The groomer rolled what little snow that fell on the Teuton and Valkyrie trails over the weekend. The base is about 7 to 8 inches on the Teuton Trails, so the groomer will be trying to set tracks on these trails on Friday after it snows and is colder. There are portions of the Valkyrie Trail that are still bare, but some with snow that has been rolled and there is about a 7 inch base at those locations. Due to the lack of snow, the groomer won't be attempting to set tracks. The Forest Service has received a proposal to test dual fat tire bike and skiing use on Loop B of the Valkyrie Trail. The Forest Service is exploring what would need to be done in order to manage this portion of trail to meet the needs of both user groups in order to safely test it out for a season. This test may or may not happen this season and comments are welcomed. Please note that fat tire bikes are not allowed to be used on any of the trails at this time. Many roads across the forest are packed down by snowmobile use and maybe utilized for fat tire bike use. The secondary parking area was opened today, but the entrance has ruts due to someone driving into the area, so please drive with care. Also, with the warmer temperatures there are some soft spots in both parking areas and around the facilities, so please take care driving and walking. The chalet and warming room are open as of today as well. The sledding hill has some snow, but needs a lot more to cover the vegetation on the hill. Think more snow and colder temperatures!

(Teresa Maday, US Forest Service)

The groomer went out on Monday to check the trails. The snow has not reached all of the trail treads yet. The groomer reported that there are numerous sections on both the Teuton and Valkyrie Trails that are still bare. Where the sections of trails received snow, there was about 7 inches of light and fluffy snow that was rolled. The main parking lot is currently open. The secondary parking lot is still closed due to the heavy saturated soils. Parking is prohibited along the FR 435, so please use the main parking area. Please note that our grooming will primarily be provided by volunteers.

(Teresa Maday, US Forest Service)

The snow is just starting to come down on the trails at the Valhalla Recreation Area. With the rain and melting snow due to warmer temperatures, the trails and both parking areas are very saturated and fragile. The Forest Service has closed both parking areas and trails until the ground freezes in an effort to keep the trail tread and parking areas free of rutting and other damage. Once the ground is frozen, the barricades will be removed. Please observe these temporary closures to help keep the trails and parking lot areas intact and safe for users, snow removal and grooming. We are monitoring the conditions and will post updates here and on our phone line at (715) 373-2667 and select option 1 for the trail report.

(Teresa Maday, US Forest Service)