Com-Central.net

"Originally Posted by Ghost
Thanks for that. I am really intrigued by the idea of a steep groomer, it sounds very appealing to me. Could you give me some more info please?"

"You may not be able to tell from this photo, but that boom arrangement that curls over the cab is the winch mechanism. The ski resort will have a big anchor of some sort at the top of a particularly steep pitch, and the snowcat is attached to the anchor by a cable incorporated with the winch.

This allows the cat to safely move up and downhill on quite steep pitches. The boom rotates, so that the cat can groom its way uphill (for example), then spin around at the top and move back downhill. The winch is paying the cable in or out while the cat moves toward or away from the anchor.

The steepest pitch I've *seen* a winch cat work is the starting pitch on Grizzly, the men's Olympic downhill course at Snowbasin. That pitch is 38 degrees. I think a winch cat can work a pitch into the very low 40's, but I don't know that for sure.

Some slopes that I know of that are winch-catted include several sections of Grizzly at Snowbasin, the upper portion of Laramie Bowl here at Jackson Hole, and I think a portion of whatever the main run would be at skier's right in Mineral Basin at Snowbird (before the Bookends traverse).

Winch cats are very cool."

"Number 9 Express...

Number 9 Express at Alta got it's name when, long ago, the cable on the #9 cat broke as it was winching up. The pitch there is steep enough, that the cat stated to silde backwards down the hill. The driver spun the thing aound, without flipping the cat over (no small feat), and proceded to ride the thing all the way to the bottom. He said that it was flying by the time it got to the bottom. The only damage to the cat was a broken tail light. Hince forth the name, Number 9 Express."

- JG300-Ascout

("A skiers mountain, no snowboarders...sorry...").

- JG300-Stoopy

Hey you gonna eat that fry??

- JG300-Dan736

Very nice Ascout ,it's hard not to be a lot envious as it has been eons since I have slid down a REAL mountain. Hoppa it's good to hear that ALTA must finally have a decent amount of Tim Hortons franchises about.

- JG300-Hoppa

by the way,,,,for you mericans,,,,,,when you finally try a double double timmy's you will know what all the fuss is about,,,hehe

- JG300-Stoopy

....maybe it comes with Maple Syrup on it instead of "special sauce"???

I have to admit I'm pretty envious of the above as well...beautiful, gorgoues shots. And you taught her to ski like that????

Looks like a helluva fun time!!!!!