Skate skied all the manmade loops. Lake trail is pretty rough with a lot of debris and mulch in the snow. Rock ski conditions. The nature center trail is pretty good and B skis would be fine. Loose and easy to break through, but great to out in the woods.

(Andre L’Heureux)

All of the natural snow trails (Lake, Hill, Nature Center loops) are in remarkably good shape this morning for the first natural snowfall of the season! Bring skis that you don't mind dinging up, however, because the uphills are a bit chewed up and there is exposed ground and sticks and other forest debris. But 90% of the natural snow trails are in really great shape!

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(Bill Oyler)

Slow but fun skate ski after the fresh snow. Lake loop was rolled in the morning. Pretty loose but manageable. Just don't use your best skis on natural trails.

(Sean Tardrew)

First, I tried skating in the new snow on the full snow-making loop including Boulder Ridge. Whew, new snow hadn't been packed/groomed so lotta work! The HS races started so I ventured out onto Lakeview natural snow loop and it actually was skiable with B skis. I was able to avoid any thin or bad spots and it was beautiful and serene out there! It was thinner up in the last stretch thru the picnic area and the last climb up to the chalet. Only a few brave souls had skated or classiced the natural trails, and some had tried the Hill and Oak Knob Trails as well. On the snow-making loop, classic skiing looked a lot better!

(Dave Carlson)

The entire snowmaking loop was open. It was 28 degrees per the Swix thermometer with a light overcast. Up to the top of Scenic there was a fairly consistent 1 1/2 to 2 inches of sugar on the trail that really slowed me on my second time out this season despite newly waxed skis. Thereafter the flats were pretty clean and faster but there was still sugar churned up on the climbs particularly on the 1st portion of the Scenic climb after the Boulder Ridge downhill. Just beat the start of the high school races when I got off the trail at 3:30.

(Keith Carlson)

Fairly good conditions, icy in some spots and slow uphills, but otherwise good! Entire 5k loop is open, but hopefully snowfall will allow the natural trails to open up. Thanks to the groomers!

(Ella Bakken)

Overall decent conditions at Hyland this afternoon. There was some ice in the tracks at times and coarse snow, but still very skiable with a couple stops to rewax. Hopefully we'll get some snow soon!

Photos:

(Bill Lundberg)

Tracks were hard and icy. Lots of leaves frozen in on the Southern part of the trail. Snow depth looked great. I used my skin skis that worked pretty well. Now if I could only do something about the motor...

(Rick Vatsaas)

The entire snowmaking loop was open and in good shape other than the approximately 37F temp. After bringing mismatched equipment, I ended up renting skis and boots. So what was certain to be a slow ski was probably even slower on the unwaxed rentals. I did one loop at a blistering 5.2 mph. Only a light layer of wetter snow on top with little sugar churned up on the climbs. The Boulder Ridge downhill was easily negotiable with only light snowplow wake on it. Thank you Three Rivers park admin and groomers and I guess the early season cold temperatures for getting the full snowmaking loop open much earlier this season. Looked at my records for last year and saw that the full snow making loop was not open until Jan. 17.

(Keith Carlson)

Great conditions this morning for a ski. Classic tracks were firm and in pristine shape. Skate deck was nice corduroy. No complaints other than being too warm.

(Scott Greymont)