OK, so yes, all trails are open...that said, based on observation, classic is limited to Valley, unless you want a luge run. However, being unable to do Biwabik's Great River Energy-Pepsi Challenge tomorrow, I did the "Chernobyl Power Plant-Tab Cola Trial" and won the 25K in "Today O'Clock" time, skating the entire system in odd patterns. There are some icy spots on the multi use trail and some burn out starting on the West side before the Nature Center road crossing (by that random parking lot), but it really is holding up well. The natural snow is nicer and has more edge than the manufactured stuff, TBH. The first small uphill on Creek (after the bypass) is becoming all ice, as is the bridge where you come in by the beach, so that is why I say B-Skis. But the big up on the back of Creek is holding up nicely. Cowabunga is actually in great shape, both going up and down. Even coming in off N. Lights and Thicket is holding up well, but the road.

(Andrea Ochmann)

The manmade loop was in great shape...fast for skating and also double-poling in the tracks. There is some dirty snow in a few spots. I went onto the Thicket/Northern Lights which was also very good for skating as they had groomed it so it wasn't icy hard pack. The classic track hadn't been groomed as there is probably not enough snow depth. The track is shallow and a bobsled run - very fast. The classic track is still too far right in spots as it has been all season (plenty of room to move it over a foot or two). I found that if you time your double pole correctly you can duck some of the branches on the down stroke. The glide off Cowabunga was great and I glided over the next hump and down to where the trails split/merge. There was a group of beginner kids venturing to Cowabunga...life was probably more exciting.

(Mark Lahtinen)

Skied all the natural snow classic and multi use trails on the back side, allowing me to avoid the heavily use front side natural which tends to get more sun. Classic was hard packed and super fast at 9 am but soft in most places by noon. Skate and multi use were freshly groomed and about as good as it gets.

(Dan Zenk)

The man made loop was freshly groomed and in excellent shape. However the rest of the Northern Lights was not recently groomed. Hopefully they might hit it later this morning.

(Don Callander)

The manufactured snow loop was as good as it has ever been last evening. Kudos to the groomers for perfect tracks.

(Greg Loper)

I classic skied the chalet loop around noon today. The temp was near 32F when I left at 12:30. The tracks were deep, fast, and clean, apparently having been set very recently. On the other hand, the outer loops were dirty, icy, and blown out from the weekend. The skating deck looked good on all the loops, with enough soft snow for an edge but with a firm base.

(Don Bushek)

Skated on all the skate trails and conditions were great. Excellent cover and grooming... Deep, glazed tracks.

(Sue Schroeder)

2:30-5:30pm. The trails were icy in many spots due to the warmer temps and heavy use from the amount of people out today. Last nights wind dropped a lot of leaves and sticks on the outer trails that go through wooded sections and while I didn’t have my classic skis with me today I could see the ice shining in the groomed tracks around 5pm. It was warm today so there was some melting going on.

Photos:

(Michelle Cybyske)

I tried to do some classic laps around Northern Lights right after noon, to hide from the wind. My mistake was that I tried it on waxable skis. I fell twice on my first lap due to an astounding amount of debris (oak leaves, basswood berries, ash seeds, etc.) in the tracks, which are getting pretty worn out anyway. It was so frustrating that I quit after a single lap. I don't think I've ever had so many ash seeds stuck in my wax. Stupid mistake--I should have taken my skin skis. I don't recommend waxable skis on Northern Lights (and all the classic trails at Elm Creek) until the tracks are reset. Waxless might be a bit better, but my wife was having trouble with her Fischer Crowns, too. Skins might work better.

(Ron Refsnider)

The man-made loop had been freshly groomed and was in great condition for skate skiing. Surprisingly the rest of the lighted loop was not groomed. It was fairly packed down and I found it difficult to get a good edge.

(Don Callander)