We are just finishing up grooming and tracking from OO to Hatchery Creek. Lots of great conditions on the Birkie Trail to enjoy and train on. Enjoy!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Icy fast but very skiable if you keep yourself under control. I went out for a little while today just to see what the trails were like after the thaw/freeze on Wednesday. The base is rock hard right now but the trails south of OO had been scuffed up sometime post freeze at least as far south as Gravel Pit so the skating was fine. I didn't go that far but there really wasn't any visible damage from the thaw that I could see.

(Andy Schwartz)

North half of the trail is in great shape. Freshly groomed from the Start Line south. Classic trail hasn't been touched up yet but with today's warm weather I had no expectations that it would be. It was 37 degrees when I stepped off the trail at about 11:00 and the surface had not really started to soften up yet even in areas with direct sun. Encountered Birkie staff hard at work putting up the start gates in final preparation for the big event.

Photos:

(Andy Schwartz)

Today we groomed and tracked the Birkie Skate trail from OO to the powerlines. Will likely get out again Thursday. As always, plenty of great skiing to be had on the Birkie Trail as you get ready for a certain little race coming up in a few days. Enjoy!!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

I hesitate to offer a judgement because if you skied this morning or the south half of the system or even a half hour later than me, you had a very different experience. I started about 12:30 from the start area and followed a ribbon of fresh corduroy south on the Birkie Trail. Just south of Timber Trail I overtook two Pisten Bullys working the full width of the trail and laying down a fresh classic track. Once past the groomers I encountered what everyone else encountered. That is, hard pack. Same with the return trip on the Classic trail except that there was an inch or so of loose snow over a base that hadn't been touched up in a while. So my advice is to check for new reports on Wednesday morning to get the scoop on how far the groomers went. But the north half of the Birkie Trail will have been freshly groomed for sure.

(Andy Schwartz)

Much of our recent grooming efforts have been in preparing for the Wisconsin High School Nordic Ski Championships held at the American Birkebeiner TH that will take place tomorrow and Sunday. We have also groomed Lake Hayward in preparation for the Pre-Birkie race tomorrow. We are in the process of grooming and tracking the Birkie Trail from Lake Hayward to Fire Tower, also in preparation for the Pre-Birkie. We will finish that up late tonight. As you make your weekend skiing plans, take note of another race this Sunday, the North End Classic. There is plenty of trail for everybody out there but please be mindful of the events taking place this weekend. Enjoy!!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Skied on the Skate, Classic and Birkie Ridge trails from the Boedecker TH. All were absolutely perfect! Enough said.

Photos:

(Jeff Tumbleson)

Just finished up this morning grooming and tracking the entire Birkie Trail (Skate and Classic) from the American Birkebeiner TH to Hatchery Creek, including Birkie Ridge, OO loops, and Hatchery loops. Excellent conditions on the Birkie Trail! Enjoy!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Fresh snow made for slow going. One inch on top of recent grooming when we left. Three inches and still coming down when we finished. Nothing that a good Pisten Bully beat-down wouldn't fix. Expect soft conditions for the next day or two.

(Andy Schwartz)

Very good for skating. I skied from Mosquito Brook to OO and back. This section of the trail was recently groomed and is a very good ski. There's no mistaking that the underlying surface is pretty hard after the thaw/freeze cycle but it's now super level and the small amount of new snow along with recent grooming made for fine skiing. There are just a few places where pine cones are starting to accumulate but you ski a long way between those.

(Andy Schwartz)