My first night ski under the lights this season, and it was stellar. Skate deck was fast and firm, but not icy. I'm a new skater, so getting used to it, and I crashed only one time. Conditions were excellent, and the classic tracks looked good and clean, hardly any leaf debris.

(Glenn Hansen)

Freakin fast. It was my fastest skate of the season! Despite 4:36 PM start, I was able to finish the 4.8 mile, Figure 8 loop formed by Hills, Browns Pond, Hills (again), Prairie, Savanna and Hills (again) in less than 40 minutes, just after dusk. Firmly packed with lots of corduroy. My narrow Fischers, which previously challenged my balance/smoothness, tracked perfectly allowing me to skate rather than snowplow the faster turns. It was about 20 degrees and overcast. I used FastWax Blue LF. Kudos to the groomers.

(Keith Carlson)

After seeing a groomer's report on SkinnySki this morning, I brushed out and waxed my skis, heading out to Lake Elmo this afternoon. I stuck to the Savannah, North, and Prairie loops to give my old legs a break after taking on the Battle Creek hills yesterday. By the time I got to Lake Elmo, the trails weren't pristine any more, just very good. The skate deck was solid with a good corduroy top (somewhat skated out in places), and the diagonal tracks ran fairly fast, as far as using them to run down some of the hills. I found the deck to provide good push, good glide, and good control uphill, downhill, and on the flats. All in all, a wonderful ski this afternoon.

(David Sonnenberg)

Started about 1 p.m. the track was mostly really good, hard and full depth. Just a couple of places where it was partially filled in from wind blown snow. Unfortunately, oak leaves and Amur maple seed is beginning to accumulate, which is disruptive to striding. For my tastes, in several places I wish the track had been pulled further up the climbs to provide for more striding. Skate deck looked really good.

(Stan Hokanson)

The groomer went out and repacked the trails on the East and the West side this morning and the tracks set on the east side yesterday have set nicely with the colder temperature. Things are in pretty good condition overall!

(Jen Garcia, Washington County Parks)

Conditions were fantastic. A bit chilly from the wind but skate deck was phenomenal. Surprised there wasn't any ice anywhere. Can't beat the lights at Lake Elmo at night. Get out there!

(Peter Johnson)

Skied all outer loops. Skate deck appeared to have been groomed this morning. Plenty of snow. Firm and fast but smooth and not at all icy. Overall, great conditions - thanks groomers!

(Jess Holle)

Did a classic ski at Lake Elmo this afternoon, approx. 2-3pm. Started on the green trail, turned off on Brown's Pond, and then turned right onto the mile long Flats section. Tracks to that point were decent, a bit icy here and there, but on the Flats section with the wind blowing a little some of the tracks were filled with some drifting snow, but not a real problem skiing. Went through the woods on the green trail and turned onto the yellow prairie trail. I finished with a loop around the savanna trail. Nice and quiet on the trails, the skate deck looked to be in good shape, downhill sections were not icy so skiing downhill not a problem. Nice afternoon of skiing.

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(Harlan Jones)

Nice work groomers! Although the park's own rating was fair and B skis recommended, it was prime skiing in the afternoon and fine for good skis. Fresh corduroy in the skate lane, a little soft in places but good edging and very fast. Excellent classic tracks as well, nice and crisp and fast, with plenty of grip for both skins and fish scales. No sign of the ice that other trails had been reporting. Very little traffic in early afternoon, though I believe a high school meet is happening in late afternoon.

(David Zarkower)

The groomer started early this morning and is repacking and resetting tracks on the east side trails. Things are a bit soft and still a little icy in some sections of the trail but things are still in fair/good condition.

(Jen Garcia, Washington County Parks)