Heikinpaiva fun!

KNSC plus a few of the Sons of Norway marched in the Heikinpaiva parade once again. It was the first parade in anyone's recollection of balmy, sunny weather. The icing on the cake was, we took 2nd place, winning $50 for our effort!

Thanks to our friends at Keweenaw Now for these photos.

[caption id="attachment_2395" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The KNSC banner hanging on the big ski lead the way.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2394" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Then the new Defender UTV towing the "learn to ski" trail drag/tracksetter.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2393" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Remember - 8th annual Glide N Gorge is SATURDAY February 27th. The Barnelopet is next Sunday, February 7th. Hope to see you there![/caption]

 

Refreshed Saturday morning

All tracks were refreshed Saturday morning before it warmed up. Trails won't be re-groomed until it cools back down, likely on Monday.

Remember to get out to enjoy the Heikinpaiva events this weekend!

Excellent, if not better!

On Friday all the trails were re-packed and re-tracked plus just a bit of leveling.

Last week the Grizzly, our main towing machine, went into the shop and will be back next week (hopefully). The Defender was not yet set up for towing or night operation. The past 2 days the assistant operator was out sick. We've tried hard to keep up the grooming despite all these hiccups.

[caption id="attachment_2380" align="aligncenter" width="640"] A temporary lighting system was cobbled together this morning.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2381" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Early morning sun lighting up the hill across beautiful Mud Lake.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2382" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Sunrise over sunset....trail.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2383" align="alignnone" width="640"] Fresh tracks looking as good as they get on the River Trail.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2384" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Same goes for St. Urho's.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2385" align="alignnone" width="640"] Have you skied the Yooper Trail, of the Mud Lake Loop yet?[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2386" align="alignnone" width="640"] Hope you get out to enjoy the outdoors this weekend! Please support the trails and buy a pass. Thanks to all the trail users out today who did.[/caption]

 

roll-n-roll

We hoped to set tracks today but the wind was so brisk, by the time we were making our second pass, the first was getting drifed over.   So all trails got rolled and rolled again.

[caption id="attachment_2371" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Despite the breeze, it was still quite pretty out there.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2370" align="aligncenter" width="640"] With the wind diminishing tonight, tracks will be set ASAP on Friday[/caption]

Again Excellent

We had some electrical grief with our Ginzu yesterday.  After we got that corrected this morning, we made a quick spin (or slide:-) around our system.   It just can't get any prettier than this.  Photos say it all.

[caption id="attachment_2364" align="aligncenter" width="640"] In the gorge.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2366" align="alignnone" width="640"] Coming out of Churning Rapids. What can I say?[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2365" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This is what we like to see.[/caption]

Back to best.

All trails were rolled this morning and all tracks reset.  They looked great!   Our main towing machine is in the shop and we hope to get it back on Thursday.

[caption id="attachment_2358" align="alignnone" width="640"] Everything just looked soooooo nice this morning.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2357" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This is the Sunset trail in Churning Rapids.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2356" align="alignnone" width="640"] Wow the snow is pretty.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2355" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Our beloved Swedetown Creek.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2354" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Please support these trails and purchase a pass. Don't have one? Buy it here, on our website![/caption]

 

treeed off

On Monday we could not refresh the tracks for technical reasons, but we did drag Vista and the Mud Lake trails (Yooper) for the 1st time this year, plus took got two trees off that were about to block our trails.

On Tuesday, all trails will be packed and re-tracked.

[caption id="attachment_2341" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This is in Churning Rapids on the diagonal trail, where a dead fall nearly blocked us.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2343" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This is near the bottom of Sidewinder. Branches from this tree had descended on to the trail.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2342" align="aligncenter" width="640"] All better![/caption]

Learn to ski program in Hancock starts this Monday!

Did you know?  KNSC along with the City of Hancock helps with the only on-site grade school ski program in the Keweenaw.   This grooming was done today at the Barkell Elementary School in Hancock who's ski program starts this week.

Would you like to volunteer to help Hancock's youngest skiers out? Please contact Wayne Stordahl at wr.emstordz@sbcglobal.net

You can further help support this program by purchasing an annual pass for Maasto Hiihto/Churning Rapids trails.

Best conditions yet.

Yesterday the city side trails and gorge were drug and everything was then retracked.   The only trail left to be drug is the Yooper/Mud Lake Loop which we hope to do next week.   All trails are now in excellent condition.

