Another day much cooler than forecasted. We managed to stay around the freezing mark all day with cloud cover which provided skiing into the afternoon and helped maintain the coverage and base we have. At lunch time I went to the northern part of the trail system to check out the trails after not being up there in a few weeks. Found adequate coverage on North Loup to ski all the way around other than a few short south facing sections. The part of Roy's Run I skied had good coverage and great crust skiing on a 7" wide Ginzu groomed combed only surface. Enjoyed "sweet spot" skiing the entire time. After returning, put on the fish scaled classic skis and skied the 5km we are still grooming, with Jonell. Fun spring like conditions, a few icy sections but the corn snow was just creamy enough for adequate edging. Looks like another good freeze tonight and trails will be open in the morning. Grooming plans: No grooming planned this evening but there is still structure on the deck as a result of lighter traffic today. Tomorrow we will patch the thin areas on the 5km loop once the harvesting snow softens up.

Photos:

(Jay Richards, Maplelag Resort)

Maplelag is maintaining a loop of around 5 k(?), primarily over Skater's Waltz and Sukkerbusk, providing for a good ski. The loop can be skated or skied trackless classic. Suicide Hill is still covered well and is in good shape for hill climbing. Considering MN ski conditions this winter, it is great to still have access to skiing. Thanks to Jay, Jon, and the team at Maplelag.

(Glenn Gifford)

A nice day of spring skiing on 5km of trail. We hovered around freezing today with thick clouds keeping the snow snappy and thin base mostly intact. The loop we have been maintaining the past week saw good use today but held out well. Skied early afternoon to check conditions and was great seeing so many people out. A few icy spots but high humidity taking off the edge. Knowing the coverage I used my best skis but recommend B or rock skis to be safe. This afternoon and early evening we groomed the loop, patching as many thin areas as we could. This 5km loop will be open again tomorrow, recommended to ski from 10am-1pm for best conditions. Trail can be picked up behind freight house using the soccer filed connector. Once up on skaters waltz, loop can be skied either direction cones at intersections.

Photos:

(Jay Richards, Maplelag Resort)

Hard freeze and slightly cooler temps today kept the base and coverage we have intact. Went out for a skate ski this morning but ventured off the trail to take advantage of the great crust skiing on the adjacent lakes. Hadn't been on some of the outer trails in a while after focusing on the inner loops and pleased to find the coverage hanging on. South facing slopes bare or very very thin. This afternoon we worked on a few south facing segments of the 5km loop we are grooming and nice to see a few people out skiing. Trails will be open another day, not sure on Sunday so trails will be open all day Saturday. Recommended to ski mid morning until 2pm on the groomed loop, east segments of Skaters Waltz and Sukkerbusk. Cones are out marking the key turns. Best place to access is far parking lot where Sukkerbusk starts and finish and head out through soccer field connector.

Photos:

(Jay Richards, Maplelag Resort)

Morning low was nearly 10 degrees cooler than forecasted which allowed everything to freeze down rock hard and last a little longer before today's high temp of 44. Skied around noon on a 5km loop that has the best coverage which includes the east side segments of Skaters Waltz and Sukkerbusk using Sap Run as a connector. This afternoon we shoveled on the thin areas then groomed it out. It was already freezing down at dusk and should set up hard overnight. Best skiing from 10am-12pm and we ask folks to be off by 1pm. We will be back out tomorrow working on these segments.We are hopeful we can have these trails open Saturday as well. Bare spots have opened up on other trails in between the good coverage and extreme caution advised if venturing off on other trails.

Photos:

(Jay Richards, Maplelag Resort)

After a morning of snow harvesting bringing a few loads to the trails in the woods, took a lap on Skaters Waltz at lunch catching the end of the sweet spot. Froze down hard last night and the grooming from the night be fore set up well and was about as good as it gets spring skiing. We were back out in the afternoon scraping snow off the lake and transporting to the start area. Temp was close to 50 today and there was some snow loss but grooming at dusk still found coverage throughout Skaters. A few more passes this evening on Skaters will provide skiing opportunity tomorrow before 1pm. The Kamikaze section is a bit more thin and recommended to use Sap Run as a connector to make a loop. Other trails have more bare spots, can definitely make a skiable loop using a variety of trails that have the best coverage.

Photos:

(Jay Richards, Maplelag Resort)

It was a very good day of spring skiing this morning at Maplelag! Zero skis again provided great grip. I skied North Loup and Roy's Run; there was good coverage of snow on these two trails and the ski deck was holding very well. There were a few thinning spots where the sun was starting to overcome the snow, but not significant enough to affect skiing this morning.

(Glenn Gifford)

Not quite as warm today and cloud cover kept melting to a minimum. Skied a few laps on Skaters Waltz this morning finding fun and fast spring like conditions. Rest of the day we were harvesting snow to Skaters Waltz and Sap Run. The snow was damp and packed well. This evening we combed and ran the Ginzu teeth down, floating the surface as it was already freezing down hard on Skaters Waltz and Sap Run. Did not reset tracks. With the cold temps tonight and adequate coverage on most trails, we will be open again Wednesday until 1pm. Best coverage is on Sap Run and Skaters Waltz. Other trails are open but haven't been groomed or patrolled so use extra caution etc.

Photos:

(Jay Richards, Maplelag Resort)

I skied two of the the inner trails today, Mother North Star and Jibfly. Temps were in the low 30s. I used Fischer Zero skis and they gripped very well. Extra caution advised before proceeding on some of the downhills, to check the sun has not opened any unexpected holes in the trail that may grab your ski and cause a fall. I also skied Twin Lakes and also part of the Island Lake trail. Coverage was surprisingly mostly very good in the trees. There were a couple of thin spots, usually on a south facing exposure after catching some extra sun. It was excellent spring skiing conditions (but the calendar still only says "January"). No matter the temps and despite the limited snowfall, you won't find better conditions in my opinion, and it's always a good day to ski Maplelag. Thank you.

(Glenn Gifford)

Fun spring like skiing this morning. Skaters Waltz was skiing well until noon or so. Tracks were bit icy but better at softening point. We spent the afternoon and early evening shoveling and farming snow on to Sap Run and Skaters Waltz and grooming after. Another day bit warmer than forecasted and along with sun, the base deteriorated with more thin areas opening up.
The trails will be closing at noon on Tuesday to try and preserve the base we have during this warm spell as we continue shoveling on the above trails.

Photos:

(Jay Richards, Maplelag Resort)