Trail Detail
Notes
The Balsam Branch trails are open to the public for no charge. When there is snow, tracks are set by Polk County Park and volunteers. The trailhead parking area is always well plowed. Toilet facilities are available at the nearby Kennedy Environmental center but no coffee shop or warming facility. Roughly 4K of lighted trails added in 2010.Trail Reports
2017-2018 season
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Friday, February 23, 2018
Afternoon
posted: 2018-02-23 19:09:28
Grooming [ Trails Open: All, ]
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Six inches of snow. Track and skate lane groomed. Tomorrow should be good skiing. Plan on grooming again.
(Greg Hoelscher)
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Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Afternoon
posted: 2018-02-21 17:35:52
Firsthand: Classic [ Trails Open: All, ]
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Groomed to perfection. Fast solid track and a firm skate deck. No ice and very little leaf litter. Skied the blue and black trails. Thanks to the groomers.
(Michelle Stone)
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Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Afternoon
posted: 2018-02-20 18:35:12
Grooming [ Trails Open: All, ]
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Just enough snow to freshen things up. Groomed skate lane and track. Looked really good. I will need to get out tomorrow and give it a try.
(Greg Hoelscher)
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Sunday, February 18, 2018
Afternoon
posted: 2018-02-19 07:16:40
Firsthand: Freestyle [ Trails Open: All, ]
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5 PM skate ski. Trails have held up very well despite the warmer temps. Skate deck was very firm still, classic tracks seemed to be in good shape. Due to the recent high winds there is a lot of tree debris on the trails so I spent a fair bit of time flicking branches off the trail.
(Jim Kelley)
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Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Night
posted: 2018-02-13 18:34:55
Firsthand: Both [ Trails Open: All, ]
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Solid base and recently groomed. Classic trails were remarkably clean of leaves even with todays stiff breeze. Skate track was not icy and was navagible up steepest inclines. Saw a barred owl indicating spring is not far off. Really well maintained trail - kudos to the groomers!
(Kim Weber)
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Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Afternoon
posted: 2018-02-07 15:32:36
Grooming [ Trails Open: All, ]
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Skating deck groomed today, track is in good shape with fresh snow and very little debris. Go out and have fun.
(Barry Tulkki)
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Saturday, February 3, 2018
Evening
posted: 2018-02-03 19:27:20
Grooming [ Trails Open: All, ]
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Trails are fully groomed this evening (track and skate Lane). The 2-3 inches of snow we received today really helped. Be sure to enjoy the ski trail, snow shoe trail and the lights. Have fun.
(Greg Hoelscher)
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Thursday, February 1, 2018
Afternoon
posted: 2018-02-02 09:12:36
Firsthand: Freestyle [ Trails Open: All, ]
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Late afternoon skate ski. The trails are much improved after having been rutted-up after the recent thaw and there is now a firm and fairly smooth deck underneath. Trails had received about an inch of new powder overnight which was wind-blown in some sections and drifted on others. Lots of debris from recent winds. Cold, wind-blown snow made for slower conditions but still worth getting out there.
(Jim Kelley)
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Sunday, January 28, 2018
Evening
posted: 2018-01-28 17:53:39
Grooming [ Trails Open: All, ]
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Skate lane has been groomed. Track is still deep. Leaves and bark still litter the course. Should be good skiing.
(Greg Hoelscher)
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Thursday, January 25, 2018
Evening
posted: 2018-01-26 06:29:30
Firsthand: Freestyle [ Trails Open: All, ]
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6 PM 25 degrees F. Warmer temperatures brought softer conditions than yesterday. Skate lane was pretty soft which kept you on your toes when your skis sunk into the snow. Poles with larger baskets (i.e. non-race baskets) would work best in these conditions. The classical tracks look great but again, pole plants punch through the snow. Still a winter wonderland and worth the drive.
(Jim Kelley)
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