Bucks Lake Snowdrifters

We got snow last night. I got about two feet of good powder. The weather is suppose to be good next weekend. The county is going to put the road closed sign up at the summit. We will start grooming in a few days JWG

The grooming season is almost over. We are almost out of fuel for the groomer. If we are careful we have maybe three more days worth. We have logged 494 hours of cat time this year, our biggest year ever. The county is going to start plowing in on Monday the 2nd. We will groom the cutoff road this weekend . It wil bel the only way in until they get to the firehouse. My best guess it will take about two weeks, they work 4 days a week but ten hours a day. Remember they more we stay out of there way the more they can get done. I will keep this sight as current as I can on their progress.  Thr snow is still very deep on the road. At least 5-6 feet at the TEE and 8 plus on Big Creek Road. Will post some photos on my facebook page if you are interested.JWG

The power IS NOT going to be turned off this weekend. The power lines are not buried in the snow like you may have heard but low to the ground. A lot of service wires are under the snow or torn off the cabins. If your weather head is damaged PG&E will not repair the damage other wise they are fixing the lines to the cabins if they see it. Going up Mill Creek today with the cat. We  went to Lookout Rock yesterday and down Pea Creek and out Willow Creek. We did not do Ararat because of low fuel. We had to do a lot of road building. Looking down ten feet you could see where the trees are trimmed for the real road. There is way over twenty feet of snow out there. Got a couple inches of snow yesterday in the valley and about six where we were.It will be very nice this weekend. We are running low on diesel at the shed so we will have to be cutting back on grooming so please be easy on the trails in the basin. JWG

Spring is here and the streams are opening up. I finally finished four trees yesterday( went to the top of Merrimac to repair the railroad damage to the trail ). I had a little track  trouble out there and had to limp home. After many hours of trying to figure out how to do the repairs, Dave and I got lucky and made the repairs. Next time we will know how to get the track hinges together. I went to the Dam last night and plan to do Ararat Loop today. Be careful of  low power lines in the basin because there is 10 -  15 feet in places and the wires are close to the ground.  JWG

Just to let everyone know the power is going to be off from 4-1 to 4-4 for PG&E to due some repair work. JWG

Today was the first day in weeks that it did not snow. We have anywhere from 8 to 18 feet of snow on the  ground. The groomer made it to the Dam today we are planning to do Big Creek tomorrow. JWG

I AM SORRY BUT WE CANNOT KEEP AHEAD OF THE SNOW FALL. I am not grooming just track packing. The summit to my house and countrymans is all I can keep open. The weather servjce says we have SEVEN more FEET COMING IN THR NEXT TWO DAYS. Use your own judgement if you plan on coming up. Call the county to see if the road is plowed, because they are going very busy keeping Quincy open. I cannot keep ahead of the Big Creek Road.  JWG

This storm has blessed us with five to seven FEET of the lovely white stuff. As you can guess we have been busy trying to keep our heads above it. I made it to Big Creek parking lot yesterday. Will try towards Oroville early next week. I would guess the powder out that way at 5-6 feet. You powder rats would have a ball and help me if you care to try it. This is the deepest snow I have seen here in years. Mel nhas 13 feet on his snow pole. Another couple feet and he has to put more numbers on it. JWG

We are grooming the back country at last. Hartman Bar and Mtn. Aratt are opened up as of today. We have had rain and snow today. Hope to see everyone on saturday. Free lunch to anyone that shows up. Remember to tip the cooks very well.  JWG

We are finally catching up on the groomer. We have not been able to get into the back country, snow would come half way up  the windshield. The snow is deep, about eigth feet at the Haskins Tee. The infomation sign at fire house is a bump in the meadow.  We have a friend who tried go through a three foot tree on Bald Eagle. Guess what the tree won. Still trying to figure out how to get the pieces off the mountain.   JWG