That's all, folks.

Further grooming this season is unlikely without a major snowfall. Soon. Snow will only bear so much traffic and the most used trails, D, R, X, C and M are past their limit. The outer skating trails are probably quite skiable for another day or two of this ridiculous mild weather, but M is so beaten down, dirty and ungroomable that it is not much fun to get out to H and S.

Skiers should beware that the trails will start to collapse soon. For the inexperienced, please know that all of the trails consist of a crust that is bridging lots of dips and hollows filled with weak snow. When the crust gets soft enough, your weight will break it, possibly unexpectedly. You might, for example, get all the way out to a sunny downhill without breaking the crust and then go through on your way down. This year, your ski will most likely go right through to the rocks when the crust breaks.

Some of us would be very happy to see a major snowfall, but not many people in the town sympathize very much. Especially when I am perverse enough to suggest that it is un-Canadian to dislike snow.

For better or for worse

As promised, I waited until I was reasonably sure the groomer would not sink in wet snow, as happened to Brian at PAXC, and then towed a Tenderizer around M and the S/H spur (~5 km), three passes. I attempted to leave the classic "track" alone because I will not likely be able to set another. It does not appear to be enjoyable or much in use.

The skate skiing is much improved from its former condition. Berms from the edges of the Tenderizer were unavoidable and there are many ice cubes in places. As each day warms up, the snow will change from fast, frozen granular with ice-cube patches and hard ruts from yesterday's skaters, to mostly acceptable skating with treacherous frozen sections in the shade, to somewhat slushy sections. Rocks may be very close to or above the surface at any time, where "close" depends on how soft the snow is!