• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

The Blues -22/23

plumnuts

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 27, 2007
1,734
654
113
Right side of Washington
Finished up the Western Vintage Snowmobile Finals... wow a lot of people racing! (354 entries). I believe every class had heat races , some multiple heat races to get to the final. We entered eight races, got to the finals in six, podium in two (Kolbie won the Women's 340, Amiah took third in Junior 440)... competition was tough!

Turn two action (Kolbie on the purple sled in with the guys)... the first laps were tight in many races...

1676957461585.png

Amiah (age 14)... finished one out of making the main in Junior 340 (4th place finish), but did qualify on one of our SS440s in Junior 440 and finish 3rd in a tough field... MOST IMPROVED of our drivers!!!

1676957736782.png
 

FlyingW

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
294
283
63
Dayton, WA
It's that time of year again for the Blue Mt. Snowmobile Club Bucket Run this Saturday starting at 9 through 11 am leaving the SnoPark below Bluewood to ride to the Godman warming shelter for food and prizes. Looking forward to seeing everyone. I don't have to man a stop so get to ride for the day. Have a good one.
 

FlyingW

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
294
283
63
Dayton, WA
You missed a great day of racing Mike! We were in Bear Valley south of John Day. Pretty good turnout even having the Pomeroy crew show up. I ended up with 2 seconds and a third for the day. I also got beat by the second generation of Martin's with it being their daughter. Got a little rough inside while smooth on the outside. Had one in front of me lose it in the rough while I was enjoying the smooth outside so I endoed and bent a ski on contact and looked a hole in his tunnel. Here are a couple pictures I took but none of our local group in them.
20230311_125918.jpg

20230311_130110.jpg

Then Sunday I went to clear my place. About 7 feet on the ground and the pile is about 16 feet by my tractor which is 8 feet tall at the top of the cab. About time to be done with a lot of new snow.

20230312_181044.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20230312_181044.jpg
    20230312_181044.jpg
    802 KB · Views: 11

CB.8

Skidoo hill crew
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
840
450
63
48
Colfax, WA
Today we had a goal of Bluewood to Tollgate.

We failed. We made it to the saddle between tablerock and Indian camp. The drifts were huge and the snow was anything but forgiving. I attempted to make it around the corner so we could shoot the ridge but it was sketchy and there was now way the bionic man was going to follow.

We had a great day on the mountain but failed to achieve our goal.
Snow was getting pretty soft this afternoon. Bill left some three foot trenches for me to follow.
8FF9CE9B-34F9-4750-BDCF-DB53546C2F4C.jpegB426BD46-6FEF-4559-9EAA-F3CED05828D8.jpeg
 

FlyingW

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
294
283
63
Dayton, WA
There is a much easier way you Cat boys should try. It's called a snowbike!
20210124_112655.jpg

Anyway you've gone too far. Either go up the ridge way before you got there or turn up and go up where you are in the picture.
 

CB.8

Skidoo hill crew
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
840
450
63
48
Colfax, WA
Snow bikes are for old people and for those that can’t dangle.

I know where we were supposed to go. The drift was impassable and the worn out brother would not follow me.
 

FlyingW

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
294
283
63
Dayton, WA
Snow bikes are for old people and for those that can’t dangle.

I know where we were supposed to go. The drift was impassable and the worn out brother would not follow me.
Sounds like you're joining the old crowd and need a snowbike next year. The best time of the year is now to climb the ridge. It was impassable because a Doo wasn't along to break the trail for you two Cats. Mike and I were busy so sorry we couldn't come break trail for you. ? You got another ride in you this year? I'm busy again this weekend.
 

FlyingW

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
294
283
63
Dayton, WA
Snow bikes are for old people and for those that can’t dangle.

I know where we were supposed to go. The drift was impassable and the worn out brother would not follow me.
This will be interesting folks. Get out the ?. They went out again today and sounds like they may need snowbikes to rescue them. I'm heading home from a pleasant weekend in Montana and I get a call that they need help. Help has been sent so we will see what the story is as he is quoted as saying he knows where he is supposed to go. I guess I'll give him credit he knows where they are "supposed" to go, BUT that ISN'T where they went. They are still up on the mountain and hopefully they get out before dark. Stay tuned from the Cat herd.
 

CB.8

Skidoo hill crew
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
840
450
63
48
Colfax, WA
I want to give a big shout out to David, Jake, Drew, Brad, Wyatt, Heath, Tony, Dave, Dustin and whoever else I missed that came to help get us out.

It start as an easy spring ride. The fresh snow was very spotty. In some place there was over a foot, other places just a couple inches. We were riding up above Training Camp and were headed to the trees above Griffin. It was slightly foggy and I was following the youngest worn out brother. Billy the Kid. We got to the drift on the ridge which seemed rather large. So I decided to drop into the drainage. I started down the hill and thought to myself I don’t remember this being so chute like in the past. I got to the first waterfall and stopped at the bottom of it to radio Billy the Kid.
“There is a road at the bottom right?” “Yep” was bills reply. “ Oh I hit a tree about 200 feet down and it is going to be awhile until I am out.”
So I headed down the drainage over what must have been 5 more waterfalls radioing back multiple times to get confirmation I was on the right track. I have only been riding here for 20 years, Billy grew up in these mountains. Until I finally got to a box canyon with open water in the creek. At this elevation the snow was icy mashed potatoes with 4 inches of fluff on top to make a magic carpet for the alpha to slide on.

