Skiing is okay, but not great

It is -1 and snowing lightly outside right now. As expected, yesterday's wet snow has frozen into a crust. I have been out for a trial run with the groomer and found that it is only partially effective at crushing the crust and flattening the surface. It will be much more effective if I wait until there is more snow before grooming. In the meantime, ski conditions are fair.
Flurries are forecast for the next 4 days. Any new snow we get will improve the skiing.

Wed. Dec. 30, 5 p.m. report

After a day in the "big smoke" I'm back at Hockleycrest and checking conditions on the trails here. I see some people have been skiing on some of the trails. Excellent! I hope they enjoyed it; conditions have not been ideal.
We still have fairly good snow coverage of about 8 cm but at the moment it is very wet. The temperature is just now dropping into the freezing zone, and we've been having some light flurries. Overnight the wet slushy snow should firm up and become porous crust. In the morning I may try running a roller and comb over it to see if I can produce a packed, relatively flat surface.
Over the next few days we are expecting below freezing temperatures and flurries, so with any luck things should be improving.

We have snow, but.....

Yes, we definitely got snow last night, but it's now changing to freezing rain. The temperature is rising and will probably hit +5 with rain, so I would not recommend skiing today.
The picture was taken about 10 p.m. Monday night, when conditions were quite good.

My son and daughter getting out on skis for the first time this season

December 28 - a step in the right direction

It is -9 outside this morning, and we have about 1 cm of new snow on the ground. It's definitely not enough to ski on, but this is a step in the right direction.
A major weather system is forecast to pass through tonight, bringing 10 cm of snow, followed by ice pellets, possible freezing rain and then rain. We'll see what we have left when all this mess has finished. It may not be skiable, but it might make a good base for future snow.

Looking into the Future

The weather forecast suggests that we might start getting some snow over the next few days, especially around New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Dec. 19 - still no skiing

We have a light dusting of new snow on the ground - perhaps 1 cm. Not sufficient for skiing. In the meantime, we continue to sell Christmas trees on behalf of Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club.

Global Warming is not our friend

Well folks, I don't think I need to tell you that we have no skiing yet. The first 2 weeks of December have been incredibly mild. It isn't even going below 0 at night. The 14 day forecast suggests we will have some cooler weather just before Christmas, so keep your fingers crossed. When the snow does come, we will be ready, and I suggest that you be ready too (because it may not last very long).

December 3 No Skiing Yet

As you can tell from the weather outside, we do not have skiing yet. Let's hope for some cooler temperatures, and start doing the snow dance!

Nov. 22 We Have Snow

Snow started falling about dinner time last night and continued overnight. This morning we have about 8 cm of fresh powder, and it is a winter wonderland out there.
I do not expect this snow to last more than a couple of days, so I'm not going to expend a lot of effort grooming. I've been out and packed some of the trails, but I would not recommend skiing today. Once the snow is packed, it is only about 2 cm deep, and there is a very wet layer between the snow and the ground (which is not yet frozen). Rocks and stumps are still very close to the snow surface. I suggest skiers wait a week or two until we have frozen ground and a deeper snow base.

Our back yard at 7:30 this morning


New Map

An updated version of our trail map has been completed.

 

Laminated copies of the map have been posted at 7 locations on the network.

 

November 8: Ready for snow

Here is a picture of part of the skate loop, taken about 7 this morning. We had a tiny bit of snow last night and a hard frost this morning.
We are basically ready for skiing. All trails are cleared, and all signs except maps have been put up. I hope to have the newly revised maps printed, laminated and installed on the trails within the next week.
Grooming equipment is set to go, and so am I.

November: skiing is getting closer

I was out today, checking the trails for blow-down trees after the heavy winds of the past few days. Luckily, there was only one fallen tree across a trail, and it was an easy 10 minute job with the chainsaw.
I also continued putting up signs for the winter season.

Skating Loops Now Marked

We have something new this year: a skating trail consisting of 2 loops connected in the middle, sort of like a figure 8. The total length of the skate trail is 2.2 km. Today, I have marked the skate loops with red arrows.
The skate loops are not accessible from the main parking lot on 5 Side Road (i.e. the only connection is a classic style trail). If you want to skate ski, please contact me and I will tell you where you can park to access the skate trail directly.

Here is an example of the red arrows used to mark the skate trail.

First snowfall - October 17, 2015

Our yard and milkhouse showing the first snow of the season.

