Today is day 69 of skiing this season.
The snowfall finally ended about 7 p.m. last night. Yesterday's squalls brought us about 15 cm of additional snow, on top of what we received Wednesday and Thursday. It's been hard keeping up with grooming, when it wouldn't stop snowing and the wind wouldn't stop blowing. Now, it's calm and cool out there (current temperature -18).
I groomed northern and some central trails late yesterday afternoon, so those trails have a couple of centimeters of powder over a packed base, and will ski nicely today. I will groom the southern, and remaining central trails this morning. Once that's done, the skiing should be excellent today.
Saturday, 29 February 2020
Friday, 28 February 2020
February 28 - wild and windy
Today is Day 68 of skiing this season.
Ski conditions remain about the same as yesterday; they range from fair to good, depending on where you are in the trail network. We have plenty of beautiful powder snow; the problem is that the wind has blown it around and deposited it in giant snow drifts in exposed locations. Much of the grooming I did yesterday cannot be seen. Setting tracks is a waste of time, because the tracks fill in with drifted snow within a very short time.
I will be out on the groomer again this morning, trying to bust through the drifts and re-establish trails that are at least visible.
We are also under a snow squall warning, and an additional 10 to 15 cm of snow is possible.
MID-MORNING UPDATE: I've been over most of the trails with the groomer again, and busted through some pretty big drifts, so things are improved. Having said that, the wind is still blowing (although not as hard as yesterday) and it's still snowing, so the grooming will not stay perfect for very long. Overall, conditions on the trails are good, with a few spots that are drifted in, and few places where all the snow has blown away.
Ski conditions remain about the same as yesterday; they range from fair to good, depending on where you are in the trail network. We have plenty of beautiful powder snow; the problem is that the wind has blown it around and deposited it in giant snow drifts in exposed locations. Much of the grooming I did yesterday cannot be seen. Setting tracks is a waste of time, because the tracks fill in with drifted snow within a very short time.
I will be out on the groomer again this morning, trying to bust through the drifts and re-establish trails that are at least visible.
We are also under a snow squall warning, and an additional 10 to 15 cm of snow is possible.
MID-MORNING UPDATE: I've been over most of the trails with the groomer again, and busted through some pretty big drifts, so things are improved. Having said that, the wind is still blowing (although not as hard as yesterday) and it's still snowing, so the grooming will not stay perfect for very long. Overall, conditions on the trails are good, with a few spots that are drifted in, and few places where all the snow has blown away.
Thursday, 27 February 2020
February 27 - Afternoon update
I've just come in from skiing. Wow, what a wild day it is out there. I'm going to change my assessment of the ski conditions. They are Fair to Good. Although we have lots of beautiful, dry, powder snow, we also have very strong winds blowing that snow around and piling it up into big drifts. Much of the grooming I did this morning is unrecognizable. We have big drifts in all the usual places; but I'm also seeing big drifts in places where I've never seen them before. Until this wind stops blowing, I can't really make things any better.
February 27 - abundant snow
Today is Day 67 of skiing this season.
We received about 15 cm of snow over the past 24 hours, and it's still snowing lightly. Skiing will be very good, once this new powder has been groomed.
I did some initial grooming late yesterday afternoon, covering all the major trails from south to north. These trails will ski nicely this morning, with about 5 cm of new powder over the packed surface. I will be grooming everything again this morning.
The forecast says there will be strong winds from the west and northwest, so we may get squalls with additional snow, and there will be drifting. Even the trails that are groomed this morning may have drifted sections on them, which can't be helped.
Overall, ski conditions should be very good today.
MID-DAY UPDATE: all trails have been rolled and combed at least once. In addition, the central trails have been track-set. However, the wind is really blowing, and there is active drifting happening in many places on the trails, so in some cases the groomed trail will have disappeared. I was in virtual white-outs a couple of times this morning on the groomer. I had to stop for a moment, because I just couldn't see where I was going.
There is blowing, drifting snow on the roads in the area as well.
