The biathlon course was scratched up and very nice for skating. Track looked a little icy, but good. Extra entertainment was provided by MYSL practice and a ski jumping meet. Some very ambitious kids!

Photos:

(Jeff Pesta)

Good skiing on the freshly tilled skate lane and reset tracks for kids on waxless skis. Bright sun and strong west wind challenged the jumpers flying off the 70 meter and the spectators trying to watch them. I successfully flew down Roller Coaster and Waterfall and called it good enough. Tonight groomer freshly tilled Waterfall and the flats that were exposed to sun and wind during the day.

(Catherine McLynn)

Rock hard ice has been tilled and track set where possible on the 2 k loop of man made snow. Stadium tilled but no tracks set.

(Catherine McLynn)

1.65 km machine-made snow loop tilled, and a track was set on the trails. Track is actually pretty good in some places. There's a bit of ice in places after the rain and refreeze, but otherwise, it's a firm, fast base. Where there was no snowmaking, you can actually get by in a lot of places as there is a thin layer of ice and refrozen slush covered with 1/2" of snow, but I would not consider these segments open. About 4.7" liquid equivalent precipitation this winter, and slightly less than 1" of that was in the form of 12" snow we've had since Dec 1st.

Photos:

(Bob Conzemius)

Very nice skate skiing this morning. One inch of groomed new snow set up hard and fast. Just a few icy spots in places. No tracks set and a really hard base.

(Carl Nordgren)

All machine made snow groomed with Pisten Bully late Friday night; skate deck set. Approximately 2k of total trail. Trails in the woods look nice. Some open areas in stadium are icy. No classic tracks set. We will try to set tracks when we are able to further till snow or perhaps get a bit of the real stuff.

(Jonathan Arntson)

Trails are closed on Tuesday, Feb 6 for Section 8 HS Championships. Machine made snow is generally holding up well given the circumstances. We have no specific weather related closures slated for later this week, but grooming may be spotty due to coming warm/rain. Further announcements regarding availability will be made here.

(Jonathan Arntson)

Groomed the 1.65 km of machine-made snow for Section 8 high school races Tuesday Feb 6. Set tracks for the races, too, so there will be tracks for classic skiing when the races are finished. Didn't have a chance to assess the rest of the trails, but given the amount of snow and melting in sun-exposed areas, Exit Ramp is likely closed, and there could be some bare areas in some places where there was no snowmaking. Use good skis on the 1.65 km loop and rock skis elsewhere.

(Bob Conzemius)

Lower loops of rock hard man made snow on biathlon course have been tilled and tracks reset. Good skiing for the weekend. Upper and west trails icy and hard pack. No grooming possible. Thin base with bare spots, dirt and leaves.

(Catherine McLynn)

Skied Mount Itasca this afternoon. In the sun it was actually kind of like pleasant spring skiing. Shade was icy. Fast all around. About 2k of trails around the biathalon range have good snow depth. Everything else that is natural snow has pretty widespread bare spots.

(Afton Clarke-Sather)