Prinoth Groomer Added to Club’s Trail Arsenal

Despite an ongoing dearth of snow, members of Lake City Continental Divide Snowmobile Club were in elevated spirits last week with delivery of the club’s new and improved snowgroomer.
The new groomer, a 2015 Prinoth “Husky” with just 206 hours pre-use, replaces the club’s prior groomer, a 2009 Piston Bully which was acquired by Hinsdale County with funding from U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and a Colorado Parks & Wildlife trails grant in late December, 2009.
Hinsdale County Commissioner Cindy Dozier, County Road Supervisor Monte Hannah and snowmobile club members Tom Carl, Lynn McNitt and Dennis Cavit were on hand last Thursday afternoon, December 28, when the Prinoth was delivered from the Grand Junction dealership.
Prinoth representative Jesse Gibson had a spellbound audience as he reviewed functions of the new groomer with club president Tom Carl and county Road & Bridge employees JoAllen Blowers and Gavin McNitt. McNitt and Blowers, aided by Carl, will serve as snowmobile trail groomers utilizing the new vehicle.
Dennis Cavit was ecstatic, exclaiming, “and all we need now is snow.” According to Cavit, the Prinoth provides “more opportunities for grooming… it will be a big boost to everyone who uses the snowmobile trail.”
Cost of the slightly used Prinoth totalled $156,505, not including taxes and delivery charges, and was once again funded with a successful $90,000 Colorado Parks & Wildlife trails grant written by county grant writer Kristie Borchers, matched with $65,000 which was received for trade-in of the old Piston Bully groomer with 2,200 hours use.
Purchase price also includes a tiller package and engine heater. The remainder of the new groomer cost was funded through Lake City Continental Divide Snowmobile Club.
The new groomer comes with all the “bells and whistles,” according to snowmobile club president Tom Carl. The “Husky” cab seats two — driver and passenger — and is somewhat wider and slightly more compact in terms of vehicle length. It is entirely computer controlled, according to Carl, with cab monitors keeping tract of all functions. The cab is well heated, Carl says, and boasts state-of-the-art hydraulic flotation which operates the front plow and rear 10’-wide groomer.
Most important, he adds, is the fact the Husky commands 230-horse power compared to just 156 hp with the old groomer. The new equipment is better equipped for full power in extreme weather conditions at elevations up to and exceeding 11,300’.
Unlike the prior model which occasionally became bogged down in heavy snow, the new Prinoth has greater power to plow through snow. “You can get stuck anywhere,” Carl notes, “but it is less likely with our new model.”
The Prinoth is wider at 10’-width which will require some minor modifications to the existing snowmobile trails. Minor cleanup is ongoing on the trail, according to snowmobile club members, in advance of the new groomer and as a result of continuing deadfall from bark beetle-killed trees.
Dennis Cavit says that part of the equipment to be carried on the new groomer will be a chainsaw to cut and remove downed trees of standing dead which is foreseen as a hazard. While not enough snow is on the trail to set poles thus far this season, Cavit says 15 trees along the route have been identified for removal.