All trails open, but only 6 k is groomed. John and Jim got out late Friday night as it froze and groomed and set classic track on the 6 k loop. It froze hard after they groomed and the classic tracks were rock hard, but not glazed ice. Swix green gave plenty of kick, and the tracks were rocket fast, except where blown over in a very few spots, mostly on the last half of Special K, and after the first time around, those areas were reasonably fast as well. I got out of the tracks on some downhills and corners, especially the first time around, to make sure I had control, and the skate lane was very fast, but had sufficient surface from the grooming to let you feel in control. Only problem for me was that in my excitement to get out there, I did not dress warmly enough for the 16 F (at 8:30 AM), and quite strong north wind. After about 10 km, I was sufficiently warm to take a couple of pics out on Special K. So great to be striding on hard wax this late in the season!

Photos:

(Tim Holst)

As soon as the temp dropped to 32F we commenced compacting the 6K trail. Very soft base despite the three day hiatus, but six passes with the compactor and three passes with the Ginzu, yielded a decent, if soft, skate deck. We then set a classic track, not beautiful but decent. Softening on the trail-sides required moving the track about a foot to the center, so skaters, please be mindful of your strider friends. With only one sled in operation, grooming the 6K took 6 hours so we did not get on to the 8K, but it is open to skiers, and a classic track skied into the right side would be welcomed! We are open to skiers, but closed to dogs due to soft conditions. Trails and chalet are open 8am-9pm this weekend.

Photos:

(John Graham)

Snowflake is closed to all activity, again, on Friday. Today's temps and forecast precip and temps tomorrow will keep us off the trails until the temps drop tomorrow night. We'll begin restoring the 6K once temps drop to 32. Our plan is to have a classic track set and a groomed skate deck by Saturday morning. I'll post weekend hours and restrictions as soon as we see how it turns out.

(John Graham)

Snowflake will be closed to all activity, again, on Thursday. Today we took a sled onto the hill and the tracks immediately went dark as the water in the base percolated up; if we compact now, we will wind-up with wet compacted snow which will go to a sheet of ice when temps go sub-32. So, we continue to drain and dry. The Friday forecast is warm, so we anticipate being closed again, grooming Friday night, and being open all day on the weekend. Trail opening will be complicated because we have only one operating sled; our priority is to groom and open the 6K, then groom and open some of the loops on the 8K around Fisketti (Spaghetti) Junction. The photo shows moisture rising in a bootprint, the dark areas being saturated from below.

Photos:

(John Graham)

The rain, wintery mix, and ice that we got starting last night have soaked our base. This afternoon, the mix switched-over to snow, which is forecast to continue thru Wednesday. This fresh snow is falling on a very wet and soft base, and if you walk/ski on it the water immediately comes to the surface. We need that base to drain and/or dry-out before we use the trails. Our plan is to be closed to all activity on Wednesday. If the base improves, we will begin compacting and grooming on Wednesday night as temps head below freezing. Right now we only have 1 operating sled. That will slow-down trail work. I will update SkinnySki and our phone message as we make progress. The good news is that Winter temperatures forecast for Friday! We are patient, and hope to restore the trails tomorrow and Thursday, we can likely return to normal, all-day hours through the end of the month.

(John Graham)

Jim groomed, so I thought I'd add comments and pictures from after grooming. 9 AM, 30 F. As if perfectly blue skies and perfectly groomed corn snow (on the 6 K loop) weren't sufficient, Mother Nature added hoar frost on the trees with the hard freeze last night. The sparkle in my soul matched the sparkle in the tops of the birches as I enjoyed yet another "best skate ski of the year" at Snowflake. Made me feel young again to ski like that, like maybe 65 or something.

Photos:

(Tim Holst)

Temps in the high 20s at 7 AM, hit the 8K. Nice hard crust not much iciness. The main issue was that it had been skied by only a few skiers since grooming, and these skiers were out in warmer conditions. So there were some deep enough tracks that I skated off to the far left on the broad skate lane. That went OK. I chose to check my speed on downhillls so my ski wouldn't wind up in a rut, which is sort of disappointing considering that the point of spring skiing is fast fast fast. Around Shovel Hill, a snowshoer used the trail for a short distance. There are tracks from this, but at least it's off to the side and doesn't last too long. I checked out the 5 K before leaving and it has had much more skating use. Enough so that ruts are probably not an issue. I would have skied it had I had the time.

(Sara Zimmer)

My oh my, absolutely fabulously fantastic (insert your own adjectives) conditions for skate this morning at Snowflake. I ski this trail system a lot and this is the best I have seen in a great winter of skiing! Of course, timing your ski is everything with Spring skiing but so is the grooming. I love the nighttime grooming (especially for we early morning skiers) and so much appreciate the work John and his crew do this time of year to give us really great Spring conditions. Classic tracks are a little glazed but deep and solid in most places. As Tim indicated, the base is deep and our smiles will continue as we enjoy natures bounty of winter snow through the Spring. Best time of year!

(Tom Heinitz)

This is the time of year when groomers John and Jim really shine! The phone message said they were out until 1 AM last night, and early this morning it surely showed. Look at the pictures, I don't see how it could have been better. Fast, perfectly-groomed corn snow, just getting up to freezing and sunny sky. Most enjoyable skate ski of the year for me. On the picture by the "Tim's turn" sign, the left pole is poked into the snow, and the right pole basket is sitting on the snow. A good two feet of snow at the edge of the trail.

Photos:

(Tim Holst)

Last night we ran two Ginzus around the 6 and 8K trails, twice, to clean up the ruts, and dog-tracks that had already become "craters" over three warm, sunny days.
The skate decks groomed-up very nice (photos). We debated setting new classic tracks, but decided that any track we set tonight, would not be as firm tomorrow as the existing tracks, which are still fair/good. So everything is groomed skate and classic. Today we begin Spring Hours and trails will be closed from Noon-5:30pm. If temps are above 34 in the evening, we ask that you consider not skiing. From today, Snowflake is also "No Dogs" on the premises, due to the conditions and so that we can maintain decent trails while we have this base.

Photos:

(John Graham)