No trails were groomed today. Six inches of new snow fell on Monday. Today, another skier and I tracked a short loop with our backcountry skis. Grooming plans: Tomorrow, we plan on grooming all the trails.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

The tracks and snow conditions were near perfect. All the trails had been freshly groomed on Friday and Saturday. The heavier snow didn't come down until we returned, so the light dusting on the trails and the warmer temperatures made for a fast and effortless glide. Grooming plans: We plan to groom again on Wednesday of this week.

(Nancy Schultz, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

Started the ski by trugging out to where the snowmachine broke down and spent an hour diagnosing what was the problem with no energy to turn the engine over. Managed to limp the machine back to the garage, proceeded to ski from Junction 6>5>13>12.22>23>19>18>1>2 and back to help make the last push to get the snowmachine into the garage. The trails were excellent, freshly groomed, and had a light covering of fresh snow over them.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

Well, it was going well for Bart and me on our first time grooming all the trails, until it wasn't. We groomed 90% of all the trails, but the snowmachine quit on us, and we had to abandon it on the section between Junctions 9 and 6. The only sections that didn't receive new grooming were from Junction 5 to 13 and a small section of the Jensen Trail, which we would like to have double-tracked. So tomorrow's report hopefully includes a happy ending of getting the snowmachine back in the garage and repaired. The trails are awesome except for the small section I mentioned above.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

The skiing I did today was from 1 >2>3>17>1. Only I was running the groomer for the first time with my friend Bart who was also a first timer. We were being coached by Joe Boll our lead groomer via phone. We had a rough start but ended really pleased with our efforts. Grooming plans: We plan on grooming the remainder of the trails tomorrow. Check out the photos of our results.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

I did a short loop today, starting from the Jensen trailhead to junction 19 over to 20 and back out to junction16 on Jensen Trail. It was stunningly beautiful out there today. I'd give the trails a ranking of 8 1/2 out of 10. We got another inch of very light snow over the existing trails. Grooming plans: We hope to bring the tracker out tomorrow or Friday to freshen up the grooves.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

With snowflakes coming down like a snow globe, I headed out to the eastern trails to see their condition. I took the following route: 2>3>17>13>5>6>7>8>9>6>5>15>17>3 and back to 2. I skied on previously skied tracks with one inch of snow over them and was so impressed by how well it went. Until I ran into downed trees between junctions 8>9>6, I had a handsaw with so I cleared 4 of the 6, moved one, and was able to go around the other one. Until the groomer gets out there (hopefully, in the next few days) you will experience a couple that you will need to work around. It is much better after I cleared the real problem ones. It should be a great skiing experience now. Section between 15 and 5 is still a little unkept, but still very skiable; the wind blew a few drifts, and the set tracks were not as visible as on the other trails north of Jensen trail. Fun to see a few families out enjoying the trails. I will sleep well tonight with the workout I got from cutting trees and skiing.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

Today's ski included loading up a poke sled with the chainsaw and lopper, so I could ski down to junction 18 and clear a 16-inch spruce that came down over the trail. Mission was accomplished along with the clearing of a balsam that came down in the wind on Jensen Trail. It was an excellent ski, met friends that had a fantastic ski up to junction 13>21>20>16 and back to the trailhead. Another dusting of new snow was on the tracks.

(Nancy Schultz, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

I continue to be surprised by how nice the trails are. There was a slight covering of new snow over the tracks today. I used my "need to wax" skis and had such a nice glide, I thought I was ready for the Olympics.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

With the 31-degree temps, the tracks were sometimes sticky and sometimes slippery. However, using my waxless skis worked rather well for the warm conditions.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)