Roberts Farm trails ready for skiing

NORWAY — Ken’s Yamaha, The Norway Trackers Snowmobile Club, and the Western Foothills Land Trust recently combined resources to create a new snow grooming option that will be more adaptive to the vagaries of climate change. Ken Gammon’s ATV Rhino is now on snow treads and hydraulically fitted to tow either the Trackers' drag or the Land Trust's Nordic track setter. This is a much more flexible set up than using the Club's old Tucker to groom.

In another show of local talent, Bob Del Cuore and his carpentry crew are nearly finished decking, and building support rails for the trail system’s three bridges. Their project has been challenging due to remote bridge locations, wet conditions in the fall, and recent snows. Timbers and decking for the bridges were milled at Gallon Lumber and the custom made metal fittings were fabricated to order by Franke Associates. The bridges are substantial as they are made to support heavy grooming and maintenance equipment.

Significant work on the trails remains for next summer as the bulk of the system’s beginner trails has not been cut or excavated. A locally designed timber frame warming hut/equipment shed is in the plans as well. The Trust is currently looking for funding for both the beginners trail and the warming hut.

READY TO GROOM - Ken Gammon and co-worker with his newly fitted Rhino and the Trust’s track setter.

BUILDING BRIDGES - One of the completed bridges in the Roberts Farm Preserve trail system.