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!

Photos:

(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.

Photos:

(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)

Classic skied north from OO about 9KM on classic trail and back on skate trail from Boedecker. Birkie Tour going on today. Skate deck was good skis. Classic tracks were debatable whether good skis or B skis. There are spots now and then showing thinness in the track base with grass showing through or leaves or dirt. I used my good skis and noticed a couple new scratches after my ski. If you can anticipate and see the thin base spots, I suppose you could step out onto the skate deck to avoid the spots. Birkie Land needs more snow.

Photos:

(Ken Kuznia)

Skied north from Mosquito Brook to OO and back. Slow conditions due to -17F snow at the start. Solid deck was in great condition. Classic tracks looked deep and intact. Used my good skis with no concerns. A few isolated small patches, easily navigated around, where snow was a little thinner. Great trail.

(William Sikorski)

I skied the loops at Hwy OO and a little of the southbound main trail. Grooming was pretty good. There were some small dirty spots and a few leaves and twigs, but easy to avoid. The classic tracks on one side were new and on the other side, older but good. The tracks also had some leaves and some small dirty spots. I give it an 8.

(Don Quick)

Skate skied from OO to Fire Tower and back - out on the Classic trail and back on the Skate trail. Conditions were very good but there was some debris (dirt) and sticks poking through the snow, all avoidable. Thank you groomers!

(Genevieve Johnson)

Classic skied around 20 something km on the Birkie Trail from Trailhead start, late this morning. Conditions were fabulous for the amount of snow. The tracks and the skate deck were phenomenally groomed, hard but softening up with the warming temperature of midday, not icy at all. Glide was pretty good and kick was solid ascending hills. Noticed a few grassy and dirty areas that were easily avoidable. An awesome ski. Can't wait to ski it again!

Photos:

(Kevin Grand)

A cold start of a new year. -3F at OO at noon. Classic south of OO had an old but good track southbound, the northbound track is faint at places. Skate deck had a lot of use over the past few days and definitely needs some grooming as it is getting very hard-packed. The skate trail from Boedecker to Fire tower is in better shape and has really nice classic tracks. The classic trail has not been groomed again since the last snowfall from last Tuesday. I was on my classic skis on it and I feel it might be nicer to skate with the two inches of powder to cover the hard base.

Photos:

(Gui Girard)