial-duty, tractor mounted units, which offer a two-stage design with 16-inch diameter augers and large, 36-inch fans. The I Series joins proven products such as the Skid Steer 15/20 and 21 /40, L Series 16/35, S Series 35/120, H Series 100/200 and I Series 140/200.

“ The key to our success is that we build quality equipment and we take care of our customers.”

– Dave Nelson While the company will continue to be innovative, Nelson insists its guiding principles won’t change. “The key to our success is that we build quality equipment and we take care of our customers,” he says. ❃

MORE ONLINE!

Check out the Loftness video of the Carbide Cutter at snowgroomingmag.com/ loftnesscarbidecutter

// CARBIDE CUTTER G3 Available with 51-, 61- and 71-inch cutting widths 2-stage cutting chamber with staggered counter teeth and a shear bar

Ensures small particle sizes, while eliminating jamming and wrapping Optional variable-displacement motor with load-sensing technology

LOFTNESS.COM 1-800-828-7624

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

27

Biggest Bang for the Snow Grooming Buck Satisfied American Track Truck customers say the Dominator track conversion system provides great value and gets the job done.

By Mark Halsall 28

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

The Dominator track system is a popular snow grooming solution that can convert trucks, SUVs and even 4X4 or all-wheel drive cars into a tracked on-snow vehicle, like this one used to groom cross-country ski trails in the Black Mountain Forest Recreation Area in Michigan.

J

im Meyers helps groom 30 miles of cross-country ski trails in Black Mountain Forest Recreation Area in the northern end of Lower Michigan. Since 2006, he and the other snow grooming operators there have used trucks rigged with Dominator tracks produced by American Track Truck Inc. to maintain the trails – and they couldn’t be happier.

“Before we were freezing and getting beat up on a snowmobile trying to groom trails. Now we just climb aboard a truck with those Dominators on it, and it does just about everything you ask it to do. We have some really big hills there, but it does the job,” Meyers says, adding that two Chevrolet S-10 Blazers equipped with tracks are used to pull an assortment of rollers, drags and tracksetters.

“Not only that, you don’t have to make so many trips around like you did with the snowmobile, having to do multiple laps to get everything done.

With (Dominator-equipped trucks), you have way more power, and you just get done a whole lot faster… and you can pull bigger equipment,” he says.

“It’s time-saving and more efficient.”

Meyers adds that another advantage to snow grooming by track-equipped truck rather than snowmobile, is that “you can carry all the tools that you need. If there’s a tree down across the trail, you’ve got your chainsaw and everything along with you. You couldn’t pack all that stuff on a snowmobile.”

The Dominator track system is a popular snow grooming solution that can convert trucks, SUVs and even 4X4 or all-wheel drive cars into a tracked on-snow vehicle. Before introducing Dominator tracks in 2010, American Track Truck sold a Sno-Tracks line of track conversion kits.

According to the company, Dominator track systems can be used all year round and in many different types of terrain, but they perform best on snow

and ice or similar surfaces that require exceptional floatation and traction.

The tracks attain optimal performance by providing a large floatation surface area without adding much weight, and they are also efficiently designed to consume nearly no power from the vehicle.

American Track Truck also maintains that Dominator tracks are the lightest on the market, allowing for easy, one-person installation. Meyers can personally attest to the ease of installation; he’s 74-years old, and says he has no difficulty putting the tracks on or off himself.

“It’s kind of like just changing a big tire,” he says. “I do it myself – just jack the truck up, take the lug nuts off, put the wheels back on, and drive down the road in the off season.”

Meyers adds the Dominator track units are easy to transport. “I can put all four of them in the back of my eightfoot bed pickup truck,” he says.

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

29

Trucks equipped with Dominator tracks are used to groom snowmobile trails for Little Monadnock Family Trails club in Troy, New Hampshire.

Grooming Trails Over Ice For the past five years, Gregg Hennum has been using vehicles equipped with American Track Truck track-conversion kits to groom snowmobile trails on Lake of the Woods, a vast expanse of water on Minnesota’s northern edge.

“We groom 110 miles of trails weekly on Lake of the Woods. We need a system that’s light because (our trails are) all on ice,” says Hennum, who is contracted by his club, the Lake of the Woods Drifters. Two trucks – a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and Chevrolet Suburban – rigged with Dominator tracks are used for snow grooming.

“The biggest thing we have to worry about is crossing cracks in the ice (so) it’s all about the weight of the rig for us,” Hennum says. “We carry little aluminum ramps. You throw them down and you drive over the cracks, then you pick them up and you’re gone.”

In addition to safety considerations, Hennum says being able to use a lightweight rig that performs as effectively as a large snow grooming vehicle – and for less money – are key considerations.

