Best "backwoods-urban" skiing you'll find! Eloise Butler, Wedding Hill, and Quaking Bog are in the best shape so far this season. None of the usual uphills have exposed dirt or twigs. The snow is surprisingly clean on 95% of the South Wirth trails. There are a few leaves and a couple stray twigs to contend with, but no exposed dirt or rocks. The Jar Hill and Wirth Lake trails are in good shape as well, and there is new return trail from Jar Hill to the front of the Wirth Beach House parking lot, which is nice. The connection across I-394 is dirty as usual, but the descent to Brownie Lake is in good shape, and there is tons of snow under the Brownie-Cedar tunnel. I could not see any ice in the tunnel. I did not ski around Cedar Lake but it looked to be in good shape as well.

Photos:

(Bill Oyler)

Groomed Butler, Big, Erickson, Oakvik, 394 trails for classic skiing this morning. Butler is better than the others. Some dirt turning up. Not great classic conditions, but you can still do it.

(Craig Jarvinen)

Skied South and North trails today at Wirth. What a beautiful day! There were a few spots in the trails that were starting to become bare, but they were easily avoidable. The natural trails north of the man-made trails didn't have as firm of a skate deck as the rest of the trails and they were a little icy on the uphills in that section as the groomed slow gets pushed away. Classic trails were intermittent throughout both parts of Wirth and some were set tracks while others looked to be made by skiers. There was a groomer out around 3:30 pm in the Quaking Bog regrooming that section which was really nice as there were really firm skate decks throughout the trails. Make sure to get out there and have fun!

(Joe Kane)

Eloise Butler Trail, Quaking Bog/Norm Oakvik Trail and Bridge Trail all in excellent shape. Some sticks here and there but overall excellent conditions.

(Jonas Nygard)

Skate deck groomed this morning. Lots of skiers already out in Eloise Butler and the Bog. Classic track not set across all of the course due to thinner snow conditions but overall coverage is good. B skis due to sticks, etc.

(Mike Erickson, Loppet Foundation)

Classic skied sections south of Glenwood Ave around 3 pm. No classic tracks, appears to be too thin. For the most part good coverage, and fairly firm. Would have been more enjoyable skating. Even with the hills, felt pretty cold in the late afternoon.

Photos:

(Bruce Adelsman)

Eloise Butler and Quaking Bog trails are groomed, but not yet tracked. Make sure to display your MPRB Ski Pass.

(Isaac Kasper, Loppet Foundation)

Groomed Eloise Butler Trail 4:30 - 5:30pm today and had nice snow covering the ice sheet below. Should be decent to ski rock skis unless you punch through to the ice. Hills are still icy underneath and groomer was not able to pull drag up the icy hills today, so spotty grooming on the hills and above where I was not able to get to. I was not able to clear the hill up toward the bog side so did not have a chance to inspect and groom that side.

(Jonas Nygard)

Extremely icy conditions, some dusting of snow on top of cruddy ice. Completely unskiable in most places. Trail closed until we get a bit more snow and can cover the ice sheet.

(Jonas Nygard)

Too icy and bare. Trails closed (Eloise Butler Trail, Quaking Bog/Norm Oakvik Trail, Erickson). Hope for new snow the next two days!

(Craig Jarvinen)