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Midwest Cat Clowder in Michigan Feb 6 & 7

C

cootbruce

New member
The dates have been set for the 2015 Cat Clowder At Big Powderhorn....If you don't know what a clowder is....(it is what you call a group of cats....like a herd of deer, or a flock of sheep) so what better to call a meeting of cats!

The dates are Feb 6&7 at Big Powderhorn Mountain Resort, Bessemer Mi. The dates were selected to follow the annual St. Germain snow grooming show held Feb.5.

Plans are still being made...however, plan on some backwoods riding in deep snow, showing off your machines, trading stories and parts, dinner with a few fun speakers and, of course, driving the machines on the ski resort slopes.

More information will be coming soon. Please express your interest in attending so that we can plan accordingly....post your interest here or email me....bruce@bigpowderhorn.net

We hope to see you at the first Midwest Cat Clowder!
 
The Clowder in the Powder will be a good time.
The grooming class was my favorite part. learning what it takes to prepare a mountain of snow was fascinating.

Can I bring my snow board?

Mike
 
Great!

Was wondering when we would go up and see cootbruce again.

Count me in...

Best regards, Kirk
 
Nice write up in snow groomer magazine.

it appears the ski lodge has a 50th year anniversary. congratulations powderhorn.
 
thinking i would like to attend the clowder in feb, sounds great, could someone suggest where to stay, thanks jinn, oh, yes i will bring a tucker!
 
Count me IN - I will bring Sno-Trac ! Where is the gang planing to stay ?
maybe we can get one of those Uper snowstorms to showup ?
 
I am staying in iron Wood unless I can secure a lodge at the ski hill.

I checked into it last year and the land association has cabins on the mountain that can be had.

I need to find that info again.

If interested there is a snow grooming show in St Germain the wednesday and thursday before.

Mike
 
I did some research and here are a few lodging options:

Big Powderhorn Mountain- 800 501 7669
They have lodging on the mountain.

Big Powderhorn Lodging Association- 800 222 3131
They also have lodging on the mountain.

AmericInn of Ironwood- 906 932 7200
Chain motel

The Traveler's Motel- 906 667 0243
Ma and pa motel in Bessemer
 
I was able to get over to do some Pre-Cat Clowdering at Powderhorn Mountain last week! :w00t2: Thanks, Cootbruce
 

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Looks like a very interesting event, but I have no way to get my machine there yet and even though I am in MI, it is still a long way away from this troll. Hope to see some pics and updates from the event.

Back in the 90's I used to help organize a get together for military snow capable machines and we used to get Weasels, Huskies and even had one guy with an Otter come out to play. Have been debating about re-starting it now that I have my own machine, but opening it to all snow machines.
 
Manistee,

I like that you are thinking about the military show once again. I have a friend or two here that have Huskies and Weasels that might just show up to something like that....

I hope you do it some time..

Regards, Kirk
 
Kirk,
I have been thinking about letting out the word for an informal get together this winter, just to gauge any interest. It would take place near Grayling, MI and we would be driving on the tank trails around Camp Grayling, which is the largest military installation east of the Mississippi River, with over 200,000 acres. These trails are not designated snowmobile routes, so there would be little conflict with them and they see almost no use in the winter, except by occasional snowmobiles.
 
After thinking about this, I think I will attend. I hope to see alot of snow since there is none here right now. I hope to join the caravan going there if they are going through Wisconsin. Sounds like a cool event. I will have questions about gasoline availability and of course lunch and supper hot spots. Do you stop during the day and eat on the snow? Just curious, never been on a trip like this.
 
Last year we ate at venues along the Snow Mobile trails, but when we went out on forest service roads, we took lunch with us and ate in the cats.

Were is Waterville in Minn? Last year we went through the twinn cities, then east to Wisconsin..

Regards, Kirk
 
Waterville is just south of the cities. 35W is just east of me about 14 miles (Faribault exit) I am waiting for possibilities for lodging right now, it would be nice for all of us to stay under 1 roof if possible.
 
Just made my reservations for the clouder. I am staying at Big Powderhorn Resort. I'm getting up there on Tuesday to be able to see the grooming class for a couple of days and then off to the mountains. The webpage shows you your room even. They are all new and have a kitchen and even a fireplace. The resort is only a hop, skip away so after a few adult beverages, it will be easy to find "home". They have plenty of reservations as of this morning.
 
Thanks Bait Guy,

I would like to invite everyone who attends to contact me at the resort and we will arrange time for you to ride in our groomers when we are grooming the hill at night. We are also happy to show you our shop ( not very clean...so don't get your hopes up....) and explain how we go about grooming the ski resort. My son work for Prinoth as a tech/service guy and can answer most questions you might have about our machines. We know a few tricks that might help you track up your machines, or other "shortcuts" along with the special tools you may want to photo and build in your own shops.

