The Piston Bully earned it's keep Thursday night on the man made loop. It turned old dirty and crusty snow back into a winter wonderland. Skiers should find a full depth set of classic tracks and a silky smooth skate deck. We still have full trail coverage. The rain and warm weather did little to no damage to the man made loop.

(Mark Janis)

Good to fair conditions for skate on the manmade loops late this afternoon. Jay had the ginzu out for another round of grooming, which helped a lot. There is a fine layer of icy powder on a firm and sometimes icy base, with some areas having significant tree debris. Downhills are variable with Summerstage Hill being very good and Magic Carpet a bit icy. Tracks are old and deteriorated. As I write this report, the Pisten Bully is going around the playground loops and out onto the main trail. I skied a bit of what it left behind and it was awesome.

(John McCarthy)

Took a look at the manmade snow trails this morning. Icy and hard packed with little to no loose snow. Tracks are glazed. There are, however, people skiing, both skate and stride.

Photos:

(John McCarthy)

Due to the forecast of warm weather and rain predicted, we will not be taking the Pisten Bully out for the next day or so. When we take the Pisten Bully out next, we will post our grooming report. The DNR has suspended grooming as well until further notice.

(Beattle Adelmeyer)

Ho hum, just another perfect ski day on the manmade snow loops. Excellent conditions for skate and stride this morning. The skate lanes were groomed with the ginzu and have a shallow layer of fine powder on a firm base. Tracks remain from the weekend, and are generally solid and deep. Downhills are fast, but not icy. Get out here today and enjoy it.

(John McCarthy)

Excellent conditions for skate and stride on the manmade loops this afternoon. Grooming of the skate lanes with the Ginzu produced a dippin dots surface of ice ball bearing on a firm base that make a skier feel like they are flying. Striders cruised along effortlessly in the tracks from the weekend grooming. It was a Goldilocks kind of day - not too cold, not too warm, with a light breeze and a bit of sunshine. Very Nice.

(John McCarthy)

I had the Pisten Bully out overnight and tilled, groomed, and we reset tracks on the entire man-made snow trail system, including Mark's park and Beattle's loop. The DNR is not grooming any of the trails off the man-made.

(Beattle Adelmeyer)

Great conditions on the man-made loop, thank you, groomers! Today was very fast. I ventured out off the man made and did a meadow loop. It was solid ice in most places. Did not look like it was groomed recently.

(Marina Magid)

Andrew Straka and I had the Pisten Bully out last night and early this morning. We tilled, groomed, and set tracks on the entire man-made snow trail system. We also tilled, groomed, and set tracks on Marks park and Beatles loop. It is becoming challenging to till and groom our trails, they are becoming as solid as a block of really hard ice. We are into our 10th week of grooming the man-made trail system. We have been taking the Pisten Bully out at least three times a week, and double tilling everything to get it skiable.
Three times a week, times 10 weeks, times two passes every night out, equals at least 60 tills on our 2 1/2 K Loop. Maximum tilling depth right now with the conditions we are working with, is 5 inches. Lapham Peak may have the most skiers per K anywhere in the state, maybe the country. All this being said, we are blessed to have the Pisten Bully. It continues to make the man-made snow trails skiable. Let's all hope that the temps stay below 32° for at least the next two weeks, and then it's Birkie time.

(Beattle Adelmeyer)

I had the piston bully out late Thursday evening and into early this morning. I tilled, groomed, and reset tracks on the entire man-made snow trails system. I also tilled, groomed, and reset tracks on Beatles loop and marks park. While I was grooming, snow was coming down and the winds were howling. It should continue to be good skiing on our man-made snow trails. It didn't appear as if the DNR was grooming off the man-made.

(Beattle Adelmeyer)