Grooming has been suspended for this season. There is some skiable snow as well as lots of earth and gravel in the campground loop and other loops. Ski at your own risk. See you next December.

Photos:

(Larry Mishkar)

Upper Spirit Mountain Nordic was skate deck groomed by 7 a.m. All loops are being skied, however only the CG, 3 & 5K are groomed at this time. Surfaces range from decent corduroy to orange peel to....leaves! A few more earthy spots opened up recently. B skis or rock skis recommended. Ski with caution for changing trail conditions. Photo shows before and after results of grooming this morning.

Photos:

(Larry Mishkar)

The CG, 3 & 5K loops are skate deck groomed. Corduroy is soft and setting up with the freezing temps. Base remains solid. A few more earthy spots appeared this morning and only along the chalet loops. The McD Loop and outer 11k are not groomed any longer but skiers are breaking crust and putting down tracks.

Photos:

(Larry Mishkar)

Only the CG, 3 & 5K loops were groomed again - loops required four passes instead of two to scrub the ruts from yesterday and leave some decent corduroy throughout. The 11K is icy and a few souls have been out on it. Small twigs are here and there on the groomed trail and larger branches have been removed. No rocks nor dirt though.

(Larry Mishkar)

Upper Spirit Mountain Nordic was skate deck groomed by 8 a.m. Due to blown down trees, limbs and branches only the CG, 3 & 5K loops were groomed...loops took a wee bit longer to clear up and required four passes instead of two to break up the overnight crust. The corduroy is decent throughout. The McD Loop and back 11K are icy and dimpled. In spots there are many twigs on the trail, so perhaps it is B ski season? No rocks nor dirt though. Freshly groomed top is soft-ish with that solid 2-foot base still supporting our cause. Go ski!

Photos:

(Larry Mishkar)

All of Upper Spirit Mountain Nordic (minus the McDonald's Loop) is freshly skate ski groomed. McD is still very good and watch for the caution tape denoting a rotted-snow downhill. A few earthy spots dot the trail system along with organic matter here and there. The crust skiing is excellent right now. Currently dense cold fog envelopes the train system. Cheers.

Photos:

(Larry Mishkar)

Upper Spirit Mountain Nordic was just groomed for skaters by 7:30a.m. There are four small spots around the system where the earth shows through and are easily avoided. The last steep downhill on the McDonald's Loop has caution tape across it at the top - that downhill trail is narrow and thinly covered with corn snow - ski at own risk - while the remaining McD Loop is fab. Base is firm - cord is dirty with some organic matter. Air temperature was grooming was 31F.

Photos:

(Larry Mishkar)

All trails were skate deck groomed by 8a.m. The cord is firm now and the base very hard. Enjoy before the warm afternoon of 42F softens up the base.

Photos:

(Larry Mishkar)

All trails were groomed double wide while the back 11k loop was groomed in a single pass up the middle to remove the icy glaze and fill the ruts. The corduroy should set up nicely overnight. The base remains firm throughout the trail system. On Sunday skiing should be very good until temperatures rise above 32F and the trails soften.

Photos:

(Larry Mishkar)

Thank you, thank you, thank you for keeping this trail open and groomed. I had a thoroughly enjoyable midday ski. The trail was mixed, ranging from firm to crusty to soft and a bit rutted in spots, but everything was eminently skiable. Overall, I'd say the conditions were very good. No classic tracks.

(Fritz Anderson)