Poor conditions reported when I called this morning and still poor when I skated/skittered from 2 to 3 PM. Icy classic tracks were good for double poling but it appeared that no effort was made to scratch up the surface of the icy skate deck. Two skiers warned me that they had lost control on the downhills so I didn't venture far.

(Russ Ludeke)

The conditions were far better than I imagined they would be. There are a couple places to watch for, such as some rocks on the trail just west of the railroad crossing. Everything in the woods was packed powder with icier spots in the open. The grooming was very well done and there was no trouble edging anywhere. We were skating and found all trails excellent. I think good skis could be used with caution. It was recommended to me that we avoid the trail that goes along the campground so we took the southern trail across the swamp. All the trails west of the tracks were excellent. We were skating but there was also a nice classic track. The track was a mix of powdery and icy stretches. Thanks to the staff for the excellent grooming and a beautiful sunny morning on the trails.

(Torry Kraftson)

Skate deck was icy with about a 1/2" of fresh powder, skiable but slippery. About 10am, the groomer was out and afterward the deck was soft but fantastic overall. Just a few almost-bare spots, at least on the Wetland Trail loop. Classic tracks were in surprisingly good shape. Definitely worth a trip, especially in such a gorgeous location.

(Jason Goepfert)

Conditions at WOB were still very good today. I found it faster than Friday, the snow was packed down, and the tracks also still looked good. Occasional signs of wear: ice patches, dirt, leaves, grass. Considering the alternatives, this was the place to be today for Twin Cities folks.

Photos:

(Jenneke Oosterhoff)

Very surprised with the good snow coverage and good conditions. Both skating and Classic conditions are good with just a few icy spots and a little debri, but nothing that you can easily avoid. Skied most of the classic trails and had very good grid and good speed on the downhills. Used universal grip tape with blue glide wax and worked very well.

(Scott Ford)

Skied for a couple hours between 9:30 and 12 today. Great to be out on actual snow and away from the man-made loop. I classic skied using the skins while my husband skated. Classic tracks were shallow and mostly ice with a little snow coverage, along with leaf litter throughout the tracks. Some areas sheltered by trees had better snow coverage. All trails had tracks set. Skate deck was freshly groomed on all trails. Thin but mostly snow covered. Soft snow on icy base. Might be bottoming out in a few places. Watch for bare patches in a few spots that span the width of the trail.

(Caitlin Anderson)

Skated the inner loop. Good coverage except under the pines by the camper cabins. A little chopped up, especially the outside (left) edge of the skate deck. The extra pass to set the classic track must have packed that side more.

(Bryan Lueth)

It's surprisingly good skiing in WOB. Some sections were a bit soft, and there are a couple bare spots (where they always show up), but overall great coverage. Classic tracks looked amazing. Sad I didn't think of bringing skis for that.

Photos:

(Jenneke Oosterhoff)

I skated. Great skating lane virtually everywhere in the park. Coverage, while thin, is good. Classic tracks also looked good most everywhere, although there are some questionable spots. It's well worth a trip out to O'Brien!

(Steve Robertson)

Conditions are complicated, and it may change rapidly. Everything is groomed as good as it can be. Remember you are skiing on a soft base, with ice embedded in the snow with an icy base. First the skating: Did not ski everything since I wanted to classic, as I usually do. Good skating, some places soft, other places firm, and sometimes the soft spots looked firm. Overall nice skiing but only a few folks had been out. Classic looked great but there were surprises, as in how to wax. Very fast track with an icy base. I used klister and still struggled in the track because the bottom of the track was icy. Kicked up good in the skating lane. The softer snow was not sticking to the klister I think, because of all the rounded ice in the snow. On the last downhill there was no adhesion between the new snow and the ice base. One snowplow would have cleaned it off, and I was the first person down since the grooming. Check it out carefully.

(Jim Smith)