“They do just as good a job, there’s less maintenance, and they’re a lot less expensive compared to a $150,000 rig,” Hennum says, adding that lighter weight vehicles allow for a longer season of on-ice trail grooming.

30

In addition, he says, his Dominatorequipped trucks get the job done more quickly. “You get a little more speed, so you can groom a little faster.”

Grooming Trails Over Rocks For New Hampshire’s Todd Bergeron, the challenge of snow grooming in what’s known as the ‘Granite State’ involves rocks, not ice. He helps groom 120 miles of snowmobile trails for his club, the Little Monadnock Family Trails based in Troy, New Hampshire.

“It’s a lot of granite, and it’s very hilly,” says Bergeron, whose club has three trucks equipped with Dominator tracks – a Chevy S-10 Blazer, a Toyota Forerunner and a Suzuki Sidekick.

Bergeron, who has 25 years of trail grooming experience, says he tried four or five track conversion kits before discovering the American Track Truck

system. “They just weren’t rugged enough,” he says. “We have a lot granite here, and they just couldn’t take the hits.”

Another key consideration was cost.

Bergeron says the American Track Truck system not only costs less to buy, it’s less expensive to maintain.

The simple, clean design of the Dominator tracks means moving parts are kept to a minimum, and the kit uses high-quality snowmobile tracks, bogie wheels and slides. When replacements parts are needed, they’re usually easy to get, at a reasonable price.

“What really did it with the Dominator, to be honest with you, is that everything’s off the shelf,” Bergeron says, adding he can go into almost any snowmobile or auto parts store and buy parts for the system. That, in turn, reduces downtime.

The fleet used by Bergeron’s club does include some traditional snow

American Track Truck’s Dominator track system is a popular snow grooming solution that enables snowmobile and cross-country ski clubs to outfit almost any 4X4 to service their trails.

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

grooming vehicles, but most trail maintenance performed in-season is done by the track-equipped trucks.

“We actually had the large snowcats at first, and we have a plethora of them….

It just got very expensive,” Bergeron says. “Now we do all the maintenance grooming with our trucks equipped with American Track Truck systems. It’s saving us a fortune in diesel and wear and tear on the big snowcats.”

Saving money is huge consideration in areas like Bergeron’s in southwestern New Hampshire, which have relatively short snow seasons. “We’re in the southern end of our state, so we’re grooming usually about three months,” Bergeron says.

“Our club is not in a tourism area, so we don’t have a lot of local businesses where we are, that would be kicking in a lot of ( financial) support for the club,” he adds. “So it’s always a huge concern to get the best bang for your buck.”

According to Bergeron, the American Track Truck track conversion kit delivers just that. “If you’re not a giant club with gobs and gobs of money to spend, then

“ They do just as good a job, there’s less maintenance, and they’re a lot less expensive compared to a $150,000 rig.”

– Gregg Hennum really this is it,” he says. “You can save a ton of money by using these systems.”

Great Fit for Snow Belt Border Regions Mark Saari, a customer service agent with American Track Truck, says the Dominator track system is a perfect fit for many snow grooming customers, particularly those in areas with lighter snowfalls.

“We have found a big opportunity in the trail grooming market, especially in the Snow Belt border regions. These areas can sometimes go for years without snow, so they cannot justify the cost of a dedicated grooming tractor,” Saari says.

“With minimal investment, these clubs can purchase Dominator tracks and outfit almost any 4x4 to pull a decent sized groomer drag and service their trails,” he adds. “Since Dominators are effective even in heavy snowfall areas, such as British Columbia, Canada, the snow border regions are really no challenge at all.” ❃

MORE ONLINE! See more on Dominator Tracks Video at snowgroomingmag.com/ americantracktruck

snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

31

Grooming with the Pittsburg Ridge Runners

By Megan McClelland

32

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

Pittsburg Ridge Runners grooming team. From Left: David Ainsworth, Jason Bussfield, Peter Kenney and Keith Landry

I

t’s easy to recognize that you are in snowmobile country upon arrival to the “Great North Woods” and the town of Pittsburg in the northern tip of New Hampshire. As cell phone service grows weak and road signs to Canada more prevalent, it’s not hard to spot a sled or two parked outside most residences and businesses. Pittsburg is surrounded by beautiful lakes, mountains and more moose than people, and at the heart of the community is a 3,400member snowmobile club that prides itself in providing the best possible surface to sled on more than 220-plus miles of trails. The club’s community dedication, passion and culture is enough to accurately dub the region the “Snowmobiling Capital of New England.”

Founded in 1966, the Pittsburg Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club is operating in full force, grooming many miles of trails on a nightly basis (provided full snow coverage), seven days a week.

