Excellent yesterday and even better today after another grooming with the new inch of snow. Firm deep tracks and firm skate deck. Beyond best mid winter conditions! Thanks ABSF groomers! Skied OO loops, but north of OO was being groomed today also.

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(Carolyn Senty)

We just finished up grooming and tracking the loops at OO. The additional snowfall kept us from grooming any farther. At some point tomorrow, we will groom and track from OO heading north. Check back for more updates. Enjoy!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

The Birkie Trail was amazing crust skiing on Friday and Saturday. Skied from 00 to high point and back on Friday and then 00 to Mosquito Brook road on Saturday! Headed home to the Twin Cities and saw 60 cars in the ditch on the way home!

Photos:

(Kim Rudd)

Skated Boedecker to the North End cabin. Trail is previously groomed, packed firm to Fire Tower, packed and slightly soft fire tower to North End. One south facing hill with partial bare ground at the 43k mark. Excellent spring conditions, well worth a drive!

(Kevin Smith)

The trek up North was worth it. I made it out before the snow transitioned. Trails were firm -not boiler plate. I strided around the OO loops in the mid morning and the tracks were deep, firm and icy in spots but very skiable with skins. Late morning I skated to the high point on the skate trail and back to OO on the classic trail. The skate deck was firm and very fast, icy only in occasional sun-exposed areas. Two sets of classic tracks looked nice. I could definitely skate relaxed and with control. One word of caution: there were 2 bare spots on hills on the classic trail, about 2K form OO, that have only a narrow path to ski around. If travelling south on the classic trail, you will be going down hill into to these spots. Luckily someone left tree branches standing in the trail to mark them and gave me time to slow down and navigate around the bare ground.

(Bob Peterson)

Grooming plans: The weather in the next couple of days looks like it will make the spring skiing saga more interesting. With warmer day and overnight temps in the next couple of days, we don't plan to groom this week. Our next grooming decision will likely be made after the snow this weekend. In the meantime, there is still plenty of hard-packed snow on the trail and skiing is still very good!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Skied from OO to the highpoint and back skating on the Birkie skate trail. Had a great ski although you have to be careful on the downhills, especially where the trail appears to be grey in color... that is ice. The rest of the trail has a glaze to it and it is fast. Us older skiers aren't ashamed to snowplow down these hills to be cautious. I've had too many hard falls in my 40 plus years on the trail. Great trail grooming to the whole crew! Thanks!

(John Dettloff)

Conditions could not have been better. I classic skied from OO to high point and back in April using VR40 kick wax. The tracks were deep and firm. Between the OO parking lots and Bodecker lot, there were over 100 cars parked. Lots of happy people out on the trails today. Thank you groomers!

(Paul Schaaf)

Last night we groomed and tracked OO loops and Birkie Skate and Classic trails from OO to Fire Tower. Enjoy another great weekend of skiing!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Grooming plans: We are expecting to groom again tomorrow night in preparation for another weekend of great skiing. We will probably groom something similar to what was done Wednesday. Check back for more updates!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)