I just returned from an hour of the best classic skiing I can say ever exists. Newly groomed trails, a wonderful surprise to me, 8 degrees and a moon starting to emerge. Life was indeed blissful for an hour.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz)

-9 degree 9k ski today on fresh tracked trails for 80% of the way, the other trails had the new 1" cover over them with some windblown areas covering up the tracks set last week. Cold slow snow but fantastic outdoor experience in the Superior National Forest today.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz)

Another inch of snow fell on Friday night into Saturday morning, all trails are set with tracks, trails 19 to 23, and 19 to 23 were set with tracks on Saturday. We skied the trails that were tracked on Thursday but got the extra inch of snow on Saturday morning and they were good except in the small portion of the trails system that had exposure to wind, where the tracks were nonexistent for a short stretch. We had another extraordinary afternoon on these trails experiencing the beauty of the wilderness that surrounds the trail system.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz)

9 1/2 out of 10 rating, excellent tracked trails in deep snow with snow covered and hoar frosted trees as a backdrop. These wilderness trails are nearly the best they will ever be, a little slow due to the cold temps but this is hardly worth mentioning.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz)

We did it! Trails packed and groomed - tracks set on all loops except the two far western loops from marker 19 to 23 and 19 to 24.

(Mary Shedd, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

5 inches of new powdery snow over packed trails, some open spaces had 36-inch drifts, great ski but slow and determined won the day.

Photos:

(Nancy Schultz)

12 inches of new powder snow, trails are packed but not track set. Grooming plans: Anticipate we will be setting the tracks Tuesday. It is stunningly beautiful on the trails, one should not miss this winter wonderland.

Photos:

(Mary Shedd, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

Yesterday we had 7” of fresh cold snow on top of about the same - plenty of snow now! Status of grooming: Trails are not yet packed or trackset. We just got “the Beast” - our snowmobile - back from the mechanic all repaired, tuned up and ready to go for the winter. Grooming plans: Tomorrow our first-time groomer will be out to learn and pack the trails. Hope to then track-set before the weekend. In the meantime, conditions are similar to ‘backcountry skiing’ - beautiful, with perfect cold snow.

(Mary Shedd, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

Trails are open and skiable, but not yet groomed. Note: This year there are a couple changes when you come to ski these beautiful boreal forest trails: 1) there is no longer a trail access at the old National Forest Lodge (due to change in ownership) and 2) several kilometers of trails near the old lodge, including the segment across Lake Gegoka, have been eliminated. Access is now at Flathorn Picnic Area only (see new trail map). A new group has formed to manage the trails, the Friends of Flathorn-Gegoka Trails, and will soon be establishing a website to provide more info.

(Mary Shedd, Friends of Flathorn Gegoka Trails)

Fresh snow made for a great ski. Beautiful backcountry. Good snow around Flathorn Lake and trails just off the lake. Had to remove skis to get around a few downed trees and had to clear a couple others. There were a couple spots under dense pines with thin snow but no bare ground.

(Andy Martinson)