Thanks to Ramsey County groomers! Perfect conditions. Newly groomed and the only markings on the trails are from skis, poles, and a few deer tracks.

Photos:

(Lincoln Fetcher)

Perfect! Get out and ski. Classic only. Trail packed and two sets of tracks set. You only get so many of these perfect snow days in one lifetime. Kudos to the Battle Creek trail groomers! Best conditions so far this year.

(Andy Fein)

Freshly groomed with minimal dog/person tracks. Overall in great condition and seems like only a couple people have been on it - but it is really soft.

(Jason Moldan)

Better than I expected, but poor to fair. Somewhat icy in shaded sections, slushy and slow in sunny areas. Tracks on most of the big bends were washed out. I skied the wooded parts of the paved outer trail, but based on feedback from walkers I skipped the prairie part of the loop (they said the tracks were mostly gone) and took the cutoff trail along the pipeline corridor. Inner loop trails were a mixed bag in the dappled shade -good to fair, but lots of oak leaves and sadly lots of bark shed from our dying ash trees.

(Ginny Yingling)

Tracks were in poor to fair condition, mostly poor. Lots of boots on tracks, and the tracks were very shallow, though most of them were not washed out. I stuck to the green trails because of icy conditions. I skied the green, outer loop twice, and I still had a fun time despite pretty bad conditions. Lots of oak leaves and sticks on the tracks too. Think snow and cooler temps!

(Emily Benson)

Good conditions today. Walkers have stayed off the groomed trails and surprisingly little detritus in the tracks. So get it while it's cold.

Photos:

(Ann Cohen)

Well groomed, probably yesterday, with excellent tracks and almost no foot traffic damage. A few oak leaves in the tracks here and there, but not yet an impediment. Skied the full outer loops where there were a few single track stretches. Fast snow.

Photos:

(Lincoln Fetcher)

These classic-only trails through the woods give shelter from the winds. Blowing snow started drifting in the tracks in the easternmost prairie bowl soon after the groomer went through. Signs for walkers have changed from "no walking on groomed trails" to "not permitted on ski tracks." Beyond the trail between the two parking lots (near the dog park) are fewer footprints on the classic tracks.

Photos:

(David Byrne, Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club)

The trails appeared to have fresh grooming this morning and shortly beyond the McKnight parking area the conditions were excellent. The debris in the track was minimal prior to the wind which was starting to pick up.

(Bob Bickford)

My son and I had a fun ski here today despite a lot of footprints on the tracks. Apparently walking and snowshoeing is now permitted here on the side of the trail, so that doesn't make anything better. The further away you get from the main Parking lot, the better the trail gets. Do yourself a favor and park In the lot or a street that is not the main parking lot by the dog park. The parking lot is covered in ice (several people wiped out) and it's the closest to the worst part of the trail. (Because of people walking on the trail) Tracks are fast and mostly well formed and there's not too many leaves on the trail. I would say the tracks are fair to good condition depending on your distance from the main parking lot. I'm glad I went. This is my favorite trail in the area. Pics are of the best parts of the trail.

Photos:

(Emily Benson)