Ready for Skiing

Over the past weekend, I finished the installation of signage for the ski season, including the skate loop in the central area. The only thing remaining to do is the map signs at a number of trail junctions. The soybeans have just been harvested from the south field and that area has been prepared for skiing.
All we need now is snow!

October 27 - first snowfall

We have a little bit of snow today, but not enough to ski on. The ground is still relatively warm and there will be lots of melting at the surface.
I haven't finished putting up all the ski trail signs yet. The southern portion of the network still needs to be done. Hopefully I'll get that finished this weekend.

Getting More Ready - groomer improvements

I've been making some modifications to the snow groomer, which will hopefully make it easier for me to switch from track-setting mode to non-track-setting. I built a new, smaller and much lighter track-setter that attaches in a way that permits it to be folded up and over the roller when I don't want to set track - for instance on hills where we just want a smooth packed surface. My hope is that, with a surface area about one-third the size of the old track-setter, I will only need one-third as much weight to press the track moulds down into the snow to create a nice deep ski track. Time will tell.

The groomer with both the track-setter and snow-comb flap folded up for travel or backing up. The snow-comb flap can be dropped while the track-setter is still folded up, to create a flat, corduroy surface

Here is the groomer with the track-setter and snow-comb flap both in the down position

Close-up of the track setter bottom. The track moulds are made of sugar maple that came out of my firewood pile. Angle-iron cutters in front of the moulds help to cut into firm snow and protect the nose of the wooden moulds from obstacles like rocks and tree roots
 

Getting Ready

Although it was summerlike today, with a high temperature above 20, winter is coming. It is conceivable that we could be skiing a month from now, so I'm getting ready.
I've begun putting up the ski trail signs.

 

It's a pleasure being outside working on a day like today.

Something New for 2016/17

I've just finished work on a new initiative for the coming winter - a loop trail exclusively for snowshoers, along with a section of snowshoe trail that provides an alternate route to a portion of the main Bruce Trail. My hope is that, by providing a trail just for snowshoers, we will see less snowshoe traffic on the ski trails.
The loop trail is 2 km in length, more or less around the perimeter of my property. It traverses a variety of landscapes, from conifer plantation to open grassland, regenerating field, wetland, and young forest. The snowshoe trail will be marked with orange surveyors' tape ribbons, while ski trails are marked with blue ribbons. Here are a couple of photos taken October 5.

Beside the Christmas tree field

Crossing the Ash Grove

Regenerating old field