The club’s groomer co-ordinator and vice-president, Keith Landry, manages 12 talented groomers who know the extensive trail system like the backs of their hands. The trail system extends to Vermont and Maine and all the way to the Canadian border crossing, also offering connections to a few other club trail systems. The trails vary in width, but many are on gravel logging roads that are up to 30 feet wide, providing plenty of space for two-way traffic The Ridge Runners are proud owners and operators of four snow grooming

machines; three PistenBully 400 Trails, and one PistenBully Edge. They also have use of a PistenBully 280 that is owned by the state of New Hampshire. The PistenBully 400s are especially large when compared to most East Coast trail grooming equipment. Landry explains that his team needs and uses the power that the PistenBully provides. Given the high amount of traffic that the trails see, it is necessary to be able to blade out ruts and moguls that develop on the trails.

Landry estimates that the grooming team puts roughly 800 hours on each machine per season and claims that his club has tried just about every brand of grooming equipment and has come to the conclusion that PistenBully gets the job done best.

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The Pittsburg Ridge Runners Clubhouse.

He and his team however, continually express the need for higher fuel capacity in their grooming equipment, understandable when Pittsburg groomers can find themselves as far as 20 miles away from fuel on any given night.

Managing and maintaining such an extensive trail system is no easy task.

Only about half of the Ridge Runners’ trail system is on state land; the other half is private property. Landry explains that “the club obtains property owners’

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permission using a signed form allowing use under a state insurance policy.”

Landry and his team constantly reiterate that there would be no trail system if it weren’t for the continual support of private property owners.

For the co-operation and support that club members receive, they could not be more thankful.

The Ridge Runners’ are very fortunate to have a large number of their trails running on logging roads because they require less maintenance, are wide and fair well during low snow years.

The team is constantly keeping tree branches clipped back and clearing debris throughout the winter.

In the summer, they do extensive work, removing any inhibiting features from the trails. The grooming equipment gets put to good use for summer maintenance as it is driven out on the trails to carry heavy gear and assist with clearing. Landry and his crew emphasize that summer clearing and trail maintenance makes a huge difference when operators are grooming during the winter, allowing the club to offer the best possible trail surface to their guests.

In addition to support from individual property owners, the Ridge Runners receive substantial support from their club members and local businesses, as well as some financial assistance from the state of New Hampshire. Member fees, which run at a reasonable $30 per

individual and $40 per family, help the club to operate with a paid staff. Local companies provide support with business memberships and grooming donation jars for customer contributions in addition to various other donations.

Much of the trail patrolling is done by volunteer club members who strive to ensure that riders are adhering to the 45 mile per hour speed limit, have proper vehicle registration and are not lost somewhere on the trail system.

Most of the Pittsburg winter economy is based around snowmobiling. Landry explains that one of the reasons his club has been so successful is that the town of Pittsburg can accommodate its guests. The community has plentiful lodging, 24-hour gas services (which allow for snowmobiling at all hours), restaurants, snowmobile retail shops and mechanics in addition to beautiful vista points that attract people from afar. The trail system also has one warming hut and a large clubhouse that gets used for special events. Visitors do not have to be club members in order to use the trail system. They must, however register their snowmo-

One of the Pittsburg Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club’s snow grooming machines with attached drag.

biles with the state of New Hampshire before entering a Ridge Runner trail.

The easiest way to sum up the Pittsburg Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club is that it is a group of hard-working, passionate people who love the sport of snowmobiling. Every club member has a clear view on what makes their club great, including such things as seven-day trail grooming, paid and experienced snow groomers, excellent

grooming equipment, community support, bountiful snowfall and beautiful surroundings. But most importantly, every member is proud of what he or she is doing, not just for the club but for the culture of the community as a whole. It’s this sense of accomplishment that lies at the heart of the continued success of the Pittsburg Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club. ❃

One way to get the trails groomed is through the revenue from donations.

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SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

The Oil Man Helping your older snow grooming vehicle last longer.

By Shawn Daniels

Red Giant Oil is renowned as the largest producer of locomotive engine oils in North America, but it also a wellregarded provider of motor oils and other lubricants to agricultural and numerous other markets, including snow grooming machines.

Headquartered in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Red Giant Oil has locations in Kansas, Texas, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah and employs more than 200 people. The independent company has been a family-run business since its start in 1910, and is currently headed by Sherryl BillsTaylor, Red Giant Oil president, and her son, David Bills, the company’s vice-president.

Shawn Daniels is Red Giant Oil’s facility manager for Idaho and Utah. In this edition of The Oil Man, Shawn talks about how motor oil needs change as snow grooming machines get older, and why spending a bit more on maintenance products can help extend the life of your vehicle.

