Timed a trip to French perfectly this morning. The groomer was just finishing up the skate deck, leaving me with fresh corduroy all the way around and the snow was just starting to fall. The classic tracks were not reset today but were present until the fresh snow started filing them in. Today had by far the best conditions I have seen all season on the natural snow trails. Skate deck still had some mild uneven nature to it but overall, I had excellent control on today's softer, freshly groomed and mostly smooth surface. It started snowing in earnest on my third lap slowing ski speed a little and covering the fresh corduroy but no sign of freezing rain in this area. What a beautiful day to be outside!

(Leif Irgens)

Tough classic conditions - It might be a better day for skating. Looks like the classic tracks haven't been groomed in a while. On the heavily used trails (Lagoon, Lakeside, Meadow) there was an icy glaze in the classic tracks. Skyline had some glazed tracks along the wetlands area, but the hill was in good shape with nice grippy snow. The skate deck looked good and on the Medicine trail there was a fresh corduroy but they also groomed over the 1/2 classic track! And it looked like a lot of people were trying to keep their new year's resolutions - lots of walkers and snow-shoers out and about on Lagoon and Lakeside.

(Steve Hum)

Set out around 9 am on a skate deck that had been recently groomed. It was a little firm for my skills (or lack thereof) but good skiers would probably rate it good and fast. The minor undulations, imperfections and "rumble strips" continue to give me trouble, as they have more input over where my skis go that I do, but better skiers probably won't notice. l stepped into the classic tracks here and there. They are present all around but a little thin, I came out of them inadvertently a few times when coasting downhill.

(Leif Irgens)

The classic tracks had fresh snow in the bottom of previously set tracks which made for good skiing. We did all the hill loops a couple times west of the visitor center. Our daughter, who visits from Manhattan, always enjoys skiing French because of the solitude. Only saw a few skiers out on the trails today!

Photos:

(Bill Lundberg)

Skied Lagoon and the conditions were decent. There's evidently been a lot of traffic, so many of the hills and intersections have no/partial tracks. Saw a few folks going the wrong way, but it is the beginner loop.

(Joseph Mueller)

Skied mid-afternoon, found the trails holding up well even with a fair amount of use. Skate deck was firm but not hard packed, and still glad good glide as the temps were above freezing. Classic looked good, though a little slow when I tried it. A lot of skiers out! Surprised by how many groups of skiers I ran into going the wrong direction on the lower Lakeview trail, haven't seen that before at French.

Photos:

(Bruce Adelsman)

The skate deck was nicely groomed with about an inch of softer snow on top of a hard base. The causeway, the section of Meadow along Northwest Boulevard, and the section of Skyline along the wetlands area was starting to get windblown by the time I was finishing. Quite a bit of leaf litter and seeds on the trails but nothing of concern.

(Steve Hum)

Nice snow pack, good classic tracks set. Twigs and seeds on trails. I used red fastwax. Looked like the groomers had been out earlier today.

(Scott Kee)

Skied all the trails a couple of times and the snow was very fast even with waxless skis. Tracks were very wind-blown in the open but usually enough to get a grip. Outside the tracks the snow was very firm. Lots of debris in wooded areas (especially coming down lakeside trail from the chalet) so I was glad I used waxless.

(Dan Zenk)

Even though it was windy and cold, it seemed better today with the bright sunshine and blue sky. Well set tracks and the skate deck was good but once again the wind drifted in the tracks in the open areas while the tracks in the woods were good. Debris in the trail here and there, but not too bad. Overall, a nice Christmas Eve ski.

(Kathleen Miller)