Classic tracks were fantastic. I've been waiting to get my first ski of the season in and the trails were awesome today. Thank you Jim!

(Karen Berglund)

Groomed and set tracks at Columbia this morning. The conditions are overall good. There are a few thin spots and damp spots, but generally avoidable. We are in pretty good shape in regards to being able to maintain good skiing for the foreseeable future. Enjoy!

Photos:

(Jim Daggett)

The trail is currently not groomed, so if you plan to head to Columbia, be prepared to set your own tracks today. Grooming plans: The Columbia groomers will be setting the trail Saturday morning in an effort to let the snow firm up and set for best long term skiing. The trail will not be groomed today.

(William Risse)

Columbia is looking OK today. Smoothed out the skate deck this morning, too thin for classic tracks. The snow is very thin, and there are grass spots here and there, but very skiable, However, rock skis are recommended.

(Mike Keyes)

Groomed Columbia tonight and it is thin, but very skiable. The dusting this morning helped. I would recommend rock skis, but thanks to William and Mike there is a full course.

(Jim Daggett)

Not all heroes wear capes, some carry shovels. Groomers were out late tonight moving an impressive amount of snow onto bare spots. Their efforts make the trails continuously skiable, but rock skis are necessary. There are few hairy spots, notably some exposed gravel and asphalt near the rail bridge. Thank you groomers!

Photos:

(Karl Holub)

Groomed Columbia this morning and the course is very skiable. Use caution and watch for thin sections. Rock skis are recommended.

(Jim Daggett)

Columbia made it through today's heat wave in pretty good shape, considering. We got out and groomed tonight to smooth out the grooves before they were frozen in by the coming cold. However, the wind was blowing so hard that it will probably be difficult to tell it was groomed by tomorrow morning. Coverage wise, there is grass showing through in many places, there is one approximately 50 foot section of mostly bare grass, and there is a mostly bare patch under some trees. We'll be working on re-routing and shoveling this weekend to solve those problems, but it is quite ski-able already if you're a little careful. Come out and ski Columbia!

(Mike Keyes)

Beautiful night for a night ski, Columbia was in great shape! There were a few spots that need to be walked around, but the course is almost entirely skiable. I skate skied two laps of the course by headlamp and was able to go without issue nearly the whole time. I'd recommend B/rock skis, but didn't hit much, if any, serious debris. There are 2-3 spots on the west/main side that necessitate slowing down, but the only spot that could cause serious issues is the left side of the big downhill where there is some visible cart path, but there is plenty of room to navigate around. Outside of one small walking-only area beneath trees, the east side (clubhouse side) is in perfect shape. Props and big thanks to the groomers, excellent early season skiing at Columbia. It was such a joy to be out there.

(Axel Foley)

We logged a quick ski over lunch and found Columbia to be in mostly good shape. Trails on the west side seemed to be more uneven due to windblown areas, but coverage was very good in most sections. There was a more noticeable bare spot beneath a few trees, but you could easily pole through it. The tops of some hills or rolling sections had grass or leaf exposure, but we didn't notice any obvious rocks or think areas over pavement to nick your skis. There are no classic tracks yet, but folks have been skiing in shallow tracks along the edges. Glide was reasonably good and a real treat to be out on natural snow.

Photos:

(Margaret Adelsman)