D

edicated snow groomers and farm tractors used to maintain cross-country or snowmobile trails are like any other vehicle in that as their engines get older and their inner parts get worn, you’ll often see sludge buildup caused by small leaks in seals and that kind of thing. You’ll also start having to deal with different kinds of contaminant issues with your engine oil.

This could be dirt that gets past your air cleaners in the engine, or excess fuel that doesn’t gets burned and ends up in your oil. You can also get moisture that builds up over a period of time from the condensation that occurs as your engine repeatedly heats up and cools down. And what’s really common with diesel engines is that you can get soot in your oil.

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Over time, the oil market has gotten better at addressing contamination by producing different kinds of products that can deal with the contaminants.

This includes synthetic oils, which can have an advantage over conventional mineral-based oils by providing better start-ups in cold conditions.

The biggest type of wear in your engine, particularly if you’re dealing with cold temperatures and seasonal use, is right at cold start-up. That’s because with conventional oils, it takes a minute or so for the oil to heat up and start flowing, so you’re usually not going to have that really good thin film of oil covering all the parts. So if you can determine the right oil for your equipment that allows for a better cold start and which gets oil lubricating everything inside your motor more quickly, you’re going to reduce engine wear by a great deal.

Another time that you’ll see lots of wear is when you get towards the end of an engine’s life. Usually by this time, the additives in your oil have broken

Using a highquality motor oil that is well suited to your engine requirements could not only help stretch out service intervals, but ultimately could extend the life of your equipment. down and the acid level is high. The acid number is something that indicates the amount of moisture that gets into conventional mineral-based oil.

Over time, the water changes chemically into sulphuric acid, and that’s

something that will really eat your engine up. When the acid levels get consistently high, that’s when engine wear is going to really ramp up.

When you’re dealing with seasonal equipment like snow grooming machines, I would definitely recommend staying away from a time-based oil change-out program, like changing the oil every 150 hours. If you do that, you’re kind of running blind or asking for trouble.

If people have questions about their maintenance schedules or whether they can extend the maintenance intervals of their equipment, the smart thing to do would be contact someone who can analyze the oil in your engine for you. They should be able to provide important feedback on some key things like the level of contaminants in your oil and the acid number.

When people don’t take these kinds of factors into account, the end result can be engine failure. Anyone with an older piece of equipment is probably going through the game of debating whether to either limp along with

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what they’ve got (and putting up with the all the smoke and less power and the really rough start-ups) or throw in the towel and buy new.

Purchasing a brand-new engine or a vehicle can be very expensive, obviously, so one might be wise to consider spending a little bit more money on higher-level maintenance products if your budget allows it. Some people put in additives to

try to improve viscosity and that sort of thing, rather than buying a higher quality motor oil, but in my opinion these are short-term fixes that don’t really work.

Using a high-quality motor oil that is well suited to your engine requirements could not only help stretch out service intervals, but ultimately could extend the life of your equipment. ❃

If you can determine the right oil for your equipment that allows for a better cold start and which gets oil lubricating everything inside your motor more quickly, you’re going to reduce engine wear by a great deal.

Proper lubrication could ultimately extend your equipment’s lifespan.

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snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

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Blazing an Insurance Trail Insurance coverage used to be an afterthought for many snowmobile clubs. That’s changed in large part because of Dale Vagts and his V&V Insurance Agency.

By Jim Timlick

W

hen Dale Vagts decided to combine his passion for snowmobiling with his knowledge of the insurance business, he had no idea what might come of it.

A little more than three decades later, the pairing has turned out to be a stroke of genius. V&V Insurance Agency Inc., the Cresco, Iowa-based company Vagts founded in 1982 after purchasing a portion of the agency his dad owned, is now recognized across North America as an industry leader when it comes to providing liability coverage for snowmobile clubs and associations.

What started as a one-off when he was approached by his local sledding group, the Driftrunners Snowmobile Club, to put together a policy for it in 1984, has since grown into a coast-tocoast initiative that now encompasses some 20 states including Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, Maine and Washington. Vagts and his company have even provided some insurance advice north of the 49th parallel.

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Still, Vagts readily admits he didn’t have the slightest inkling how popular his idea might be when he first conceived it 30 years ago.

“I had no idea, no idea what was going to happen,” he says, chuckling. “It just started out as a local thing and it just kept growing and growing.

“I know that when I first started this my dad, who had been in the insurance business for years himself, he made a comment to one of our relatives about ‘I don’t know what that Dale is doing.

I don’t know if this is going to fly.’ Ten years later it was a major part of our agency and my dad said ‘I guess he knew what he was doing.’”

