As the snow falls in earnest outside my window on a Monday morning I ponder, is this 3rd winter? I say this because just yesterday, as I was skate-skiing at 8,500 feet in beautiful Bonanza Flat sporting only a t-shirt and windbreaker, it most definitely felt like second spring. March came in like a kitten but you knew it couldn’t last. Fast forward to Thursday morning and we’ve picked up 6-8 inches of Sierra cement at the Quinn’s trailhead. Here we go again boys… time to pack some glop.
It has been an extremely challenging winter from a trail management standpoint, and in the nearly 20 years that I’ve been involved with winter trails and grooming, I can’t recall a season where Round Valley melted out completely, twice. And experiencing “mud season” any time before April is no bueno! I’d prefer that Slicky the Bear remain in hibernation until 3rd and final spring.
On a positive note, as the Round Valley winter trails rise from the ashes (gravel) once again for what will likely be a short-lived weekend grooming mission, Park City Municipal is trying hard to reboot the Transit to Trails program for the remainder of March and early April weekend service. Can I get a HELL YEAH!? If the City can align the stars, we will have FREE weekend transport to the spectacular, higher ground bounty of snow that is Bonanza Flat. In the meantime, the MTF team will continue lay down some farm-fresh cord and classic Friday through Sunday (weather dependent) for those who care to hike, skin or ride up to Bonanza Flat.
Despite this less than stellar winter, our crew has managed to stay busy with weekend grooming in Bonanza Flat, planning for the upcoming dirt season, interviewing new staff for hire, grant applications, map production and miscellaneous signage work. And then there’s the never-ending punch list of shop projects and equipment maintenance. It may be “third winter” but we’re officially less than two months out from dipping our toes in the dirt once again, and we’ll be ready.
Have a great one out there!
