The forecast is for rain and thaw soon. Please consider staying off the trails while the snow is wet. Spread the word. Compacted wet snow turns to ice that is completely ungroomable and unskiable.
In addition. right now you will easily punch through the thin wet snow to whatever is underneath -- not fun and it might even hurt. Don't do it. Please.
Hopefully, Deep River will remain colder than the rest of the province. I'm holding my breath.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Caution: very thin snow!
The DRXC trail system has now been groomed and trackset except for B-loop, which is too rough for this amount of snow. The grooming has improved the skiing, but the ground is very close to the surface. Based on how often the groomers hit ground, D, R and M have the fewest high spots, perhaps two dozen in total. X and H have more while C and S are ridiculous. The C-loop hazards all tend to be rocks, which grab skis very effectively.
All skate surfaces and set tracks definitely have sand, logs or rocks right at the surface, possibly not very visible. If you see a foot-stool-size lump, e.g. S-loop, there is definitely something hard inside -- not just snow.
S-loop is especially hazardous because of uneven terrain and surface water that is undermining large sections of the trail. Someone broke into one of the puddles that was probably not visible ahead of time.
Especially note that there is a big (enough for a small person to curl up inside) sink hole in the most hazardous possible location on the left side at the bottom of the first S downhill -- bear right as you cross the stream, or fall down ahead of time if necessary. The set track was intended to help skiers to ski past this hole, but the snow is not firming up well and no one should depend on the track. Remember routine trail etiquette -- if you make a sitzmark, FILL IT IN afterward.
All skate surfaces and set tracks definitely have sand, logs or rocks right at the surface, possibly not very visible. If you see a foot-stool-size lump, e.g. S-loop, there is definitely something hard inside -- not just snow.
S-loop is especially hazardous because of uneven terrain and surface water that is undermining large sections of the trail. Someone broke into one of the puddles that was probably not visible ahead of time.
Especially note that there is a big (enough for a small person to curl up inside) sink hole in the most hazardous possible location on the left side at the bottom of the first S downhill -- bear right as you cross the stream, or fall down ahead of time if necessary. The set track was intended to help skiers to ski past this hole, but the snow is not firming up well and no one should depend on the track. Remember routine trail etiquette -- if you make a sitzmark, FILL IT IN afterward.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Deja vu.
We have not seen a foot of snow and the river frozen over at mid-December for many years. What used to happen next was frequent small snowfalls and no significant thaws until March 30. I live in hope.
We knew that the single-track snowmobiles that we purchased would not pack snow as easily as the old double-track machines, so opening trails is going slowly. As of today, Dec 17, there are good tracks on D, R, X and M and a reasonable skating surface on M. H and S are packed and rolled. C and B have not been groomed at all yet because they are the roughest.
The plan is to try to set a track on C and pack B, followed by rolling B and then setting a track on H, S and B. Hopefully, this can be completed before Christmas.
The ground is still very close to your skis, so scratches in your ski bases are a definite hazard. Also, there are wet spots on S and presumably also on R.
Happy skiing and Merry Christmas.
We knew that the single-track snowmobiles that we purchased would not pack snow as easily as the old double-track machines, so opening trails is going slowly. As of today, Dec 17, there are good tracks on D, R, X and M and a reasonable skating surface on M. H and S are packed and rolled. C and B have not been groomed at all yet because they are the roughest.
The plan is to try to set a track on C and pack B, followed by rolling B and then setting a track on H, S and B. Hopefully, this can be completed before Christmas.
The ground is still very close to your skis, so scratches in your ski bases are a definite hazard. Also, there are wet spots on S and presumably also on R.
Happy skiing and Merry Christmas.
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