Well, as predicted, we had our first snowfall of the 2015/2016 winter on Saturday. There was only about 1 cm of accumulation, which disappeared by Sunday.
I spent much of Saturday in the garage, making improvements to my roller/groomer. Can't wait to try it out.

Skier, or lumberjack?

We've had quite a bit of wind damage in the bush this summer. On Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, I discovered a large maple fallen over the trail right at the north junction of Mainline and The Pasture. My son and I spent 2 hours there on Sunday with chainsaws, removing the blockage.
Everything is now cleared and ready for skiing. All we need is snow, and there is some of that in the forecast for next Saturday!
The new trails on the Tai Chi property near the south end of the network are finished, and should be a nice addition to the network.

NEW TRAIL CONNECTIONS FOR 2015/2016 SKI SEASON

I've just received approval from the Taoist Tai Chi Society for a couple of new trail sections. They are the owners of the property immediately north of the 5 Sideroad.
A new link will be added starting at the south junction of Mainline and Harmony, heading west and then north to connect with Around the Pines. This section will pass through a pine plantation and will have very gentle hills on it. Another short link will extend Gazebo trail southerly to connect with the first one. This will feature a short, steep hill for those who want to add a little excitement to their outing.
It is hoped that these 2 new links will help to reduce conflicts with the maple syrup operation in the later part of the winter.

Starting work for the winter of 2015/16

After a summer away from the trails, I've begun my preparation for the coming winter. Over the past weekend (September 12 and 13) I cut grass on many of the trails, and cleared fallen trees in 4 locations. There was a vicious wind storm back in July that brought down some really big trees; fortunately, only a couple landed on the trails.
I've also made some small revisions to the trail route near the north end with the hope that we can avoid the snow-drifting problems that were prevalent here in the past.
I'll be going out tomorrow with earth-moving equipment (i.e. pick-axe and shovel) to try to remove a couple of boulders from the trail on the Tai Chi property.
I've also made a couple of improvements to the groomer to help it hold a straight line on a cross slope. Time will tell whether this is effective. At least it will be much stronger than last year.

NEW FOR THIS YEAR
I am going to try grooming a figure 8 loop for skate skiing this winter, particularly for anyone who would like to do a bit of skate training. I've been mowing the grass to a 3 metre width, and will do the same on the soybean field, once the beans have been harvested.

Summer prep for winter fun

Work goes on throughout the year to make our skiing experience better once the snow comes. I've been out on the trails making improvements to the trail surface in a couple of locations.



This section of trail #3 Hockleycrest, adjacent to Airport Rd, was too narrow to groom. It has now been widened and flattened, so I will be able to groom it next winter
 

New bridge on trail #3 is wide enough and strong enough to carry the groomer
 

This part of trail #12 Southfield was very uneven and had a serious cross-slope. It has now been levelled and flattened.

Thurs. March 19 - No skiing today

I've had a chance to look at more of the trails, and my conclusion of yesterday is confirmed. Skiing is basically finished for this year. We do not have sufficient snow cover, and where the ground is covered, it is more like ice than snow.
I am starting to think about things I can do to improve the trails for next year, for instance widening one or two spots which will allow me to groom where I could not groom this year.
To those of you who came this year, I hope you enjoyed it, and I look forward to seeing you again next year.

Wed. March 18

I've been away for a few days, travelling in northern Ontario. On Sunday, I skied at Stokely Creek Lodge near Sault Ste. Marie, where there is still plenty of snow. In fact, there had been a fresh snowfall of about 7 cm on Saturday, making for very scenic skiing through a winter wonderland.
Meanwhile, back here in the Orangeville area, the snow cover has been reduced dramatically. I had a very quick look at the trails last night, and we definitely have some major bare spots. Right now I would NOT recommend skiing.
It is possible that we may still receive another significant snowfall, which would bring back reasonable ski conditions, but I don't see anything big in the forecast for the next week. Without significant new snow, skiing will essentially be finished for this year.

On the trail at Stokely Creek Lodge, March 15, 2015

Friday - disappearing snow base

We have lost a lot of snow over the past 2 days. The open fields toward the north end have large bare spots on them, although the trails are still covered. Nevertheless, the snow base on trails is getting thin in spots. A couple more days of warm temperatures will probably result in bare spots on some trails. Unless you are a real die-hard skier, I would pass on skiing this weekend.

Wednesday - sunny and soft

The sun is shining strongly and the temperature is +6. Maple sap is running and that means the beginning of the end for skiing. The trails (other than #7) are still well covered with snow, but the surface is very soft and wet. I set some track in the central part of the system this morning, but it won't last long because of the melting that's taking place, especially in the sunny places. Shady areas will hold up a bit longer and are firmer and faster.

