I classic skied all the night-lit Lake Elmo trails starting at 8PM. Quiet calm night, only a few other skiers out. Nice tracks from the groomers on almost all the trails. Looked like there was still some untouched corduroy in spots over on the skate deck. However, there's at least some leaf litter on all the trails. I ran into a few bare dirt and grass spots as well, including at the peak and base of a few big hills. If you go at night, I recommend a headlamp to help see the ground better, although the park's lights make navigation really easy. I loved the long glide on the Prairie loop.

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(Cory Quirk)

It was a nice ski at Lake Elmo this afternoon. I started out on the Savanna and North loops and found them skiable, but somewhat beat up with brown coming through in several places. Be careful crossing the timber bridge - deck planks exposed and it would be easy to snap off a pole tip if it got jammed in a gap. The brown areas were easy to avoid, the climbs were OK, and the downhills were hardpack but manageable (I got in some snowplow practice on a couple hills). When I came around, I jumped on the Prairie loop and found it to be in better condition, so I went on to the Hills where I found fairly pristine corduroy. The flats were smooth and quick, and I could actually skate a few of the uphills. The downhills were really fun (no snowplowing on the Hills loops), especially the "roller coaster" run just past 10E. I'd rate Savanna and North as fair, Prairie as fair+, and because of the nice corduroy deck, I'd rate the Hills loops as good, irrespective of the occasional brown spots and leaf litter. There isn't much snow to work with, but the groomers have once again worked their magic at Lake Elmo. The grooming plus the nice weather (+25F a little after noon and +29F a little before 2:00, winds southerly at 8 knots) combined for a wonderfull ski.

(David Sonnenberg)

Designated ski trails were groomed for both skate and classic. New tracks were set. Trail conditions are fair to good with some thin areas on the hills. The multi-use trail is being groomed as well.

(Carolyn Friedrich, Washington County Parks)

East side ski trails have been groomed and tracks are set in. Hills are thin with some dirt showing through. Overall good conditions throughout. The west side is groomed as well, but no tracks.

(Ellen Loch)

Designated ski trails were groomed for skate and classic. Hills are thin with some dirt showing through with minor debris. Fair to good condition. The west side multi-use trails have been groomed as well.

(Carolyn Friedrich, Washington County Parks)

The classic tracks were set. Not very deep in most places. Dirt and grass showing through periodically. The groomers most certainly did the best they could with the snow that is there. Unfortunately, a lot of oak leaves! It was so nice to see a fire in the fire pit! It was wonderful that very first year when Jim had the fire pit going most nights.

(Bryan Heinle)

Great skiing at Lake Elmo this morning. I clipped in and skated off at 9:30, with the thermometer reading a balmy +30F, and found freshly groomed trails with almost unblemished corduroy. I skied the Hills loop (4 times) to stay stay out of the wind and found a solid skate deck with good glide throughout, including the ascents, and nice control on the descents. I used my B skis because of the brown showing through yesterday, and there were still some brown areas today, but the groomers did a masterful job of rolling the skate deck and providing good coverage once again.

(David Sonnenberg)

Ski trails have been groomed. There are some thin spots with dirt showing. Tracks are in fair to good condition. There may be debris from the recent winds.

(Carolyn Friedrich, Washington County Parks)

Ski trails were groomed for both classic and skate. Trails are in good condition with good snow coverage and no icy patches. Debris may be present due to the recent high winds.

(Carolyn Friedrich, Washington County Parks)

The connecting portions of Hills, Brown's Pond and Prairie were in very good condition. Just a few brown spots of grass or debris sticking through. It was 23 degrees per MPR and windy. I think the snow temperature had not caught up with the rising air temps because it was pretty squeaky under my strides. I used FastWax Blue LF. I walked the upper reaches of the longer uphills but my glide on the flats and and downhills was pretty good.

(Keith Carlson)