I headed out for a late afternoon ski and found the trails not quite to my liking. This was mostly due to the depressions left by the snowmobile skis when grooming fresn snow over a not yet frozen base on Tuesday morning. On my way home I stopped by the complaint window at the Grooming Cave. Ancient One took my complaint, then handed me the keys to the Skandic and suggested a couple laps pulling the heavy screens would improve both the trails and my disposition. The trails were much improved. The shortcut around the puddle is open and groomed. You will find a few more small wet areas that have since frozen that you will need skip around. Chainsaw and Taxi will be making another lap with the tandem screens in the morning. This should make for a decent Thursday ski. Enjoy!

(Dave Anderson, Elk River Nordic Ski Club)

All trails are rolled except for the Prairie Loop. Babe reported that conditions after grooming looked quite good. We do have a 'trail blocking' puddle on the outer loop on the hairpin shortly before "The Pin". It is not a ski around, but a walk around. They did cut(mostly) a bypass of the puddle just as the trail turns from heading east to heading north at the beginning of the hairpin. Good luck finding it with that description(The trail is not blocked yet). There is currently a snowmobile track through the bypass. Tomorrow we will widen it and the next grooming pass will be through it. We will keep you posted. Please do the same. Enjoy!

(Dave Anderson, Elk River Nordic Ski Club)

Reverse can't spring Babe from the Old Groomers Home until after he has had his breakfast. The trails will be rolled out by noon. We will report on conditions after that.

(Dave Anderson, Elk River Nordic Ski Club)

AO and S-P finished their morning wrestle with the Godzilla screens just as the sun was rising. 1st Lady(formerly Wrong Way who is apparently no longer directionally challenged) and one other skier were the only ones who took the groomers hint and arrived at first light. They were later joined by her husband Hockey Dad and a couple of they typically desperate late season skiers. I ran into Hockey Dad at a puck tournament this afternoon where his sons team was taking it to my grandsons Tigers. He reported the morning ski conditions were quite good. The biathletes were arriving just as todays big meltdown started. There will be no grooming tonight or in the morning due to warm temps. The Woodchopping crew will wrap up two months of Sundays of winter trail work in the morning. Sounds like there may be a little March madness heading our way Monday. Stay tuned.

(Dave Anderson, Elk River Nordic Ski Club)

Continuous coverage was reported on the outer loop by skiers this afternoon. The Prairie Loop has bare spots. Shear-Pin and Ancient One have postponed their evening grooming run due to warm temps. They will hit the slopes at 6 in the morning, pulling the heavy screens to scratch up the trail surface for our morning ski. If the forecast holds and their plan works, there should be some fast and fun skiing until the trail warms again. Come early if your Saturday skiing plan includes Woodlands. Enjoy!

(Dave Anderson, Elk River Nordic Ski Club)

Exquisite. I took Shear Pin's advice and chugged around the outer loop mid-morning. It was a blast! I found the trail comfortably firm, but soft enough for my aging knees. The sunny exposures had already stared to soften by 10:30. This lap was my own personal way to celebrate 30 years of the volunteer efforts of the Woodlands Trail Crew. In those 30 years, they have built more than 12 miles of trail (all trails at Woodlands except for the GNT (old railroad trail), cutting over 5000 trees in the process. They have groomed more than 50,000 miles along with summer mowing and storm damage/disease tree removal. All of this is done out of love of community and a passion for winter recreation. Seeing all of the happy trail users this past weekend is why they do what they do. I could not be more proud of the accomplishments of the men and women of the Woodlands Trail Crew and would like to take this opportunity to thank them. Enjoy!

(Dave Anderson, Elk River Nordic Ski Club)

Shear Pin and the Goddess-of-the-Trail (she hasn't been on a Skandic for a while) just finished their evening run with the rollers followed with the light screens for our Monday skiing pleasure. Tracks were set this morning on the interior trails and Wash Pond. The tracks got a really good run today as did the winter walking trail and skate trails. Groomer hint from Shear Pin: if you can call in late for work on Monday and ski before the day warms, you will not be disappointed and may be treated to the best Woodlands ski of the season. Enjoy it before it melts away!

(Dave Anderson, Elk River Nordic Ski Club)

Chainsaw just reported in that he and Reverse finished their rolling run of our new 7.5 inches. Big snow events are big work for the trail crew. Ancient One and Blooming Onion will head out early Sunday for another pass before handing the sleds off to the dead tree cutting crew. Expect a soft trail for your Sunday ski. We will set tracks after the wind dies down on Monday. The roller humps will be screened during the week. Enjoy!

(Dave Anderson, Elk River Nordic Ski Club)

With several of the Trail Crew across the boarder for the big race tomorrow, Eagle 17 to spring Babe from the Old Groomers Home for their evening run around the outer loop with the rollers. Tracks are set on trails west of the grade. Enjoy!

(Dave Anderson, Elk River Nordic Ski Club)

Four new inches rolled and ready for a nice soft ski. Ancient One and Reverse(earned his nickname this morning compliments of his extraordinary ability to roll in reverse as good as most of us can going forward) spent three hours rolling the trails curb to curb this morning. Expect very good, but soft, conditions. There are the usual roller humpty bumps that will be there until we can run the screens. Best snow of the year just in time for the weekend when most folks head to Wisconsin for their skiing fun. Lumber Jack is heading out now to set a few tracks for us. There will be a little biathlon activity in the park both Saturday and Sunday, so keep an eye out for them and our growing deer herd.
Enjoy this great winter weekend, wherever you choose to be on the snow!

(Dave Anderson, Elk River Nordic Ski Club)