Tuesday March 10

Spring skiing continues: icy and fast in the morning, wet and slow after it warms up. There is still good snow cover. Avoid the south end of #7.

Spring skiing has arrived

With the warm sunshine out there today, spring ski conditions have definitely arrived. My thermometer is reading +2 and surface snow is melting a little on south facing slopes. There is still plenty of snow on the trails, but the snow is quite variable in character. Depending on which direction it is facing and whether it is sunny or shaded, the snow may be wet and slow, dry and powdery, or glazed and icy in the tracks. From now on, conditions in the early morning will tend to be icy and fast, while later in the day it may become slushy and slow.

I tapped my maple trees today, and at least one of the taps is dripping.

Conditions Sunday March 8

I just came in from my morning ski - an hour later due to being on Daylight Saving Time now. There has been very little change from yesterday. We did not receive the 2 cm of new snow that was promised yesterday, but did get a trace last night.
Skiers should avoid the area at the junction of #4 Gazebo and #7 Around the Pines. All other trails are in good shape.

Saturday conditions update

Some trail sections in open areas toward the north end were drifted in a bit, so I have touched up the track setting in those areas. Temperature is up to -3 and skiing is very good on most of the network.
ONE SIGNIFICANT EXCEPTION: The Tai Chi centre is preparing to tap their maple trees and they have snow-plowed the southern portion of trail #7 Around the Pines, in the vicinity of the Gazebo. The south half of #7 is not recommended. You can ski the north half of #7 and use #16 Pine Cut to complete the loop. Also, trail #2 Gazebo is not recommended, since it leads to a dead end at the snow plowed section of #7. There is an ungroomed detour around the snowplowed trail section. It winds its way through the pines. Follow my ski tracks; the detour is marked with orange flagging tape.

Saturday March 7

I've just come in from my early morning ski, and conditions are very good. It is now -8 with a moderate west wind blowing, and some very light snow flurries. There is still the tiniest bit of icy crust on the snow in ungroomed areas, but where I groomed on Wednesday the snow is soft and powdery. Any new snow we receive today will only improve things.

Friday March 6 - Cold Today, snow tomorrow

It looks like today will be the end of the really cold temperatures. Tomorrow we expect about 2 cm of new snow with a temperature rising almost to the freezing point. That should make for some very nice skiing.
Some really warm weather is forecast for next week, so I will probably be tapping my maple trees over the weekend. The trees I tap are near the junction of Hockleycrest and West Side Story. I expect the Tai Chi Centre will also be getting their sugar bush up and running soon. This may affect trail conditions in the vicinity of Mainline and Gazebo and south end of Around the Pines.

Wed. March 4, evening

After a back-country expedition at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, I completed the grooming of the northern trails here at Hockleycrest. Conditions are very good. These photos were taken at about 5 p.m. this afternoon.

Trail #5, West Side Story

Trail #10, Field and Forest

Wed. March 4 - Disappointment

Well, I'm disappointed in yesterday's "big" snow storm. We received a total of about 2 cm of new snow, with just a touch of freezing drizzle on top. That means there is a very thin ice crust on top of the snow, which breaks down easily when I take the groomer over it. I have groomed the southern half of the system and the results were good. The north half has not been done yet, and consequently last weeks grooming is covered by a little fresh snow. Nevertheless, skiing is still very good.

Tuesday March 3 - A wintery mix on the way

The weather forecast says we will get some snow today, possibly mixed with ice pellets or freezing rain. Let's hope it's not the latter. We'll have to wait and see what we get, and I will groom accordingly when it's all done.
Update: it started snowing about 10:15 this morning and so far we've received about 1 cm. It is snowing fairly hard right now, with a south wind and temperature of -8.

First Hints of Spring Skiing Ahead

Although air temperatures have been cold, and there is still plenty of snow on the ground, I noticed over the weekend a couple of hints that spring skiing is on its way. It all has to do with the sun.
First, the amount of daylight we are getting is now almost 12 hours per day; it is now possible to ski from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.!
Second, the sun is higher in the sky and there is a lot more warmth in its rays. Even at air temperatures of -5, the sun is beginning to melt snow on south-facing slopes. For those using waxed skis, this will mean variable snow conditions with varying amounts of grip and glide. And for everyone, it may mean hard, fast, icy conditions in the mornings, followed by slower, softer snow later in the day.
All of this is coming in the longer term. Meanwhile, tomorrow we are looking to receive new snow. Current predictions are about 10 cm.

