I did skate then classic. Snow was just coming down with skate and it was still cool, perfect skate. Classic was a little sticky by the time I got around to it, still managed to get some good miles in but it was work. Gorgeous day to be out, I won't argue with snow in March ever... bonus. Hoping the temperature helps us hold onto this a little longer.

(Jamie Saeland)

I began before the snow started falling, and I wish I had chosen the classic option. The track set was superb throughout the park, while the skate deck was less than ideal. Combine my rookie skating skills with rough conditions, and skating was a struggle. Lots of ridges, and all-terrain vehicle tracks of varying depths, that made it difficult. It did improve as the snow fell and evened out some sections. And if you choose classic, you will find excellent conditions.

(Glenn Hansen)

Classic skied from 10 to noon. Snowing and blowing. The tracks were filling up by the end and starting to stick to the bottom of my skis. Enjoyable, but it might be a better day for snowshoeing.

(Charlie Berquist)

They got on the grooming first thing today and worked in the 3 new inches. Set new classic tracks throughout the park. Skate deck was soft but should firm up with the freeze. Excellent skiing in store for the weekend!

(Brian Wicklund)

Mid-afternoon 11k classic loop. Skipped the climb to the North. Snowed most of the time. I was on skins, kick was good, but glide was marginal. I had better luck striding the skate deck than in the track. Much of the track looked skied in, squiggly and close to the edge where pole plants often punched through. Base looked in good shape throughout. Hopefully the groomer resets track when the temp supports it. All in all, good stuff for this time of year.

(Walter Ebertz)

Checked the Skinnyski post for past couple days, then checked William O'Brien most recent grooming report, then the weather, and just said to myself, I'm going up to William O'Brien to ski. After all it's March, temps have been in the 30's for the past week or so, I know it's not going to be great but I wanted to ski. Took my classic skis and did my usual trek past the cabins and campgrounds and the classic tracks were pretty icy which meant I was moving along at a faster pace than normal. The woodland edge trail was not too bad, when the tracks disappeared I just got onto the skate deck which wasn't really icy, but soft and skiable. Going down the hills wasn't too bad, I just got out of the tracks and skied down the skate deck. The little chute going down from the railroad tracks was not icy, just soft. I continued onto the wetland trail which wasn't too icy, then on to the wedge hill savanna trail, and the hill going up to wedge hill savanna trail was soft and skiable. The final chute down to the approach back to the Interpretive Center was just fine, so an enjoyable ski, just trying to milk a final few ski trips at my favorite Minnesota State Park.

Photos:

(Harlan Jones)

The park groomed on Tuesday and the trails are great. Almost no debris except the usual spot by the cabins. Watch for rocks under the rail tunnel that have fallen off the railroad track. Skate deck is great and there are classic tracks in most spots. Plenty of good skiing left here. I talked to the park director and he said they are committed to grooming the trails as long as they can. Kudos to the park for great grooming this year!

(Brian Wicklund)

We started at 11:00 and the trails were still a little icy, but they softened up after a while and were surprisingly quite good.

(Charlie Berquist)

Classic track on Wetland loop was icy except for a few spots in direct sunlight that had softened up. After my ski I talked to a park maintenance employee who told me trails had been groomed yesterday. There may be a sweet spot late morning/early afternoon when the track will not be so icy.

(Patti Isaacs)

We classic skied most of the trails starting late morning and finishing in the afternoon. Most of the trails had been flattened and classic tracks set since the last snow. But the Rolling Hills Savannah Trail and Prairie Overlook Trail had not been flattened and tracks had not been set since the last two inch snowfall. Conditions at the beginning of the ski were a bit icy in the tracks and very firm on the skate deck. By the end of our ski, temperature above freezing had softened up the snow. We skied most of the time on our wood skis with klister, which worked pretty well for kick, but glide wasn't so great. I did another partial lap on my skin skis and kick was a little better and glide was much better. The little log shelter on the Prairie Overlook Trail always makes a nice spot for a lunch stop!

Photos:

(Craig Wiklund, North Star Ski Touring Club)