Well, this winter, while not the biggest or snowiest, or coldest, is turning out to be pretty OK. Just when we start getting on the dry side with some melting, we seem to be blessed with just enough to keep conditions pretty nice for a few days.
Travis and Zach got out with the YTS roller and compactor to get things started and skiable after the storm. It was really nice skiing with the kids junior team last evening, with cold temps and all.
I got out with our Yamaha Viking and G2 groomer just around sundown thinking it would be a quick job with the faster machine. Well, things don't always go to plan, but it wasn't too bad. With the new snow filling in the meadow trails, the packing work got a bit off course since we haven't had a chance to set out any reflective wands all season. The ironic thing is that a club member donated some to us and set them by the Point-L tree, but we haven't gotten them set out. They were still leaning on the tree as I drove right by them after getting stuck out in the meadow! sigh
Anyway, after wrestling with getting the snomo and groomer stuck a couple of times and wrestling with it out there, I finally found the correct alignment and was able to get most of the meadow groomed, but it looks kinda weird for now. I also found that our various paths through there have drifted us over a couple of buried fence posts, so it was REALLY time to get those reflective wands set out. I did that at noon today, so just keep an eye out for them. Two of them are directly on the tops of buried steel fence posts.
Things groomed out well for both classic and skate. Kevin Reid has plans to groom the skate lane again Friday evening. Should be nice skiing over the weekend, but will probably be icy again by Monday. Be careful on the narrow front hill ice path!
It's about time we got some photo documentation of how nice our conditions have been this year (click on the pictures to see them in larger size):
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| Camp May Rd beyond the gate. Paul Allen grooms it for us when he's working the Pajarito Mtn shift. Good man, Paul! |
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| Point A, looking down the Lower Guaje Canyon Trail |
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| Point A, looking up the xc ski trail |
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| Nice view of the eastern shoulder of Pajarito Mtn |
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| Our difficult sun-exposed, fire ravaged "Front Hill" section. The shade fencing really has done its job this year! |
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| A section on TJ's trail, between Point E and F on our trail system index |
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| Looking at Point E on TJ's |
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| Nice little narrows on Dave's Dogleg |
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| Looking east, over the Rio Grande Valley and the southernmost tip of the Sangre de Cristos |
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| Sun splashed tree section, above Point J |
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| Typical curves in the climb out toward Canada Bonita |
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| Getting higher, just above Point K |
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| Another curve, above Point K |
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| Nice classic skiing today |
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| Upper Baca meadow loop |
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| Looking down the Canada Bonita from the rim of the Valles Caldera |
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| Looking up to the top of the Canada Bonita and the Caldera Rim |
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| Nice view of Cerro del Medio magma dome in the Valles Caldera |
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| Hairy Sasquatch that is commonly found out in the Canada Bonita |
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| Final curve at the top |
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| Another view of Cerro del Medio ~10,000 ft |
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