Testimonials

The Alaska Tracks-pedition(pdf opens in new windows)

Original Article is here.
Black Mountain dumps snowmobile groomer for Chevy Blazer
Wed, Apr 21, 2010 - By Jim Meyer

We are now finished grooming the ski trails at Black Mountain Forest for another season. I would like to make a few comments about our grooming experiences this winter, after switching from the snowmobile to the Chevy Blazer track truck, as our main grooming vehicle.

Last year we learned that Valley Spur tested a blue Chevy S-10 Blazer track truck from www.AmericanTrackTruck.com, a U.P. company. After speaking with them, we found out that their trial was a success and that they decided to switch to a Blazer track truck as their main grooming machine, basically replacing their large Tucker Sno-Cat.

Our main problem with a snowmobile was the frequent over-heating issues and resulting costly repairs over the past 3 years. Also, getting stuck time and again while pulling up the big hills in soft conditions was a certainty. Along with that came the unhooking, handling weights, yanking, shoveling and re-hooking, and then the unhealthy exhaust fume headaches associated with slow grooming speeds. Those fumes alone can be overwhelming after several hours, rendering the operator unable to ski himself the next day--which I took personal offense to!

At this point last spring, once again, our liquid cooled snowmobile was back in the shop for major engine repairs caused by overheating.

We contacted the guys at American Track Truck, Inc. and discussed our needs and how we preferred a Chevy Blazer as our “base” vehicle. There were many of these Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy vehicles produced over the past two decades, so finding a good used one to convert to a groomer is no problem. We kicked the idea around, counted our pennies, and with the aid of some generous donors, we ordered a track system for our Chevy Blazer.

While the track system was being built, the Blazer underwent some preventive maintenance and modifications necessary for pulling a groomer roller/drag. This included the installation of a secondary transmission cooler and a transmission temp gauge, an auxiliary battery in the rear, rear work lights, strobe beacon, backup alarm, custom hitch and weights carrier, control switches and rear outlet for 12vdc linear actuators on the Ginzu, and a winch-operated drift-leveling blade attachable to the front as needed. These tasks can be performed by American Track Truck in their shop, or if you have the ability, you can do it yourself, like I did.

When the tracks were complete, I drove to Chassell and picked them up. The American Track Truck guys explained the easy installation steps, and I made the journey back home. The very next day I had the tracks unloaded and installed to our Blazer. We had just gotten some significant snowfall, so the testing began immediately. I proceeded to some steep uphill grades, pulling the newly built and much heavier 8 foot roller. At this point the amazement really began to set in. The Blazer effortlessly pulled the roller up and down the hills, through deep unpacked snow. There was no bogging, no slippage, and no problem whatsoever.

Throughout the season the Blazer track truck continued to amaze me. Grooming even the steepest hills without the need for running starts, the Blazer simply crawls up at whatever speed I choose. The headaches and backaches of using the snowmobile for grooming are now a distant memory. The track system worked flawlessly, with no adjustments or maintenance whatsoever needed during the grooming season. And our post-season inspection tells us the entire truck held up just great, so we have no surprise repair bills like we incurred with the snowmobile.

If anyone else is considering upgrading their grooming operation, I highly recommend giving this option some thought. Compared with the alternatives, a track truck is economical and efficient, and is capable of towing heavier and wider groomer roller/drags. This not only reduces the number of passes, but also produces an overall better trail for the skiers. And best of all, the operator isn’t all beat up after grooming and can ski too! With this in mind, I even sent my skis in for stone grinding, since I can now look forward to skiing next year, and not just grooming the trails!

So why did I buy an American Track Truck? My answer is simple. I need to get to my cabin all year long. Seems simple enough right? Well the cabin lies at 8,000' elevation about 15 miles from Park City Utah (home of the 2002 Winter Olympics). With an average snowfall of 250 inches each year, which packs down to over 5 feet by the end of season, you can see my problem. My cabin lies about six miles from the highway and about 1,700 feet higher up the mountain. Although the roads are plowed down to a base of about 6 inches of packed snow, the last 1 1/4 miles is not. There’s my problem.

Solution year 1: Snowmobiles and trailer for the gear. Result wet gear and unhappy wife!
Solution year 2: Spend $10K on an old truck and a snowblower mounted to it (rlsnowblowers.com), and drive the SUV in with chains on. Result dry gear and happy wife, but LOTS of work (about 7 hours every major storm) and unhappy me! Unhappy neighbors who like to snowmobile on the road, plus difficult to pass the SUV and snowmobiles! And if I missed a storm, I’d have to pay somebody else $100/hr to do the job ($700 per storm).
Solution year 3: Bought an American Track Truck. Fantastic! Happy wife (happy life). Dry gear with no extra work. Now I pray for snow!!

Now, how does this thing perform? In Utah we have "the greatest snow on earth," or so the publicists would like to have you believe! Enough said that it is light and fluffy and you sink butt deep in it with one step.

The Track Truck LOVES IT! First day I got it up the mountain, I took it to my "Toy shed" along a 100 yard long driveway, drifted with the whole season's snow. Usually I get the willies taking a snowmobile along there, 3/4 throttle, don't let up for fear of sinking in and having to dig out! The Track Truck just walked across it like a (soft) paved road. The picture gives you an idea of the terrain. The field is untouched, with snow 3-4 feet deep across the meadow, and the truck is sitting across a ditch another 12-18" deep! What more can I say?

Here is why I think this American Track Truck is so great:
1. It consists of an economical base vehicle (S-10/S-15 GM midsize SUVs 1995 through 2002) including the Chevy Blazer, Olds Bravada, GMC Jimmy and the S-10 pickups. The production run of the 2nd generation S-10 lines was long and there were huge numbers made. So, lots of aftermarket and re-manufactured parts are available.
2. The truck itself needs no modification.
3. The track system "wear parts" consist of all industry standard stuff, nothing custom! The bogies and tracks are all generic snowmobile parts you can order from your local supplier or online from any number of catalogs. There is a whole industry already established supplying the replacement parts!
4. Price! The price is affordable. The established competitor wants $30k for the tracks alone to fit my '02 Expedition.
5. Was able to drive the Truck home with the tracks in the back!
6. Designed and made in the USA! In these uncertain times, lets buy American and keep the wheels (and tracks) of American entrepreneurs' businesses turning!

Bill P., Wanship, Utah