Snow drift removal

The heavily drifted section of Mainline near the north end has now been fixed. I did some extensive cut-and-fill to correct the sharp cross-slope on the trail. As you can see, this section was quite a mess before the repair.

Trail before I did the repair

Partially finished

Much better ski conditions after the work is done.
It is no longer necessary to detour around this section.

I skied this section this afternoon, and it was actually the best it has been all winter.

Sunday March 1 - Good skiing, good weather

Today is St. David's Day - he's the patron saint of the Welshmen. A beautiful morning here at Hockleycrest, temperature -11 with no wind. Predicted high is -5 which will be very comfortable for skiing.
The trails are still in great shape; no change from yesterday.
Looks like we may get a significant snowfall on Tuesday, around 10 cm.

Photos

A few photos I took this afternoon:


Trail #5 West Side Story

Trail #12 Southfield

Trail #19 Stonehedge

Trail #9 The Pasture

Saturday midday

I've been out grooming the drifted areas in the north part of the system. Most sections are now good. One short section of Mainline, about 0.5 km east of Airport Road is still rough due to huge snow drifts. Take Northfield Circuit as an alternate route; all of it has been packed and track-set.
The thermometer on the sunny side of the house (though not in the direct sun) is showing -4 right now. The sun is strong, and the wind is light, so it's a gorgeous day for a ski outing.

Saturday Feb. 28 - Nice

I've just come in from my sunrise ski. It is -17 out there, but with no wind and sunshine it is quite nice. The predicted high for today is -7, which will feel balmy compared to recent temperatures. Ski conditions are still very good on most trails. There has been some snow drifting on trails in the open areas, but it's not bad. I will try to get out and groom the drifted areas later today.

Friday, Feb. 27 - Warmer weather coming over the weekend

I am not on site at Hockleycrest today, but I expect very little has changed since yesterday. I will be checking the trails tomorrow morning.
The weather forecast calls for some warmer temperatures over the weekend - not above freezing (we don't want that!) but in around -5 which is really comfortable for skiing.

Thurs. Feb. 26 - Good conditions, with a couple of exceptions

I had some friends over yesterday and we skied most of the network. Conditions generally are very good. The only exceptions are the open areas, especially toward the north end, where drifting of snow was still a factor. You may find short sections of Mainline, Southfield and Northfield where the groomed surface has been covered by drifted snow.
There is a spot on Mainline near the northeast corner of Northfield Circuit where the snow drift was so big that my grooming machine slid right off the trail into the bush. This spot is quite a mess and would be difficult skiing right now. However, there is an easy detour out through the break in the trees onto Northfield and west for about 100 metres. I will be trying on the weekend to move and reshape some of that drifted snow.

Wed. Feb. 25 - A nice looking day

It's sunny and -15 this morning. Things have calmed down a lot since yesterday afternoon, when we had near blizzard conditions with blowing drifting snow. There is still some wind out there, but not nearly as strong as yesterday.
I have groomed most of the trails this morning. I did not do Field and Forest or Stone Hedge, as these areas still have active snow drifting.

This picture was taken this morning at the north end of The Ash Grove

Tues. Feb. 24 - a little snow expected

It's cold out there, but should warm up later today. A light snowfall is expected this afternoon and tonight, perhaps only a couple of cm. Winds may cause some drifting in the open areas. I will be on site and will groom if necessary.
Update 4:15 p.m. It is now snowing moderately and blowing hard. Lots of blowing, drifting snow, and deteriorating driving conditions.
No point going out to groom ski trails until this ends.

Monday Feb. 23 - No News is Good News

There is really nothing new to report, which is good, because skiing is great. According to the weather forecast, things should remain good for at least another week. A small snowfall of about 5 cm is expected tomorrow.
Bundle up warmly and get out to enjoy the trails.

Sunday morning, February 22

I'm just back from my early morning ski with the dog. It is -9 and snowing very lightly, with no wind. Predicted high is -7 so it should be a very comfortable day to ski. The trails are in great shape.

Saturday Afternoon

The snowfall has pretty well ended, and the temperature is up to -9. I've groomed everything, and skiing is excellent. Roads are not too bad. Come on out and enjoy the great conditions.

