Grooming March 26, 2020
GROOMING WILL CONTINUE as long as we have snow! See more details in the WTLGR below.
Today’s report is brought to you by the Staff and Volunteers of the NTN: We WILL CONTINUE TO have excellent skiing every day. It has been great since mid November due to the tireless efforts of the NTN staff including Lori and Kellie in the front office as well as Andy, Doug, Jeremiah, Roxin, Tim, John, Craig and Mike (others too I am sure) in the saddle and an army of volunteers to numerous to mention. I am so sorry to miss anyone and I am sure I have.
Trail sponsorships are available. Please visit www.noquetrails.org and follow the links. You too can be feted in an up coming grooming report.
SPRING SCHEDULE IN EFFECT: Trail Head is closed and the privy is locked. Practice save social distancing and enjoy the beautiful skiing.
| Forestville: Andy Bully groomed all trails from Forestville to 17k. Expect another great day on the boards.
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Way too Long Grooming Report:
In case you just returned from the dark side of the moon, Lori convinced the Governor’s office that our grooming is vital to the community so grooming will continue. Now readers are asking her to cure all disease and middle east peace. While she is working on these other minor problems, we are enjoying late U.P. winter. Yesterday’s warm weather had me on snow shoes again checking the anchor ice for sites to launch a kayak. Ice flow kayak season is short indeed. Check out the pictures.
I feel compelled to help you both understand the timeline and why it is so cool. This year’s “anchor ice” is an eight or nine out of ten. Some years we get no anchor ice. Good anchor ice years results from flow ice being piled up on a lee shore during strong on shore surf. You can see “boulders of ice” thrown up upon the ice flow. If the lake freezes too soon or too late, we get no large piles of anchor ice.
In good spring anchor ice kayak/SUP years, a ridge divides the open lake from a protected lagoon with several openings to the open lake. You can see where the lagoon will form with the higher anchor ice near the open lake. The lagoon has begun to form by the creek. In fact, you can see where the creek is passing under the anchor ice. Once a tunnel forms you can pass through to the lake. A good kayak/SUP day is calm, warm and sunny with several openings to the lake. Of course, a big surf day could destroy the entire structure but the smart money calls for lagoon anchor ice kayak/SUP season to begin at week’s end and last two weeks. Gliding along 15’ high ice ridges viewing the glassy lake below is breath taking. We will keep you posted.
Check you the same spot from day before yesterday and yesterday. One would not want to be standing on or kayaking under that spot when it fell so take care.
See the lagoon and where it will develop all the way down the beach. You can even see where the tunnel will form at the river mouth.
Our job is to help you evaluate how to best enjoy our beautiful trails, ski, bike, equine and water. Its hard work. We should get the Dirty Jobs guy here. The pictures we run are of a reduced size to fit in Mail Chimp but would be happy to email the full size images if either of you ever want one.
Saux Head: All trails were groomed and track set Saturday. This morning will be on the freeze end of the thaw/freeze cycle so things will be icy most of if not all of the day.
Big Bay Pathway: We groomed Big Bay last Saturday 3/21. The tracks are in fair shape but the groomers are going out today. The transformed snow is hard to groom into classic tracks so they may be thin. Big Bay trails are for classic skiing and snowshoeing. Big Bay is a great place to get away and breath some fresh air.
Fit Strip: Grooming has been suspended. Expect some bare spots.
Snow Bike Trails: All trails were in excellent shape Tuesday morning the 24th and overnight freezing temperatures will have them rock hard. Look out for ice in the typical problem areas under hemlocks and below bridges.
South Trails: As of Thursday morning 3/26: We groomed Mt Mqt, Main, Enchantment and Oak Hill last night just before refreeze.
Riding should stay really good today and Friday morning. After that, overnight temps look pretty ugly, so ride while it’s good!
Some icy patches starting under the hemlocks and on Jeep trail below the bridge. Jeep trail got Jeeped pretty good at the bottom, be cautious on the descent.
North Trails: North trails should be quite good today and rock hard. Expect some bare sections at low elevations and ice in the typical spots. I have not been on the trails in a few days so let us know how it is.
To learn more about the NTN, to join, volunteer, become a sponsor or make a comment, please visit www.noquetrails.org .
Sondo