Snow Grooming for Cross Country Skiing

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Snow grooming for cross country skiing has evolved over the years and tracks have come from skied-in ruts to machine-cut tracks. Presented below are many of the developments over the years

In the 20’s and 30’s race tracks were skied in …
Even in the 1960’s trails were skied in…
Snowshoes were often used to initially pack ski trails..
Eventually packing equipment was developed… a drum packer with track cutting gear
Expanded metal drum packers for snow machines..
Snow grader made from old bed frames…
Snow grader made from expanded metal stair tread…
A commercial trail grader
A home built trail grader…
A ????? used to “energize” snow…
The plan of the first track setter by Sven Johanson… circa 1970
Home built track setter by Dave Rees circa 1972
Front cutter blocks and rear clearing blocks on a home built track setter
A commercial track setter by Baechler of Switzerland…
Schematic of the Baechler track setter…
A Baechler setter powered by hooves…
A Baechler combination renovator and track setter…
Schematic of the Baechler renovator and track setter…
Ski tracks got better in the late 60’s and early 70’s…
Another version of the renovator and setter… note the lead bars for weight…
Self contained power renovator for removing and re-setting tracks …
Combination renovator and track setter with unique track pressing rubber bands on rear drum…
Detail of chain-driven power renovation devices…
Detail of track cutters and rear drum press…
With the introduction of big machines such as the Piston Bully now manipulation became easy….
Harrows for snow renovation followed by drum packers for big machines…
Drum packers for big machines…
Front renovators on a Piston Bully …
Rear tilling renovator on a Piston Bully…
Hydraulic packing blade and double track setters on a Piston Bully
Multiple track setters on a Piston Bully…
The Baechler hydraulic arm with track setter … used to set best ski line
Schematic of the Baechler arm (introduced for the ’88 Olympics in Canmore AB)
Current track grooming … ribbed for ski skating and tracked for classic skiing…