Filling a Need When Vagts was first approached by his local club, there was little in the way of insurance policies that were tailored specifically to the needs of snowmobiling enthusiasts. Most clubs had general liability policies that didn’t really match their specific

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

V&V Insurance Agency owner Dale Vagts (right) consults with Driftrunners Snowmobile Club groomer Wayne Vokaty about the latest conditions on the Cresco, Iowabased club’s trails.

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needs or they simply operated without any kind of insurance.

It didn’t take long for him to realize that a radically different approach was needed for clubs and their members to protect themselves.

“One of the reasons I wanted to put something together was that I was a snowmobiler and I had been for a long time,” Vagts recalls.

“I wanted to put together something that covered the clubs with what their particular exposures were, be

they poker runs or radar runs, safety classes, parades and obviously trail liability and groomer liability. So many of the policies that were out there at the time didn’t touch any of that stuff. It was more of a premise liability policy that really didn’t give them anything.”

V&V was one of the first insurance companies to design policies that were tailor-made for snowmobile clubs and the types of activities they are involved in, such as marking and grooming trails.

Vagts says the primary purpose of his company’s efforts has been to limit the exposure of clubs and their members so that “people can feel comfortable about going out and working on trails, being part of a club and putting on these various activities and not having to worry about losing the family farm or business.

“Clubs have a big exposure depending on the size of the club and the size of its operation. They’re taking any number of miles of trails… and preparing them and making them available

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“I wanted to put together something that covered the clubs with what their particular exposures were, be they poker runs or radar runs, safety classes, parades and obviously trail liability and groomer liability.

So many of the policies that were out there at the time didn’t touch any of that stuff.”

– Dale Vagts

to the public, and you’ve got people coming in from all over,” he says. “If you should make a mistake in your trail prep or your layout or grooming… you need that exposure coverage.”

Another motivation for Vagts was to see snowmobile clubs pay comparable premiums that were the same regardless of the size of the club or the number of miles of trails they were responsible for. At the time, premiums varied from as little as $300 to as much as $3,000.

“We wanted something that was universal and didn’t relate back to the club size or number of miles of trails or anything because a liability exposure is a liability exposure,” Vagts explains.

Club-specific Policies Vagts believes there’s no secret to why his idea proved so popular. First and foremost, he says, there was a need for club-specific policies. Vagts also worked tirelessly to promote the idea by attending numerous state conventions and workshops across the United States.

“One of the reasons I wanted to put something together was that I was a snowmobiler.”

– Dale Vagts “There was no advertising or anything like that. Through word-ofmouth it kept spreading that this was the answer ( for clubs),” he says.

Vagts is a longtime outdoors enthusiast, but acknowledges he has always had a particular affinity for snow machines. It’s a passion that continues to this day as he and his wife Joyce still log more than 4,000 miles on snowmobiles each season.

While nothing compares to hitting the open trails, Vagts cautions clubs and their members to play it safe. He says the one bit of advice he continues to offer clubs is to make sure their insurance policy is directed toward the specific needs of their operations rather than “just a general piece of paper that was thrown together and really has no meaning.

“If you have a groomer out there on the trails and you have some kid who ends up getting injured or killed, you want to make sure you’ve got the right (policy) and exposure,” he says. “Make sure you have a policy that’s designed for what your exposures are.”

Vagts urges clubs to make sure their members are carrying their own personal liability. While a club’s policy will cover members doing work on behalf of the club, it won’t cover them if they “dinging around” on a trail, he notes.

“That’s personal liability, that has nothing to do with the club,” Vagts says, adding that individual landowners should also be aware of their rights and responsibilities when it comes to making their land available for public use for such activities as snowmobiling. ❃

V&V Insurance Agency owner Dale Vagts and office manager Sandi Reinhart say their work with snowmobile clubs is a substantial part of the company’s growing customer base. snowgroomingmag.com | Issue 8 | SNOW GROOMING

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Tiller Helps to Cultivate Savings for Snow Groomers Vermont-based Mountain Grooming Equipment has introduced the Mueller Snow Tillers to North America.

By Jim Timlick

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SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

D

oug Wilson is the owner of Mountain Grooming Equipment, a snow grooming equipment and parts supply company he founded in Waitsfield, Vermont in 2001. He’s also the exclusive North American distributor for Mueller Snow Tillers, which he believes can help cross-country ski clubs and Nordic centres reap substantial savings by cutting down on grooming costs.

This is the first season the Germanmade tillers have been available here in North America and Wilson says he expects to hit a “home run” as American and Canadian snow groomers become more familiar with the equipment.

Wilson believes it was a natural progression for his company to get behind snow tillers since a growing number of his customers are Nordic centres and cater largely to cross-country ski enthusiasts. The beauty of the Mueller Snow Tiller, he says, is that it can be easily attached to almost any kind of agricultural tractor to create a wide variety of track widths for Nordic ski trails as well as tube slide areas.

