Monday Feb. 29 - No skiing today, but maybe tomorrow

It's looking like we will definitely have some new snow tomorrow. By Wednesday, I'm hopeful the trails will be skiable again.

Sunday Feb. 28

Well, we still had some skiing this morning, but after a day where the temperature reached +9, the snow is gone once again. There is the potential for a significant snowfall on Tuesday, so let's see what happens; perhaps there is still some skiing left before spring really arrives.

While the snow was rapidly melting at Hockleycrest, I was up in Ottawa skiing the Gatineau Loppet on Saturday. (52 km: 4 hours 58 minutes)  When I left there this morning, it was snowing quite hard and the temperature was -7.

Saturday Feb. 27

I am in Ottawa, not at Hockleycrest, but my wife tells me the snow is getting quite wet and ice is falling from the trees. Tomorrow's temperature looks like a disaster for our trails.

Fri. Feb. 26

I will not be at Hockleycrest this weekend, as I am skiing the Gatineau Loppet up in Ottawa. More warm weather moving in on Saturday. If you're coming to ski, better come early before the snow melts.

Thurs. Afternoon Update

I groomed this morning, completing about 95% of the trails. Most were done with roller and snow comb only. I tried some tracksetting in the central portion, but it was only partly successful. The grooming was beneficial I think. First, I managed to pack down the crust so that it no longer collapses under your ski as you pass over. Second, I picked up numerous fallen branches and twigs, brought down by the ice. There are still some on the trails (and they continue to fall) but I think I got most of the bigger ones.
There are numerous wet spots, where slush was hiding just below the surface. When I packed the snow, these became evident. Now that they are exposed to the air, they should freeze as the temperature drops. Another bit of good news: the snowfall still continues as I write this, coming down at a rate of about 1 cm per hour. This is filling in the tracks and the grooves in the corduroy, and making for a nice surface to ski on.
If you come skiing, you will have to duck under some low-hanging branches, mostly pines. I pruned the worst of them while I groomed but there are more, so keep your eyes open!

Groomer sitting on Mainline in the north end. showing ice-laden trees

Trail #12 along the edge of the soybean field, with heavily laden maples

 

Thurs. Feb. 25 - Winter Wonderland?

We have a real mixed bag this morning. Yesterday morning we received about 8 cm of new snow, but that was followed by several hours of freezing rain and some plain rain. So there is an ice crust on top of the new snow, and some of the rain penetrated down through the snow and still sits there as unfrozen water at ground level. On top of it all, we have 2 cm of new snow this morning and it is still snowing lightly. The trees are all coated in ice and snow, so it is rather pretty.
As for skiing, I've just been out and it is skiable as it stands right now. I will be out with the groomer after breakfast to see if I can crush the ice crust and leave a compressed area where more new snow will collect. Stay tuned.

Wed. Feb. 24 - Snow has begun

The snow began at 8:50 a.m. falling at a rate of about 1 cm per hour. It has now intensified and is accumulating at about 2 cm per hour. There is a risk that it will change to ice pellets or freezing rain later today, before changing back to snow tomorrow. We'll have to wait and see what we have once it is all done.