So the Valley Trail is missing about .5 kM where a snowmaking machine has been mostly idle the last four days. 2kM done, sugary and rutted on the uphill climbs, but certainly lots of snow. Downhills and flats were mostly excellent. Overall good conditions, but the classic trail has been washed out in the same places every time I go. Not sure when it was last groomed. They are busy on the downhill making snow and grooming. Wish they had some spare time to finish the cross-country trail. Obviously they only have man made snow, and the Valley Trail is it. I did both double poling in the classic track, and skating. I went from 7:30PM to 9:30PM.

(John Klug)

Great conditions today around 5:30 am. Snow was firm and a little slower...but not bad. Course was not icy or sugary. Glad I brought glasses due to new snow coming down during the workout.

(Jim Cloutier)

Trail conditions were excellent this morning. Even though it is a 1.5 K Loop the snow conditions made it enjoyable. Plenty of snow to ski on.... but a little challenging navigating old man-made snow new snowfall and new man-made snow. Skis would be flying, and then suddenly slow down -- oh well, I'm on snow so, who cares?

(Jim Cloutier)

I did classic at Elm Creek this morning, the tracks were in great shape. I talked to several skaters and they said the deck was as good as it looked. There were two guns on the ski trail, one at the whale tail and one on the hill bypass. The drift from the bypass made the hill easier to kick up. It was getting busy when I left at 10:30 am.

(Tom Harris)

Excellent conditions at Elm this morning. Tracks were even good enough to climb up the wall in the tracks. Lots of snow cannons blowing all over the place. Skate deck looked great. The donut had plenty of control.

Photos:

(Scott Greymont)

Same loop as it's been, though it looks like they have been working on the further section of Valley. Tracks were good, if a bit worn. Very good on the donut. Sugar on the uphills. Not terribly busy for a Saturday. The shuttles to the overflow lot were running, but there was enough parking across the street from the chalet lot.

(Laurie Ford)

The trails were in good shape this morning, only a few sugary areas around the wall loop. But overall good. Lots of snow guns blowing snow everywhere so be prepared. I wore ski goggles which helped! Classic tracks seemed good as well.

Photos:

(Jason Phillippi)

The newly made snow covered up a lot of the dirty sections. Glide was pretty good overall but some of the new snow was a little slow. The Wall and Upper Donut climb were firmer than they have been in at least a week. There was some mush on the gradual downhill near the lower parking lot. The classic track was firm also.

(Mark Lahtinen)

A race was on going when I arrived around 9:30 am. Snow was soft, slow and sugary in many places, not sure if due to temperature or intensive usage due to the race. Only the usual loop including the donut was open.

(Bernard Cerles)

I skied classic at Elm Creek this morning, when I started the tracks were in very good shape and I was getting good kick most of the time. They had made snow for the donut last night and it was open this morning, I found the kick and glide a bit inconsistent, but that was probably the new made snow. Just before I left they started a race and in one of my laps some areas of the tracks were almost completely gone from the racers skating over them. A big thanks to the groomers for such good conditions despite the unseasonal weather.

Photos:

(Tom Harris)