Mon. Feb. 27 - still no skiing

Our trails remain mostly bare. There will be no skiing until we receive a significant snowfall - at least 10 cm.

Sunday Feb 26 - No skiing today

I've returned from a week in New Hampshire (where there is still abundant snow) to find that most of the snow on our trails has disappeared. This is not surprising after week of record-breaking warm temperatures. However, not all is lost. Some trail sections still have a little bit of hard-packed snow on them, which will provide a base for new snow when it comes. We've had some flurry activity last night and this morning, so the ground is white, but there is definitely NOT enough snow to ski on.

Remaining base on West Side Story, Feb. 25

February 22 - vacation update

Although it has been warm here in Jackson New Hampshire (around +5 each day) the skiing has been quite good. Groomers go out during the overnight, when the temperature has dropped below freezing. They have an abundance of snow to work with.

Sunday, Feb 19 - taking a holiday

I can't give a first-hand report of conditions today, as I am in Ottawa for the Gatineau Loppet. With yesterday's warm temperature, I suspect we lost a lot of snow, and that will continue through the week. I will be moving on from Ottawa to Jackson New Hampshire for a ski holiday. Jackson has an abundance of snow, an excellent network of trails, and superb grooming.
There will be no reports for Hockleycrest, and no grooming over the next week.

Friday Feb. 17

Ski conditions will be good today. Last chance to enjoy nice snow before the heat wave hits.

Thurs. Feb. 16 - Looking good!

I've just been out skiing the trails, and it is very nice! The weather is gorgeous, with bright sun and a temperature of -3. In spite of warmish temperatures both Monday and Tuesday afternoons, there is not icy crust. There is about 1 to 2 cm of new powder snow over the surface that I groomed on Monday, which is just enough to soften the surface without getting in the way. Conditions should remain very good the rest of today and tomorrow. The weekend looks like a disaster, with temperatures rising to about +7. So, get out and enjoy these beautiful conditions today or tomorrow, before they disappear.

North Plateau trail, just before noon Thursday.

Wed. Feb. 15

Ski conditions were good early yesterday, but it got a little bit too warm in the afternoon, so it got sticky and slow. Now that we're back below freezing, skiing should be fairly good; perhaps a bit crusty and fast. Some flurries are in today's forecast, so if we can get a bit of fresh powder on the surface, that would definitely improve the skiing.
The broken-down groomer was recovered out of the field yesterday afternoon and has gone to the shop for repairs. A short section of #12 and #5 suffered minor damage as a result of towing the ATV out. There will be no grooming until it returns, probably a week or more. It looks like we're going to have a major meltdown this weekend, so grooming may be irrelevant anyway.

Late Monday

I started grooming late this afternoon. There was definitely some wind last night, as evidenced by big snow drifts in a number of places. Most of the trails I groomed yesterday were blown in. Ski tracks indicated that several people came to ski today.
I completed all the southern trails and most of the central and northern before disaster struck. The ATV that I use to pull the groomer broke down in the field, and would not move. Seems to be some kind of transmission problem. It still sits in the middle of the north skate loop, so that's a problem I will have to solve tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the skiing is very good, even on the few trails that did not get groomed today.

West Side Story in the area where it overlaps the skate loop

Stone Hedge, about 4:30 this afternoon.

Monday Feb. 13

Yesterday's snowfall abated for a couple of hours in the afternoon, and then started up again about 4:30 p.m. so our total accumulation was over 10 cm. I rolled and packed a number of trails early yesterday afternoon - any trail where we are likely to lose snow when the wind blows. Once the snow is packed it is more likely to stay in place. The skate loops, South Field, North Field, the Pasture, the Lowdown, Tornado Alley and portions of Around the Pines, Field and Forest, Mainline, Hockleycrest and Stone Hedge were all done. I hope to groom the remaining trails later today.
Yesterday's high temperature just reached 0, so it got a bit sticky in the afternoon. it should be a little cooler today, so skiing should be good.

Sunday Feb. 12 - SNOW

The snowfall has already begun, and it's coming down pretty hard out there, at a temperature of -3. Ski conditions should be great when it's all done. I will groom when the snowfall is finished, probably tomorrow. I've just come in from skiing, and conditions are already very good. It will only get better as the day progresses. However, road conditions might be tricky, so if you come, be very careful along the way.

Trail #5 just after the snowfall stopped.

Saturday Feb. 11 - we catch a break!

The weather has turned out not as bad as predicted. Yesterday afternoon and evening, we received about 5 cm of new snow. The temperature was supposed to rise to 0 by morning, but it is now sitting at -5, and the new predicted high for today is only +2. So, we might get through today without a massive melt or transformation from snow to ice. Tomorrow's forecast now calls for up to 10 cm of new snow, so if that happens, we should be in pretty good shape.
MID MORNING UPDATE: I have groomed most trails with roller and comb. Hopefully this will smooth out the rough spots, help hold snow in place when the wind blows, and provide a good base for tomorrow's snowfall. As I write this, at 10:40 a.m. the temperature is sitting just below 0.
At the moment, we have tolerable ski conditions on yesterday's snow.

