Open, 16º and clear skies. Forecast high 25º and sunny. Good skiing, soft snow, fairly fast. A few thin spots here and there. Everything but Middle Bluejay is open, Loon is humpy and bumpy. 20 km classic, 6 km skate.

The cover is thin in spots, but Ian has done a great job shoveling and and grooming. The skiing is good.

During this year, where every flake counts, last night’s quarter of an inch of snow helps make the skiing better.

The snow in the photo looks blue. The color of the snow is because of the light, early morning or late afternoon light shadows cause the snow to look blue. Sometimes snow looks blue because of the moisture in the snow. Today’s blue was early morning light.

It has been an interesting year so far, we haven’t had much snow. Twice we’ve lost almost all the snow, and luckily it has snowed again. We have the new (to us) PistenBully but there isn’t quite enough snow to use it in the woods. With 6 more inches Ian will take it out on Peregrine. It needs to be run and warmed up and moved around, so Ian used it in the new field, the southern field. I might just ski laps in that field to practice skate skiing. The orthopedic told me skate skiing would be good for my gluteus medius, and the snow looks good!

Open, 27º and light snow falling. A half inch of snow fell last night. This year we are counting every flake. The forecast high for the day is 28º and it looks like the clouds will hang around.

The skiing will be good. Ian is on the snow machine grooming the Chickadee this morning. 20 km open. Woodcock, Snow Goose, Grouse, Turkey, Peregrine, Chickadee and Loon, and Upper Blue Jay. Unmarked obstacles on upper trails, use old skis

Ski For Heat is back, February 9th, a Sunday, for more information this is the link.

Open, 29º and snowing. We are skiing and the skiing is good. Ian said, “Super Maxiglide day.” Woodcock, Snow Goose, Turkey, Grouse, Peregrine, Chickadee, Loon, and Upper Blue Jay. About 20 km classic, and about 6 km skate.

The snow yesterday was wet and soft. The skiing was good. We had 1.8 inches of snow overnight. The temperature will be around 30º today and the snow underneath is wet = Maxglide. If you have any questions about Maxiglide, ask.

The weather this week:

• Temperatures, high 20’s for highs, and teens and single digit lows.
• No precipitation in the forecast through Saturday.
• Some sun and clouds.
• Looks like good skiing all week.

Open, 32º at 7 a.m., cloudy. At 7 a.m. there is nothing falling from the sky. Overnight we had snow, sleet and freezing rain all mix together for a nice 0.8″ of a soft, fast addition to the base. 20 km open, Woodcock, Snow Goose, Turkey, Grouse, Peregrine all a little faster than yesterday, snow showers might slow it down. Chickadee, Upper Blue Jay open, experts only.

We were open yesterday, the skiing was ok, some people thought it was really good, some people thought it was good, but a little fast, and a few people took their skis off and walked. (A bad idea for everyone behind them.) We were way busier than we expected, given the forecast, and it was lovely having so many people ski. And at the end of the day, the forecast for the night had the “R” word in it and it was so iffy, we thought we’d be closed today.

And here we are, open and skiing. Ian skied the Turkey and the Grouse at 5:30 a.m. this morning, he reported back, “It’s totally fine. Fast,  but soft.” He also said, “If the snow get hard as the temperature cools down I can groom with the snowmobile on the easy trails and Grouse.”

The photo is courtesy our friend Hillary taken on the Chickadee. They went up there with their friend Jimmy. This is Jimmy on the ground with no idea how to get up on cross country skis. Hillary and I spent some time discussing this problem after she shared the photo with me.

I have now been teaching people to ski since 1976. (HOLY smokes!) And teaching yoga for 15 years. Getting off the ground can be a problem. If you are helping someone else, or you are having trouble getting up, here are some tips:

• Don’t worry about being embarrassed.
• You can practice at home with no gear, where it is warm.
• Take a deep breath, you don’t have to hurry.
• From your back get your skis across the hill, not pointed down.
• Fix your skis and don’t move the skis as you move your body.
• Get to your side, uphill of your skis.
• Then to your hands and knees. Hands and knees on your skis.
• Lift up onto one leg, and then push yourself up to standing.
• Use your arms and legs to get up, not your poles.
• Ask me if you want help, one of us can coach you through getting up on skis.