We're back to square one.

Two days of above-freezing temperatures have melted virtually all of our snow.
No skiing this weekend!
The weather forecast for the next few days isn't very promising either, with predicted highs of 11 on Tuesday and 10 on Wednesday. Looks like it will be at least a week before we have any skiing.

Meanwhile here at Hockleycrest, we are setting up today for our annual sale of Christmas trees and other seasonal decorations. If you are in the area on any of the weekends in December, drop in to get your tree, wreath, greenery, etc. We open next Saturday, December 3. ALL THE PROCEEDS OF THE CHRISTMAS TREES GO TO THE CALEDON HILLS BRUCE TRAIL CLUB.

A Hint of things to come

I was off line for a day while I got set up on a new computer.
There was some snow yesterday morning, just enough to try skiing. Coverage was about 4 or 5 cm and the temperature was right on 0. I got out  for a short ski - about 5 km - on my old rock skis and  it was tolerable. I did hear the skis scrape over a couple of rocks, but no serious harm was done. However, by noon the temperature  was up up to +2 and we were having some  melting.

I would not recommend skiing at this time.

Don't ski yet

Although we have some snow on the ground, I would not recommend skiing right now. There is not sufficient snow cover.

Well, it's a start!

We've been having some light snow flurries most of the morning, and there is now a small accumulation on the ground. It's far less than the 15 to 20 cm predicted by the forecasters, but at least it's a start.

A portion of the Hockleycrest Trail, about noon today
 

No Snow Yet

Although we had a couple of light flurries yesterday, and there is a very light flurry happening right now, we have no accumulation on the ground. We are going to have to wait a little longer before putting on the skis.

Snow on the way?

While the current temperature here is +12, this morning's weather forecast starts off with a SNOW SQUALL WATCH. By this afternoon, the temperature will drop to about +1 and squalls are expected to develop overnight, bringing snow from Georgian Bay down to this area. These will be very localized; they may hit us, or they may not. Possible accumulations of 10 cm are predicted, but time will tell.
Stay posted!

New trail map has arrived

We have a new trail map, just received from our cartographer today. I got some printed and laminated, and they will be put up on the trails within a few days.

Unexpected chores

The forest is a dynamic thing. New things are growing and old trees are constantly dying and falling down. Today, on a recreational walk, I discovered 2 large dead limbs fallen right at the junction of the Mainline and Pasture trails, so that both trails were blocked. They weren't huge, but they were too big to move without cutting them into pieces first. So, it was back to the garage, get out the chainsaw, and then return to remove the limbs.

Blockage of the Pasture trail

After clearing

Limb on the Mainline trail
 





Mainline cleared