Author Archives: Andy Amstutz

I went out to enjoy last night’s freeze and discovered that fatbiking season is over in the Udell Hills. A mix of crust, ice, dirt and leaves will soon all be spring dirt, leaves and sticks. Might be time to … Continue reading →

Here’s the scoop: With 3-4 fresh inches, there’s a figure 8 groomed in with an O/B to NCT off the little loop to the north. Thaw freeze season starts next week with no significant snow in the forecast. Pay attention … Continue reading →

Big M fatbiking is all groomed up. Hopefully riders are responsible and adjust air pressure. Little loop, bullwhacker, polar express and north connector to NCT are recently groomed.

Fatbiking is a go at Big M. The little loop along with a connector over to NCT is in great shape. The goal is to get Bullwhacker open around the south side and reopen the polar express by the weekend.

Fat biking, XC skiing, sledding and backcountry skiing should all have really good conditions this weekend. XC trails got a groom today as well as the little loop and NCT connector got touched up this morning and bullwhacker over to … Continue reading →

The Lake Loop got groomed today along with the Vista trail and Capper’s Corner. Tuesday the Little Loop, Bullwacker and Polar express will get some TLC. We are also try to keep the outer loop from the little loop to … Continue reading →

Sorry for not updating sooner. Lots of snow, colds temps and busy volunteers. The little loop did get two passes on the 21st but the outer loop has not been groomed since previous post. Groomers are scheduling times to get … Continue reading →

Big M fatbiking is back. All trails are groomed except between post 26 and 27. The little loop is in the best shape but don’t let that scare you away from venturing out further. The thaw-freeze really turned the trail … Continue reading →

XC trails are groomed and fat bike trails will be worked on the rest of today and tomorrow.

Vaca is over and everyone is back to work. Including the groomers. Fat biking at Big M has groomed trails on the little loop, lake loop, polar express and up the bomber. Watch the temps!

XC ski trails are set. Fat bike little is set. Fat bike outer loop is fragile but with low psi and fortitude, doable. Vista hiking trail is set. Lots of snow out there in which to play so go get … Continue reading →

The outer loop got a groom yesterday with some new equipment engineered by Sloan Petersen. Up to 8 inches of new snow is reported so he worked pretty hard to knock the air out of the fresh stuff. It’s a … Continue reading →

4-7 inches of new snow and who knows how many trees, have fallen since Monday. Not really back to square one but it’s gonna take some time to get things back the way they were. Randy cleared and groomed the … Continue reading →

Despite the temps, the base has stuck with us and allowed us to keep riding. With the exception of the most western section, the north, south and little loops are still really good riding. Looking for more snow in the … Continue reading →

Well people, it’s like midwinter at Big M. XC ski is completely groomed, fatbiking has made multiple passes with the new set up, snowshoe trails are all broken in and the tele skiers are making runs from various vistas. It’s … Continue reading →

Mike completed the first full outer loop groom last night and loved every minute of it. The next 20 passes will be much easier (so he says)

Whoa, we are getting things started way early this year. With all the pre-season work put in by volunteers, we are hoping for new improved outer loop conditions and additional beginner loop options. So far, the litttle loop, polar express … Continue reading →

The outer loop and little loop were groomed late in the week only to get covered by 4-7 more inches Friday and Saturday night. The trail did get ridden in by those that worked hard to get around the Udell. … Continue reading →

4 inches of wonderful snow was groomed Tuesday afternoon just in time for a forecasted 4 more inches Tuesday night. Both the little and the outer loop got the treatment. Working hard to make the upcoming weekend just as good … Continue reading →

The struggle is real but we’re thinking we’ve got this thing as good as it can get considering the situation we just got out of and are getting into. Little loop is good to go. Wide tires and low pressures. … Continue reading →

No promises about this weekend. Think of it this way… from Thursday on we’ll be working as much as we can to get trails as rideable as possible. In other words, snow shoe or ski. Give er a shot but … Continue reading →

We’re doing our best to make things rideable but it may take the better part of the week. We’re doing multiple passes without weights and pans just so we can get the 12+inches of snow to cooperate. Maybe by the … Continue reading →

How quickly a trail can turn to mash potatoes and how quickly there’s no evidence of a soul ever riding it let alone 50 racers. Between the end the race yesterday and today, Big M received another 2-3 inches of … Continue reading →

Wow….finally a dump. The Udell Hills received nearly a foot of freshies this week. Even nearby Wellston didn’t get this much. Everything is groomed and seems to be setting up quite well. The roller stopped rolling because the snow was … Continue reading →

Perfect condish, tasty barrels all weekend. Augh….tasty barrels.

