A look back at last year

Here are a couple of shots of our trails, shortly after grooming on a nice day in March 2014. We hope to do even better this year. Out of our total of just over 12 km of single track trail, we will be grooming 10.5 km. The remainder, which is too narrow to permit grooming, can be skied on a back-country basis i.e. cleared of obstacles, but not packed or track-set.

Preparation underway for winter 2014/15

As summer draws to a close, those of us who enjoy the pleasures of skinny skiing are starting to think ahead to the months when the ground will be covered with a blanket of pristine white.
Our 12 km of trail are being mowed through the summer and fall to keep down the tall grasses and weeds. Pruning of tree branches protruding into the trail has begun.
Since last winter, a number of trail sections have been widened to permit grooming, which was not possible before.
Two new trails have been created: The Ash Grove Trail provides a sheltered alternate route to Stonehedge, which is often windy and prone to drifting. Similarly the Pasture Trail provides a sheltered alternative to a portion of the Mainline that has always been windy and subject to snow drifting.
Some new home-made grooming equipment has been acquired, and will be tried out in the early part of the winter to see if it's better than our current roller and snow-comb.