Wilson maintains the tillers are a particularly attractive option for crosscountry ski clubs and centre operators looking to keep their costs under control. Mountain Grooming Equipment also sells Soucy track conversion kits that when combined with a Mueller

Snow Tiller can transform a tractor into an all-in-one Nordic grooming machine that’s much less expensive than a dedicated snow grooming vehicle.

Wilson says such a vehicle is posted on his company’s website. In roundnumbers, it’s comprised of a $50,000 John Deere 47-20 tractor, $39,000 tracks, and a $25,000 two-metre snow tiller and tracksetter kit. “That comes out to about $114,000,” says Wilson, which is considerably less costly than buy a dedicated snow grooming machine that can range in price from $160,000 to $300,000.

Not So Much Money Wilson says in alpine skiing, dedicated snow groomers with built-in tillers are commonplace but “in the Nordic ski world, there’s not as much money. So to purchase a big snow groomer that can only be used a few months a year, that’s a huge investment.

“There are always Nordic centres that will groom with snowmobiles and stuff but there are other Nordic guys who want to have a tiller cat but look at it (as cost prohibitive) because it’s just sitting there for nine months of the year,” Wilson says.

“If they run a tractor, (they) can use it in the winter with a tiller and then use it in the summer for all their other trail

needs. It allows you to do multiple jobs with just a single machine. That same piece of equipment can run multiple items. If you have a piece of equipment dedicated for grooming that’s all you can use it for and all summer it just sits there. And when they sit there, they still cost you money.”

Another advantage of Mueller Snow Tillers, according to Wilson, is that because it allows one tractor to be used for multiple tasks, ski clubs and Nordic centres won’t require as much storage space for their grooming equipment.

He adds it can also mean substantially lower maintenance costs, since agricultural tractors tend to be cheaper to maintain than some dedicated grooming machines.

“If you start adding all these pieces up, plus then you have to maintain them and store them, it’s a lot easier to keep one thing running than multiple (machines),” Wilson says.

In addition to providing plenty of bang for your buck, Wilson says the Mueller tillers provide excellent durability. “It’s just as durable as any of the tillers that are on a regular snow groomer,” he says.

“The level of interest has been great.

Everybody wants to try it.”

– Doug Wilson

The Mueller Snow Tiller can be easily attached to almost any kind of agricultural tractor.

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Mueller Snow Tiller Specifications Model

Tiller Shaft Width

Total Tiller Width

Tracksetter Capacity

3-Point Hitch Category

Tractor HP Requirement

Tornado 1.2

1.2 m

1.8 m

1

1/2

40 hp

Tornado 1.6

1.6 m

2.2 m

1

1/2

45 hp

Tornado 2.0

2.0 m

2.6 m

2

2

50 hp

Tornado 2.4

2.4 m

3.0 m

2

2

75 hp

Thunder 2.0

2.0 m

2.6 m

2

2/3

50 hp

Thunder 2.4

2.4 m

3.0 m

2

2/3

75 hp

Thunder 2.8

2.8 m

3.4 m

3

2/3

90 hp

Different Models Mueller offers two different models of grooming tillers — the Tornado and the Thunder. The Tornado is main model that Mountain Grooming Equipment sells, and it’s available in tiller shaft widths of 1.2 to 2.4 metres.

Wilsons says the 2.0 and 2.4 metres widths have been the most popular

sizes to date, adding that the Tornado tiller is a newer model than Thunder tiller and is a little bit less expensive.

Whatever model you choose, the Mueller Snow Tiller creates great surface for cross-country skiing. “It loosens up the top of the surface and then combs it out flat again for Nordic skiing. Also, there’s a tracksetter that then puts the ski tracks down for classical skiing,” Wilson

says. “A benefit of the tiller is that it makes a consistent snow surface that’s a favourable density to ski on. People don’t like to go out and ski on ice.”

The Mueller Snow Tiller attaches to a three-point hitch and runs off the regular tractor power take-off shaft. It can be used on agricultural tractors that deliver between 40 and 90 horsepower, although Wilson says 60 horsepower is the minimum standard for larger grooming jobs, regardless of whether the machine is equipped with tracks or wheels.

The tillers can also be used with or without optional track setters, which are available in a variety of widths.

A number of track setters can be utilized at the same time to create classic cross-country trails in combination with skate ski trails.

Wilson says choosing the right tiller depends largely on how wide a trail is and knowing what it can handle. One of the strengths of the Mueller Snow Tiller is that it allows operators to fit into some spots that would be too small for a dedicated snow grooming machine to navigate.

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Adding Soucy tracks and a Mueller Snow Tiller to a farm tractor is less costly than buying a dedicated snow grooming machine.