We received about 15 cm of snow over the past 24 hours, and it's still snowing lightly. Skiing will be very good, once this new powder has been groomed.
I did some initial grooming late yesterday afternoon, covering all the major trails from south to north. These trails will ski nicely this morning, with about 5 cm of new powder over the packed surface. I will be grooming everything again this morning.
The forecast says there will be strong winds from the west and northwest, so we may get squalls with additional snow, and there will be drifting. Even the trails that are groomed this morning may have drifted sections on them, which can't be helped.
Overall, ski conditions should be very good today.
MID-DAY UPDATE: all trails have been rolled and combed at least once. In addition, the central trails have been track-set. However, the wind is really blowing, and there is active drifting happening in many places on the trails, so in some cases the groomed trail will have disappeared. I was in virtual white-outs a couple of times this morning on the groomer. I had to stop for a moment, because I just couldn't see where I was going.
There is blowing, drifting snow on the roads in the area as well.
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| The Pasture trail, about 10 this morning |
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| The hill on Mainline, just south of the Gazebo |
Wednesday, 26 February 2020
February 26 - new snow coming
Today is Day 66 of skiing this season.
We have survived 3 days of very warm weather and still have a good snow base on our trails. New snow has now begun to fall, and is expected to continue all day and tonight. Ski conditions are already improved, with just a couple of centimeters of new snow over the old hard-packed base. Things should continue to get better as the day progresses. The forecasts suggest we will probably receive a total of about 20 cm. Assuming that happens, then I will begin grooming when the snow depth reaches about 10 cm, so that we get good compaction of the new snow, in two passes.
Driving conditions will not be good today; perhaps it's best to wait until tomorrow to come skiing.
We have survived 3 days of very warm weather and still have a good snow base on our trails. New snow has now begun to fall, and is expected to continue all day and tonight. Ski conditions are already improved, with just a couple of centimeters of new snow over the old hard-packed base. Things should continue to get better as the day progresses. The forecasts suggest we will probably receive a total of about 20 cm. Assuming that happens, then I will begin grooming when the snow depth reaches about 10 cm, so that we get good compaction of the new snow, in two passes.
Driving conditions will not be good today; perhaps it's best to wait until tomorrow to come skiing.
Tuesday, 25 February 2020
February 25 - changes are coming
Today is Day 65 of skiing this season.
The story is much the same today as yesterday; it's possible to ski, but right now skiing is not very good. Another warm day yesterday, with freezing temperatures this morning, leaves us with icy conditions. We did receive about 1 cm of new snow overnight, which softens the surface a little, but it's not enough to make a significant difference.
Tomorrow, however, may be a different story. Depending on which forecast you look at, we should receive somewhere between 7 and 20 cm of new snow Wednesday, running into Thursday, accompanied by much cooler temperatures. If that happens, then we should have much better skiing from Thursday through the weekend.
The story is much the same today as yesterday; it's possible to ski, but right now skiing is not very good. Another warm day yesterday, with freezing temperatures this morning, leaves us with icy conditions. We did receive about 1 cm of new snow overnight, which softens the surface a little, but it's not enough to make a significant difference.
Tomorrow, however, may be a different story. Depending on which forecast you look at, we should receive somewhere between 7 and 20 cm of new snow Wednesday, running into Thursday, accompanied by much cooler temperatures. If that happens, then we should have much better skiing from Thursday through the weekend.
Monday, 24 February 2020
February 24
This is Day 64 of skiing this season.
It is possible to ski this morning, but I would not recommend it. The temperature reached +7 yesterday afternoon, and it's now -1, so our trails are very icy. The "snow" will soften up later today, as the temperature again climbs to above freezing. Right now, I'd rate the skiing as Poor - 2 out of 10.
It is possible to ski this morning, but I would not recommend it. The temperature reached +7 yesterday afternoon, and it's now -1, so our trails are very icy. The "snow" will soften up later today, as the temperature again climbs to above freezing. Right now, I'd rate the skiing as Poor - 2 out of 10.
