Jay Richards | Maplelag Resort

Happy New Year!! 3-4″ of fresh snow overnight. The snow was light and fluffy but what a great start to 2015!! We have been packing all day, covering about 42km. After the initial packing, we will focus on about 25km of trail for this upcoming weekend. With no base before the snow, the skiing is “hard” underneath but no complaints from the skiers out on trail today. There isn’t enough new snow to set track but we did pack the lake loop and hope to set a track possibly tomorrow if conditions warrant. The packing should set up overnight and be a bit more firm tomorrow. The trails are skiable but caution must be used on hills and be aware of thin and rough spots.

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A chilly start with the wind scooting strongly from the west. Air temps warmer but the wind not making it feel that way. Thankfully we are surrounded by trees and a nice day in the woods is on tap. The trails have been busy with hikers and the one unique thing about this year is many people are walking on trails they would not feel comfortable otherwise skiing!

Sunday we combed a 2 mile loop on the lake mainly to preserve the snow. We also went on the trail, combing out a 2.5km loop mainly to check conditions. The lake has just enough snow to be skiable. The trails are rough and thin but just 2-3″ away from having very skiable conditions.

Despite the lack of snow on the trails to groom and ski, folks have been keeping active at Maplelag this winter with hiking, running, mountain and fat biking, skating on the lake and ice rink, kick sledding and ending the day with the plunge!

We are waiting for more snow to have skiing and grooming on the trails. The trails are mostly a ribbon of white throughout the woods with a frozen down base, evidence of early grooming and fall trail prep for low snow. It will only take a few inches to have “early season” conditions. Forecast looking better on the weekend for snow chances.

The St Paul Highland Park and Cooper ski teams were at Maplelag last weekend for a training camp. Despite not enough snow to ski on the trails, the kids kept active with cross training activities and double pole skiing on the lake. Click here for photoset from St Paul Highland Park training camp weekend.

Think Snow!

Fat Bike trail report