Skied the 6k, conditions are surprisingly good! Good glide on the skate trail, the bumps are better. It looked like the classic tracks didn't exist, but folks were out having fun without them.

(Tim Bontrager)

What a difference a half an inch of snow can make! We went out, one skated, two classic skied today on the 5k and Special K. Tracks on 85% or so, very solid, but not super wide throughout so if you have wider skis beware (my husband got caught on a narrow spot and fell). Skate deck was not re-groomed since the snow, and it was still in great shape with the base underneath. Full coverage, a few bumps in spots but nothing major, no ice, nothing scary at all. I am a chicken on downhills and was able to ski down all without any fear. Best skating with real snow in Duluth for sure! Thanks groomers for keeping up what we had.

(Eve Graves)

This afternoon we set the knives shallow and took the Ginzus around the 8K. The base is even shallower than the 6K, we counted 4 exposed rocks, many areas of exposed ground, and the trail has lots of debris (photos 1-3). The classic track is <50%. Rock Skis strongly recommended on the 8K. We then ran the 6K, which is in much better shape, 99% covered, smooth but bumpy. Classic tracks <50%, but a bit better on SpecialK. Light snow began as we finished. Grooming plans: Our plan is to do no more grooming until after the next snow event. KidSki will go from 1:30-4 for the next six Sundays. The chalet area will be crowded with 160 participants + parents, so the best Sunday visiting will be before 1:30 or after 4.

Photos:

(John Graham)

Today, I dropped the Ginzu knives just enough to scrape the deck and did multiple passes on the 6K, yielding a smoother surface and some corduroy. Can't till deeper because the base is so shallow. The classic track is <50% intact, and can't be restored until the next snowfall. The "Sprint Loop" on the 8K was also skate-groomed. For the time being, we are OK for skating, but very poor for classic skiing.

Photos:

(John Graham)

I kinda skied and walked at Snowflake today. Went out to Special K to see how it held up since last Thursday. The classic tracks are the same as they were last Thursday -- about 90% there and solid as heck, no ice. I classic ski with a very narrow racing skin and honestly think anything thicker would be a challenge and you would get caught on the tracks. The skate deck was a step above concrete, not really much of an edge anymore as it must have been very well used. If you like to go really fast when skating, you will have a blast.

(Eve Graves)

Optimistic view is that Snowflake has complete coverage and is completely skiable, which is amazing! Thanks so much. Some notes - the classic tracks looked in pretty poor shape, particularly on the blue trail. I found the blue loop a bit bumpier and with some ruts, whereas I was skidding out more on the red 6 km loop. I saw 6 rocks in total on the 10 km loop, all on uphills, so pay attention as they are easily avoided.

(Will Daniels)

Skiing was a lot better than I expected it to be! If you are good at transferring your weight you will "enjoy" it. If not, I'd skip it. We had a mix of new skiers and seasoned. The new skiers were sliding around a bit. The trail is hard packed, has some of the typical undulating surfaces in spots, and the groomers did a nice job of scratching up the surface to get a nice edge. The classic tracks were neither icy nor missing, as I had been told! We only did Special K today, wanted to skip the hills, and I'd say 90% of the classic tracks were intact and no ice at all. A nice dusting of snow in them! So if you know how to transfer your weight from ski to ski, and if you want real snow, head to Snowflake!

(Eve Graves)

No new grooming today. The cold temps help preserve our shallow base, but sunny days can be ablating the loose snow, so future grooming is limited until we get snow. Our classic tracks are about 70% intact, but shallow, glazed and icy. Our "fishscale" rental skis are pretty useless in these tracks. For that reason I am discouraging visitors who need rental skis from visiting until conditions improve. We'll be Open this weekend, skating should be fast but bumpy, but classic skiing will be a bit hairy. Think Snow.

Photos:

(John Graham)

Today we ran the Ginzus, with shallow knives, around the 8K (pictured). With the shallow base, we've got a smoothed surface that follows every contour in the ground, so it's bumpy. The 8K classic track is about 70% intact and icy. There's more exposed grass and debris than on the 6K. We also refreshed the deck on the 6K. Think Snow!

Photos:

(John Graham)

Surprisingly good coverage and conditions on the 6k loop. Firm, fast, a tad icy in some spots. Some uneven area and bumps. Some sections had bits of old track but most untracked and I wouldn't recommend classic there right now. A few areas with a little grass/straw poking through but could probably get away with using good skis here if you pay attention. They've done a great job with grooming/protecting the snow.

Photos:

(Gabrielle Hester)