The trail is thin. Saturday's classic tracks had a number of leafy sections and some exposed dirt. A half inch of new snow overnight made the skate deck look better for Sunday's skate, but the north of OO the skate trail still had a couple sections of exposed dirt and a number of dark sections. I tossed some 1" and 2" diameter rocks off the trail and avoided the dirty sections. Also watch the snowmobile crossings as a friend saw some fist sized rocks during the Saturday race. The classic trail is quite a bit better. You can get around the problems, but I'd leave the race skis behind.

(Jay Wenner)

Great day on the Birkie trail. Skied everything between Mosquito Brook and Lake Hayward. Trail clearly hadn't seen the groomer for a few days, but the skate deck was holding up well, and it looked like the tracks were as well. A thin layer of fresh powder made things a bit prettier and a bit slower this morning, also hid a few sketchier spots with leaf litter / twigs. These spots are few and far between as well as being easy to avoid, but they are there.

(Mitchell Campbell)

Classic skied 46 km from Birkie start to Fish Hatchery on the Classic trail to OO, then combo to Fish Hatchery, 3:35. Conditions were snowed in tracks to Fire Tower, skied in tracks to OO, then met the groomers after OO and had a freshened up skate deck and tracks. No complaints. Phenomenal ski! Thank you Birkie groomers.

(Kevin Grand)

With a break in the cold spell, I skated the loops south of Hwy OO. The skate deck was very firm and pretty clean. The loops had classic tracks on at least one side and they looked pretty good.

(Don Quick)

Great for bushwacking! Several snowfalls last couple days, no groomed skate or tracks from Gravel Pit to Lake Hayward.

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(Audun Mikkelson)

Skied OO to fire tower and back on the skate trail. Overall trail was in good shape, but a few thin spots are evident. I used my good skis without worry as the thin spots were easy to see and not very common. Overall great skiing on the Birkie trail!

(Erik Erickson)

Classic skied from Birkie start to OO and back on skate trail and part of classic trail. Awesome conditions! Tracks were solid with good glide and enough grip to kick up many of the hills. The skate deck was hard, but soft enough to make herringboning up steeper sections of hills a breeze. If you look at what the trail looks like at the start that's basically exactly what it skis like through OO. Not too many dirty areas. Superb ski!

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(Kevin Grand)

Classic skied from OO to Boedecker and back, and then skied OO loop. Tracks well used. Used my good skis, but did step out of tracks a few times to avoid some debris or thin areas under some pine trees.

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(Ken Kuznia)

We skied from Trail Head at Cable to OO in the afternoon. The trails were in very good shape and ski conditions were nice and fast. There were occasional small thin to bare spots with small amounts of debris that could easily be avoided. My friend decided to only use his B skis because of this. It was great to see the trails being used (but was not crowded) so much and I did not realize how nice and frequent the heated rest facilities are along the trail. Gotta go back soon!

(John Schweiss)

Classic skied south from OO to the 18KM marker and back. More snow base under the tracks south of 00 than the tracks I skied north of OO yesterday. I think the re-tracking for Birkie Tour yesterday cut a deeper track north of OO.

Photos:

(Ken Kuznia)