I again radioed Bill and Jacob at the top of the hill. ‘’Billy there is not a road down here”.
Bill “Rob you just have to go west”
Rob “That doesn’t look very promising.”

I tried to go back up the drainage which was much steeper then I remembered. At the first waterfall I performed my first bowtie and it didn’t turn out well. That was the first time I tried to kill myself.

I went back to the bottom and tried my first attempt at going east. I got about 500 feet up the ridge and ran into a bunch of trees that were not easily maneuvered in these conditions. Billy once again reminded me I was going the worng way. So I headed back to the bottom. I was sliding out of control and ended up putting the sled on its side. When I got it stopped it was nose up the hill and I was underneath the sled.

I scouted the path to the west and made an attempt which ended poorly too. Densely treed, I had to manhandle my sled around to get it headed back towards the bottom.

I was ready to give up.

It was at this time I got the amazing call from Billy. He had got his sled out and looked down the drainage, that was when he realized we were in a bad situation. We were in the wrong canyon and we needed to call for help.

I think my was response was “no ****”.

He had cell reception and I didn’t. So he was making the calls. Including the call to my wife.

At this point I was preparing to stay on the mountain. I had enough left in me for one more attempt at the east ridge. I took a different route this time. I made it past my first attempt taking a tree to the eyes with out my goggles on missing the eyeball by a quarter inch. I then hit a soft spot an wheelied the sled over on top of myself. I got everything righted again with blood running down my face. I once again headed up the ridge where I ran into a wall of trees. When I tried to stop I ended sliding backwards under the snowmobile throttle pinned wide open.

I was done. It was about 2:30 to 3pm. To my surprise I now had cell reception. I called Jacob and told him that I was building a fire because I was preparing to stay the night. I then called my wife who was headed to the mountain. She was frantic and pissed. Then I made a call to Jake. He later told me he knew it was bad. He had never heard that tone of voice from me before.

By about 4pm I heard the roar of the amazing snowbikes and then Brads voice on the radio. They found Jacob and Bill right away. They made the call to find me first since my location was unknown. About 20 minutes later they found me. We planned to walk my sled across a clear cut that was steep and slippery to the next drainage where they knew I could get out. The alpha fought us every step of the way. It was not alpha conditions down low. Brad pulled a ski and Heath and Wyatt kept the back of the sled from sliding into trees below.
Once we go to the drainage I was again beat. I made my first attempt which ended with arm pump that pinned the throttle to the bar, I hit a drift and then a buried stick which instantly threw me over the handlebars. Heath helped me get righted. It was then I crested the ridge into the drainage I was supposed to be in the entire time. The sun was shining the trees were covered in snow. It was magical. I called my wife to let her know.

It was then time to go back to where it all started to get Jacob and Billy the kid. They had cut a road out with shovels. They were getting ready to make there first attempt. Jacob made it the corner where he got stuck. A team of men proceeded to pull him to the top. I was feeling better so I went down and rode Billy’s sled out for him on the highway they had created.

We took 10 minutes to catch our breath, reflect on what just had happened and took in the sunset.

Morale of the story is that snowbikes are awesome. (Still probably not going to buy one)

The people that came to help us are true friends and great people!

My best guess was that i was 1800 vertical feet under Billy and Jacob when I could go no further.

The yellow line was my initial line down.
The red line was my second attempt at the east ridge.
The blue line is route that we took out.0BD5735B-E3B4-4826-8BA4-BA26360D61CE.jpeg
 

FlyingW

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
294
283
63
Dayton, WA
The Blues are a little deceiving. Not super huge but no safety net either.
Hey CB.8 You off probation yet? Shorter
Snotel is still at 100 inches this morning after getting to just short of 67 degrees yesterday. Need to get another ride in. Talked to your Cat Brother and I think he is still grounded. Said he couldn't go. Got my vintage put away Easter Sunday in the afternoon. Had to go move snow.
tollgate - 2023-04-09T144214.054.jpg


Here is the top of Bluewood today.
 

Attachments

  • bwdsummit (2).jpg
    bwdsummit (2).jpg
    216.2 KB · Views: 23

FlyingW

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
294
283
63
Dayton, WA
Are your ready to ride to Tollgate across the mountain first Saturday of December? If I go I have a meeting there that night so have to stay overnight. Probably have Aileen come haul me home so next weekend we can ride Tollgate to Godman. Jake will be cooking burgers there that weekend.
 

FlyingW

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
294
283
63
Dayton, WA
The Cat boys were scared to go riding October 27 so not sure if they are going out again till the groomer gets out. I hear that they are buying X-brand sleds this winter in the name of their wives.




20231029_132958.jpg


Snow was too deep for them to come play. It has slid of the roof twice already.
20231027_201918.jpg
 
Premium Features