2016 - 2017

We are moving the trail conditions blog over to the new Wostawea website. Please check there for up-to-date trail conditions this season.

Note that you can comment on the posts on that site the same as here.

www.wostawea.ca/conditions

Post-rain rolling

Bob is out rolling now, and hopes to be done by about 11. Someone went out when it was soft and left deep ruts that froze hard. The ruts may be be hard to get out.

Trails are rolled again

Bob reports they're nice and firm. Get out today if you can.

Rolling today

Brian and Rex will be rolling the woodlot around lunch time today. We expect it will be very soft before it sets up overnight, but go a head and ski if you want to.

More snow!

Bob has rolled the Woodlot trails - Kent, the outer loop (#1 and #4), Lollipop and the Beaver Pond. It's soft, but skiable.

That's it for the season

We've decided to stop grooming for the season. While there is still some base in the Woodlot, the trail in from Kingswood is bare and we could damage the equipment trying to get to the Woodlot. And even if we did get it in, the quality of the skiing would be fair at best. If we get another big dump of snow, we will reassess.

New touch-up

Bob is out working on the Woodlot trails now, and he should be done by 1:30 or so. He has fixed up the outer loop (#1 and #4), as well as Lollipop, Beaver pond, and the Kent road.

Get out early

Bob has touched up the skate surface again this morning and the Woodlot is in great shape. Get out before the snow / rain hits.

Good skate skiing

Skate conditions in the Woodlot were excellent yesterday and Bob is going to touch up the trails this morning, so conditions should be great again for a lunch time ski. But it won't be possible to set classic track until the snow falls. Apparently conditions are very good at Killarney as well.

Good news

Kingswood is a write-off, but Bob reports there's no real damage in the woodlot. He is grooming now, and there should be good skiing on the main trail and Kent trail by noon. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to set classic track until we get more snow.

Rain plan

We'd just as soon that nobody goes out skiing while conditions are warm and wet - the ruts will be hard to erase once they freeze up. We'll get out with the ginzu as soon as temperatures drop and the snow dries out.

Great skiing before the warm weather hits

Bob reports that trails are done and in fantastic shape.

It's cold out there

But Bob is dedicated, and the trails are freshly groomed.

Friday is looking good

Trails are freshly groomed and ready to go.

Good skiing today

Bob has groomed the trails, and he reports that they're firming up nicely. Should be good skiing. Brian shovelled out the drifts on the highway trail in Kingswood, so that's open too.

Wednesday Grooming

Bob reports the Woodlot and Kingswood are all groomed - a little soft but should be good skiing.

Tuesday Rolling

Donat and Rex will be rolling the trails starting around noon, after the snow stops. It will be soft though and not recommended for skating.

Update: The trails have been groomed and trackset (all of the Woodlot, most of Kingswood) as well.

Monday Grooming

Bob has just finished grooming and setting classic track. Might be worth getting out this evening before the snow flies. Sure looks nice - not sure how firm it is though.

Saturday Plans

Brian and I are planning on going out tomorrow morning to roll the trails. I expect it will be soft all day, but go ahead and ski on it if you want, since we'll have to get out with the ginzu anyway as soon as conditions allow.

Tuesday Grooming

Bob is out grooming now. Kingswood is not groomable and the surface is icy. The Woodlot is very nice but there is no classic track. He will be done by 11:00.  Here are some before and after shots.

Sunday Touch-Up

Bob has touched up the trails. Get out before it gets warm! Update: Kingswood is also skiable now.

Saturday Report

Bob is out grooming now and will be done by 11:00. He reports that the Woodlot is very nice, but Kingswood is very thin cover. Stay on the inside trail to Kingswood - the highway trail is too thinly  covered.

Post-Thaw Report

Bob is out working on the trails now. He says the Woodlot should be decent skiing by 3-4 this afternoon. He is not able to re-set the classic track but the old track is full of chewed up snow so it's not bad. However, Kingswood is not skiable.

Last Chance Monday Touch-Up

Bob just touched up the skate surface of the outside trail at Kingswood and all the trails in the Woodlot. Conditions are superb. Last chance before the warm weather hits us tomorrow.

Sunday Morning Touch-Up

Bob has touched up the trails again this morning, and it will be great skiing today. Get out if you can - the warm weather / rain that is forecast will likely be hard on the trails, given that we don't have a lot of snow cover.

Friday Touch-Up

Bob has touched up the skate surface, and set new classic track all the way down the Kent road. All set for some great skiing!

Thursday Touch-Up

Rex will be out this afternoon to touch-up the trails, so we should have more good skiing ahead of us.

Monday Touch-up

Bob has just touched up the trails, so there should be more great skiing today.

Fresh Touch-Up

Bob is out touching up the trails right now. He should be all done by 10, but head out anytime. It should be some great skiing before the snow starts!

Grooming Effort

Conditions are great out there. And just to let everyone know what goes into it, Nick and I were out for 2 1/2 hours breaking the trail with the snowmobiles on Wednesday evening, then Brian and Rex were out rolling for 3 1/2 hours on Thursday morning, and then Bob was out for grooming 5 1/2 hours on Thursday afternoon - for a grand total of 17 1/2 person-hours of work.

Trails are Groomed

The trails have been snowmobiled, rolled, and groomed, and they're ready to go. It's setting up faster than expected, though it will still be some hard work because of the new snow.

Grooming Tomorrow

Nick and I are going to do some packing with the sleds tonight, and then Brian and Rex plan on getting out tomorrow morning to do some rolling. You can go ahead and ski tomorrow if you want. The surface will still be soft, and it will be hard work, but don't worry about cutting it up - Bob will get out again on Friday anyway to groom it.

Last Chance Before the Rain

Bob has just finished touching up the trails. Should be great conditions until the rain hits!

Trails Freshly Groomed

The trails are freshly groomed and looking good. Get out before tomorrow's rain!

Kingswood Groomed

Bob and Rex have worked some magic on the Kingswood trails. Bob is headed to the Woodlot right now, so conditions should be pretty good, all things considered.

Killarney Lake Trails

Just to let folks know, the City started grooming at Killarney yesterday and conditions are reportedly good on the 2.5km loop closest to the lodge  (see map below). There is not yet sufficient snow to set a classic track. The conditions for the remainder of the park are reportedly poor.

Killarney Lake - ~2.5km loop

Lodge Access

Again this year, the basement of the Killarney lodge will be open to the public at certain times of the week to facilitate use of the trails. January's schedule is below. Note that hours are subject to change.