Today's temps at 27F, plus constantly fluffy snowflakes in the air, were all good to the Noquemanon Trails. We enjoyed skating on an inch or two of new fluff that covered the thick enough and firm but not-hardpack granular base leftover from the season's grooming. The skating was not skittery and the snow was not slow. By starting at the Red Gate on Holyoke Trail, west of the Forestville Trailhead parking lot, we entered on Animoosh, and skiied to Noque Trail and out past the Pine Plantation to about the 17K marker. The coverage was excellent-to-thin but mostly pretty darn nice all along the way, and very skateable except when we walked to save our ski bases on intermittent thin places. We saw some classic tracks and a runner's footprints, all staying on top of the firm deck, with no punching through. We did take off our skis for some thin spots, and a couple three or so places where the drainage cut across the trail, but there's wonderful spring skiing out there for those of us who are happy to be cross country skiing on April 26!

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(Mary Kay Aufrance)

Starting at the Noque Trailhead on 510 and going East, we skied clockwise around the Mead Hills Bypass to the Noque trail going back to 510. Good coverage for skating and classic on formerly groomed tracks, firm enough underneath with some softness due to new snow on top, but not slushy and actually kinda speedy. Not for beginners though, although we really enjoyed some off-the-trail crust skiing that included the marshy place on the north of the trail going back up to 510 from the Joanne and David Buhl trail marker at the Mead Hills-Noque intersection. Expect to take off your skis on the long downhill going down to that intersection and at a bare spot above there, but the rest was covered well! Someone drove a snowmobile down the middle of the trail and closed the gates, but the trail is wide enough to ski next to the snowmobile tread marks. It was a perfectly enjoyable hour.

(Mary Kay Aufrance)

Thanks to Bob Marlor for smoothing the Noque out with the old Tiddtech from North Basin to 17km. On Easter we enjoyed skate skiing both east and west from the 510 trailhead, on plenty of coverage and very nice grooming for skating! The snowshoers from the NMU winter camping class were good to us because they stayed to the very edge and in single file, so their tracks were hardly noticeable at all. Should be fun skiing for several more days.

(Mary Kay Aufrance)

Wow! A perfect conditions day! After two days of skiing on frozen rain influenced trails in the U.P. we went to the Forestville Trails just outside of Marquette and skied on a solid Noque Trail skate deck that had glistening ice fallen from the trees. Fast and easy skiing and enough purchase to snowplow if needed. The brand new Pisten Bully 100 did a fantastic job on the trail.

(Mark Plane)

Skied almost every trail between Forestville trailhead and 510. Good coverage throughout, although 2-3” of new snow from day prior was on top of most recent grooming (there was no grooming done today outside of right by the lodge) - which made for a bit slow going, especially the further out you got.

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(Brian Schaning)

Best skiing I’ve had this season earlier today. Marquette County had rain and freezing rain on Christmas Eve, so it was tough skiing for a few days. Christmas Day was icy at Noque, but the base held up OK. The first front came through Sunday night and Monday and dropped 4” of wet heavy snow that made conditions way better. Tuesday night around 8 PM the wind shifted and another 3-4” of fluffy lake effect fell before it stopped a bit before dawn on Wednesday. I broke trail for a bit early this morning, and passed the groomer three times in my three hour ski. Tracks are set up to 17 km, everything is rolled up to the 24 km marker at County Road 510. I skied the ‘Wagi’s on the way back — lots of hills and great cover. Nearly mid-season snow conditions and single digit temps tonight should help firm it up.

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(Rich Cooley)

Skied Forestville. The trailhead building is open but they want you to wear a mask. Tons of snow. On Saturday only the Nokie trail trail to grand junction was rolled. By late afternoon the access road was pretty well plowed. They say everything will be groomed for Sunday.

(Michael Dix)