Bucks Lake Snowdrifters

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

I am sorry I have not kept this current. The power has not been on much of the time. We have been on the groomer just trying to keep our heads above the snow. After 12 hours you just want to go to bed. The stuff keeps falling. The powder is the best. We have not been able to get way out but the better riders are having a blast. Went to the dam the other day and had to track pack so Hoover could get out ( and the next day also) and the snow was coming to the windshield, backed up a lot to get there. We are trying to groom but the snow won’t set up. Very soft behind the cat. Six foot of powder just will not stay where we want it to stay. All the trail heads are groomed but Big Creek and 4 Trees are narrow so be careful. We  are trying to  get out farther but  snow keeps coming and we are having a hard time keeping the main  trails open. As the weather lets up we will have everthing open even if we double shift the cat. It is taking 50 gallons of fuel for a 6 hour shift in this powder just to keep our heads over the top.. If you want to come  up we are keeping the main trail open so the hole family can come and enjoy the day so come on up!!!!!

As the conditions improve we move to the outer trails so everyone can see the beauty that is out there

s out there HAVE FUN AND BE SAFE  JWG

We got between 4-12 inches last weekend. Just enough to make things a white again. We are still grooming and the trails are in great shape where there is snow. The forebay loop has a lot of dirt showing, don’t go there. The FS has named that trail Grizzly Loop,  now we have two grizzly loops NOT GOOD in case of a accident. Will try to fix the problem but the maps are printed, maybe they will let us proof read them next time. There is still open ditches and holes everywhere so don’t go where you can’t see a safe path. The weather is great and no fog. Come see the sun and have fun  JWG