Saturday morning, first light

I've just come in from my early morning ski. It is -15 with a moderate snowfall, but no wind. There has been about 2 cm of new snow so far. The forecast calls for only 4 cm of snow, but it looks to me as if there will be more. Once the snow has stopped, I will be out grooming. Skiing is excellent. (Roads may not be very good however.)

Friday, Feb. 20 - More snow coming

February has been a wonderful month for skiers! The weather forecast calls for a bit more snow tonight and tomorrow: 5 to 7 cm is the current prediction. If there is sufficient snow to warrant it, I will groom again late Saturday or Sunday.

Wednesday, Feb. 18 - Great Conditions continue

This stretch of continuous cold weather with occasional light snowfalls makes for great ski conditions. Today, I groomed 3 short trail sections that didn't get done yesterday, and went over the Pasture trail again to make sure it is well packed where the big snow drifts were. After a short ski I can confirm that conditions are excellent.
Today I also did some back-country skiing with a couple of friends in the northern portion of Hockley Valley Provincial Nature Reserve, about 15 minutes drive to the west of Hockleycrest. Breaking trail through the deep snow is physically demanding, but definitely worthwhile.

Tuesday, Feb 17 - Groomed again

The new snow and drifting over the weekend affected some trails more than others. Today I groomed all trails, with a couple of small exceptions. Skiing is very good.
I'd like to know who has been telemarking down among the trees; I'm impressed (and I won't be responsible for any injuries!)
I took this photo this afternoon, after I finished grooming.

West Side Story, looking south

Monday, Feb. 16 - Family Day

I returned from Ottawa last night, and have just come in from skiing here at Hockleycrest. We received a bit of new snow Friday night and there was a lot of drifting yesterday with those strong north winds. So the skiing is not as good as it was. The set tracks are mostly filled in and some trail sections are drifted over. I will not be able to groom again until tomorrow.
Currently it's -27 outside, which is very cold, but there is no wind this morning, so it doesn't feel too bad. Because of the cold temperature, the snow is very slow; glide will be very poor until the temperature rises. Nevertheless, if you're a fanatic, the skiing is not bad.

Friday, Feb. 13

I will be away over the weekend in Ottawa, taking part in the Gatineau Loppet ski race. I'm doing the 51 km Classic on Saturday. Here at home the forecast calls for a small snowfall tonight into Saturday, accompanied by some strong winds. I will not be grooming, but ski conditions should remain generally very good. Trails through open areas, such as #12, #17, and #19 will likely experience some snow drifting.

Thursday Feb 12

We received about 2 cm of new snow yesterday afternoon and evening. This will just soften up the surface a little. The skiing remains excellent.

Wednesday Feb 11

I have a group of about 10 skiers from Mono Nordic Ski Club coming for a guided tour today. Looks like we have a nice day for it. A little bit of snow is predicted for later today, just enough to soften up the surface.
The skiing continues to be excellent.

Late Tuesday

As predicted, skiing was excellent today. Blue sky, sunshine and trees coated with snow and hoar frost made for a beautiful experience. I groomed all trails in the central and northern portion of the system. I also skied the southern part and it is still very good.

West Side Story trail #5

Here is the grooming "train" sitting on Hockleycrest trail #3 next to my maple syrup trees

Trail #10 Field and Forest, showing the frosty trees in the background
 

Tues. Feb. 10 - Great skiing continues

The snow is still great, and temperatures are going to be comfortable today. We might even see some sunshine. I will be skiing the trails today and will groom if necessary.

North end of Trail #10, taken Sunday Feb. 7

A portion of The Pasture, taken Sunday Feb. 7

Monday, Feb. 9 - Winter Wonderland

Snowfall continued all day yesterday. Total accumulation over the weekend was about 15 cm. Late yesterday afternoon, I groomed again, setting track on a significant portion of the network. Skiing will be excellent today.

Sunday, Feb. 8 - continuing snow

Light snow continues to fall. We received about 2 to 3 cm of new snow overnight. I've been out skiing and it is beautiful. There may have been a tiny bit of freezing drizzle as well: not enough to adversely affect the ski conditions, but the trees are all coated with a sort of hoar frost. Very pretty. Temperature is colder today: now sitting at about -10. I have groomed most of the trails with roller and snow-comb; I will not track-set until the snowfall ends. Skiing is excellent. Road conditions on the way here may not be so good.
The weather forecast continues to warm of freezing drizzle. I have not seen any freezing drizzle here today, and at the moment (noon) a very nice light snow is falling.