Just got back from the evening ride and the trail is in great shape. Just enough fluff on top to provide some grip but not enough to turn it into a slugfest. Forecast for the weekend has temps staying below … Continue reading →

To say it’s been a light year for the groomers would be an understatement. Big M has only needed to be groomed once (late last week) and so far this week, can be ridden in without grooming. Temps were high … Continue reading →

The outer loop and little loop each got a groom with the recent dump we received Monday night. The jury is still out on how it’s going to set up but we’re still hoping this weekend will rock with night … Continue reading →

As the snow begins to fall from the trees, it will definitely add piles to the recent grooming. There’s a ton of snow stuck up in the branches. Snowmobiles have again poached a section of trail and were educated about … Continue reading →

Sorry the messy trail at the entrance of the little loop. Driver error. One lap without roller and one with. Should be fun for experts and beginners

With a dilapidated hitch, we hobbled together a pass on the little loop. Won’t stop snowing.

Had to make two laps to get the little loop groomed today. Layer down some nice concrete for your New Years Eve day ride. And Mother Nature, could you please give us at least a couple snow free days so … Continue reading →

Little loop is rocking!!! Outer loop is too up until the groomer took a crap. Mike groomed from sign post 23 to 27. Ken got from 27 to almost 29. From 29 back to big m is not groomed. KBS … Continue reading →

Juuuust a little bit more snow arrived over the long weekend. The little loop got two passes. One without the roller/pan and one with. Should be good till the next dump

With close to a foot of fresh snow, the groomers got out on the trails for the first time this year. It’ll take a couple more passes to compact the snow and get it to set up but the cycling … Continue reading →

What a difference a night makes. Big M received 3-5 inches of fluffy white stuff last night and throughout the day today. Although not groomed, the outer loop is very very rideable. It’s gorgeous out there right now. Enjoy it … Continue reading →

Another snow day allowed us to recon Big M. No good news whatsoever. All our base is gone. We checked both north and south sides of the Udell. If it weren’t for this mornings wet, heavy snow, we would have … Continue reading →

I got out to groom this afternoon. I think this most recent snow will set up the best we’ve seen so far this year. Enjoy!!!

Trail is in great shape. Watch for a couple trees down but it won’t get in the way of a n awesome ride!  

And there’s even more snow to play in at Big M this morning. Set up nicely. Go ride it. Outer loop is still ok too thanks to KBS

Tons of snow at Big M and the Fat Bike loop packed in nicely.  All groomed up for riding pleasure.  

If the forecast is correct, these stable conditions will allow the fat bike loop as well as the entire outer to be very rideable. Even if the Udell get an inch or two, the riding will rock through the weekend. 

Snow day means groom day!  Rescued the roller!  Loop is in great shape. Should be good to go for the week. 

I went out the give the loop another packing since getting another 4-5 inches over night. The roller stopped rolling due to ice build up so I had to dump it mid trail and I finished up grooming with just … Continue reading →

Big M fat bike loop got groomed today. Sounds like it set up nicely. No outer loop…yet

Oh yea!  6 more inches of fresh just got squished down onto the fat bike loop. Groomed all up for some fun riding. When it sets up it should be mint!        

Possibly the last groom of the 5 mile Big M loop today. Ride early in the morning before Mother Nature heats the afternoons up

Out at the Big M there has been plenty of snow falling but the trail has been shaping up quite nicely. Groomed again this afternoon, the weekend looks to be a great time to try out the loop       

Trail is in really good shape. Freshly groomed for your pleasure. 

Big M is all set for some weekend fun. Trail was groomed Friday late afternoon. Get out and ride, conditions are perfect!

We had a significant thaw the past couple days. The base that has been groomed in is thick enough to handle a temporary thaw.  Some new snow has fallen and we will be out to groom by the weekend. The … Continue reading →

With temps staying above freezing throughout the entire weekend, we are asking riders to please stay off the fat bike groomed trail until temps drop below freezing

All that nice heavy snow laid down quite nicely Friday afternoon. All groomed up for people to enjoy. Watch the temps this weekend.    

With the recent dump of wet, heavy snow and temps hovering around the freezing mark, the trail should be ridden with the 1″ rule. Please avoid the trail if you’re rutting the base more than an inch.  We have not … Continue reading →