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Yet another new member

hammer

New member
Hey All,

I just came across this forum a couple of weeks ago while reasearching what type of tracked vehicle would best serve my purposes of accessing my cabin in the winter.

I have a cabin in the Washington Cascades whose winter access is via over-the-snow vehicles. Over the years my friends, family and I have used snowmobiles towing toboggans. This coming summer my wife and I are replacing our 800 sq. ft. cabin with a 2000 sq. ft. cabin that will have garage storage. So, snowmobiles and motorcycles will be stored at the cabin, I can sell my 4 place enclosed trailer (actually, I'm selling it tonight), and access will soon be via a snow cat type vehicle.

I found a snow groomer web site (Koz's snowgrooming links) and asked for advice. I received several suggestions and I even looked at and seriously considered a 1940's military tracked vehicle called a the M29C Weasel. The Weasel was attractive because of it's price and historical military significance but was just a little too small (driver and three passengers) for my needs. One of the members suggested a Kristi or Aktiv Snow-Trac and I'm pretty sure that's the way I'm headed.

I'm going to focus more on this website and look for the positives and negatives of each manufacturer and model. This web site is more applicable to my needs/usage than a snow groomers web site though I thank them for sending me this direction (who knows, maybe they were mjust trying to get rid of me!).

Anyway, hello and I hope to learn and "talk" with many of you in the future.....Hammer
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Hi Hammer. As I'm the one who suggested the Kristi or Snow Trac machines, I'll be quiet about those. A couple others to look at are the Thiokol/DMC/LMC machines, particularly the Imp, SuperImp and Spryte models.

Just to help you navigate a bit around this site, we are a pretty diverse group here. The SNOWCAT questions really need to be asked inside the Snowcat sub-forums. Although it was appropriate for you to introduce yourself in the main "getting to know you" area. As a moderator here, I am going to move this thread to the Snowcat area since some of the snowcat owners don't frequent the areas outside of those sub-forums.

By the way, you will notice some of the members here are also members at Koz's website (include Koz and myself).
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Hi Hammer!
Welcome to forums forums. I'm glad to found us.
Enjoy and post often.
Doc
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
Welcome Hammer :wave: ,

I think we can probably help you in your quest to find a usable snowcat .
By the way , I am going to send you a Private Message .

Allen
 

Morepwr

New member
Welcome Hammer,:tiphat:
where are you at in the Cascades? my cabin is in the Stampeed pass area.

A couple of years ago I bought my thiokol 601 for the same reason you're looking. been real happy with it. not the best climber out there, but I haven't found a Road it won't climb, it's fast and has a lot of interior space.

Happy hunting for you're new rig. let me know if I can help.

Aaron.
 

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Master of Distraction
Staff member
SUPER Site Supporter
B_Skurka said:
Hi Hammer. As I'm the one who suggested the Kristi or Snow Trac machines,

Hey BigAl, you may want to get that statement engraved on a plaque or something!:respect:

Welcome Hammer - hope you get a cool machine and post some pics!
 

hammer

New member
Greetings all from snowy Whistler, B.C.:snow2_smi: I'm up here for the week with my family and another family....Most of the others are snow-boarding (I'm just a little too old and too round to ski anymore) so I'm hanging out in the hotel room watching curling (Canadian bowling I've decided) and snooping on the internet.

I spent the past two days riding snowmobiles up here with one of my boys and a buddy of his but the weather kept us off of the Ice Cap. If I can get a nice clear day we'll head up onto the Ice Cap (also referred to as the Pemberton Ice Fields) and go burn through 15+ gallons of fuel each. For those of you not familiar with this area the Ice Fields (actually an expansive snow covered glacier) is best described as "Heaven on Earth" as the riding and views are so spectacular on a clear sunny day.

My wife bought an internet connection today (she needs to keep in contact with her business) so I thought I'd check email and browse a few websites. Naturally I wandered over here.

B_Skurka thanks for the Aktiv ST-4 advice....I've decided that vehicle best fits my application and have located one locally. I've agreed on a price and purchase pending my viewing it this coming Saturday.:thumb:

Morepwr, my cabin is located in the Roaring Creek community about 3 miles out Lost Lake Road (FS Rd #5480)....I'm in a community of about 35 cabins that straddles Lost Lake Road (for reference there is a "20 MPH" sign posted at either end of the community). Interestingly I was reading a thread Lyndon authored describing his history with ST-4's and noted he sold one to Larry Blum. Well Larry owns a cabin in the same community as me. Go figure.

