There was unbelievable skiing last Sunday at
the Afterglow Trails in Phelps, Wisconsin. The striding was
100% perfect; never had better - hard fast tracks. The skating
lane was almost as good. You know how difficult the grooming
conditions were throughout the Midwest, with no frozen ground
under and warm temperatures above.
I've skied The Afterglow many times and the conditions
have almost always been perfect, at least as good as possible.
When there's snow, Pete Moline (who is the owner) grooms
an average 6 days a week. So, even during the week in mid-Winter,
the skating lane is fresh and the tracks perfect.
Some trail systems and groomers are locked into one set
time to groom, and most of the time that works, with frozen
ground and colder temperatures. Then grooming in the evening,
allowing the tracks and skating lane to set up over night,
is usually the best method - grooming in the morning not
nearly as effective. But, the best groomers check the conditions
and move at the precise instant the snow and ground is ready;
and that was very critical this past weekend. Miss the moment
and and the slush turns to ice or you rip up the ground
below. Don't groom and the conditions are lousy and you
lose your base.
Knocking the air out of the snow, by packing, allows the
ground to freeze - and this can even happen at temperatures
slightly above 32 degrees, since evaporation is a cooling
process. I know I was surprised when I first saw this phenomenon
at Suicide Bowl at the Junior Olympics in the 80's - 40
degrees over night and icy trails in the morning.
Last year we got an extra few weeks of skiing in the Milwaukee
area because Bob Herbert (Fox Hill Ski Trails) went out
at 3 in the morning to groom the first warm slushy snow.
By then gravity had drained some of the water from the wet
snow and evaporation had removed more - as well as cooling
the snow. Bob packed it, it set up, and we had skiing for
the rest of the season. The other area ski trails either
had ice (groomed too early) or didn't pack at all and lost
everything as the ground never froze.
One last thought. Catching the moment of ideal grooming
is just as important to the trail system as it is to the
enjoyment of the skiers. It also means more skiable days
and more income. Also, good news travels fast in the skiing
community (as does bad).
So in trail grooming, timing is everything.
Lee Borowski
Author/Compiler: The Central Division Grooming Guide
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