I wanna be a groomer driver!

[ferbm]

It's true! My dream job is to become a groomer driver.

I see it as a way to give back to a recreation that I have loved for so many years! Plus, it's just straight-up awesome to be in all that fresh snow, running really impressive equipment, all the while providing smiles to all the other riders out there! So, what is the educational path to becoming a groomer driver (operator?). When I was young, I drove some small farm tractors and skid-loaders, but I never became proficient and haven't been in the seat for 35+ years! The master plan is to retire up in the Land O Lakes area in the next 10 years or so and then groom groom groom away!

For those of you who are, or know groomer operators, what advice would you give to a desk jockey who wants to retire as a volunteer groomer operator??? Thanks so much for your replies!

 

[wirev]

Groomers are in high demand. When the time comes, where ever you land, contact the local club and make your intentions known. They will take you through the ropes/trails and train you. Many "desk jockeys" are now groomers. Sno-Eagles of Eagle River has 2nd seats in their groomers for people who want the "thrill" of being in a groomer. You might want to check that out to start. Good luck!

 

[katden4]

I have only done it a few times, and loved it. I am a couple years away from retirement, and will for sure be driving as well. If your not in the club local, do it now and start meeting the drivers and rest of the people who are connected to it. Attend meetings if possible. They honestly are a pretty tight group, and you will need to earn their trust. At least the clubs that I am associated with. I brush every year, and have been for almost 20 years now. They are such a hard working group, and most of the people who don't do it, have no idea how much work is involved with keeping everything going. Its amazing that its all volunteer, and they do it for the love of the sport. Our clubs also welcome the desk jockeys and train each year. I think its great that you have that dream, and it will come true!

 

[whitedust]

It's true! My dream job is to become a groomer driver.

I see it as a way to give back to a recreation that I have loved for so many years! Plus, it's just straight-up awesome to be in all that fresh snow, running really impressive equipment, all the while providing smiles to all the other riders out there! So, what is the educational path to becoming a groomer driver (operator?). When I was young, I drove some small farm tractors and skid-loaders, but I never became proficient and haven't been in the seat for 35+ years! The master plan is to retire up in the Land O Lakes area in the next 10 years or so and then groom groom groom away!

For those of you who are, or know groomer operators, what advice would you give to a desk jockey who wants to retire as a volunteer groomer operator??? Thanks so much for your replies!

Step 1 is to join the Frosty Club of Lando. I was a member for many years a great group of people that meet at the town hall in an open forum 1 a month. Knowing how to fix grooming equipment is important so if your are a mechanic they will use you for sure. Good luck you will have lots of work on trails to keep you busy Lando runs ATVs to meet MI ATV trails when not running snowmobiles. Lots of groomed swamps so wear your boots. Lol

 

[Stench]

Is that a title to a Yooper song?
A remix to "I wanna drive the Zamboni"

 

[ezra]

We make a guy do a ride along for a trip out teach them the rope of how to do some basic stuff then put them in a Tucker and say have at it

 

[Deleted member 10829]

I'm the groomer director of our club and have 12 groomer drivers for 2 tractors and drags. I always welcome anyone interested in becoming a groomer as you really can't have too many. I train each driver myself for a couple of hours and away they go. I had no experience at all in heavy equipment, and if I can learn it, anyone can. I've been grooming for about 14 years now and I love it! If I can help in any way, PM me.

 

[ferbm]

Thanks for all the replies! I'm currently down in SE Minnesota (originally from Burlington Wi), with family in da UP (White Pine) and Land O Lakes. I have reached out to my local club to see if there aren't any local opportunities. It's really hard to get up north and not enjoy the trails on the sled right now But I truly appreciate the advice and hope in the next 5-7 years I get to meet some of you on the trail... Or better yet, you get to enjoy the sweet groom I just laid down the night before

Matt.

 

[mrbb]

you guys are NOT like the groomer drivers here or clubs, in MY neck of the woods, on my local trails, they run things like a mob, have to be a MADE MEMBER to get in a groomer, , they complain at every meeting about being over worked and no help
yet, for 15+ yrs I volunteered to learn and run one, and NEVER once did they even TRY to allow me , or anyone NOT in there CLICK get near a groomer
I eventually gave up offering ( and NO I was NOT disliked by anyone, before that gets into the mix)
even the main club members VP and such, stated many times, they just WON"T share grooming duties, they just demand to be in charge of things and won't let anyone else in
a shame, but I have heard of like things in many places here in the northeast
and believe it or not, they many times run there trail work the same way, they ONLY invite certain members, no matter who all offers to come out!

they do however know how to complain about NO help, and long hours in groomers when it snows , several club leaders have bailed after short time in seats due to they cannot get the MOB to change there ruling ways, they guard groomers here with a strong hand! and don't open up to NON CLICK folks at all here!

