We have two machines for grooming: a PistenBully 100 snowcat (PB 100) and a Ski-Doo Skandic snowmobile with a Ginzu grooming implement attached to the back.
Our first snowcat was a BR 400 which we used for years, but by 2013 it had become too maintenance needy and the decision was made to purchase a replacement. We chose a PB 100 which was purchased with donations from supporters and sponsors in a campaign that raised $115,000, and with a $75,000 bank loan. The 2013 PB 100 was our primary grooming machine for eight seasons until 2021 when we traded it in on a new and improved PB 100. The 2021 PB 100 list price was $250,000 and after trade-in our net price was $165,000 which we paid from the reserve fund we had been building for years. The snowcat’s weight and power allow us to manage heavy snowfall and churn up hard-packed snow. Assuming no mechanical issues, grooming all the trails at Meissner takes 6 to 8 hours. Depending on snow conditions, the PB 100 burns 6-8 gallons of diesel fuel per hour.
The Ski-Doo Skandic with its Ginzu attachment complements the snowcat and allows us to groom the narrow or twisty trails and touch up the primary trails when there has been little change in the trail conditions. In low snow conditions, we use it so we don’t find ourselves grooming dirt into the snow. Since the Skandic is small, it is not helpful when we receive big snowfalls. A volunteer corps of groomers usually drive the snowmobile unless our primary groomers determine that it is the best or only (due to mechanical issues) means of setting the trails that day. It burns about a gallon of fuel every 4 hours.