Trail #5 Westside Story this morning

Friday Feb. 10 - snow coming, but then what?

It looks like some snow is on the way this afternoon and evening, but that will be followed by a warm day Saturday with chance of showers. So, it's hard to know what we will be left with. I will be checking conditions over the weekend as things develop, and will let you know if we have skiing or not.

Wednesday Feb 8 - Good news/bad news again.

I've been out for a short inspection tour, and it looks like yesterday's rain, freezing rain and warm temperatures have not done as much damage as I feared. There are no trees down that I know of, and only a few small branches on the trail. We did not lose all our snow; in fact, we probably have better coverage now than before the storm, except it is now ice rather than powder snow. There is a thin ice crust on top of the snow, which breaks quite easily. Underneath, in many places, there is still loose granular snow.
I will try my crust-buster this afternoon, to see if it makes any improvement. However, I am not going to expend major time and fuel on grooming, when we have another meltdown forecast for this weekend. What we need is a good snowfall of about 10 cm, accompanied by stable, below-freezing temperatures.
I would not recommend skiing at the moment. It would be very fast, and very dangerous. Perhaps come for a walk, and wear icers on your boots (remember to keep to the edges).

Hockleycrest trail about noon today

Monday Feb 6 continuing much the same

Conditions on the trails will be much the same again today - generally good. We had some drifting again yesterday, so trails in exposed areas may be covered with a bit of drifted snow, but will still be good skiing.
A big weather system is coming through tomorrow. It looks like it will give us a mix of precipitation. We'll have to wait until things settle down on Wednesday to find out how it has affected the ski conditions.

Sunday - a little new snow, good conditions

The forecast calls for 2 cm of new snow today, and it is snowing lightly right now. Skiing will continue to be good today, with comfortable temperatures. I have groomed a little today, mainly touching up areas that got drifted yesterday, including the north part of Mainline and North Plateau.
The outlook for Tuesday is worrisome: a major precipitation event which might be in the form of rain, freezing rain, or snow. We'll have to wait and see where this storm tracks, and what it brings us. So, all the more reason to get out and enjoy good skiing today.

Saturday - looking good

Skiing should be good again today. We had a bit of wind, and therefore some drifting, late yesterday. I will run the roller/comb over a few trails in the exposed areas to refresh the surface. The wind is blowing again this morning, so it will feel colder than what the thermometer is indicating (currently -10). We're having a mix of sunshine and snow flurries here this morning.
I'm going to make a request of trail users. Please stay on the trails! Over the past couple of days, some skiers went down the Pasture trail, but they skied a long way off the trail in "uncharted territory". The trails have been designed and maintained to avoid dangerous obstacles, like tree stumps and big boulders. There happens to be an old stone fence very close to the Pasture trail. If you ski off the trail, you run the risk of hitting a big stone that would damage either your skis or yourself, or both. I can't vouch for the safety or "ski-ability" of terrain that is off the trails.
THE RULE IS THE SAME IN SKIING AS IT IS IN HIKING: STAY ON THE MARKED TRAIL.

Trail #10 Field and Forest, yesterday afternoon

The Pasture trail this morning after grooming

Friday Feb 3 - good skiing

The blowing and drifting of yesterday have ended; it is cool out there, currently -6 with sunshine. I have groomed the drifted areas this morning. I also tried some track-setting in the central part of the network. It was moderately successful; the track is not very deep, but it should be helpful. Both north and south skating loops have been packed again.

The Ash Grove

Hockleycrest Trail groomed for skate and classic

Some people have been walking and snowshoeing on the main Bruce Trail and Hockleycrest Side Trail over the past couple of days, and they did a good job of staying along the edge, avoiding the ski grooming. I want to thank them for sharing the trails responsibly and for setting an excellent example for other walkers.

Trail #17 Northfield Circuit, about 10 a.m.

Ground Hog Day

Skiing was good yesterday, and it should be no different today. We had a little bit of light flurry activity, but yesterday's grooming should still be fine. The only place where snow is really thin is on trail #7 Around The Pines, on the west leg where it goes through the pine plantation.
Noon update: I don't know if the groundhog saw his shadow this morning, but if he emerged, I think he'd be inclined to go back underground to escape the wind. It is blowing pretty hard here, with associated snow drifting, both on the roads and on some of the open sections of trail. Yesterday's grooming will be drifted in at some locations; there is nothing we can do about this until the wind stops blowing.

February 1 - a new month and new snow

We got about 5 cm of snow overnight. All trails have been groomed, including skate loops. There are still a few thin spots, but generally skiing is good. There is not sufficient depth to set a track, so trails have been rolled and combed only.

Trail #6 Central Park, about 9 a.m. this morning