“ A benefit of the tiller is it makes a consistent snow surface that’s a favourable density to ski on. People don’t like to go out and ski on ice.”

– Doug Wilson

Rave Reviews Mountain Grooming Equipment has been testing the tillers at some local Nordic centres this season including Craftsbury Outdoor Center in nearby Craftsbury Common, Vermont. Wilson says the early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.

“The level of interest has been great,” he says. “Everybody wants to try it, wants to see it. We had it up to Craftsbury (recently). They ran it and really liked it.”

Wilson’s passion for the great outdoors dates back more than four decades. He got his first snow machine in the early 1970s and became the youngest authorized Sno-Pony dealer in the U.S. a short time later.

In addition to being an accomplished mechanic, Wilson began grooming in the 1980s. In 2001 he decided to go into business for himself and started Mountain Grooming Equipment as a full-time family business.

He and his wife Cari are still avid snowmobile enthusiasts and forego winter getaways to sunnier climes in favour of riding to snowy destinations such as Quebec, Maine, New Brunswick and Ontario. ❃

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Andrea Willey says she would like to see more women take an active role when it comes snow grooming and trail management.

Unsung Hero Meet Andrea Willey, a human dynamo who makes things happen for her snowmobiling community in northeastern Iowa.

By Jim Timlick

I

f you happened to attend last year’s Iowa State Snowmobile Association annual convention in Dubuque there’s a chance you might not have noticed Andrea Willey.

She was there all right. In fact, as chair of the convention, Willey spent almost every waking moment during the threeday event on the floor of the Grand River Center. The fact that she was so busy organizing things behind the scenes that some convention visitors might not have spotted her – well, that’s just fine as far as Willey is concerned.

“I love helping out any way I can, whether it’s planning events or something else, but I don’t need any recogni-

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tion for it. I’m not one who needs to be in the spotlight,” she says, chuckling.

“I help out as a way of thanking the Iowa State Snowmobile Association.

I think it’s important for everybody to get involved and help out, to do their share. If they enjoy the sport, they should be involved.”

Passion for Snowmobiling Willey has been something of an unsung hero when it comes to snowmobiling and trail grooming in northeastern Iowa during the past two decades. Born and raised in Ryan, Iowa, she fell in love with the sport

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

soon after meeting her high school sweetheart Chris, who was already an avid rider at the time.

Shortly after the young couple wed, she joined Chris as a member of the Snow Pioneers Snowmobile Club in the community of Manchester, where they live today with their two children, Isabelle and Wyatt.

It wasn’t long before Willey took over as secretary of the club, a role she handled for nearly 12 years. She has also took on a variety of other jobs with the Snow Pioneers, from helping develop a local trail map and coordinating advertising, to managing the club’s website, orga-

nizing fun runs and overseeing donations to the ISSA’s Education and Scholarship Foundation.

Willey is also a certified groomer operator and has contributed countless volunteer hours to helping the ISSA maintain more than 8,000 miles of state trails each winter.

It was that same desire to give back to the sport that led Willey to offer to help out when Region 5 of the ISSA put in a bid to host the 41st annual convention, which took place Nov. 21 to 23, 2014. In addition to a series of workshops, the event featured guest speakers addressing topics such as winter survival techniques trail grooming and safety practices.

While it was a huge undertaking for everyone involved, Willey says she couldn’t have been happier with the results. More than 280 ISSA members attended the 2014 convention, nearly double the number of people who attended the previous year’s event.

“I was very pleased with the attendance we had,” Willey says. “I heard nothing but great feedback from the ISSA.”

“ I think it’s important for everybody to get involved and help out, to do their share. If they enjoy the sport, they should be involved.”

– Andrea Willey Snow Show Returns Willey was particularly pleased with the level of interest in the convention’s Snow Show. After it was put on hiatus six years ago, she and other organizing committee members felt it was important to resurrect the show to promote both the sport and local snowmobile clubs in northeast Iowa.

In its first year back, the free show managed to attract 54 vendors, and organizers estimate it brought in more than 1,000 visitors. It was so successful, in fact, ISSA organizers are already planning to expand it into a two-day event for next year’s convention and expect the number of vendors to more than double.

“For a show that’s just starting back up, we had great attendance. It was busy all day long,” Willey says. “I spoke to a couple of vendors after the fact and they (originally) expected to do a couple of hundred dollars in sales. One vendor alone said he did over $3,000 in gear alone and that’s not including any machines or anything else.

“I asked (the vendors) if we did it again what should we do differently. All I heard was ‘I would get a bigger booth and bring more stuff,’” she says.

Snowmobiling has always been very much a family affair for Willey. It was husband Chris, who was recently named the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame’s Groomer of the Year for 2014, who took her out for her first

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Snowmobiling is very much a family affair for Andrea Willey (left), her husband Chris and their two children, Isabelle and Wyatt.

