The grooming was fantastic on the Birkie Classic Trail on Saturday, for both skate and classic. I skated from the OO trailhead north 12K and then back down to OO, and conditions were about as perfect as possible given the cool temps. Also, grooming was great on the Brikie Skate Trail on Friday from OO all the way to Hatchery Creek, so you can't go wrong wherever you ski on the Birkie trail! Just a few spots here and there with dirt, but easily avoidable in all cases, so good skis are safe.

(Bill Oyler)

Tonight we are working to prep for tomorrow's Double Pole Derby that will start and end at the American Birkebeiner TH (start area). We will lay new tracks and groom the skate deck as well. We will also be grooming the skate deck of the Birkie Classic trail that we were unable to get to last night. The trails will be in good shape this weekend. During these cold temps, be safe out there!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Very good for skating. Did a repeat of yesterdays OO to Gravel Pit loop. Trail is freshly groomed, quite firm and level. With the new grooming the trail skied moderately faster than yesterday but I'm not sure there's enough green wax on the planet to make your skis truly fast when the snow is as cold and dry as this snow is. All things considered, another great day on snow.

(Andy Schwartz)

I skied from Hatchery to Gravel Pit and back. Fair to good conditions. The amount of snow on top of the groomed track and the cold temps has been pretty frustrating over the holidays. Just so slow. The section from Hatchery to Mosquito Brook was more heavily traveled and thus the snow was harder packed and faster. If I were to do it again - I would have skied Hatchery to Mosquito Brook twice and skipped going from Mosquito Brook to Gravel Pit. I would also rather classic ski than skate ski in these conditions. Everyone was jumping in the classic tracks to keep speed down the hills anyhow.

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(Adam Segar)

We did get about 1" of snow today so tonight will groom the skate deck from American Birkebeiner TH (start area) to Hatchery Creek. There isn't enough new snow to set a new classic track but when the existing tracks get some ski traffic over the new snow, the tracks will be very good. Get warm and stay warm out there!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Really good for skating. I skied south from OO for the first time this year and was greeted by a firm, level trail. It was snowing lightly all the while I was out so there's a little more cold snow on top of the last grooming. As a bonus, some fine folks lit a fire and warmed up the Gravel Pit warming house so I had a mid-ski place to warm up with the temps hovering around zero.

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(Andy Schwartz)

Very good classic and skate skiing can be found north and south on the American Birkebeiner Trail just off Hwy OO in Seeley. The skate lane was firm and level with some new snow. The classic track was firm and offered very good control. Both trails had plenty of coverage as I was able to use my good skis. Bundle up and have fun!

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(David Martin)

It was dangerously cold -8F but very nice that the warming huts all had fires in them. I skate skied from 00 to Boedecker on the classic trail and back to 00 on the skate trail. Conditions were fair to good. There was about 2 inches of snow on top of the groomed track. I think I was waxed well and it was still pretty slow. No debris. So you can use your A skis if you want.

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(Adam Segar)

Pretty good skiing. Nice skate deck. Classic track is mostly great. Skied from the Hatchery to the Brook and back. Excellent skating, the classic is sometimes interrupted by some brush intruding on the trail.

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(Joel Harrison, New Moon Ski Shop)

Tonight we finished grooming from OO to Hatchery Creek; skate deck and classic track was set. Tomorrow we will groom from OO north on both Birkie Skate and Birkie Classic trails, both with tracks set. Base is getting deeper and trails get nicer every time we run the Pisten Bully over them. Enjoy!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)