All of the trails were groomed and tracked Tuesday evening. The new snow and ice resulted in surprisingly good track. The skate deck should be fast once the grooming sets in.

(Dave Thofern)

One of the grooming tow vehicles is out of action for repairs including a new drive belt. Once repaired, the snowmobile needs to run 25 miles without towing any load in order to break in the new belt (Bearcat.) This may leave the grooming team with one tow vehicle, thus lengthening the next grooming process. It depends on how quickly parts arrive, when the snow/wind stops, and if the belt break in miles have been driven.

(Jeff Bolte)

All skate decks got re-groomed and they are still icy, but better than not having been groomed. Tracks back in the woods are fast but still okay. Out in the open they are glazed.

(Jeff Roberts)

This was just a quick test tonight of the muscle pull from a week ago. At the boat launch, the classic track is shallow but solid. Thats the good news. The highly transformed snow was very fast on my slowest modern skis. The glazed track was rocket fast. Both situations had sticky oak leaves frozen into the track. I am describing a trail section that has gradient, not a genuine hill. Rocket fast and randomly sticky. On two good legs, I would have done the same thing, test and leave. The time to be there was perhaps during the daylight on softer snow. New snow is needed. The entire system did get groomed and tracked recently, with the Silver trail side done today. All of the grooming team at Willow are volunteers and all are skiers.

(Jeff Bolte)

With the exception of Silver, the skate deck on all trails has been scratched up. The surface is a bit kibbled but should ski well. Classic track is in good shape with only a few washed-out spots.

(David Thofern)

Skied the south side (did not ski the Burkhardt or Nelson loops)- all in fairly good shape, no bare spots. But with the sun and warm temps, it will be hard to say how good the skiing will be later today or tomorrow. Overall a very nice ski!

(Kris Miller)

Candlelight ski is Saturday Feb 17th 6:00PM-8:30PM.

(Tyler Busko)

On the shelf with a muscle pull. Lots of skiers out today as I did easy walk run laps on a nearby hiking trail. The JD Gator was driven without grooming gear out the Purple trail today to assist a skier. The trail now has tracks from the Gator on it. Candlelight ski is scheduled for Saturday night.

(Jeff Bolte)

It was a mid distance loop from the Nature Center, Blue out and back, up through the Group Camp, down the Brown, and out. It was coolish at 4 degrees. There was a fresh inch minus of snow over the fresh grooming. Track had scattered soft spots where the skis washed out. One of the goals was some downhill in track. Look out for the crazy deer that almost ran across the trail in front of me in the dip at the top of the Blue return. If you heard the yelling, thats what it was about. On the Brown, the track swerves in an S on the first downhill. You can see it coming. On one of the upper Brown down hills, the left track is wiped out. Expect the right ski to hold track only. It might have been the lower part of the swerve or directly below. If the swerve got snowplowed out completley, the difficulty factor drops back to its normal rating. Do what you need to on this sharp down hill. I may just go rip the swerve out with the Ginzu and attempt to set straight track there on Monday. If I do this and get it right, it will be reported here on how its done. I find this situation commonly (not just Willow) when towed equipment is used for tracksetting, the swerving down hill. The swerve aside, Willow is in excellent condition in track and on the deck.

(Jeff Bolte)

All trails at Willow were groomed and tracked Saturday evening. Hopefully the soft conditions on the skate deck will set up a bit overnight. The day's snowfall allowed for setting really nice classic track.

(Dave Thofern)