Winter weather hasn't been easy for area snowmobile trail groomer
-->By: Jennifer Lee
Updated: February 5, 2013
Many snow enthusiasts will say this winter is way better than the last.
But, with the freezing and thawing we've been experiencing for the past couple of months, it's hasn't been easy for some.
It hasn't been an easy task for one Camden trail groomer. A grooming run usually takes five to six hours. With the freezing and melting we've been experiencing, he says it's been tough to get the job done.
"When you can't get a total freeze up to begin with there are constant mud holes," explained Ted Gay, a trail groomer and Board member of TC Riders.
The Camden TC Riders Snowmobiling Club has been dragging in mud into its grooming barn.
Gay says parts of the snowmobiling trail gets groomed every day. But, with the ever-changing weather in Central New York, it's been a different story.
"You go from snow down to rocks, start all over again. You get some more snow and build another base and more warm weather and more rain you have to build another base," said Gay. Which has been a headache for Ted.
"We should have two feet on the level and up here in the woods 4 ft. common. Right now you're lucky to have it cover the tops of your boots," said Gay.
During the last melt, much of the trails were washed out, closing parts of the trail in Camden.
And without the snow, the grooming machine cannot do its job which is to keep the snow packed on the trails.
"You pack it just like you would pack a snowball. You end up with loose snow and you pack it into a snowball. Now you got something you can throw. You take loose snow and roll it around in here and pack it with a pan and now it's hard to ride on," explained Gay.
Ted says you want a base that is six inches to 2 feet deep. But it's been difficult to keep it that way this season.
Ted also tells Eyewitness News the freezing and melting can not only damage the trails, but, it is also a safety issue for snowmobilers.
