New Snow!

 We've received about 8 cm of new snow overnight. It looks like we got lucky and avoided the freezing rain that was also predicted.

I will start grooming right after breakfast. Skiing will be good this morning. By afternoon, the temperature may get up around 0 and the snow may get a bit sticky.

10:30 a.m. Update: All trails have been rolled and combed, and central area trails were track-set. Conditions are very good. Temperature is still holding at -1, which is better than 0 or +1. It's a bit windy, so there is some drifting on open-field trails in the north end.

Trail #3 this morning

A Slight Deterioration

 Ski conditions are not quite as good as they were, due to two factors. First, we had a lot of skier and walker traffic on the trails over the weekend. Second, the temperature reached 0 yesterday afternoon, so snow crystals have started a transformation from powder toward granular. Overall, the snow is still fairly soft, and most trails still offer good skiing. However, the more heavily trafficked trails have become a bit hard-packed and lumpy.

We are expecting a snowfall starting late this afternoon, accompanied by strong winds. Estimates vary on how much snow will come; some say 2 to 4 cm, while others put it around 10 cm. This event may include some ice pellets and/or freezing rain. We'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to find out.

I will not groom today. There is no point in doing it just before a snowfall.

Still Nice

 A lot of people were out enjoying the trails yesterday. In the strong sunshine of the afternoon, we began to have a little bit of melting on the snow surface, even though the air temperature was -5. However, the snow texture is still predominantly powdery as we begin today, so ski conditions are good.

According to the forecast, the temperature will reach 0 briefly around noon today, so the snow might become a bit heavy and sticky.

I will do a small amount of grooming this morning, to tidy up a couple of areas at the north end.

Trail #3 yesterday

10 a.m. Update: I've done some grooming at the north end, and I tried something new. I packed a new trail across the north field, from the SW corner where it's high, to the NE corner where it's much lower. If you're in that area, give it a try; I think it may be a nice downhill run.

On the way home, I re-packed the Pasture trail (#9) to repair some of the many places where people have crashed.

Good Skiing Continues

 There is a bit of new snow coming down right now; it may amount to a couple of cm by the time it's done later this morning. Skiing conditions are very good on the trails. The grooming I did on Thursday, with a bit of touch-up grooming yesterday morning, is still standing up well, as there hasn't been too much skier traffic on it yet. Also, fortunately, there have been very few walkers on the trails.

With a forecast high of -3, today should be a very good day for skiing.

I have one request: if you must take off your skis and walk for any reason, please walk along the edge of the trail, not in the middle. Try to leave the nice smooth groomed surface for others to enjoy.

Noon Update: Light snowfall has continued all morning. I've gone over the whole system with a light rubber comb, and then reset tracks in the central area. Unfortunately, we have had quite a number of walkers through this morning, and some trail sections have been trampled. Nevertheless, skiing is still very good.

Proof that people do not obey signs. The left side was deliberately packed so that walkers would not have a reason to walk on the ski track.

Trail #12, Southfield, this morning

Nice Skiing - Finally

 All our trails were groomed yesterday and are still in great shape today. We had a little bit of freezing rain yesterday afternoon, but it did not affect the snow quality. We also got a light dusting of fresh powder overnight.

The glide is a bit slow this morning (temperature -12) but should improve as the day warms up to -8. Either today or tomorrow should be excellent days to ski.

Abundant Snow

 We have received about 15 cm of new snow. I will be starting to groom as soon as it's light enough outside.

10:15 a.m. Update: All trails have been rolled and combed. Skiing is very good. After a brief coffee break, I will go back out and set track in the central section.

Noon Update: Central trails have been track-set. Skiing is excellent.

Trail #3 just west of Central Park #6

Snowfall has Started

 Our snowfall has begun. So far, we've received about 2 to 3 cm of light fluffy snow. The main body of heavier snow is expected after 5 p.m. this afternoon. I will be grooming tomorrow morning.

Waiting for the Storm

 Conditions here are basically the same as yesterday: snow coverage is poor, and the little snow we have is very icy. Hopefully, that will begin to change tomorrow, as a major storm is set to pass through. It now looks like the snowfall will be mostly Wednesday night into Thursday. Stay tuned.

Very Poor Skiing

Yesterday was a beautiful looking day, with sunshine and a high of +5. The result on our ski trails is much worse conditions. Prior to yesterday's warmth, we had a thin snow base that was just firm enough to support some weight, but just soft enough to permit limited skiing. Now we've lost some of that base, and what's left is very hard and icy. Skiing is near impossible.

