Cold Morning trails improving daily…

On January 15th, the temperature in the Sawtooth Valley at 9 a.m. hovered around a chilly minus 5 degrees. Trails at Park Creek are getting better every day… thank you for your patience and thank you to our volunteers and groomers who are working hard overcome a tough and snowy Winter’s start. At Alturas lake, all trails are beginning to look first rate. More grooming is scheduled there today to add classic tracks from the bridge to the lake and to firm up North Cabin.

Sawtooth ski trails improve with sunny days…

Over the last few days trails have been looking good. At Park Creek, Shooting Star, Camas and Lupine were rolled and reportedly fun to ski. The other trails were snowmobile packed with more intense packing scheduled for Wednesday afternoon with some help from the forest service. At Alturas all trails have been groomed and the trail from the bridge to the lake, while still a bit choppy is beginning to look pretty good. A ginzu grooming there on Wednesday should push it from the really good range to the super good. The much beloved picnic tables have returned to the top of over the hill. Picnickers can once again sit down and enjoy the views.

Ski trail trials and tribulations…

On January 9th, the feast of St. Stephen, as Davinius groomed at Alturas Lake, he was reminded of these lines from Robert Hunter, the great Dead lyricist…

Stephen prospered in his time, well he may and he may decline.
Did it matter, does it now?
Stephen would answer if he only knew how
Did he doubt or did he try?
Answers aplenty in the bye and bye,
Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills,
One man gathers what another man spills.
All trails to the east of Alturas Lake Creek received some ginzu grooming after the two ginzu groomers were resurrected from a deep snowy sleep. More grooming scheduled there on Monday.
At Park Creek there was only a very short section of trail groomed for the weekend, but we are working at improving that situation. It has been a tough start for our new groomers in the deep snow. Your patience is appreciated.

Here comes the Sun…

At the Alturas Lake ski area the snowing and blowing has stopped and it’s alright! On Friday Chadeus Maximus braved the elements and did some rolling about. On Saturday, Davinius hopes to improve the snow blown trails. Even it trails aren’t perfect, it may be a good day for ski enthusiasts and nature lovers to return to the woods and marvel at the snow bedecked trees under a blue sunny sky.

More and more and more snow….

On Thursday, the 6th of January, Chadius Maximus and Davinius tag team groomed through a blizzard and deep snow, packing and rolling to the east of Alturas Lake Creek, crunching the drifts into rough shapes somewhat resembling ski trails. More snow fell over the night and on Friday so skiing there should only be recommended to overly ambitious athletes, big foot or the certifiably insane.