 

[caption id="attachment_2317" align="alignnone" width="640"] The new Defender UTV mightily drags the trails.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2318" align="alignnone" width="640"] After the trails were drug and made silky smooth, tracks were then re-set.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2319" align="alignnone" width="640"] Hope you get out to enjoy the excellent conditions![/caption]

Dragging has begun!

Today we drug and re-tracked everything in Churning Rapids and the trails that connect them.  That's #4 (the "new" River Trail) and #8 (the "old" trail to CR).    They looked great!

After that, the Mud Lake Loop, a.k.a. Yooper Trail was reset as was 1/2 the gorge and the city side trails. We'll continue to drag and re-track all trails daily throughout the system to get everything up to top condition.

[caption id="attachment_2302" align="alignnone" width="640"] The beautiful Spring Creek corridor in CR getting smoothed out[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_2304" align="alignnone" width="640"] The Yooper Trail of the Mud Lake loop looking just as pretty as can be. Have you skied it yet?[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2303" align="alignnone" width="640"] Lots of people out enjoying the trails and the sun today. Hope you got out too![/caption]

All trails tracked!

Everything was rolled and retracked today. Conditions are good to excellent.  Photos say it all.   On Wednesday dragging a portion of them to smooth out the bumps will commence, and of course tracks will be re-set.

[caption id="attachment_2280" align="alignnone" width="640"] Snowmobile barrier fence was installed today.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2284" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This is where the trail used to go. We hope to install something permanent this summer.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2294" align="alignnone" width="640"] And the trails looked really, really good.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2291" align="alignnone" width="640"] Hope you get out there and enjoy them. Support the trails and purchase a pass.[/caption]

BIG snow updates.

Mike was out for most of both nights this weekend trying to keep up with the deluge of snow we received since Friday night.  He could not keep up.   This morning we rolled the city side trails plus all of the gorge plus the River Trail loop to Churning Rapids.

[caption id="attachment_2269" align="alignnone" width="640"] This is how deep the snow was on St. Urho's this morning.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2268" align="alignnone" width="640"] We got the snow blower down to fill in the ditch on Tomasi Rd., so we can drive right over the rocks to groom the upstream section of The River Trail.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2266" align="alignnone" width="640"] The new Defender in action, packing in the snow over the rocks.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2267" align="alignnone" width="640"] We also installed the signage on Tomasi Rd. to keep everyone where they're supposed to be.[/caption]

 

We hope to have tracks set on the entire system on Monday.

BIG snow!

Folks,   We attempted to keep up with the snow last night with Mike rolling but he got repeatedly got stuck and came off the trails at midnight.   Looks like we got a foot overnight.   We'll of course keep you posted as to grooming situation.

All trails tracked today.

All trails were packed last night, then tracked this morning. We have the excellent problem of it snowing so much, they were filled in shortly after done. Enough snow fell that the drag came out later, so now the River Trail is much, much smoother. More packing tonight, tracks to be re-set Sunday morning...

[caption id="attachment_2251" align="aligncenter" width="300"] See? Tracks looked great early![/caption] [caption id="attachment_2252" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The east side of Mud Lake. Next season, we'll once again have a complete route around the lake.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2253" align="aligncenter" width="295"] Later, the River Trail was leveled with the drag.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2254" align="aligncenter" width="281"] The sun even came out for a few minutes, in between snow squalls. Wouldn't normally drag late in the day, but as you can see the tracks were buried.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2255" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Pretty busy at the trail head this morning.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2256" align="aligncenter" width="300"] If you like snow...conditions are excellent![/caption]

More trail packing...and first tracks set today.

With snow coming down the city side trails were drug today and track made.  Trail conditions are improving daily, and are now excellent in some areas and fair to good in others. The Quincy trail is still very rough, with grass showing.

[caption id="attachment_2231" align="alignleft" width="300"] This morning we were at the Hancock Grade School yard and rolled that trail down.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2235" align="alignright" width="300"] Late today the city side trails were drug as a test to see how much dirt was brought up. That worked reasonably well, so tracks were then set.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2239" align="alignleft" width="267"] Grooming will continue each day it snows.[/caption]

New snow rolled, Defender blender arrives.

This fabulous 6" we received overnight and this afternoon was soothed down today and got our trails looking quite nice.

Still at Houghton Power sports.

One of the first times on the trail.