I tried skate skiing Isles at noon. While it was possible, it sounded like I was going to take the bottoms off my skis so I turned around and gave up. Hope this snow storm comes and the groomers, too!

(Melanie Sorensen)

Skied Cedar and Lake of the Isles. Unsurprisingly, the wind yesterday really did a number on the path. You can see where the trail was, but on the east side of the lake there is just hardpack snow/ice where everything has blown off. West side of Lake of the Isles is OK, and the lee around the islands, but it's still pretty tough sledding!

(Tim Bontrager)

Bde Maka Ska not groomed at all; couple inches of fluff on ice; a little rough but skiable. Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake both groomed and pretty good skiing.

(Don Weirens)

Skied Lake of the Isles and Cedar, Bde was not groomed but there were a couple classic tracks. Both lakes had a layer of softer groomed snow over a firm/sometimes icy base. The channels were icy, as usual, and had a few twigs to watch out for.

(Kenny Truong)

Groomed Isles and Cedar this morning. Skate deck is looking nice, classic tracks are quite shallow (we need more snow!). In some places I left some skied in tracks in place since they looked better than what I could accomplish. Get out there for a Valentine's ski.

(Michael Gotzsche)

Lake of Isles groomed for skate, and sort of for classic. Using Rossignol EVO OT65 skis I just created my own path. Bde Mke Ska had no grooming for either skate or classic. Fine with my OT65 skis that have metal edges.

Photos:

(Stephen Tannen)

Skied from Wirth lake to Bde Maka Ska. Lake of the Isles has classic tracks but otherwise there is occasional tracks on cedar. Bde Maka Ska was packed by fat tires. Skate skiing would have been my choice. Skate lane is windblown on the south end of Bde Maka Ska. Overall there is full snow coverage over the ice and there is enough snow on the land section of Cedar lake (although a few bits of dirty snow).

(Mark Bushinski)

I skied from Bde Maka Ska to Isles, around Isles over to Cedar and Brownie. Isles was in the best shape with decent classic tracks all the way around the lake. The skate deck was hard packed. Kenilworth, Cedar and Brownie had tracks off and on. They were in the best shape on the west side of both lakes. It was a great weekend for the Loppet!

Photos:

(Bill Lundberg)

Well formed classic track around Lake of the Isles, just a few icy spots starting to poke through. Skate deck didn't look groomed but looked skiiable. Thanks to the groomers for setting the track so soon after the busy Loppet weekend!

(Lacey Hartman)

Warning: Slushy and dangerous conditions on south/east Bde Maka Ska. The grooming equipment had gotten stuck (it was still there) and was blocking the trail. I went around the equipment and fell down and cracked through a layer of ice into slush, soaking myself and breaking a pole. I realize now the equipment had slightly fallen through the ice, but at the time it appeared like it had just gotten stuck in a "snow dune" strewn across the trail from the high winds. I immediately skied home and am OK. Otherwise the trails outside of this section (Isles and Cedar) were great.

(John Schmidt)