So, I'll be visiting this site often and looking for maintenance advice, ideas, and maybe future restoration projects. I'm sure I'll take on a restoration project in a few years (which will most likely send my wife into a tizzy::2gunsfiri ) as i become more familiar with the activity.

Hammer
 

Snowcat Operations

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
Welcome to the "Drive your wife CRAZY Club"! You know theres something specail when that semi truck pulls up in front of your house and unloads a tracked vehicle in front of all your wifes friends. You know come to think of it I dont believe she ever went out front to watch them unload? Hmm cant think why.
 

Snowcat Operations

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
Or how about the time you drive all the way to BC canada to get a "tank". You will never hear the end about how that was such a great vacation for you.
 

Morepwr

New member
hammer said:
Morepwr, my cabin is located in the Roaring Creek community about 3 miles out Lost Lake Road (FS Rd #5480)....I'm in a community of about 35 cabins that straddles Lost Lake Road (for reference there is a "20 MPH" sign posted at either end of the community). Interestingly I was reading a thread Lyndon authored describing his history with ST-4's and noted he sold one to Larry Blum. Well Larry owns a cabin in the same community as me. Go figure.



Hammer

Dang...small world. I know your community well. I am friends with the Hambys, who have since sold their property there. used to hiked the trail to the falls and go fishing on the lake. beautiful area. Still drive past it often, on the way to lost lake. and yes we respect the speed limit. is that your new A frame on the left?

I have met the Blumes. Bill and Dianne I believe. nice folks. pretty small town up there. I'm sure we have many mutual friends.

My place is about 2 miles down fs5400-403.. the first left turn after the crystal springs bridge. just before Trollhaugens driveway.

Have fun in Whistler and I hope st-4 deal works out.

Aaron.
 

Snowcat Operations

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
HAMMER the Aktiv snow trac is a great snowcat! The Weasels while very cool just are not up to any type of powder. Even deep snow is out of there league. The heavy weight and skinny tracks are the problems. Plus parts are getting real hard to come by. We now have several suppliers of parts on the Snow Tracs / Masters. Also we have one of the most knowledgable persons when it comes to anything on the Snow Tracs. His name is Lyndon and has been working on these machines for 20+ years. Plus we have several members who have done frame off restorations. Some members even have the molds to make the most difficult parts if they break. I dont know anyone else who has this capability with any of the other manufacturers. We also have a few GEAR heads who have built there own very capable Snowcats. NUTTSER comes to mind as well as BYOUNG who is currently designing and building a DEEP powder snowcat. It also helps that he is an engineer. But as far as the best cat for your needs it sound like to me you made the right decision on the Snow Trac. Hope this helped.
 

Morepwr

New member
I just remembered. there's an st-4 near me in West Seattle that's for sale.
let me know if you want his #
 

hammer

New member
Thanks for the ST-4 pics and info Morepwr. I will consider it if I don't buy the one I'm currently dealing with (but I'm pretty sure that I will). I know the Trollhagen driveway (it's pretty well marked) so I'll have to look for you in the future.

Snowcat Ops, the ST-4 I'm likely going to buy is stored at Lyndon's place so I assume I'll meet him Saturday. Good God, can a novice be any more fortunate than meeting/speaking with someone so knowledgeable as Lyndon?:respect: Lyndon tells me the seller is quite a mechanic so I'm pretty confident that I'll be buying a good condition ST-4.

I'm also honored to have received an email from the near mythical, almost god-like Big Al. I, like the rest of you, am envious and now covet his Kristi (soon to be called a "Krusti" when I become an ST-4/"Snot Track" owner Ha Ha!). I was more fortunate than most of you in that I joined a couple of weeks ago and spent about 7 hours (I kid you not) hours reading Big Al's Yetti restoration thread. Like a good book, I just couldn't put it down and lost sleep one night. The rest of you had to wait patiently for Al's next post.

