Skied late this afternoon for an hour in 50 degree partly sunny weather. Snow was ample and soft. There are now water hazards out there but easy to ski around them. A few other folks were out including some skaters. Blackhawk did a great job of getting a good base that has weathered the weather pretty well. Of course the key is that a lot of the Blackhawk ski area is very shaded which helps keep the snow big time. Good year here at Blackhawk.

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(Christopher Quandt)

Well pretty much all the snow is super soft. Skaters were really gonna have to work at it today. I saw skaters poling in the classic tracks mainly. I was classic skiing and it was very nice. Super soft tracks. No rocks or twigs or anything showing through. Today it was nice. Get out there if you are a Blackhawk member.

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(Christopher Quandt)

It was almost 55 degrees late this morning with plenty of sun drenching the snow in places, and that snow was pretty soft and skiable. The snow in the shady areas was pretty much soft, sheet ice. Not much fun there. But I was not alone out there today; I ran into my old friend Walt. He was skating. I was striding. There were no tracks, so striding was just done in the soft, sun snow. I did have metal edges on my skis. It was really nice being out there. Snow is collapsing in places.

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(Chris Quandt)

It was about 62 degrees today when I started skiing. Not too many folks out enjoying the soft snow. Tracks for striding were pretty good ... not ice chutes. Soft in most places. Area where it is shaded is icy and crummy. Beautiful sunset. Plenty of snow at Blackhawk. Thanks guys for getting this great base out there earlier this season.

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(Chris Quandt)

Nicely groomed tracks. Not powder snow like we have up north or in the UP but still pretty good for southern Wisconsin. Skaters were moving fast. Today was dog day at Blackhawk so some skiers had their dogs pulling them. Plenty of man made groomed snow.

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(Chris Quandt)

Dressed for the weather and stayed plenty warm. Not much wind down in the low ground so that helps. The snow was so slow. I classic skied and was a slow turtle but those skaters trying to get speed ... man they were working hard and not moving too fast. No tracks laid down for us striders but all groomed and corduroyed and soft real snow.

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(Chris Quandt)

I skied yesterday and today at Blackhawk. Plenty of snow ... no rocks or such and very little tree litter. Yesterday the sun had bathed the snow and warmed it up and softened it. Today the snow was well warmed and very soft spring type snow. Only one other skier there this afternoon.

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(Christopher Quandt)

I was not the only skier out this afternoon. One other guy was skiing, and a family of four. But it was not so good. In the sun-warmed area, it was kind of soft, but most of the loop I skied was pretty darn icy. That said, it was a nice bluebird day, and I had white snow/ice under my feet, and it took me away from the troubles in the world for a while. Pretty good base still out there.

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(Christopher Quandt)

Well the snowstorm that was supposed to happen last night was a dud here in Dane County. But Blackhawk grooming crew did what they could with that inch of powder. Snow was nice and lots of folks were out on this cold day in late December. No tracks were set because of the lack of snow and abundance of really hard base.

Photos:

(Christopher Quandt)

The sun warmed the snow and the grooming was nice. Skiing very nice tracked snow today in sunny warmth.

Photos:

(Christopher Quandt)