Groomed Ridge Trail, Bruce's Roundabout and Long Rider on the skate side this morning, along with Oak Ridge and Hair Raiser on the classic side. All other loops except classic loop Lions Pride were groomed yesterday afternoon. That will be groomed tomorrow morning. Loops groomed yesterday have about 1/2-inch light powder on top which isn't affecting skiing at all. Overall I would rate all loops good to very good, with just a few scattered short stretches still showing a little mowing stubble. What a difference four inches of snow has made. Warming building is always open. Snowshoe trails have been stomped. New trail maps are in the warming building, and they now show the snowshoe trails as well as the ski loops.

(Will Maines)

Went out this afternoon and panned Roller Coaster and Will's Crossing on the skate side, along with Shortcut and Doug's Folly on the classic side. Set a very shallow track on the classic loops. With rock hard base underneath 1-1/2-inches of powder snow, tracks don't amount to much. Skate trails are good in some stretches, but still some mowing stubble showing through in others. Will pan remaining loops on both sides tomorrow and Wednesday. Will probably not do Long Rider and Bruce's Roundabout because there are three or four hills that could be somewhat dangerous without more snow. If you ski them go easy and slow on those hills. New Ginzu drag has arrived. Just waiting for enough snow to use it. Still using ancient Tidd Tech for now.

(Will Maines)

Put a lot of hours in this week with our new John Deere 835 Gator. Most of the loops have been packed. Finished up quite a bit of brushing I couldn't get finished earlier this fall. Packed trails are skiable but some stretches have significant mowing stubble sticking through. Because spring mudders with oversize tires and high-powered 4-wheel-drive trucks and SUVs like to make deep ruts on some of our trails while the frost is still coming out of the ground, I cannot set the mower depth as low as I would like for fall mowing, so, in places we'll have to live with stubble until we get another 4-6 inches of snow. For now, bring rock skis and perhaps lower your expectations.

(Will Maines)