Great winter day on tap with -5 , no wind and clear skies to start the day. Another dusting of snow overnight. Grooming this morning on skate trails and Suicide Hill and the skate deck also groomed on lake next to tracks set on lake. Lake loop is around 3.2km. We did not set new tracks on the trails but the light dusting is great and will cover up the thin spots on the classic tracks. Every little bit helps! Ski skating yesterday was one of the best of the year with fast snow and good coverage. Skiing was fast on New Years day and good reports from the trail. A busy Holiday time period with skiers  but the trails are holding up well despite the shallow base. A few more bumpy and thin spots but overall some nice skiing to be had. The trails groomed with tracks are shallow and thin but skiable throughout. Twin Lakes in the best condition for groomed track skiing (double tracked) and skaters waltz best condition for skate skiing. Other trails groomed for classic, JibFly, Sukkerbusk, Mother Hen and Sap Run have one track set on the side and the rest of the deck is packed for open classic and good for no track classic skiing.  Rootin Tootin packed with no track set but fine for classic skiing. Wavy Gravy, Island Lake, Roy’s Run, Mother North Star,Lucky’s Loype and Bullhead are not packed but skied in with a skier made track and providing fun adventurous type skiing.  A check of the trails Monday found Island lake and Roy’s Run nice for a skier made track, much better than expected. North Loup and Skaters extension have been groomed for skating but a bit more rough. Yes, we could use more snow but the snow we have is skiing nicely and with a few adjustments, good times to be had on the trails.

Please no skating on trails besides those designated for skating. There are areas of thin cover and other unmarked obstacles on all the trails.  The ice is thick on the lake for skating with  10-12″ being reported and we have a nice area cleared off by the fire pit.  The rink on the ground is open for skating and we also have a large area cleared off on the lake. The sledding hill is open and the plunge hole is cut and open! Winter is on!

 

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Sunday morning we had a low key skate race with around 20 people racing (click for results and photos). Thanks to everyone who participated!!  The course held up great to “racing speeds” with a few uphills showing a few rough spots but overall generally good “rock” skiing for the thin base. Skiers staying at the resort enjoying the trails including a few reports of people skiing the outer trails, Roy’s Run and Wavy Gravy.

The Lotvola Cup is postponed until a later date in the season

 

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