Sunday, 23 February 2020
February 23 - springlike
Today is Day 63 of skiing this season.
Although it's not officially spring, it looks like we have spring skiing today and tomorrow. Personally, I'm not a big fan of spring skiing. Typically, it will be fast and icy in the mornings, slow and slushy in the afternoons. That's what you can expect here today; not great skiing but tolerable.
On the bright side, I managed to tap all my maple trees yesterday, and we had some sap flowing.
The forecast suggests we will have a return to more wintery conditions with some new snow around the middle of the week. Let's hope it's correct.
Although it's not officially spring, it looks like we have spring skiing today and tomorrow. Personally, I'm not a big fan of spring skiing. Typically, it will be fast and icy in the mornings, slow and slushy in the afternoons. That's what you can expect here today; not great skiing but tolerable.
On the bright side, I managed to tap all my maple trees yesterday, and we had some sap flowing.
The forecast suggests we will have a return to more wintery conditions with some new snow around the middle of the week. Let's hope it's correct.
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| Sap buckets along Trail #3 |
Saturday, 22 February 2020
February 22
This is Day 62 of skiing this season.
Our ski conditions are only Fair today. Trails are firmly packed and icy, as a result of last Tuesday's warm temperatures and rain. We have not had enough new snow to fully recover. Today is not a day for beginner skiers; only very good skiers should tackle the trails today.
We have some very warm weather coming in over the next few days. I will probably be tapping my maple trees today, as I expect the sap will be flowing by Monday.
Our ski conditions are only Fair today. Trails are firmly packed and icy, as a result of last Tuesday's warm temperatures and rain. We have not had enough new snow to fully recover. Today is not a day for beginner skiers; only very good skiers should tackle the trails today.
We have some very warm weather coming in over the next few days. I will probably be tapping my maple trees today, as I expect the sap will be flowing by Monday.
Friday, 21 February 2020
February 21
Today is Day 61 of skiing this season.
Although we received a couple of centimeters of new snow yesterday, conditions on the trails remain icy. In my update yesterday, I think I was a bit generous in rating the skiing at 6, on a scale from 1 to 10. Having skied yesterday afternoon and again this morning, I think it should only be a 5 out of 10.
At the moment it's rather cold outside, with temperature of -11 and some wind. We have another period of warm temperatures coming in over the weekend, with a return of colder weather and the prospect of some new snow the middle of next week.
Although we received a couple of centimeters of new snow yesterday, conditions on the trails remain icy. In my update yesterday, I think I was a bit generous in rating the skiing at 6, on a scale from 1 to 10. Having skied yesterday afternoon and again this morning, I think it should only be a 5 out of 10.
At the moment it's rather cold outside, with temperature of -11 and some wind. We have another period of warm temperatures coming in over the weekend, with a return of colder weather and the prospect of some new snow the middle of next week.
Thursday, 20 February 2020
February 20
Today is day 60 of skiing this season.
Conditions are fair again today on our trails. We have loose granular snow on top of a firmly packed base.(In other words, its rather icy).
While grooming yesterday, I noticed that a number of people had been walking on the ski trails, throughout the network. This does not help me to maintain good, safe conditions for skiers. I realize I am probably preaching to the wrong audience, but I will issue a reminder anyway: THE TRAILS IN THIS NETWORK ARE PREDOMINANTLY FOR SKIING ONLY. The main Bruce Trail (blazed with white rectangular markers), the Bruce Trail side trails (marked with blue rectangular blazes) and Peter's Path snowshoe trail are the only trails on which walking is permitted. So, if you are one of the people who has been walking on ski trails, please stop, and limit yourself to the walking trails.
UPDATE: We had a persistent snow flurry from 7:30 until 9:30 this morning, bringing us about 2 cm of new snow. I've been out and reset the tracks on several of the flatter trails in the central area, and these are now skiing very nicely. Consequently, I'm going to upgrade my assessment of the ski conditions. I'd now say they are Fair To Good; on a scale of 1 to 10, I would say about 6.
