Grooming plan: I will take the roller out at daylight for the first packing run of the season. 5" of snow was down at 5:00 am. Snow is still falling at 6:00 am. I expect a mixed bag of results, depending on open or canopied areas. Decisions on open or closed trails rest with others, or until I see what the rolling results are.

(Jeff Bolte)

It was yet another direct miss on worthwhile snow Tuesday; maybe 1/4 inch fell. Not all of that would have hit the ground in canopied areas. I was out Monday doing dryland training on the Purple, Brown, and Red trails. Trail surfaces vary from ice ponds to dry ground and gravel throughout the park. Bring the rollerski poles and the footgear for ice. No skiing here.

(Jeff Bolte)

Ice. Any trail area that is flat has ice under a dusting of snow. Some densley wooded areas, such as the pines in the 300 camp, had slush only after the wet snow last week. Gravel, sticks, stumps, rocks, and grass are still exposed. Some areas are better suited to accepting new snow than others, such as well drained hills that have a turf surface; no ice. Most of Willow's trails are gravel. Think dry land training and wear your Yax Trax.

(Jeff Bolte)

Open areas got some decent snow, but hardly an inch landed on the wooded trail I checked. One of the grooming tow vehicles was still not ready as of this morning. The Buckthorn Brigade will be driving a vehicle on the Purple trail on Tuesday mornings to continue their work until snow shuts us down. Join us if you like, 8:42 am at the shop (If you want do trail work other than Tuesday, contact the park). We will cut and chip the evil buckthorn, then go to lunch. This can be very physical work. Safety toe footwear is suggested. Most of the south side trails got a late mowing with the JD mower, following the winter wide cut by the Bobcat. Leaves were shredded and blown off many places on these trails. Its not a perfect job. There is scattered stubble. We have never tried this until now. The goal is to have snow stick to the ground, not to a fluffy pile of leaves. Its cold on a mower at 25 degrees. The red marks on the pine trees are a future timber sale. The marking process was still in progress last week up by the 200 camp. This does not include the old growth grove out on the Silver trail. The Silver trail will have classic track on one side only, the lake side. The trail will be a two way.

(Jeff Bolte)