I think what excites me most about my pending ST-4 acquisition is the feeling that I'm not on my own and have a vast resource network:multitask in you all. I'm pretty confident that if I run into something I can't handle that one of you would offer to come by and assist. Now that's a brotherhood to belong to!:thumb:

I do have one curiosity though; I gathered from a few posts that there was another website hosted by a Kristi affictionado who ran afoul of some of the members (or perhaps they ran afoul of him) and all of his posts were removed (by himself or a moderator?). Perhaps somebody could enlighten me either in this thread or via PM if the subject is sensitive?

I remain thrilled to be a member of this forum.:yum:


Regards, Hammer
 

Snowcat Operations

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
Not really sure what happend to Chris (Kristi web site dude). Hope he is doing well and enjoying that winter up in CO.

I have seen and been in that Snow Trac you are buying. I didnt ride in it or hear it start up but can tell you its in good mechanical state. Also with a guy like Lyndon around it you know its in good condition. Let us know when you get it!
 

hammer

New member
Bought the ST-4 yesterday:thumb: . (Hey Al!, How's your Krusty? :yum: )

I met and followed the owner over to Lyndon's place, looked the ST-4 over, took a ride in it with Lyndon (my belly was too close to the steering wheel for me to easily operate it) and bought it.

Lyndon was nice enough to spend several hours showing me and explaining the ingenious drive system, telling me some of the history of the design, and answering my many questions.

I towed it home in light rain (we call it a sprinkle out here in the Puget Sound) and just couldn't park it and walk away from it. I washed it and then started it for my oldest son (age 21) and my wife (who, of course, wasn't overly complementry about it's appearance....I even think she used the word "UGLY"). Then I just sat inside it and looked it over. I began visualizing the minor modifications I was going to do to it to make it best fit me and my use (One of the first is to move the driver's seat back so I can fit in it a little less snug!). It's nice condition means I really don't need to do too much to it. I'll change the engine oil and lube the zerks just to satisfy myself.

I plan to take it up into the snow next Thursday and spend a couple of days tooling around the trails near my cabin to better familiarize myself with it's operation. My wife may even go for a ride in the "UGLY" thing (and likely spend most of the time telling me I didn't need it...."Yes Honey, but I WANTED it").

I'll try to remember to snap some pics Thursday/Friday and post them sometime during the weekend.

Hammer
 

mtntopper

Back On Track
SUPER Site Supporter
:weneedpic Even on the trailer would be great as if you are like most of the rest of us, you will not want to take the time away from driving/playing to worry about pics...:yum: Or you will forget your camera. That is my favorite excuse for no pics at times. Now the wife double checks for the camera most of the time.

We were out yesterday in the VMC and coming home just as the sun was setting and a moose was standing perfectly on the skyline/horizon and no camera....:oops: I forgot it again....:argueing:
 

Snowcat Operations

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
Congradulations on the new Snow Trac! Did you say your wife called it "Ugly"? If so just show her a picture of any Kristi (and the owners:yum: ) and she will know for sure that the the Snow Trac is indeed the absolute most BEAUTIFUL snowcat EVER made. Ugly, man what the hell is wrong with women?

Congradulations! :alc: :thumb: :letitsnow: :letitsnow: :letitsnow: :letitsnow:
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Hi again Hammer!

Welcome to the club? I'm not sure if it is the club of snowcat owners :notworthy or the club of men who's wives think their husbands are idiots. :nono2:

:thewave: But whichever club it is, welcome!!! :thewave:
 

Morepwr

New member
Congrats:beer: My guess is. your wife will learn to love it. if not right away, then the first blizzard that you travel in, nice and comfy.

:weneedpic
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Morepwr said:
My guess is. your wife will learn to love it. if not right away, then the first blizzard that you travel in, nice and comfy.
One way to get her to love it is to let her WALK through that first blizzard :yum: :letitsnow:
 

mtmogs

New member
B_Skurka said:
One way to get her to love it is to let her WALK through that first blizzard :yum: :letitsnow:

Exactly! A few weeks before I bought the snow trac, I let my wife bury and exhume her snowmobile a few times on a trip to the cabin. Against that backdrop, our first trip in the snow trac was a huge success. She was completely sold after that.
 

Snowcat Operations

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
SEE, and women think they are so smart. First you bait them them Yank hook line and sinker. Hell before you know it it will have been HER idea to by the Snow Trac. Hahahaaa Yah Just dont let her read this.
 
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