Thank you for your cooperation in staying off the Birkie Trail yesterday. Temps have dropped again so the Birkie Trail is again open for business. With the thaw and freeze, conditions on the trail are as expected. We will groom and track the snowmaking loops later today. Enjoy!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

We were able to groom south today from OO to Hwy 77. The snow was deep enough to track until about 1 km north of Mosquito Brook. Enjoy!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Skied classic from Boedecker to High Point on skate trail, skied back on classic trail, then added another 6k or so going south towards OO. Tricky waxing conditions, but the tracks were very good to excellent.

(Pete Wurl)

Skated North End to OO and back. Trails are in awesome shape and holding up fabulously! Clouds rolled in around 1-1:30 so snow was not melting. Get up here, it's well worth the drive.

(Richard Geisen)

With the warm temps today, the best thing for the trail is to keep the machinery off. The loops at OO, Easy Strider, Birkie Classic trail from OO to BTH, Birkie Skate trail from OO to BTH, Birkie Ridge, and the snow-making loops at the BTH are all in pretty good shape. This weekend with the expected warmer temps, we will not groom the natural snow sections of the Birkie Trail. With the thicker base on the snow-making loops at the BTH, we will groom as needed to keep them in good condition.
The Birkie Cafe will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 5pm at the S.C. Johnson Family Outdoor Center. Enjoy the trail and a snack/coffee this weekend. Enjoy!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Skied south from OO; still no grooming past picnic table hill. North of OO the classic trail was good for skating but the skate trail was better as it has been groomed twice. Classic track still looking good. Good skiing but get out there before the temps are above freezing.

(Tom Detzner)

We have brushed/removed down trees south of OO, but with warmer temps Thursday we aborted the grooming Thursday night. Once we see the temps staying below freezing (trying to keep as white as possible - not turn up debris on the thinner snow cover) we will try again. Best skiing from Birkie Trail head in Cable, and then OO trail head - north on both the Birkie Skate and Birkie Classic Trails - over 50KM open! This weekend will have some warmer temps, but the trail should remain with good skiing. Stay tuned for updates and enjoy the skiing!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Last night we were also able to groom and track the loops at OO and the Easy Strider loop. Lots of great skiing out there! Today we start working south of OO.

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

The Birkie Trail recently received another 2-5" of snow, depending on the specific location. Tonight we groomed and tracked the loops at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead and plan to groom and track the Birkie Skate trail (including Birkie Ridge) from the American Birkebeiner Trailhead to OO.
Tomorrow we will start work south of OO. Being the first time grooming that part of the trail, it will be slow-going as we clear the trail as needed. Thanks for your patience!
Now that we have natural snow that we are able to groom, the Early Season (snowmaking only) is over. That means that a standard Birkie Trail Pass gives you access to any part of the groomed Birkie Trail (including the snowmaking section). Get out there and enjoy!

(Kurt Proctor, American Birkebeiner)

Very good diagonal stride skiing can be found at the Boedecker trailhead on the Birkie trail. There was some new snow, which offered very good coverage and control both north and south of Boedecker. The tracks were firm and you could easily avoid the occasional dirt spots. If skiers are careful, they could use their good skis. For wax, I used Fast Wax Blue (glide) and Toko Green (base) with Toko Mint for kick...the combination worked well with the single digit temps. Happy New Year!

Photos:

(David Martin)