Saturday Late Afternoon

I just came in from skiing the whole network. Snow continues to fall, but there is not too much on top of the groomed surface. The skiing is fantastic. I met 4 nice folks on the trail, who came up from Toronto to ski; they were really enjoying it.
There's no telling how long these great conditions are going to last. Get out and enjoy while things are at their best!

Saturday Feb. 7, lunchtime

It is still snowing lightly and the temperature is -4. With a couple of very small exceptions, all trails have been groomed this morning. Skiing is excellent!

Saturday morning

I've been out skiing and the conditions are excellent. It is -6 and snowing right now (8 a.m.) Snowfall is expected to continue throughout today and tomorrow, with total accumulations of about 15 cm. I will groom later this morning.

Friday, Feb. 6 - snowfall continues

We continue to get small snowfalls, and a more significant accumulation is predicted for tomorrow. I will groom Saturday morning. Ski conditions should be excellent for the weekend (with comfortable temperatures too!).

Thurs. Feb. 5 - Great skiing continues

Light snowfall continued for a couple of hours last night, leaving 1 or 2 cm of powder on top of the groomed track. There was also some drifting of snow onto the groomed trail in the open field areas at the north end. Nevertheless, ski conditions remain very good.

These pictures were taken last weekend, before our most recent snowfall. Skiing was good then, but now it's even better.
I will probably not groom again until Saturday.
Enjoy!

Wednesday Feb. 4 - excellent conditions

It is -4 and snowing lightly. All trails have been packed and combed. I saw a couple of deer while grooming. Trails in the central area have also been track-set. Skiing is excellent. It doesn't get much better than this!
I see from the tracks that a few people skied yesterday; hope to see more folks out enjoying these great conditions.
The only negative today is that, within an hour of my grooming, a couple of inconsiderate groups of snowshoers came through and trampled portions of the Mainline and Hockleycrest trails.

Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015

Yesterday's snowfall gave us 15 to 20 cm of soft powdery snow. I have not had time yet to groom, but will do that tomorrow morning. Right now, we have excellent back country conditions. Tomorrow, with grooming, should be even better.

Finally, a real snowfall

Trails will be very good "backcountry" skiing today. I will not get this new snow groomed until tomorrow.
In the meantime, driving is difficult out there, and there is an extreme cold warning in effect today. You might want to wait until tomorrow when driving conditions are better and the temperature is a little warmer.

Sunday Feb. 1

The snowfall here on Thursday was about 4 cm - just enough to improve conditions significantly. I've been out on skis and on the groomer. All trails have been groomed at least with the roller and snow comb. This packs the loose snow and leaves a more uniform surface. Some trails in the central area were track-set; this was only a partial success because the loose surface snow was not deep enough to set a full-depth track. Right now, conditions range from fair in some sections to very good on others. The larger hills are now manageable, and not as dangerous as they were a week ago.
It is cold out there: the temperature has been sitting at -15 all day, and there is a wind blowing.
The forecast calls for 5 to 10 cm of new snow tonight. If that is correct, then conditions will be even better tomorrow.

Back from vacation

I wish I could tell you that this is on the Hockleycrest ski trails; this is the place I spent the past week skiing on beautiful trails with beautiful snow. That's the Carter Notch Inn at Jackson New Hampshire, a great B&B situated right on the trails. This was taken Wednesday morning, after a 4 inch snowfall Tuesday. Another 6 inches fell on Friday, so conditions there are fantastic.
Meanwhile, I see we've had a bit of new snow back home too. I'll be out on the trails tomorrow, doing what I can to make them better for skiing. Looks like we may get a bit more snow Sunday night into Monday, so things should be improving.

On Vacation

For the next week, I will be away in Jackson, New Hampshire, cross-country skiing in the White Mountains. If you want to see how the pros do it, have a look at their website www.jacksonxc.org
There will be no postings of conditions here, and no grooming of the trails until next Sunday at the earliest.
Based on the weather forecast, I don't expect much change in conditions here, as there doesn't appear to be any significant snowfall coming in the next week.

Saturday January 24

There has been no change since yesterday. Current temperature is -5, with a bit of fog. The high will be close to 0, and there is a chance of some flurries or freezing drizzle.
We need more snow.

Friday January 23 - No Change

Snow and trail conditions are basically unchanged since Tuesday. We have an ice crust base with about 1 cm of soft snow on top. Control is difficult on downhill sections of trail.
We need at least 5 cm of new snow to bring us back to truly enjoyable skiing.

