At 10am and 20F degrees the Lake (natural trail) was still lovely with good coverage, a little icy sometimes in the primary skier-made classic track, few sticks. Swans were on the lake when I was there. But use caution anywhere it crosses the pavement trail especially that back southwestern hill when coming around the curve!

Photos:

(Bonnie Melville)

Gorgeous day for a slow scenic ski on Lake. Tracked only by other classic skiers and lots of boot and dog prints but no bare spots nor debris. Firm in the tracks. Joyful!

Photos:

(Bonnie Melville)

No grooming, but most trails were skier-tracked. Pretty good snow coverage generally.

Photos:

(Craig Wiklund, North Star Ski Touring Club)

Trails are not groomed, but surprisingly good conditions for our first time on natural snow trails this winter. My skin skis did not start clumping snow until we finished the Lake loop and skied through slush.

Photos:

(David Byrne, Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club)

Not groomed. Icy rutted with a lot of walker footprints. Wait till it warms up or go biking instead.

Photos:

(Kevin Wendland)

At 10:30 am, I regrettably began what was probably my last ski of the season. ( Desk staff said grooming has ended.) It was 32 degrees, sunny with no wind and Star was in excellent condition. Light sugar on the NE and NW climb but the long west to east hill was really clean. The combination of no wind, no sugar on the west to east hill and emulating two other skiers on that hill's descent by step turning rather than snow plowing thru the last turn onto the bypass on my second time on that hill over my six laps helped me set a personal record pace 12.5% or 1 mile per hour faster than my seasonal goal that I attained back on Feb. 21. Hyland (plus a few times at Battle Creek and once at Carver) even with just Star open since March 1 allowed me to get out and ski 44 times and a cumulative 156 miles. To do that and set a lifetime record pace at 71 was a real gift. Thanks Three Rivers and Hyland groomers!

(Keith Carlson)

At my 10:40 am start, it was 30 degrees and sunny with a light crowd. Star was in very good condition. Just a little dirt on the inside of the curve as you turn into the straight away starting at the back of the trailhead bldg. Moderate sugar on the NE and NW climbs. Snow had corned and slowed me as I reached the top of the longer west to east climb. Still covered 5 laps doing the west to east climb twice at my third fastest pace for the season.

(Keith Carlson)

Another fast day at Hyland. Groomed but short. Quite a few skiers with AirPods. One way to beat the boredom.

(Kevin Wendland)

At 10:20 am start, it was around 30 degrees with a surprisingly cold north wind as you rounded the corner to the shack, sunny, a fair crowd and Star's trail conditions were very good. Some dirty snow on the portion next to the trailhead parking lot easy to ski around and some sugar build-up on the NW climb. At least when I was there the climb on the longer west east trail that I only did twice in the course of my 6 laps was fast. It was my fastest pace of the year. Thanks Three Rivers and groomers.

(Keith Carlson)

I got out to Hyland at 10:00 am, and the classic tracks were already a little slushy. I had a decent glide, and a good kick with my no wax skis. The Star Loop is still holding up well. It sounds like Hyland will groom through the weekend. I saw only three classic skiers and no skaters this morning.

Photos:

(Bill Lundberg)