Conditions are fair again today on our trails. We have loose granular snow on top of a firmly packed base.(In other words, its rather icy).
While grooming yesterday, I noticed that a number of people had been walking on the ski trails, throughout the network. This does not help me to maintain good, safe conditions for skiers. I realize I am probably preaching to the wrong audience, but I will issue a reminder anyway: THE TRAILS IN THIS NETWORK ARE PREDOMINANTLY FOR SKIING ONLY. The main Bruce Trail (blazed with white rectangular markers), the Bruce Trail side trails (marked with blue rectangular blazes) and Peter's Path snowshoe trail are the only trails on which walking is permitted. So, if you are one of the people who has been walking on ski trails, please stop, and limit yourself to the walking trails.
UPDATE: We had a persistent snow flurry from 7:30 until 9:30 this morning, bringing us about 2 cm of new snow. I've been out and reset the tracks on several of the flatter trails in the central area, and these are now skiing very nicely. Consequently, I'm going to upgrade my assessment of the ski conditions. I'd now say they are Fair To Good; on a scale of 1 to 10, I would say about 6.
Wednesday, 19 February 2020
February 19 - recovering
Today is Day 59 of skiing this season.
After yesterday's warmth and rain, followed by a return to freezing temperatures, the trails are definitely icy today. I would rate conditions as Fair. Yesterday's weather event began with a few centimeters of snow, and where that snow was not disturbed (packed) by skiers or walkers, there is still a bit of softness to it. Trails that are relatively flat are not bad, but the bigger hills will be exciting today.
I will take the groomer out and try to improve the surface conditions, but I can't promise much.
The weather forecast for today and tomorrow is promising flurries and maybe even some squalls. If that happens, then the skiing could improve significantly.
UPDATE: Trails in the south and central areas have been graded to loosen and level the surface snow. There will be no set track, but hopefully the result is a relatively flat surface with loose granular snow over a firm base. Still fast, but I think more manageable than before the grading, and it will be a good base for future snowfalls. I will do the same to the northern trails this afternoon.
UPDATE #2: All trails have now been graded. In addition, we're beginning to get some new snow. All of this helps to improve our skiing.
After yesterday's warmth and rain, followed by a return to freezing temperatures, the trails are definitely icy today. I would rate conditions as Fair. Yesterday's weather event began with a few centimeters of snow, and where that snow was not disturbed (packed) by skiers or walkers, there is still a bit of softness to it. Trails that are relatively flat are not bad, but the bigger hills will be exciting today.
I will take the groomer out and try to improve the surface conditions, but I can't promise much.
The weather forecast for today and tomorrow is promising flurries and maybe even some squalls. If that happens, then the skiing could improve significantly.
UPDATE: Trails in the south and central areas have been graded to loosen and level the surface snow. There will be no set track, but hopefully the result is a relatively flat surface with loose granular snow over a firm base. Still fast, but I think more manageable than before the grading, and it will be a good base for future snowfalls. I will do the same to the northern trails this afternoon.
UPDATE #2: All trails have now been graded. In addition, we're beginning to get some new snow. All of this helps to improve our skiing.
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
February 18 - watching the weather
Today is Day 58 of skiing this season, but with a caveat.
Right now, with the temperature sitting at -2, skiing is quite nice on the trails. We've had about 3 cm of new snow overnight. However, if the weather forecast is correct, it will soon be above 0 with a chance of rain, mixed with snow. If that happens, ski conditions will deteriorate rapidly, and it would really be better for the trails if nobody skied them.
Things should freeze up again as a cold front moves through late this afternoon. Only then will I be able to assess what damage has been done to the trail surface, and do some corrective grooming.
Right now, with the temperature sitting at -2, skiing is quite nice on the trails. We've had about 3 cm of new snow overnight. However, if the weather forecast is correct, it will soon be above 0 with a chance of rain, mixed with snow. If that happens, ski conditions will deteriorate rapidly, and it would really be better for the trails if nobody skied them.