SO< all you groomer operators willing to teach, share and pass on the skills, my hats off to you,
as well as to your clubs for being willing to allow and teach, and seeing that this is a needed part of a club and this sport staying viable!

as for how to learn, I would like above suggest asking about co riding in groomers, and spending time with groomers, doing PM's on machines and doing as much trail work as you can, to learn where damaging objects are in OFF season, or before snow falls, and just getting to know trails as best you can.

as knowing where things are is a BIG part of grooming well(rocks stumps,ditches, water holes and so on)

 

[ezra]

you guys are NOT like the groomer drivers here or clubs, in MY neck of the woods, on my local trails, they run things like a mob, have to be a MADE MEMBER to get in a groomer, , they complain at every meeting about being over worked and no help
yet, for 15+ yrs I volunteered to learn and run one, and NEVER once did they even TRY to allow me , or anyone NOT in there CLICK get near a groomer
I eventually gave up offering ( and NO I was NOT disliked by anyone, before that gets into the mix)
even the main club members VP and such, stated many times, they just WON"T share grooming duties, they just demand to be in charge of things and won't let anyone else in
a shame, but I have heard of like things in many places here in the northeast
and believe it or not, they many times run there trail work the same way, they ONLY invite certain members, no matter who all offers to come out!

they do however know how to complain about NO help, and long hours in groomers when it snows , several club leaders have bailed after short time in seats due to they cannot get the MOB to change there ruling ways, they guard groomers here with a strong hand! and don't open up to NON CLICK folks at all here!

SO< all you groomer operators willing to teach, share and pass on the skills, my hats off to you,
as well as to your clubs for being willing to allow and teach, and seeing that this is a needed part of a club and this sport staying viable!

as for how to learn, I would like above suggest asking about co riding in groomers, and spending time with groomers, doing PM's on machines and doing as much trail work as you can, to learn where damaging objects are in OFF season, or before snow falls, and just getting to know trails as best you can.

as knowing where things are is a BIG part of grooming well(rocks stumps,ditches, water holes and so on)

Yep and a massive reason young guys show up 1 or 2 times then never come back .
I have zero pity for those clubs . Henc why about 10 yrs back a few guys said F this and we started our own club got back a ton of trail that the others said was gone for good I may add . Got a lot of the core crew on the board of the regional club pushed for and got a 2nd groomer after the old guard was pushed in to general membership .
If you want change and are willing to put the time in people will come you are not the only one sick of there BS .

 

[racerx]

It's true! My dream job is to become a groomer driver.

I see it as a way to give back to a recreation that I have loved for so many years! Plus, it's just straight-up awesome to be in all that fresh snow, running really impressive equipment, all the while providing smiles to all the other riders out there! So, what is the educational path to becoming a groomer driver (operator?). When I was young, I drove some small farm tractors and skid-loaders, but I never became proficient and haven't been in the seat for 35+ years! The master plan is to retire up in the Land O Lakes area in the next 10 years or so and then groom groom groom away!

For those of you who are, or know groomer operators, what advice would you give to a desk jockey who wants to retire as a volunteer groomer operator??? Thanks so much for your replies!

When you get here maybe we will be driving together as my plan was to see if I could become a groomer now that we are here full time but by a weird twist I got to keep my job as when we moved I gave notice but worked out a plan to work remotely. I thought I be out of work for the winter and being a night guy I figured to see if I could fill a the gap by grooming, so that is on hold for a bit. So far it has been nice to help the club out every time without having to plan a vacation to come up. So hope your plan comes together and maybe we will cross paths in Lando.

 

[1fujifilm]

It's true! My dream job is to become a groomer driver.

I see it as a way to give back to a recreation that I have loved for so many years! Plus, it's just straight-up awesome to be in all that fresh snow, running really impressive equipment, all the while providing smiles to all the other riders out there! So, what is the educational path to becoming a groomer driver (operator?). When I was young, I drove some small farm tractors and skid-loaders, but I never became proficient and haven't been in the seat for 35+ years! The master plan is to retire up in the Land O Lakes area in the next 10 years or so and then groom groom groom away!

For those of you who are, or know groomer operators, what advice would you give to a desk jockey who wants to retire as a volunteer groomer operator??? Thanks so much for your replies!

Do a ride along with Slim.

Bear

 

[goofy600]

Ferbm, I always thought the same thing and this year we did move up north so went to club meeting and signed up and they will train me (when we get snow) and already scheduled for 1 day a week for now. The nice thing is there are plenty of clubs not far from the lando area so it should not be hard to find a club that will let you help.

 

[renegade]

Yep and a massive reason young guys show up 1 or 2 times then never come back .
I have zero pity for those clubs . Henc why about 10 yrs back a few guys said F this and we started our own club got back a ton of trail that the others said was gone for good I may add . Got a lot of the core crew on the board of the regional club pushed for and got a 2nd groomer after the old guard was pushed in to general membership .
If you want change and are willing to put the time in people will come you are not the only one sick of there BS .

Yess! This! Between you and what mrbb have said brings back terrible memories of our county association. It has taken 20 years to turn it around. Our groomer mobsters used to do all this things, but they would actually say "we make more money when we don't groom", grooming is not like farming, and many other excuses to say no to drivers. Thankfully he left after we voted one of his buddies out of control of one of the tractors. He is now ruining clubs up by lake Namekaggen so I've heard. But it took the biggest club to leave the association, many headaches after meetings, and fighting the BS basically to get things changed. But we got to the point where we have strong leadership and a understanding that we have tons of drivers and to use them. We bought a used pisten bulley from the western up club and got into supplemental last year, both huge milestones for us. It's hard, but can be done. Now if we could just change the forecast.

 

[ferbm]

That would be awesome! I'll try to keep this post in mind when the time is right. Maybe we could meet up at Bents Camp for a refreshment sometime.