The entire two way trail segment skiing north from County "K" to the Sheep Ranch Road crossing is groomed with set tracks and skis well. Parts of the trail are "dirty" with wind blown pine needle and cone debris and some scattered oak leaves. There are scattered grassy/skinned down spots at intervals where the track setter has dug a bit deep. That said, long stretches are clean and fresh. The trail has only been lightly skied. The segment between the Goodyear Lake and the Timber Lake Road crossings is a bit "rough" in several stretches where it crosses swamp. This is a typical early season condition at Cassian. I was using wood skis for the pleasure of them and the one other skied met on the trail was using good carbon fiber Rossi skis. Skiing from the North end parking lot south to Sheep Ranch might well be best. It has a better mix of upland deciduous forest and would be cleaner.

Photos:

(Mark Nienstaedt)

Skied "middle Cassian" from Sheepranch to Timber Lake in the afternoon. Great grooming and trail set. Minor amount of leaf litter closer to Sheepranch. Few sticks. No issues with skis catching. Good glide. Perfect early season ski.

Photos:

(Carole Wakefield)