Hit the trails just as the groomers were leaving the 5k and working on the 8k so I was treated to fresh cord and was the first on the tracks. The skate deck was firm as heck and the tracks well molded. With temps below zero it was a lot of work trying to glide with inappropriate wax on my tips and tails! Thank you groomers!

Photos:

(Eve Graves)

Frigid, but beautiful morning! We got about 3” of dry snow thru last night. This morning we had 3 groomers, so we compacted and groomed all trails, then set new classic tracks on all trails. The skate decks are very firm and smooth. The classic track is soft, due to the dry snow and low humidity. Best we can do at this temperature. The fresh snow did cover the debris which has plagued us for a week. We are open til 8 tonight.

Photos:

(John Graham)

Amazing sunrise this morning. 1-2” of fresh snow overnight. All skate decks were groomed this morning, and they are firm with a corduroy fluff on top. Previously set classic tracks are still defined, and just need the new snow to be skied-in. The 8K track is in very good shape. KidSki session today from 1:30-3:30. Chalet and Chalet area will be crowded, but the trails are not congested past the 1K marker.

Photos:

(John Graham)

Beautiful sunny ski at Snowflake this morning. Both the 8k and 5k were in great shape. Thanks, groomers, for keeping the trails in great condition!

(Annalisa Peterson)

One word: perfect. The groomers must have just went out prior to mid-afternoon as there was a bit of fluff on top of all of the trail. The 5K was especially fast and furiously fun due to the broken up solid, icy snow providing a bit more glide. The classic tracks looked deep and solid. Thank you to the Snowflake team--the best skate around I think!

(Jena Ogston)

Snowflake was groomed yesterday, but there was evidence of very heavy use since then. The tracks that were intact were fast, not icy. All of the turns were completely wiped out, many of the curves were wiped out and someone skated over the tracks in quite a few places. Since the snow is kinda crunchy it made for a frustrating classic ski and those groomers worked so very hard to dig out the tracks and make them nice again! I had to jump into the skate deck quite often and that was also very well used, not icy, just fast.

Photos:

(Eve Graves)

All trails skate decks were refreshed this morning. The 6K is very firm, the 8K firming-up better each day. Decent classic tracks on all trails, the 8K track seeing less use and needing to be skied-in. On Sunday afternoon, tomorrow, we begin our 6-Sunday KidSki program. With 74 kids enrolled, plus coaches and staff, the chalet and surrounding area, and parking lots, will be very crowded between 1:30-3:30. We will not be renting kids skis between noon and 3:45 because our rental inventory is committed to KidSki participants. Although the 8K and distant segments of the 6K will not see activity, and we remain open, it will be best for members and visitors to ski before 1 pm, or after 3:45. We will be refrshing the skate decks tomorrow morning, and Monday.

(John Graham)

Skated all trails today at Snowflake and they were outstanding. The only very very minor issue is some small trail debris from the recent wind but nothing that would damage skis-as stated earlier, please pick up a few sticks when you are out. Thank you John and crew for your hard work grooming after the rain last week. I think the trails are even better than earlier in the season. Trails were flat and fast with some transformed sugar snow mixed with newer snow. There were a few chunky areas and moderately soft pole plants on a few parts of the 8K which was slightly softer and slower than the 6K (includes the 'new' biathalon loop + special K). Always top notch skiing at Snowflake. Happy Winter!

(Tom Heinitz)

This afternoon we completed compacting, grooming, and setting a classic track on the remaining segments of the 8K trail, so all of our trails are now groomed and open to skate and classic skiing. The 8K is softer, and the track needs to be skied-in, but should freeze-up tonight. There is more debris on the trails than we can pick-up while grooming. We have removed the bigger pieces, future grooming with the knives will help, it would also help if each skier took a moment to remove three pieces of debris while skiing the trail. I am recommending B Skis for the time being, due to the debris.

(John Graham)

Tried the classic tracks today. Good overall but harder pack than yesterday. 5K is the best. The perimeter loop looks OK for skating but the classic tracks are quite icy. I understand more grooming is set for Thursday which should improve conditions.

(John Jereczek)