Tuesday January 20 - Good News / Bad News

I've been out skiing to assess the trail and snow conditions. The Good News is that Sunday's mini-thaw did not totally wipe out our snow cover. We still have complete coverage, but the base is an icy crust. Sunday evening's snowfall left us about 1 cm of soft powder on top of the ice.
Some parts of the system are still quite good skiing, especially those where nobody has walked. Hills are icy and will be difficult. The Mainline trail, wherever it follows the main Bruce Trail, has been badly trampled, leaving a very lumpy base which is not sufficiently covered by the new snow. The Mainline, unfortunately, is the trail you need to use to access virtually all the other trails.
So, unless you are an expert skier with very good downhill technique, I would recommend you not ski here until we get another snowfall of at least 5 cm.
I went over the Mainline and Harmony trails with a scraper this afternoon, to knock the tops off the high spots and hopefully fill in some of the low spots. This has improved things somewhat, but we still need some new snow before the skiing will be enjoyable again.

Monday Jan. 19

Yesterday did some damage to the trails. The temperature remained at +1 most of the day, with a mix of drizzle and wet snow. The snow on the trails settled and became saturated with moisture. Only in late afternoon did the temperature drop to below freezing and some really nice fluffy snow began. This will have helped, but I don't know yet whether there was enough new snow to restore the surface conditions.
At this point I would estimate that conditions are only fair.

Sunday January 18

Skiing has deteriorated a bit since yesterday. It is currently +1 and light wet snow is falling. There may have been a bit of rain overnight. Some parts of the trails are definitely feeling a bit icy this morning.
Things may improve as the temperature drops and snow flurries continue.

Inconsiderate hikers

I'm really ticked off. Today, a large group of hikers came through and trampled the groomed Mainline trail, in spite of the fact that there are signs asking them to walk along the edges. Some people have also been walking on trails that are meant only for skiing (despite signage telling them to keep off). These people are either really selfish or really stupid.
Setting aside this little frustration, otherwise things are pretty good. I track-set all the trails in the central section this morning, and skiing is good.
The weather is supposed to get a bit mild overnight, peaking at +2, then dropping again. This will be accompanied by some precipitation, maybe a little rain, maybe some snow flurries. We'll know tomorrow morning.

Saturday January 17, 8 a.m.

It is -15 and snowing lightly outside. Snow and trail conditions are basically unchanged from yesterday; skiing is generally good. By this afternoon, temperature should be up into the comfortable range around -3.
We might get some rain overnight and into Sunday, but we'll deal with that if and when it happens.

Friday January 16 4 p.m.

It's -11 and clear outside, with a moderate north wind. There have been a couple of snow flurries today. We have received 2 to 3 cm of new snow since Wednesday. I was out this morning with a snow shovel, levelling snow drifts on the northern part of the Mainline. This afternoon, I groomed with the roller and snow comb: Mainline, Hockleycrest, Harmony, Tamarack, Gazebo, Around the Pines, Pine Cut, Tornado Alley, Ash Grove, Field and Forest, Roller Coaster, Logger's, Southfield, and Northfield Circuit.
Skiing conditions are good. The weather is going to be very cold overnight and tomorrow morning. Warmer weather (around 0) coming in later tomorrow and on Sunday.

Wed. Jan. 14 - a beautiful day for skiing

It's a beautiful sunny, calm day out there; -6 with no wind. I've just skied the entire network and found it generally good.
The southern portion of #7 Around the Pines, someone has driven a truck over the trail, so the snow is a bit messed up there, but still passable. To avoid this, stay on the north half of Around the Pines and use Pine Cut to complete your loop.
There has been a bit of drifting in the northern section. I'll go out with the groomer this afternoon and freshen up that area. Here's a shot of The Pasture, taken about noon Wednesday, and then one of West Side Story.

Tues. Jan 13

We received 3 to 4 cm of new snow yesterday. This new snow has not been groomed. I've left it on the surface to soften things up a bit. Ski conditions are generally good.

Sunday January 11

Just in from skiing. Conditions are still generally good. There are a few thin spots, mainly in wind-blown areas.
Current temperature is - 10 and it is much less windy than yesterday. Predicted high is -5, so it should be a nice day for skiing.

Things are in good shape

In spite of the cold and wind, skiing was good today. I saw a few folks on the trails and they were enjoying themselves.
Grooming has been freshened up on most of the trails today, to eliminate snow drifts in the windy areas. All trails that can be groomed have been done, at least with a packer and comb, and some in the central area have a track set.