“ If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, and you care about… it doesn’t seem like work.”

– Andrea Willey snowmobile ride. It wasn’t long after that she got her own snow machine and joined him on the trail.

That passion for the sport has been passed down to their two kids. Both are active riders and Isabelle, 12, was recently named Youth Snowmobiler of the Year by the ISSA. “Chris grew up riding… and it’s always been a passion of his. It’s something he passed on to me and it’s something we love to do together and we’ve passed that on to our kids,” Willey says.

“I think that snowmobiling… needs to get the younger generation involved.

By getting them involved in it at a younger age, and if they have fun with it, then they tend to stay involved with it and get involved with other aspects of it other than just riding.”

Impressive Juggling Act As impressive as her contributions to the sport have been, Willey’s

50

ability to juggle her volunteer commitments with her personal and professional lives has been even more impressive. In addition to being a wife and mom, she works full-time as an office manager for a local construction company, is a part-time waitress at a local bar and is enrolled in several college classes.

“Everything can get done if you take the time to properly (plan). I tend to be pretty organized,” Willey says. “If I’m organized, things can happen (as planned) and stay on track and I can get things done. And if you’re passionate about what you’re doing, and you care about it and it doesn’t seem like work, it’s just part of your life.”

One of the things Willey is passionate about when it comes to snowmobiling and grooming is encouraging more women to get involved.

While both activities still tend to be male-dominated, she doesn’t think that should be the case.

SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

Andrea Willey (bottom left, next to her husband Chris) was pleased with the results of this year’s Iowa State Snowmobiling Association Snow Show and says it was a tribute to the efforts of a dedicated band of volunteers.

“I go with Chris a lot when he teaches his (grooming) classes and I would say 85 to 90 per cent of the groomer operators are men,” she says.

“Definitely, I would like to see that change. I think there are a lot of women out there who are capable of grooming. They shouldn’t be intimidated just because it seems to be a guy’s world.

Take the opportunity and try it.” ❃

MORE ONLINE!

Thinking about joining as club?

For snowmobilers in Canada, go to ccso-ccom.ca or for U.S. snowmobilers go to: snowmobile.org

The Lite Trax 1100 dhc Groomer and the Lite Trax 1100 d2 Groomer provide the comfort and flexibility of a large groomer as well as agility that is second to none, all within a small footprint.

The Lite Trax 1100 d4 provides transportation for people and supplies to remote locations, as well as providing grooming capabilities. These compact, low ground pressure vehicles are powered by a Kubota Turbo Diesel engine and are hydrostatically driven to provide unsurpassed control and maneuverability. They are easy to operate, comfortable to ride in, and easy to maintain.

“AN AFFORDABLE SOLUTION TO YOUR GROOMING NEEDS�

Phone: 1-435-753-TRAX (8729) | Email: Sales@LiteTrax.com www.litetrax.com | 1301 W. 50 S. Centerville, UT 84014

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS All-Track Inc........................................... 16 American Track Truck............................ 31 Destoy Labs........................................... 11 Fatzer..................................................... 52 Hans Hall................................................ 19 Lif-Tech................................................... 42 Lite Trax................................................. 51 Loftness................................................. 27 Maxey Manufacturing........................... 02 Mountain Grooming Equipment.......... 46 PistenBully........... 13/Outside Back Cover Prinoth................... Inside Front Cover/17 Red Giant Oils........................................ 38 Rigging Specialties................................. 12 Ski Hill Mulcher..................................... 34 Soucy International............................... 47 Sufag MND Group........Inside Back Cover The Shop Industrial............................... 22 Track Inc................................................. 39 Tucker Sno-Cat....................................... 49 V&V Insurance....................................... 43

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SNOW GROOMING | Issue 8 | snowgroomingmag.com

- © MND Group / Semaphore- -©03MND / 2014 Group / Semaphore - 03 / 2014

In this white landscape, a new story unfolds. sufag.com In this white landscape, a new story unfolds. sufag.com

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SUFAG is a company of the MND Group MND America - 063 Eagle 5330 A rPark e cEast o ,Drive S -uEagle f a Colorado g , S -n81631 o wUSA s t- aTel.r : +1 970 b e328 co m - eFaxs : +1 970 328 5331 - mndamerica@mnd-group.com

2014 sons.

Tier 4 Final

While some are still waiting …

… the others are already on the slopes.

Convinced, purchased and in use! The new PistenBully 400 with Tier 4f engine technology has been providing top-notch performances in Saas-Fee since December 2014. Resource-saving and stronger than ever before – just the way it should be! www.pistenbullyusa.com