As expected, after yesterday's warmth and rain, the temperature has dropped and trail surfaces have turned to ice. Do not attempt skiing under these conditions.
Trails are closed until we get some new snow. This might happen Thursday night and Friday, as a potentially significant snowfall is in the forecast.
After yesterday's warmth, the temperature dropped to -3 overnight, so conditions on the trails right now are very icy. This will not last for long, however, as we are expecting very warm temperatures again today, with significant rainfall.
Skiing under these conditions will not only be unpleasant, but it will damage the remaining snow base; so I ask that you NOT come to ski today.
After reaching a high of +3 late yesterday, the temperature has dropped to -1 this morning. So, early today, you will find the trails a bit icy and fast. By late this morning, we will be above freezing again, and the snow will soften up and become slower. The expected high today is +5.
The high winds over the weekend have left many of the trails drifted in. With the current snow conditions, I cannot groom effectively, so things will remain as they are. Skiing will be only fair today.
The southwest corner of trail #5 is still closed due to flooding, between #23 and #6.
We received some additional snow yesterday through squalls, but the big story was the wind. Powerful gusts from the northwest stripped away powder snow from some areas, and piled it up into deep drifts in others.
I will be out grooming again this morning, tidying up the trails generally and crashing through some of those big drifts. Skiing will be generally very good, although you will find a few icy spots in exposed areas where the newer snow has been blown away.
Some more strong winds are expected today, but from the southwest. Some milder weather is moving in and the temperature may reach the freezing point late this afternoon. Skiing will be best in the late morning and early afternoon.
UPDATE: I've been over most of the trails with the light snow comb, and raked out big drifts wherever I found them. Some of these areas will drift in again, as the wind is still blowing. I set track on several trails in the central area, and it went in very nicely in most cases. (However some of this will get drifted in too.)
There is still a flooded section at the southwest corner of trail #5, so it's closed between #23 and #6.
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| Trail #10, Field and Forest |
We received another snowfall of close to 10 cm overnight. More flurries and blowing snow are forecast for the remainder of today.
I will begin grooming right after breakfast, but some areas will undoubtedly get drifted in again due to the strong west winds.
The southwest corner of trail #5 remains closed between #6 and #23, due to flooding. Trail closed signs are in place; please do not try to ski through this section. Otherwise, skiing should be good today, although it will be variable because of wind and drifting.
UPDATE: The forecast said "flurries, at times heavy" and they weren't kidding. although I would characterize these flurries as "blizzards". We're now under a snow squall warning and receiving regular intervals of heavy snow on winds gusting to 72 km/hr.
If you can get here, you will find pretty good ski conditions. I've rolled/packed all the trails so there is a firm base under variable amounts of new powder. I did not bother to set any tracks, because they would disappear within 5 minutes.
Temperature is -10, with a wind chill of -21, so dress accordingly.
We've survived the brief thaw, and we have new snow to cover the old icy crust. The general accumulation of new powder appears to be about 10 cm - not quite as much as was forecast, but enough to get us back to skiing again. Snow depth is variable because of the wind; there are places that are drifted quite deep, and other places where all the new snow is blown away, down to the old crust.
I will be starting grooming soon, and I think after that's done we will have generally good ski conditions. There was a lot of water lying around yesterday, so there are a couple of spots I need to check to see if they are still wet.
Current temperature is -12, with predicted high of -6.
UPDATE: Trails are groomed, and for the most part the skiing will be very good. There are a few spots where the wind has blown all the new snow away, leaving just the crusty old snow. Also a few spots in the north end where the groomed trail is being drifted in.
There is one significant problem to report: the southwest corner of Trail #5 Westside (between #6 Central Park and #23 Black Cherry) is flooded, so I have closed it. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SKI THROUGH THIS SECTION.
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| Mainline trail in the central area |
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| Northern portion of #5 Westside |
We are part way through the "melt-down". It's still +4 outside, raining a bit, and the snow has been changed to slush. Yesterday morning, we had 30 cm of snow on the ground; today we have only 20 cm.
Trails are closed today.
If the forecast is correct, then the temperature will drop to 0 by late this morning, and continue dropping, and snowfall will begin. Most of the snow will come overnight tonight. With luck, we will have 15 to 20 cm of new snow tomorrow morning.