Feel free to PM me here or email me at bruce@bigpowderhorn.net.

See you at the Clowder!!!
 
After talking it over, the event will begin with most arriving on Wednesday Febuary 4th, (maybe a run out for dinner that night in the cats? It's possible..) and trail running on Thursday and Friday the 5th and 6th of Feb... Big Powder Horn for a show and shine on Saturday the 7th....

This gives us all a pretty good idea of when to be there if you wish to run your machines on the trails that Matt is scouting out now...:biggrin: And he says they have lots of snow right now, something around 100"+ have fallen so far.:clap::clap:

As of now we're thinking that around 12 to 14 machines will be there on Saturday. As with any show, more is better!!

I hope to see anyone who wants to bring a machine, or just enjoys seeing these old Cats up in Nothern Michigan for the Clowder!:biggrin:

Regards, Kirk
 
All right, Here is an unofficial schedule of events. put together via the rumor mill.....

Wednesday February 4th is the WI Groomer convention with 20 vendors and new equipment. Snow Grooming Magazine attended the 2014 show and put a nice article in last months issue.

Thursday February 5th is day two of the Groomer convention, and the unofficial interim day for the Clowder, Trail Riding, and over the snow adventures lunch on the trail is anticipated.

Friday February 6th is the Clowder Day one. Trail rides and more over the snow activities, arrive at the hill mid afternoon and into the evening.

Saturday February 7th is the Main Clowder Day. Show and shine, dinner and program on the hill....

Sunday February 8th is a open day, more over the snow activities as necessary.


the unofficial cat count is rumored to be around 12 cats or so.....

Clowder on.
 
redsqwrl said:
All right, Here is an unofficial schedule of events. put together via the rumor mill.....

Wednesday February 4th is the WI Groomer convention with 20 vendors and new equipment. Snow Grooming Magazine attended the 2014 show and put a nice article in last months issue.

Thursday February 5th is day two of the Groomer convention, and the unofficial interim day for the Clowder, Trail Riding, and over the snow adventures lunch on the trail is anticipated.

Friday February 6th is the Clowder Day one. Trail rides and more over the snow activities, arrive at the hill mid afternoon and into the evening.

Saturday February 7th is the Main Clowder Day. Show and shine, dinner and program on the hill....

Sunday February 8th is a open day, more over the snow activities as necessary.


the unofficial cat count is rumored to be around 12 cats or so.....

Clowder on.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great event packed with fun. I would attend if I were closer. Post photos for all us that can not attend. Life is full of dreams
 
The Clowder is fast approaching..... We have plenty of snow and it is setting up to be another great event! If you are planning on attending the Clowder can you check in here so we can get an approximate count on the number of people and machines. Thanks in advance!
 
Hi Matt, Lisa and I are Staying in town, One machine forsure. arriving thursday departing sunday.

For the parts swap part of the event, I can bring some light pods that fit nicely on snow tracs if any one is interested.

In the maybe Department, My son and a friend may come and bring another cat, they are a little more interested in the skiing part of the event and perhaps fat tired mountain biking. so who knows what joy that would bring to the event. If he does commit to attend we will most likely secure a lodge on the mountain.

Mike
 
Unless some thing very unforseen comes up, I will be there with one machine. Haven't made any reservations yet, and I need too..

Regards, Kirk
 
I have my reservation at the mountain , I will be bringing 1 machine and a friend (to fix if I break down) Ha Ha. Looking forward to it, hope it warms a little from where it is now, damn thing may not start at -20 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!:clap:
 
Good to hear Redsqwrl, 300 H and H, and Bait Guy.... Last year it was cold and we had a little trouble getting a few select machines started. We ended up backing the whole trailer and cat into my shop to warm up. I can smooth talk a few cats to move so others can be loved if need be.
 
I am sure that we can find you somewhere to plug in... My shop is about 10 miles from Big Powderhorn Mt. All of the orange machines started up no problem! It was a two tracked, three headlight, red people eating machine that didn't cooperate. :whistling:
 
Most all the hotel light poles had receptacles hanging off them last year. I have a small generator I can bring up if need be.. (beats a bag of charcoal and a metal ring)

Speaking three headlighted non starters....I think our choke adjustment is still holding fine......

Undy, are you coming up? I need a skiing partner. its been quite a while since I puts some boards on my feet.. should comical....
 
We have some room at our shop at Big Powderhorn. If anyone needs to park a machine there, they can plug it in and leave it. Also, our shop will be available should repairs be needed. We can fit two of our big machines in our heated shop, so we have plenty of room to park a few machines inside should repairs be needed.

We are looking forward to hosting the Clowder. I will put together some special lift ticket and rental equipment rates for Clowder participants and family/guests.

Bruce
 
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