Classic tracks not set but a few skiers had been out so was very skiable--not fast but enjoyable and could use good skis.

(Charles Frinak)

I skated Fern Dell, Turtleville, and Hastings. I would rate it as good skating. The deck is flat which they used to have real problems with. Some soft spots, and it's not a real smooth surface with some grooming machine tracks in spots. All in all very skiable. Tracks are set for striding and look in good shape.

(David Statz)

Best conditions by far this year. The park did a good job of rolling, combing and setting tracks Sunday morning. Skated Fern Dell, Turttleville and finished up on Hastings at sunset. Fern Dell was good skis doable with care and had very nice classic tracks. Other trails still skated well but were softer and had more thin areas in the classic tracks. Northwest loops still ungroomed as more debris clearing is required to get the groomer thru. Ranger Becky came thru in a big way grooming on a Sunday-there were lots of happy skiers out! Finally pretty decent skiing near Baraboo. The Park has put in a tremendous amount of work to get theses trails open after December's heavy, wet snow event that hit so many trails all over the state.

(Paul Wagener)

About three inches of new snow over a frozen base. Previous debris is now covered. Need to watch for some rock exposure on Ishnala Trail, otherwise reasonably well covered. Wasn't yet groomed, but it skied very nicely. No tracks set.

(Leroy Steelstring)

Snow is thin, with many sticks and pine needles. A few trails are closed. The main trails are rolled, but no classic tracks set. It is skiable and fun, but not ready for your best skis.

(David Clemens)

I skied trails on the NE side of the park - Pioneer and Ishnala - as well as trails on the S side - Fern Dell and Turtleville. To the south was better, but it was similar throughout: mostly fair with debris and ice and crustiness. There were stretches that were rather good and free of debris (alternating between a bit icy and a bit soft), and there were those ugly spots. But it was very doable if you know what you're getting into. I thought the groomers did excellent with the limited snow they've received.

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(Andrew Westley)

Trails were freshly groomed. solid base with very thin groomed top. Skied turtleville ferndell hastings pioneer ishnala conditions varied between excellent to poor great cover to ice to bare to tree limbs under the groomed trail. Still beats the alternative. Definitely rock skis. Too thin for tracks.

(Dan Dudley)

I found the Fern Dell and Hastings Loop to be fairly descent with snow coverage. To be sure there was perhaps 40 to 50 yards of open area; pine needles, roots and icy dirt. However there were long stretches of very skiable base. Keep in mind my expectations were very low and I skied early afternoon when the crusty, hard snow had softened up. All in all pleasantly surprised at conditions.

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(Nicholas Schneider)

Well it's been a pretty sad season to date in the Madison area with temps too warm even to make much snow at CXC in Middleton. With that said I was surprised to find some passable rock skiing here on the 5k Fern Dale Trail. Plenty of pine needles, roots, dirt patches but I made it around without taking a digger. The base is intact for the most part and some below 32F would help immensely — as would an inch or two on top. Hardcores might find it worth the hour drive from Madison if it freezes up a bit. No tracks obviously but you could slide around on fish scales if classic was your thing. Either way southern Wisco is snow starved and desperate times call for desperate measures.

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(Mike Ivey)

I skied the Newport/Kilbourn, Ishnala, Pioneer, and the Hastings - up to the Pinecone Pass cutover (the rest was of Hastings was not groomed). There was a decent amount of snow, and the trails were rolled, but not tracked. There was a lot of debris from the recent wind storm, but it was ski-able and worth the 45 minute trip.

(Christopher Alberts)