Things should freeze up again as a cold front moves through late this afternoon. Only then will I be able to assess what damage has been done to the trail surface, and do some corrective grooming.
Monday, 17 February 2020
February 17 - Family Day
Today is Day 57 of skiing this season.
Skiing should be good again today. The temperature is a comfortable -8 right now, expected to rise to -2 this afternoon under a mix of sun and cloud.
The central trails that were track-set yesterday are holding up well. Other trails, which were groomed either Friday or Saturday, still have a reasonably good surface, with a few drifted spots, and lots of ski tracks from yesterday's traffic. Yesterday afternoon, the temperature rose to just above freezing for a couple of hours, so you may find the trail surface slightly icy in places.
I will not be grooming today, as I have a volunteer commitment at Mono Nordic Ski Club, over at Monora Park, all day long.
We're in for a messy mix of precipitation over the next 36 hours, including snow, and possibly rain or freezing drizzle, with high temperature Tuesday forecast at +2. We will have to wait and see what effect it has on our skiing, after it cools down again on Wednesday.
Skiing should be good again today. The temperature is a comfortable -8 right now, expected to rise to -2 this afternoon under a mix of sun and cloud.
The central trails that were track-set yesterday are holding up well. Other trails, which were groomed either Friday or Saturday, still have a reasonably good surface, with a few drifted spots, and lots of ski tracks from yesterday's traffic. Yesterday afternoon, the temperature rose to just above freezing for a couple of hours, so you may find the trail surface slightly icy in places.
I will not be grooming today, as I have a volunteer commitment at Mono Nordic Ski Club, over at Monora Park, all day long.
We're in for a messy mix of precipitation over the next 36 hours, including snow, and possibly rain or freezing drizzle, with high temperature Tuesday forecast at +2. We will have to wait and see what effect it has on our skiing, after it cools down again on Wednesday.
Sunday, 16 February 2020
February 16 - still good
Today is Day 56 of skiing this season.
Trail conditions remain very good. We received a small snowfall last night - approximately 2 cm. The snow was accompanied by some wind, so portions of some trails are a bit drifted in. Nevertheless, the skiing is very nice this morning, with excellent glide. I may do some touch-up grooming later on, to re-establish the set tracks.
Current temperature -2. Expected high -1.
Update: I've now re-set the tracks on trails in the central area.
Trail conditions remain very good. We received a small snowfall last night - approximately 2 cm. The snow was accompanied by some wind, so portions of some trails are a bit drifted in. Nevertheless, the skiing is very nice this morning, with excellent glide. I may do some touch-up grooming later on, to re-establish the set tracks.
Current temperature -2. Expected high -1.
Update: I've now re-set the tracks on trails in the central area.
Saturday, 15 February 2020
February 15
This is Day 55 of skiing this season.
With more comfortable temperatures and good snow, this should be a great ski day. Temperature this morning is -12, forecast to reach -4. The trails are in good condition, all having been groomed over the past 2 days. I will do a small amount of grooming in the north end this morning, to tidy up some wind-blown, drifted areas.
Some new snowfall is expected to come in this afternoon and evening; current estimates say 2 to 4 cm.
Late morning update: drifted trails in open areas at the north end were groomed again this morning. However, there is still active drifting taking place (it's definitely breezy out there) so they will probably drift in again.
With more comfortable temperatures and good snow, this should be a great ski day. Temperature this morning is -12, forecast to reach -4. The trails are in good condition, all having been groomed over the past 2 days. I will do a small amount of grooming in the north end this morning, to tidy up some wind-blown, drifted areas.
Some new snowfall is expected to come in this afternoon and evening; current estimates say 2 to 4 cm.
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| Trail #3, yesterday afternoon |
Friday, 14 February 2020
February 14 - a cool start
Today is Day 54 of skiing this season.
