The countdown continues as the trails degrade. Thoughts of skiing are soon due to fade. Trails have turned into mud and slop, less suitable for skis and more for a mop. If you must ski, what is there you must take. The best of of all was on Isaac Lake. (Really, pretty good out there.) (Mud skis??).

(Keith Brugger)

The season's clock is ticking. Cause in the sun we'd be sticking. In the shade it was dicey. Cause the trail was icy. Sections of slush and we'd have to mush. Water and puddles galore, the remains of snow days before. Lots of sticks, innocently up to dirty tricks. Still we pressed on, finding some skiing hither and yon.

(Keith Brugger)

We're back to skiing after the meltdown. A few inches of new snow earlier in the week allowed grooming yesterday. Half-to-one inch (or a little more) over an icy base for the skate deck. No classical tracks. Sections are melting out, some either mostly gone or solid ice. However we were able to get good skiing in, especially where there was well-defined corduroy, and apart from the aforementioned trails were fast and very skiable. Finland is closed - too icy.

(Keith Brugger)

Skied earlier today (10-11) to avoid the Goldilocks problem of yesterday. No such luck. Glazed and icy or wet and soggy with little "just right." Definitely skiable but in places with some effort, at least for me. Temperatures were nearing 32 as I left. Groomed trails as per yesterdays post.

(Keith Brugger)

As we started today's late morning ski, it was sun/shade schizophrenia. Toward the end of the ski the snow was becoming increasingly more wet and slow. Frankly, the skiing today put the "work" in workout! Trails groomed with the exception of the back half of the main trail (behind the ski hill). Classical tracks in some, but not all the groomed trail sections.

(Keith Brugger)

Sections of the trails were groomed yesterday, and more extensive grooming was in progress this morning when I skied. The newly groomed trails were soft, not too bad though. I refrained from skiing these sections or used the classical tracks until they set up. Saturdays snowfall was about 8 inches so there's plenty of snow with which to work. Combination of sun and higher temperatures (hi 20s) late this morning meant snow was getting somewhat moist. Noticed the decrease in speed over the span of 15 minutes. Good skis can be used. Classical tracks set on some trails.

(Keith Brugger)

Trails were groomed yesterday after the big snowfall. Skate deck is soft packed powder; I had hoped it would have set up overnight. Coverage is excellent. Classic tracks are set, the first time this season I believe. Caveat emptor! This report might be moot as it is snowing now.

(Keith Brugger)

Trails remain soft, albeit maybe a little - a little - faster than yesterday. The hills, especially going up are churned up. Checking speed downhill can be challenging - I crashed once because one ski became a submarine in deep, soft snow. All-in-all still good coverage and in good shape. B-skis still recommended, as I face planted skiing up a small hill after one ski encountered a rock (2nd crash if you're keeping score!). Snowing now.

(Keith Brugger)

Trails were groomed yesterday after the recent snowfall (finally some accumulating snow!). Today they were soft, having about an inch plus of cold (!) dry powder over a somewhat firm base. A bit of drifting in some spots. I skied a very limited portion of the system in hopes that the unused trails will set up for tomorrow. Back to B skis, but where the snow had previously disappeared there is a possibility of a rock, stone, or branch poking through. If you are familiar with the trails you will know where. No classical tracks.

(Keith Brugger)

First ski this morning after Wednesday's heat gun. Still some sections to be skied, and some of these skied fine. The puzzle is how to link these together. Based on what I skied today, here's what I can report: sections that have snow are often crusted and icy; bare trail sections (absolutely no snow) include the "saddle," the bottom of the lower shortcut, the middle of the upper shortcut, the main trail after the junction with the lower cutoff and headed toward Deep Woods, and the field leaving the parking lot - I walked the 100 m into the woods. The main trail along Cranberry Lake heading toward the Pines is not long for this world. Very thin in many places with rocks and branches poking through, so rock skis are recommended. You really gotta want to ski under these conditions.

(Keith Brugger)