The trails are in tough shape and very icy. There is a thin, 2-3 inch base of ice left, which the groomer is leaving as-is, not wanting to risk damage to the grooming equipment. If we more snow, we'll be in good shape as the icy base will keep rocks and debris in place so the snow can be packed on top.

(Katie Pata, Dakota County Parks)

Snow was very hard pack, there were tracks in some places, even a few good ones! There were a few spots that had a lot of leaves/pine needles/sticks, but still nice to get out!

Photos:

(Lynne Nelson)

Skied the section south of Pilot Knob road (under bridge) and although the snow conditions were fine, the trail needs a fresh groom. Otherwise, it was still fun getting out and obviously plenty of coverage. The downhills were a bit scary due to the snow being pushed out so would recommend waiting until re-groomed for this section.

Photos:

(Scott Ford)

Trails skier tracked and hard. Oak leaves starting to litter the trail. Some icy spots, especially downhill segments. Overall I was pleasantly surprised at the trail condition. Skied from visitor center down Dodd Rd and from marker 38 to 7. Enjoyed being in the woods. Blue 30 wax worked quite well.

(Paul Kraus)

Skied the trails from the Visitor Center west towards Holland Lake and back, and overall, they remain in fair condition (fairly enjoyable) with several nice long stretches of skied-in tracks (and plenty of places where tracks are sorely needed). There's just enough snow on top of the ice-base to make it fun (especially downhills). Not too many oak leaves. Saturday's Trails By Candlelight event will not feature lit cross-country ski trails or ice skating this year (there's not enough good ski track, especially where we need it most to put 500+ skiers out there in the dark...) But, we are still lighting 3 miles of wooded hiking/snowshoe trail and 1 mile of snow-free accessible walking paths, and lighting the sledding hill for the event. Bring your own sleds and snowshoes. Snowshoe and ski pole rental available. Check our website for more details!

(Katie Pata, Dakota County Parks)

Skied the classic outer perimeter about 8:30 PM. Trails are very hard packed. Trail obliterated in some places, good in others. Some leaf litter on the eastern most edge. Good coverage but ski with caution because any clump of snow could be hard as rock. Used special green and kick was lacking.

(Rick Vatsaas)

Trails were last packed (only rolled) on Monday. The groomer did not set tracks though in many areas tracks are skied in. It's likely trails won't be able to be re-tracked until we receive an additional 4-6 inches of snow. Conditions are fair, with poor conditions in numerous areas with shallow tracks and icy conditions.

(Katie Pata, Dakota County Parks)

West side of Pilot Knob. No bare spots, no ice, base is packed and soft. Tracks are not set, but there are skied in track on much of the trail. Hardly any leaves on the trails. Very enjoyable ski.

(John Couch)

Wonderful skiing at Lebanon Hills! As you might imagine, the extra snow on Saturday worked wonders on the trail. Though it wasn't groomed, the previous tracks were there for the most part, and fellow skiers had blazed the path. Little slippery in parts, but snow had covered up any leaves so it was leaf free. Can't beat skiing in this scenic park! Skiers choice: I hadn't skied the trails west of Pilot Knob in a few years and forgot how fun the trail there is - fun downhills, challenging climbs. Great Birkie training :).

(Robert Sullivan)

Good. Low teens and overcast. Trail had been packed but not tracked. Occasional ice. Lots of leaf litter. I switched from Rex light green to Swix Green Extra midway. Allowed me to ski rather than walk lesser hills but I would still miss my my kicks occasionally. Skier set track was actually pretty good. Washed out on most curves. Dense leaf litter in spots was really annoying. Glad skis weren't waxed with klister.

(Keith Carlson)