I like my 2 strokes but.....Nothing beats cruising at a higher speed on a tuned 4 stroke that is barely working the engine.

LOL, no - they have a couple of other options if you prefer a 2-stroke in literally almost the same chassis!   The pep and jump that the sled now has makes it very "flickable" like a 2-stroke, but with all the joys of a 4-stroke. Cruising trails in this sled is absolute pure joy! The vast majority of sleds seen on recent trip are Yami-cat and doo 4-strokes - the only 2-strokes are what appears to be locals running the trails - so I think the general consensus is that a 4-stroke sled is the one most are choosing  

You mean a 2 stroke? No argument here

Does the single track in the ditch usually stay rideable throughout the season? And is the crossing at Drummonds Gas generally safe during busy traffic times?

Ya, I get that and am just like you - it took a while of sitting on the fence to do it, but the difference is such an improvement, it’s what the 900T-R should have been from the factory.