Grooming has been suspended at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve due to the warm weather. The ski trails on the east side will become hiking trails beginning Saturday, March 7, and the lights will go off beginning March 8. Trails on the west side will become multi-use trails Saturday. Thanks to everyone who submitted posts this season! We appreciate your help getting trail conditions out. We can give a groomers perspective, but skiers have the best information. See you next year!

(Theresa Young, Washington County Parks)

Northern Lights, Lake Elmo and Brown's Pond were in fair to good condition with two bare ground breaks in Brown's Pond on the south facing hills. It was 34 degrees and sunny. I used FastWax Yellow LF. Thought I'd give it a try despite the thaw and it turned out okay. Between 11:00 and 11:30, surface varied from wet corn to frozen, more of the later than the former. Only a little ice. Lake Elmo was in particularly good shape. Surprisingly, the return on Northern Lights skied well, no breaks although its getting close on the little uphill before you hit the woods. The long gentle downhill from 17 to 18 was totally covered - amazingly given the sun exposure - and a pretty fast surface. Despite the two times that I had to get in and out of my skis to walk around the bare spots I still was able to exceed a 6 mph pace. I'd guess you can get one more day of decent skiing if you don't mind a few walks.

(Keith Carlson)

Skied Eagle Point for possibly the last time. Predictably, the multi use portion was pretty bad - fair amount of ice and two bare ground breaks that you could ski around by going off trail. The skiers-only portion was actually pretty good except for two patches of ice - one where you merge into the original trail at the start of the north ridge and the other along the tree- lined straight away before the climb to the quonset hut. In the 1:00 to 1:30 window when I skied very little snow had corned and it actually felt slow to me. But I actually skied the fastest I had done the loop this year. It was 34 degrees and sunny. I used FastWax Yellow LF.

(Keith Carlson)

I skied the brown, green, and yellow trails. The mostly good news is that 90%-95% of the trails were fast and firm. There were areas where melted snow is now ice. The brown trail has two areas of gravel with a thin band of ice through them. The route I found, with the best coverage, is to follow the green trail (with the extension) until the brown/green, yellow/orange split. Then follow the yellow trail to the trailhead. The whole yellow trail is also in decent shape. Hope this helps. Enjoy your ski!

(Stan Krause)

The skate lanes had been re-groomed yesterday and were in good condition. I would rate the green trail 9 out of 10, the brown an 8, the yellow a 7, and the orange a 4. There are some icy patches, which are worst on the orange trail. The tracks hadn't been touched and didn't look great- icy, varying depths, leaves. I'm appreciative that the staff is still grooming and continuing to give us great skiing this late into the season. Skiing on a sunny February afternoon is a treat.

(Torry Kraftson)

Lake Elmo ski trails were groomed for skate skiing today. All ski trails, west and east, are in fair condition due to bare and icy patches but are skiable. There is minor debris as well.

(Carolyn Friedrich, Washington County Parks)

Skated the eastside trails from 11:30 to about 1PM. In most area could get a good edge and conditions very fast even for an old timer. Did not do Orange trail since I recall that it was first to go. Classic tracks there in most locations but not deep. Leaves present. Did not ski any classic so not sure of how the experience would be. Thanks for the groomers for continuing to work with what we have left.

(Arnold Funkenbusch)

Skated the entire perimeter on the eastside; trails were in excellent condition. Generally hard packed skate deck but no trouble getting bite. More sun-exposed portions were soft and slow but that was not that much of the trail It was the low 40's w. brilliant sunshine. I used FastWax Yellow LF. I was worried I had arrived too late - 11:00 - to catch the window before the snow got too warm and slow. However advantageous positioning of the trees along much of their trail and their shade made it so that was not the case. Got caught with some sudden de-accelerations when I went from the shade to full sun like at the bottom of the hill after sign post 13 on Brown's Pond. But even on the long gentle downhill on Northern Lights after sign post 17, I glided pretty well Even the bridge leading onto Bur Oak was well covered. Once again kudos to the grooming staff for maintaining the trail so well.

Photos:

(Keith Carlson)

Eagle Point Trail is closed. There is no classic track anymore. I skied the Brown, Orange, Yellow and part of the Green by the lake. Tracks were still oresent but shallow. Icy in the open, still OK in the wooded sections. Used klister, which worked fine in most conditions. Temps were already in the 40s when I finished.
[ Correction: Eagle Point Trail is NOT closed. Park staff report the trail was re-aligned due to a construction project. The Eagle Point ski trail and Big Bluestem multi-use trail is a dual trail to begin with (hikers are on the right and skiers on the left). The trail then splits and hikers go right and skiers go left around the lake. -- Ed ]

(Tom Yuska)

Ski trails at Lake Elmo Park Reserve have been groomed. The red trail has been groomed for skate and classic skiing. The trails on the east side were only groomed for skate. Trails are in good condition with some debris and are softening due to the temperatures.

(Carolyn Friedrich, Washington County Parks)