Four Seasons trail grooming started this season on December 10, 2009 and concluded on March 28, 2010.  An early snowfall in October did not stay and grooming finally commenced after a December 9 storm that dropped about 8” of snow.  Rock skis were needed for the first few weeks of the season although only in a few areas.   Wood cutting required careful maneuvering over the “airstrip” section but other than that snow conditions were excellent considering the lack of snow during February and March.  Maximum snow compaction occurred in early-March with most areas of the trail measuring a snow base of 14 inches; this however, was over a foot below normal.  Snow depth in the woods maxed out around 2.5 feet at that same time. 

 

 

 

The 4 Season’s system was groomed for skate and classic throughout the season with only short periods of time when conditions did not allow for a classic track.  The Marathon trail was not groomed this year, however the new 1km sprint loop was open much of the year except for the last week before Super Tour Finals hosted on March 26 and 27.  Icy conditions were generally the cause for being unable to set the track, as the setters were unable to break through the 1st layer of ice and would just skim over the surface.  The daily rental program helped increase trail traffic considerably as more and more people tried out skis, certainly on the weekends.  Trail traffic from visitors increased significantly due to an increased awareness of the 4 Seasons system as a result of the SuperTour Finals being hosted in March.

 

Caribou’s Piston Bully 240D grooming the start area operated by Curtis Richards of the Northern Skiers Club.

 

Equipment issues were minimal this season with the Ski Trax Skandic experiencing starter problems toward the end of the season.  A new belt was also purchased for that unit.  The Polaris functioned well only going into the shop once for a bogie wheel replacement.  The new cooling unit added last year did help the cooling problem somewhat.   Upgrading the current grooming equipment in order to reduce man-hours and allow for more consistent trail conditions was made evident during the SuperTour Finals week.  Two pieces of equipment were brought in from the Northern Skiers Club in Caribou, specifically, a Piston Bully – 240D and a Skandic wide-track and 6ft Yellowstone Ginzu groomer.  Curtis Richards, one of Caribou’s groomers, spent three nights at the lodge helping to prepare trails and set tracks for the competition days.  Without this additional equipment and assistance we would not have been able to host the races. 

 

The following observations are summarized below for each trail.

Lodge Trail (6.5km) without cross overs:

1.     Ski trail use increased and remained high all season long.

2.     Considering the smaller equipment used to groom, conditions were very good all season long.

3.     Trail expansion opportunities within the Lodge system are numerous, however, will depend on additional grooming equipment being added.

4.     Consideration should be given widening the uphill portions of the main trail to allow for a wider skate lane.

 

20k Marathon Trail:

1.     Was not groomed this year. 

2.     Next year’s marathon will occur within the existing Four Seasons footprint.

 

Sprint Loop 1km (SuperTour Loop):

1.     Groomed and in excellent condition for most of the season.

2.     Will be redesigned to include a 2km loop this summer.

 

Snowshoe Trail:

1.     Ray Beaulieu groomed the inner loop hauling a man-made drag for most of the season. 

2.     In April it was agreed to groom the inner loop next season.

 

Special thanks goes out to the Madawaska Recreation Department for all of their support and timely assistance throughout the season.  Also, Gil Roy and Gerry Roy, our principle groomers must be thanked for all of their hard work.  In addition, weekend groomers Colin and Cole Jandreau, Yvon Levesque, and Mark Dionne should be thanked.   The Madawaska Snowmobile Club was also very helpful this season and their help was very much appreciated.  It was an enjoyable and favorable ski season and with a little rest over the summer we’ll be ready for next year!