Minus 17

I've just come in from skiing. It's cool this morning, currently -17 with a moderate wind blowing. Environment Canada says it will warm up to -9, but The Weather Network says -14 for the high, so take your pick. Snow conditions are good; yesterday's grooming has stood up pretty well. I will freshen things up a bit later on today.
If you ski today, try to stay in the bush and avoid open windy areas. For instance, in the southern section, Mainline, Tamarack and Harmony will be good, but avoid Around the Pines. In the central area, avoid West Side Story and Stonehedge. The Ash Grove is excellent this morning, and The Pasture will be very pleasant too.

Track Setting Begins

I have set some tracks on trails in the central area this afternoon, and began track-setting toward the north. However, I had some breakage in my grooming equipment and was unable to finish. It may all go for naught anyway, as we have been having snow squalls and blowing snow, which are filling in the tracks. There was a pretty heavy squall from about 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., bringing about 2 cm accumulation.
In spite of all this, if you are willing to brave the cool temperatures and wind, the skiing is actually quite good.

Friday - Conditions improving

It's currently sunny, -8, and windy here. We've received about 3 cm of new snow, but accompanied by strong winds so it's not evenly distributed. In some places it's 7 or 8 cm deep, while in others the snow is blown right off, down to the icy crust. I've rolled and combed the southern half this morning. I'm going to try setting a track in some of the trails this afternoon.

Thurs Jan 8 Update

I am not on site at Hockleycrest today, but based on the weather I am pretty confident that not much will have changed since yesterday. The forecast mentions possibility of squalls and flurries. Any new snow will simply improve the ski conditions, so things should be good today. In open areas exposed to wind, the grooming will get drifted in by blowing snow, but that shouldn't be a serious problem. If the wind is blowing hard when you come skiing, I would suggest you try the Pasture Trail (#9) rather than Mainline between the 2 junctions of #12.

If you are reading this blog, I would appreciate any comments you have, whether you find it useful, etc. If you ski the trails, please leave a comment letting us know if you enjoyed it, or whether there were any problem areas.

Another Update

All the trails in the central and northern section of the network have now been rolled and "combed". The sun is starting to shine and temperature is "up" to -17. However, the wind has also come up so it feels pretty cold out there. Here is a picture of the Roller Coaster trail just after grooming, about 12 noon.

 

Here is one of the Mainline, toward the north end:

 

This was taken on West Side Story (#5) Wednesday afternoon:

 

January 7 Update

I just came in from skiing the north half of the system. With the temperature now standing at -20 the glide is slow, but I would rate the conditions as Fair to Good. It is still snowing lightly but steadily. I will go out later to pack and smooth the surface.

1 to 2 cm overnight

We received a little new snow overnight. It is -16.5 and windy outside, and the temperature is supposed to drop during the day. If you're a ski fanatic you might want to try skiing today; I think there is just enough snow on the trails to make them acceptable.

Tuesday January 6 Conditions Improving

It's -11 and breezy out there, with occasional light flurries. What we've been left with after the warmth and rain and then a return to cold temperatures is about 5 cm of icy crust, topped by about 2 cm of fresh powder. The crust, however, is not uniform, having been walked on and skied on before the cold returned.
I've been out with the groomer, breaking the crust and smoothing out the lumps and humps. This will make a decent base for any new snow that comes. 4 or 5 cm of new snow would give us nice ski conditions.
The forecast is predicting snow squalls with up to 10-15 cm of accumulation. But will they come? Who knows?

Window of opportunity opens ..... then closes

Yesterday afternoon between 2 and 4:30, when the temperature was -3 and the snow was still falling, skiing was good. Then the snow changed to rain and freezing rain - not a happy ending if you're a skier.
This morning it is 0 outside. There is a crust of ice on the trees and on top of the snow. Underneath, the snow is very wet. Skiing is not recommended today.
The good news is that much colder weather is moving in later today. This may be accompanied by snow squalls, which could bring significant snow accumulations.

Precipitation in several forms

It is noon hour Saturday and things are happening outside! Right now it is snowing fairly hard and should continue doing so for another couple of hours. After that the forecast calls for freezing rain, followed by rain, with temperature rising overnight, then dropping again tomorrow.
There may be an hour or two this afternoon when we have decent ski conditions. After the rain and warmth have passed through, we'll see what is left.

Still Waiting

We got about 1 cm of snow yesterday, and another 1 cm of new snow overnight. That brings our total on the ground to about 3 cm; still not enough to ski on.
There is a storm predicted for Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately it looks like it is going to bring us more rain than snow.