We are just coming in grooming in the rain. The conditions have deteriorated from yesterday. There are many thin areas, wet areas and bare areas. We groomed the wide trails of old ABR and the dog trails, it is skiable and we are open.

Photos:

(Eric Anderson, ABR Trails)

All of the classic only trails were set in the morning. However the warm temperatures caused them to deteriorate by the afternoon. The skate deck looked really good. All in all it was a good day of sking in-spite of the warm temperatures.

(Eric Koch)

We had a full crew out today grooming early this morning. The skate lanes groomed up pretty well but the groomers are bringing up some debris... not rocks but organic matter, dirt on the high spots and leaves and nuts when we groom over where the squirrels are digging holes in the trails looking for their nuts. There are about 6 bedrock exposures on the 43.8 km we groomed today Classic tracks on the main trails are worn, glazed but skiing pretty decent. We reset classic tracks on Hemlock (the beginning is rough after the slight downhill but the rest was pretty good) jack and white pine, tamarack 2 track and sunset groomed up well. Wolf tracks is still pretty hit and miss. I am going to close puumala tomorrow and ridge runner because of some thin snow conditions on the downhills. Grooming plans: We have a full groomer crew in the early morning, based on the forecast we should be able to make lemonade in the morning.

(Eric Anderson, ABR Trails)

We groomed about 45 k of combination trails and set 37 k of new track on classic only trails, some thin areas from snowplowing and grooming but very skiable. Picture of jack pine.

Photos:

(Eric Anderson, ABR Trails)

Another very good afternoon of skiing. Really, no deterioration of the trails since I was last here on Monday despite no new snow. I arrived at 2:00 pm and it was 34F and same when I left two hours later. Just a few more areas where the trail is brown, but still very comfortable skating: consistent deck, no icy spots.

(Charlie Dee)

45 km of combination (skate and classic) trails were groomed up this morning by three of us. The trails turned out very good. Classic only trails are skiable but the classic tracks on the combi trails are much better. Hemlock downhill to River and Wolf Tracks are open but not as snow covered as others. Grooming plans: Five groomers scheduled for the early morning. We plan to regroom the main trails including the Highlands and dog trails across the road tomorrow but we do not plan on regrooming classic tracks until it cools and we get another inch or two.

(Eric Anderson, ABR Trails)

Conditions were fabulous for my ski at ABR this Christmas Eve. These were the best conditions of the year from my experience. Trails were much flatter than they have been the snow was fast and edge control pretty much perfect.

(Kirby Schuller)

We had a great day of skiing today with 45 km of fresh grooming and 27 degrees. The skiing has been very good with the exception of Hemlock downhill and wolf tracks cedar swamp, we are 100% open with 92 km of trails. Grooming plans: We don't like to have employees work on Christmas but we do have a groomer volunteer to groom with me on Christmas Day.

Photos:

(Eric Anderson, ABR Trails)

Skating was great. While it hasn't snowed for several days so there are some dirty spots appearing, they are small, infrequent and easily avoidable. The skate deck is firm with excellent purchase for skate-offs. Fa La La.

(Charlie Dee)

Today I saw 4 out of 8 of our groom crew on the trail skiing. That is a sign the conditions are pretty good...and I get the info on what needs regrooming. That's great feedback from our crew. Grooming plans: Tomorrow we have a groom crew of 4 and we will be resetting tracks and regrooming skate lanes.

(Eric Anderson, ABR Trails)