Wednesday February 5th 

Skiers,

In case any of you were planning to ski with kids today, the organizers canceled due to cold.  My thermometer read 2 degrees this morning and it’s usually a little colder at the park.  Postponing this event until temperatures are more forgiving for novice skiers is a wise move.

That being said, I skied Aava’s Draw yesterday when it was 10 degrees and it was lovely.  The sun came out, and combined with avoiding long, continuous downhills, helped me keep warm.  The snow, though not recently groomed, was light and fun to move through. 

Jack did groom Hej Bue and Straight Edge and they looked perfect.  If you enjoy cold….

Come ski!

Skiers,

We’re skiing in the teens again, though today there was no sunshine to lend a warm up spot.  The new snow is wonderful just the same.  Gregg groomed the west side yesterday and the last night’s fall has just sifted over it.  This morning I skied east.  The Q of the Antione Loop was a little rough, but when I started on Antoine, clockwise, it was lovely.  The skis skated over a solid, smooth platform with the lightest imaginable snow flying after them.  Occasionally I could see small blue openings in the sky, but mostly it was gray and the snow fell intermittently.  

By the time I got to the first cutoff for Aava’s Draw I had warmed up nicely, and up I went.  The trail hadn’t been groomed as recently as the outer loop, but it was still in good shape, with snow in the trees and piled high on the saplings and broken branches next to the trail.  The meadows wore bright white in contrast to the grey overhead, and I continued on Short Cut, so fun, then went up Hello Kitty.  Here, the canopy had intercepted the new snow, and I could feel the crust underneath my feet.  Once I made it up the major part of the hill, the trail widened a bit and I could glide more freely.  

At the upper junction with Antoine Loop I was back to the lovely grooming, and I skated happily to the shared use part of the trail.  Even though the snowmobiles have been enjoying their portion, it was in great shape for the steep downhill.  Predictably, that long run made me cold, and I was glad for the last little climb to the parking lot so I could generate enough heat to sign in.

Take advantage of his cold, light snow.  Come ski!

Patti

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Skiers,

How wonderful it is for me to be back on four sticks touching snow, two to stand on and two to push on.  The predicted snowfall came this morning, though ifI had blinked instead of looking out the window I might have missed it.  However, enough snow fell to give wonderful purchase for classic skiing, and as I began up Antoine, the mist began to release tiny snow droplets.  

I started up Hello Kitty, noting that the whole Mill Creek pond was iced over, and that little footprints disturbed the skiff of snow over the newly frozen spots.  Grooming had been recent:  the skate platform was smooth and unmarred, and the track well set.  The trailside snow sported huge frost facets, visible even in the gray light.  I skied Short Cut to the junction with Aava’s Draw, then turned around so I could honor an obligation I had in town.  By then, it had been snowing long enough to see that the spruce needles were outlined in tiny white etchings and the larch twiglets, already encased in frost, were starting to hold snow.  The quiet at the park was absolute but for the thwacking of my poles and the glide of my skis.  On the last leg I ran into some friends starting up the hill, and we broke the silence reverentially.  

It's been snowing in earnest since late afternoon.  Tomorrow should be fantastic.

Come ski!

Patti