It's very cold outside this morning: -24 on my thermometer when I went out to ski. But our ski conditions are very good. Yesterday's snowfall of about 7 cm was just what the doctor ordered. Our central trails were combed and track-set late yesterday morning and are still skiing very nicely. The northern trails were rolled and combed in the late afternoon, just as the snowfall was ending, and they turned out really nice. I will be doing the southern trails later this morning, and then they should be excellent too.
At temperatures like this, the glide is quite slow, and you really need to take care dressing in layers. I would suggest waiting until about noon. By then, it will be quite a bit warmer, and skiing will be better.
Mid-day update: southern trails have been groomed, as well as new track-setting on a couple of central trails. Temperature has warmed up to -10, and skiing is excellent.
It's very cold outside this morning: -24 on my thermometer when I went out to ski. But our ski conditions are very good. Yesterday's snowfall of about 7 cm was just what the doctor ordered. Our central trails were combed and track-set late yesterday morning and are still skiing very nicely. The northern trails were rolled and combed in the late afternoon, just as the snowfall was ending, and they turned out really nice. I will be doing the southern trails later this morning, and then they should be excellent too.
At temperatures like this, the glide is quite slow, and you really need to take care dressing in layers. I would suggest waiting until about noon. By then, it will be quite a bit warmer, and skiing will be better.
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| Northfield Circuit yesterday afternoon |
Thursday, 13 February 2020
February 13 - some new snow
This is Day 53 of skiing this season.
We've received about 2 cm of new snow overnight, and it's continuing to snow lightly. Trail conditions are very good this morning, with a layer of soft powder over a packed base. It's a very comfortable -3 outside right now, but temperatures are going to drop during the day, with wind picking up this afternoon.
I will not groom the trails until the snow more-or-less stops, and I see how much total accumulation there is. If it's less than 5 cm, I may not groom at all.
LATE MORNING UPDATE: Snow continues to fall at a moderate rate. The snow was getting deep enough that the groomed tracks were getting filled in and hard to see, so I've gone out and reset tracks in the central area.
Late Afternoon Update: Snowfall continued until about 4 p.m. and the total accumulation was about 7 cm. I groomed all the northern trails just as the snow was ending, and the result was spectacular. This snow groomed up beautifully, just firm enough, with a nice soft top, good grip, great glide and perfect control. It doesn't get much better than this.
We've received about 2 cm of new snow overnight, and it's continuing to snow lightly. Trail conditions are very good this morning, with a layer of soft powder over a packed base. It's a very comfortable -3 outside right now, but temperatures are going to drop during the day, with wind picking up this afternoon.
I will not groom the trails until the snow more-or-less stops, and I see how much total accumulation there is. If it's less than 5 cm, I may not groom at all.
LATE MORNING UPDATE: Snow continues to fall at a moderate rate. The snow was getting deep enough that the groomed tracks were getting filled in and hard to see, so I've gone out and reset tracks in the central area.
Late Afternoon Update: Snowfall continued until about 4 p.m. and the total accumulation was about 7 cm. I groomed all the northern trails just as the snow was ending, and the result was spectacular. This snow groomed up beautifully, just firm enough, with a nice soft top, good grip, great glide and perfect control. It doesn't get much better than this.
Wednesday, 12 February 2020
February 12
Today is Day 52 of skiing this season.
Skiing conditions continue good on our trails today. Current temperature is -5, with a forecast high of 0, so skiing will probably be better in the morning than after noon. The trail surface is firmly packed. The forecast calls for some new snow tonight, so hopefully that will give the trails a slightly softer, more forgiving feel.
Skiing conditions continue good on our trails today. Current temperature is -5, with a forecast high of 0, so skiing will probably be better in the morning than after noon. The trail surface is firmly packed. The forecast calls for some new snow tonight, so hopefully that will give the trails a slightly softer, more forgiving feel.
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| Trail #19, yesterday afternoon |
Tuesday, 11 February 2020
February 11 - That's better
Today is Day 51 of skiing this season.
