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Snowcat hardbooters


LeeW

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yes, it does. very nice. i just finally got a job to do grooming this winter. so I wonder if you've ever done grooming for race course? i do know during my 6 years experience with snowmaking, we tend to make sure the snow's between wet and dry for the race course. so i'm quite sure its gotta be different technique to do race course.

and yes this is my first year to do grooming, so any tips, mate? i got a couple of tips from two groomers i know, and wont be starting til early november.

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You are going to be driving around with you blade in the air for a while. There is alot going on inside the cocpit of those machines. The new Pisten Bullys are super bad ass. The have worked very hard to develope comfortabe and efficent controls with egronomics being paramount. If you drive any of the stick steer machines, you will expreience hand cramps that make you wanna cry. You already have a great eye for the snow and that take the longest time to develop. Being able to identify what is happening with snow quality variations by watching a 2 tonne wave of snow that is rolling in your blade is oh so important. That blade can do alot of damage quickly so it takes some time to get the feel. I am coming up for cat rides with you this winter. Your gonna love it. Just keep in the back of you mind groom like you ride. SMOOTH. Flow the lines blend in the high and low spots and make it buff. I am counting on you to lay it down smooooooth. Is Vail all Pisten Bully or are they driving Prinoths also?

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I spent a night riding in a PB with a coworker doing a few trails. Its loud, cold and smells like diesil. Its a good numbing butt massage however......

?????

what the hell were you in? something ancient?

even the stuff from the late 80s or early 90s were not THAT loud and were certainly not cold, been in both the bombardier and bully stuff

all the machines I've been in have actually been way more posh than you'd expect. I used to end up working on lifts late or just moving stuff around for events. I was not driving though. warm, comfortable and nice radios with cd players. hard to really ask for more.

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Vail's got a couple of Bombis, Prinoth and PB's.

I've driven the Bombis for a bit as a Haul Cat. Felt a bit weird to be using the sticks, tho I enjoy riding it. I do know I had a hairy experience with it at one time, thanks to no studs on the track. It slided sideway going up a kicker and I had to slam the blade down to stop from sliding off the edge of the kicker. Jeez. The cat crew laughed and told me "welcome to the cat crew!"

Sure, gimme a hollah, Snowman -- you know how to get ahold of me, assuming you still got my phone number. I'll be working morning shifts (2am-ish to 1pm-ish).

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Yea, a snowcat can definately be a hand full. Believe it or not you can get one stuck. I have. A beer fine is imposed for that infraction. Race course prep is a trip. Basically, the desired result is to get it as hard as you can without turning it to ice. I know that water injection and running as much done pressure on the tiller are pretty common. It is pretty time consuming doing course but you usally are allowed the time to make it perfect. I have watched the guys preping Birds of Prey at Bc, those guy have their stuff together. Perfectionist.

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