Mid afternoon was sunny with the temperature around 30F. Someone had skied almost all segments since the few inches of snowfall the other day and those tracks were quite useable. There were a few places where a ski would slide off the side of an underlying hardened ridge, but conditions were good overall. I used my old white-bottomed non-waxable skis, which work pretty well in these conditions.

Photos:

(Brad Bensen)

County groomed and set track. Hurray! Ski before conditions change with warmer temps.

(Catherine McLynn)

Skied all trails early afternoon. Good conditions everywhere except an isolated spot on a couple south loop downhills. These could be seen from the top, however, and adjusted for by straddling the spot. Fun trails.

Photos:

(Brad Bensen)

County groomed system and did not indicate that any segments were closed for logging at this time.

(Catherine McLynn)

Big Ridge Trails have not been machine groomed since reports earlier, and are now covered with a foot of snow. However, a regular skier who I met in the parking lot said he skis these trails every day. That means the trails that run around the Beginner and Intermediate loops are in excellent shape as groomed by foot. The Advanced loop has similarly groomed by foot but not as much. Logging is planned around the forest of Big Oaks in the Advanced section, but has not begun. Land Department says the trails will not be closed for logging. The Beginner Loop area has been logged frequently and you ski through aspen thicket. The Intermediate area is a beautiful mixed hardwood forest.

Photos:

(Tom Nelson)

County groomer reported tracks set and good conditions.

(Catherine McLynn)

County groomer reported setting track on all the loops of this hardwood forest trail system.

(Catherine McLynn)

County groomer Roger Clark reported packing the trail system and did not mention any sections were closed due to logging.

(Catherine McLynn)