With the current temperature sitting at -3, skiing is good on our trails this morning. The trails that I groomed yesterday are firm, but with just a touch of softness on the surface. I will go out this morning and pack the rest of the trails, and set some track in the central area.
The forecast high is 0, so things might get sticky later on.
With the current temperature sitting at -3, skiing is good on our trails this morning. The trails that I groomed yesterday are firm, but with just a touch of softness on the surface. I will go out this morning and pack the rest of the trails, and set some track in the central area.
The forecast high is 0, so things might get sticky later on.
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| The view over the groomer - Mainline trail this morning |
Monday, 10 February 2020
February 10 - from the sublime to the ridiculous
I'm going to change my assessment of today's conditions. It is possible to ski today, so this is Day 50 of skiing this season.
Yesterday's conditions were near perfect, but not today.
We received about 8 cm of new snow overnight, and normally that would be good news. However, this snow is a pretty sticky packing snow, and very difficult to ski on. I went out to ski this morning, and gave up after 10 minutes. The snow was just sticking to the bottom of my skis in giant clumps.
It would be excellent for making a snowman, but it's terrible stuff to ski on.
Nevertheless, I went out to shovel off the front porch and noticed that the snow was more powdery than I initially thought. So, I took out the groomer and gave it a try, and the result was not bad. I did not groom everything, but did do all the major trails, with roller and snow comb.
The result is there is a relatively flat packed surface, which at the moment is rather moist. When cooler temperatures return tonight, it will probably get a little bit crunchy. At least it will be flat, and will provide a good base for future snowfalls.
Yesterday's conditions were near perfect, but not today.
We received about 8 cm of new snow overnight, and normally that would be good news. However, this snow is a pretty sticky packing snow, and very difficult to ski on. I went out to ski this morning, and gave up after 10 minutes. The snow was just sticking to the bottom of my skis in giant clumps.
It would be excellent for making a snowman, but it's terrible stuff to ski on.
Nevertheless, I went out to shovel off the front porch and noticed that the snow was more powdery than I initially thought. So, I took out the groomer and gave it a try, and the result was not bad. I did not groom everything, but did do all the major trails, with roller and snow comb.
The result is there is a relatively flat packed surface, which at the moment is rather moist. When cooler temperatures return tonight, it will probably get a little bit crunchy. At least it will be flat, and will provide a good base for future snowfalls.
Sunday, 9 February 2020
February 9 - Nice!
Day 49 of skiing this season.
Today looks like it's going to be a perfect ski day. We received 10 cm of new snow Thursday/Friday, and a tiny bit more overnight. Current temperature is -8, with a forecast high of -2.
Trails in the central area were groomed last night, and the rest will be done this morning. Conditions are very good right now.
Mid-morning update: All trails have now been rolled and combed. If I have time, I will do some track-setting later today. Skiing is very good.
Today looks like it's going to be a perfect ski day. We received 10 cm of new snow Thursday/Friday, and a tiny bit more overnight. Current temperature is -8, with a forecast high of -2.
Trails in the central area were groomed last night, and the rest will be done this morning. Conditions are very good right now.
Mid-morning update: All trails have now been rolled and combed. If I have time, I will do some track-setting later today. Skiing is very good.
Saturday, 8 February 2020
February 8 - much better!
Day 48 of skiing this season.
We received about 10 cm of new snow over the past couple of days, so skiing conditions are much improved. I've been off-site, and just returned this afternoon, so the trails still need some grooming. I've rolled and packed trails in the central area, and will do the rest of the network tomorrow morning. Once this new snow is packed, conditions will be good.
We received about 10 cm of new snow over the past couple of days, so skiing conditions are much improved. I've been off-site, and just returned this afternoon, so the trails still need some grooming. I've rolled and packed trails in the central area, and will do the rest of the network tomorrow morning. Once this new snow is packed, conditions will be good.
Thursday, 6 February 2020
February 6
Day 46 of skiing this season.
