The Groomer’s Chore

Maintaining ski trails takes a combination of technology, science, and experience.

Technology involves three basic pieces of equipment – a snowmobile, a roller/compactor and the groomer/track setter. The specially designed snowmobile is a workhorse capable of pulling heavy loads at slow speeds. It has a super wide track for greater traction and pulling capability, and travels at slow speeds when grooming. Often the machines have weights on the front to counter balance the load from the grooming equipment in the back and to make steering easier.

The roller has two jobs. First it compacts the snow, establishing a solid base to ski upon. A properly prepared base provides a firm area for ski poles and helps preserve the ski trail during warming periods. Second, a comb lays down a grooved “corduroy” surface which creates a soft surface over the compacted base. The trails are then ready for skate skiing or setting track.

The groomer/track setter is designed for additional compacting and to flatten and level the snow. The machine breaks up hardened or icy snow so that a new track can be set. It often takes many passes around a trail to break up hardened snow. At the back of the groomer/track setter is the actual tracking plate that creates the parallel grooves in the snow.

A skilled groomer must know what each piece does and how to use it depending on the depth and moisture content of new snow and air temperature. A track can be set with just a roller and tracker if fresh snowfall is the right moisture content and depth. Other times it takes many passes with the groomer/track setter to break up hardened trails before re-tracking. Grooming the eight miles of trails at Whitefish Dunes can take as little as four hours or as much as eight hours or more.

The science behind grooming begins with the trail itself, which is ideally level, free of rocks, tree roots and other obstructions. Understanding snow and the different conditions that it produces is essential in creating a good trail base and grooming. Fallen snow with high moisture content that is groomed near or above 32 degrees will typically cause the equipment to be “gummed” up, slowing grooming. Dry snow needs to be compacted or it will be blown away with the wind. The sun can also create changes in trail conditions that require re-grooming and sometimes even shoveling snow that is just off the trail onto the trail to replace melted snow. A trail that melts and refreezes or gets rained on creates icy conditions that most skiers don’t enjoy. The snow must be broken up and re-shaped. The tracks on hills usually disappear first with skiers herringboning up the hill and often snowplowing down the hill.

A good trail groomer takes the time to make a trail that he or she would want to ski. If your lucky enough to cross the groomer’s path, remember to give them a huge thank you for the work they are doing.

For the latest ski trail conditions visit http://www.wiparks.net, contact the park offices, or visit http://www.skinnyski.com, with updated posts from groomers, park staff and skiers.