But there is hope on the horizon. It appears we will get a significant snowfall on Wednesday and overnight into Thursday. If it comes, I will be ready. 

Another Mild Day

 Another difficult day, as the temperature is forecast to reach +5. Hopefully, we will not lose all of the little base we have on the trails right now.

Skiing will not be good today.

It looks like we may get a good snowfall on Wednesday/Thursday. Let's hope the forecast is correct this time.

Slight Improvement

 I skied briefly this morning, for the first time in over a week. The 2 cm of snow we received yesterday has made it just possible to ski. This is NOT good skiing. The new powder is on top of either bare ground or old icy crust, depending on location. Skiing under these conditions should only be undertaken by very good skiers using rock skis. Hills should be avoided.

I have removed the Trail Closed signs that I had posted around the SW corner of trail #5 because of flooding. This area has now drained. It is still covered with ice, with a couple cm of snow on top, but there is no longer liquid water underneath.

I do not recommend skiing here today.

A Little New Snow

 It's definitely colder outside, and we've received about 1 cm of new snow. But we'll need a lot more than this before we can start skiing again.

Disappearing Act

 With the warm temperatures we've been having, snow is disappearing fast. It looks like there will be a return to colder temperatures next week, but will there be any snow? Time will tell.

No skiing today.

Is Spring Here?

 With blue skies, sunshine, and a high temperature of +7, yesterday was a beauty day. But it didn't help us in our attempt to retain the little bit of snow we still have.

Essentially, we have spring skiing conditions: each morning it's hard, icy and fast; in the afternoons when the temperature rises, we have slow and slushy conditions. And every day, we lose a little bit more snow. It's not my idea of fun.

The weather forecast says this pattern will continue for at least another week. The long range forecast says the temperature will drop to below normal toward the end of the month, with a possible significant snowfall around the 25th. But that's a long way off, and cannot be relied on.

Still Bad

 Conditions have not improved on the trails. It is still very icy, and part of trail #5 is under water. Skiing is not recommended.

Still Ice

 Our trails are extremely icy. Please do not ski here today.

Ice

 It did not get as warm yesterday as the forecast predicted, but it still reached +4. We received 35mm of rain. Surprisingly, we still have snow on the ground, but it is very, very icy.

Skiing is virtually impossible.

In addition to ice, we have at least one section of trail that is flooded. See photo below, taken at the SW corner of trail #5.

Difficult Conditions

 After yesterday's high of +4, the temperature has dropped to 0 this morning. So, the soft, wet, packing snow of yesterday afternoon has become icy crust. Conditions are very difficult (almost impossible) this morning.

We are expecting a period of freezing rain this morning, followed by rain, with a high of +9. This is definitely not a good day to ski.

Losing Snow

Yesterday's high temperature was +5. We lost some snow, and bare spots are appearing in some places.

When I look at the long range forecast, I see a steady string of above-freezing temperatures. It doesn't look very promising for a return to good skiing. 

Poor skiing continues

 Skiing is still poor, due to icy conditions on the trails. Yesterday, I tried a little bit of grooming with my Piranha ice scarifier. It made a slight improvement, but the skiing was still poor. Not fun.

Today's forecast does not offer much hope: freezing rain, changing to rain, with a high of +3.

Very poor skiing

 Yesterday's high of +2, combined with colder temperatures overnight, have left us with very icy conditions. According to the forecast, it will stay below freezing all day today, so the icy crust will remain.

Skiing is almost impossible today.

Warmer weather is here

 There has been a lot of blowing and drifting the past 2 days, so many trails are covered by fairly deep powder. It gives the feeling of back-country skiing in some places.

Right now, the snow is still dry and powdery. However, by mid-morning it will probably be above freezing, and the snow will begin to get moist and sticky.

Transitioning

 Today will be a day of transition. We're starting out cold, at -21, but by this afternoon it should be a comfortable -7. Tomorrow, we may be up above freezing. So, today may be the better day for skiing. There is still plenty of snow on the trails. That will probably change on Tuesday, as the temperature will reach +7. Ugh!

Very cold!

 As I write this, it's -19 outside. The forecast high is -14. Skiing will still be OK, but the glide will be slow.

Warmer weather (probably too warm) is coming. Looks like Saturday will be a nice day for skiing. By Sunday, it may be above freezing, and that's never good news for a XC skier.

Still Good

 With occasional snow flurries and steady below-freezing temperatures, the trail conditions continue to be pretty good, in spite of the fact that I have been unable to groom. Hopefully, my mechanical problems will be resolved by the weekend.