We are supposed to get some snow today and tomorrow. Forecast says about 5 cm; time will tell if it's enough to bring our ski conditions back to where they were a couple of weeks ago. In the meantime, things remain about the same - poor to fair with ice. I have a busy couple of days ahead, and won't be able to groom until probably Sunday.
We are supposed to get some snow today and tomorrow. Forecast says about 5 cm; time will tell if it's enough to bring our ski conditions back to where they were a couple of weeks ago. In the meantime, things remain about the same - poor to fair with ice. I have a busy couple of days ahead, and won't be able to groom until probably Sunday.
Tuesday, 4 February 2020
February 4
Day 44 of skiing this season.
After hitting a high of +3 yesterday, it looks like we will have one more mild day today, with a high of +1. Consequently, our trail conditions remain about the same - poor to fair.
Some good cool temperatures should arrive tomorrow, followed by some snow on Thursday. If that happens as predicted, then we might be back into some good skiing for the weekend.
After hitting a high of +3 yesterday, it looks like we will have one more mild day today, with a high of +1. Consequently, our trail conditions remain about the same - poor to fair.
Some good cool temperatures should arrive tomorrow, followed by some snow on Thursday. If that happens as predicted, then we might be back into some good skiing for the weekend.
Monday, 3 February 2020
February 3 - another mild day
Day 43 of skiing this season.
Yesterday's light snowfall was welcome, but followed by mixed precipitation and above-freezing temperatures, so it did not result in much improvement to the skiing conditions. Today is going to be quite warm: it's 0 now and may go up as high as +4. We won't see a real cooling trend until Wednesday. It looks like we may get a real snowfall Thursday/Friday.
So, for today, skiing is still only fair, with ice just below the surface and extreme caution required on the downhills.
Yesterday's light snowfall was welcome, but followed by mixed precipitation and above-freezing temperatures, so it did not result in much improvement to the skiing conditions. Today is going to be quite warm: it's 0 now and may go up as high as +4. We won't see a real cooling trend until Wednesday. It looks like we may get a real snowfall Thursday/Friday.
So, for today, skiing is still only fair, with ice just below the surface and extreme caution required on the downhills.
Sunday, 2 February 2020
February 2 - another slight improvement
Day 42 of skiing this season.
Some persistent flurries yesterday brought us another 1 or 2 cm of snow. Conditions on the trails are slightly better as a result. I would rate things as Fair today. Relatively level trail sections are skiing nicely with the new powder over a firm base; downhills are still very challenging because of ice.
The next couple of days will be critical; today's forecast calls for mixed precipitation (snow, rain, freezing drizzle) at a temperature near the freezing point. Monday's forecast says it will be warmer, possibly as high as +4. That could do serious damage to our trails.
Some persistent flurries yesterday brought us another 1 or 2 cm of snow. Conditions on the trails are slightly better as a result. I would rate things as Fair today. Relatively level trail sections are skiing nicely with the new powder over a firm base; downhills are still very challenging because of ice.
The next couple of days will be critical; today's forecast calls for mixed precipitation (snow, rain, freezing drizzle) at a temperature near the freezing point. Monday's forecast says it will be warmer, possibly as high as +4. That could do serious damage to our trails.
Saturday, 1 February 2020
February 1 - a tiny improvement
Day 41 of skiing this season.
We had some persistent flurries yesterday afternoon and evening, resulting in about 1 cm of new snow accumulation. Consequently, there is a slight improvement in our skiing conditions. The icy crust is still not far below the surface, and the steeper hills are very challenging. Extreme caution is still required on downhills.
A bit more snow is called for in tomorrow's forecast, but Monday looks to be a warm day, so whatever we gain may be lost.
We had some persistent flurries yesterday afternoon and evening, resulting in about 1 cm of new snow accumulation. Consequently, there is a slight improvement in our skiing conditions. The icy crust is still not far below the surface, and the steeper hills are very challenging. Extreme caution is still required on downhills.
A bit more snow is called for in tomorrow's forecast, but Monday looks to be a warm day, so whatever we gain may be lost.