I skied the entire outer loop just before noon today. I suspect this hasn't been groomed since the last time I was out here, ten days ago. Classic tracks are getting a little bit beaten up and we've had a few windy days recently which has put more leaves and pine needles into the tracks than I've seen here this year. That said, the base is firm, while not perfect the tracks are still quite skiable and there were no major obstructions to contend with.

(Wade Pearson)

Enjoyed a fantastic ski at this under-appreciated gem on Saturday morning. Minus three starting out, but with calm winds, I warmed up quickly. I skied the outer loop and found great tracks occasionally washed out a bit on the turns. Lots of animal activity here, as usual. I saw a grand total of zero other skiers out there. This is a wonderful system when groomed with several small lakes/ponds and a few gentle hills.

(Matt Callahan)

Very good conditions on a perfect January day. We skied the outside loop from the north lot starting on the east. Classic tracks a bit washed out on some turns, but not really a problem. There was about an inch of new snow on the skate deck for snowplowing. The cutoffs looked like they were groomed to the same standard as the main trail. Any debris was covered up, but there was an occasional branch poking up from the base. The wolves approved of the grooming too! There was a lot of very recent wolf activity, especially on the west side between the cutoffs. Lots of tracks and scent marking since the dusting of snow overnight. If you are from a snow challenged zip code, the Birchwood area measures its snow in feet rather than inches. Nordic Woods is a nice system deserving of more use--didn't see any other skiers this afternoon.

(Dave Henning)

Skied just the North Loop "D"Cut Across. Trail had been freshly groomed for skating and tracked with a single classic track. Tracks were in good conditions, if soft in places (mostly on the west side of the loop). Very little debris in the tracks, but there were a couple places where downed branches slowed your passage a little, and quite a few places where there is some brush to avoid on the edge of the classic tracks.

(Wade Pearson)

Only skied a mile. Trail was mostly tracked but not very deep. Some debris and branches in the trail. Warming conditions made my skis sticky so we cut this one short.

(Anne Risen)

Trail has not been groomed, but people have been out skiing so there are crude tracks going all the way around the major loop. Tracks themselves are compact but bring poles with big baskets, the snow next to the tracks is not firm. There were some areas with debris in the tracks (leaves, pine needles, branches), but there were no major obstructions.

(Wade Pearson)

Nothing has been groomed here yet. A couple people have broken tracks, but there's been a lot of foot traffic around the trailheads the makes the going rough for km or so. If you start at the Highway 70 trailhead and go clockwise, the trail is in better condition. Snow cover isn't that thick, with bare patches in places.

(Wade Pearson)