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Trail Conditions at Whaleback
Trail Conditions
Weds. Feb 22th, 2012
Just back from the groomer
garage and glad to report
that the BR250 has been
fixed ... not an easy job,
but it's done ... Kenny
didn't have a chance to take
the machine on a test run,
but Bernie felt it was good
to go. Machines! Machines!
I now know why I am a silent
sport person. Now to
business ... Kenny will
groom all trails with the
BR250 tomorrow (repair job
pending) ... He will not
re-groom BTF and Bunny Hop
as these trails are in very
good condition and there has
not been any snow. Big
thanks to Greg Alexander for
working beside Bernie this
evening to get the job done
and for also replacing the
lock on the groomer garage
door ... the lock mal-funtioned
and we couldn't get in the
garage so Greg went home and
got the tools to remove the
lock and then installed a
new one ... now how good is
that! I was ready to take
the maul to it! But seeign
as I am non-vilent, I
deferred to Greg's solution
which was much more
peaceful.
GO 12:03 a.m. Weds.
Trail Conditions Tues. Feb 21th, 2012
Kenny will be grooming with the
snowmobile groomer on Tuesday.
Because the trails have had a chance
to setup overnight after being
groomed on Monday, they should be
much firmer today. Kenny will also
open up upper Braveheart and
re-surface all trails for classic
and skating.
GO Monday 10:00 p.m.
Trail Conditions Mon. Feb 20th, 2012
We had a minor breakdown today with the
BR250 (broken track joiner), but we hope to
it repaired within a few days. Tomorrow
morning Kenny will use the snowmobile to
groom all trails for skating and classic.
With more snow expected and the temperature
dropping to -4C overnight, all trails should
be in very good condition tomorrow. Skaters
should note that it may take a day or two
for the trails to firm up as it is difficult
to compress the base with the snowmobile
doing the grooming. Classic should be great
tomorrow with the temp at -4C.
GO Posted Sun 4:30 p.m.
Trail Conditions Sun. Feb 19th, 2012
Lots of snow falling and more forecast overnight. The
plan for tomorrow is to delay grooming with the BR250
until 10:00 a.m. in hopes that the trails will be in
better shape for the afternoon skiers. Kenny will groom
BTF and Bunny Hop before he goes out with the BR250 at
10:30 a.m. We are supposed to get 25 cm +/- so the
trails may be a little soft .... classic might be a
better option tomorrow; that being said, there is a lot
of moisture in the snow and it may pack down very well.
GO Posted Sat 8:50 p.m.
Trail Conditions Sat. Feb 18th, 2012
Trail Conditions Fri.. Feb 17th, 2012
The trails are in great shape and Kenny will touch them up with
the snowmobile groomer. The forecast calls for fresh snow over
the next few days and a new frosting on the trails will be
welcomed. I hope everyone is thinking about skiing the loppet
on Sunday Feb 26. Why not set it as your personal goal to ski
all our trails (except BTF) in one day. What a feather in your
ski hat! Skiing longer distances at your own pace does wonders
for your fitness level. Think about it! It's about
participation. The loppet is a tour of the trails that some
people may choose to race so if you plan wiggle along the
trail at your own comfortable speed you will be applauded. GO
8:06 a.m. Fri
Trail Conditions Thurs. Feb 16th, 2012
All the trails are in great shape today for both classic and
skating ... I got a chance to ski Braveheart yesterday and it
was especially sweet. Want a thrill ... go for honk down Sleepy
Canuck in a tuck! Hmmmm ... on second thought, maybe a cautious
snowplow might be a better choice. See you on the trails! GO
Conditions: Wed. Feb. 15, 2012 (posted Tues. 8:30 a.m. )
Kenny will groom. BTF
Flat and Bunny Hop at 8:00 a.m. and will then groom all other
trails in the ski
park for skating and classic with the BR250. With the 5+ cm overnight, all trails should be in excellent condition for skating and classic.
Trail conditions for Valentine’s Day. Kenny will groom BTF with the snowmobile for classic skiing and then he will groom all other trails with the BR 250. Take your sweetheart for a ski.
Trail conditions for Monday, Feb.13th 2012. Kenny will groom BTF for classic skiing and then all other trails with the BR 250 for classic and skating. There may still be a few wet spots on the trails so please be careful
Trails conditions for Sunday, Feb.12, 2012.
There will be no grooming today because of soft trail conditions
Trail conditions for Saturday, Feb.11, 2012.
All trails will be groomed with the Br 250 for classic and skating with the exception of BTF which will be groomed with the snowmobile for classic.
Trail Conditions: Friday, February 10th, 2012.
The classic track is still in excellent condition, so Kenny will be only touching up the skating areas with the Tidd Tech groomer. Hopefully the BR 250 will be back in action on Saturday.
Trail conditions for Thursday, February 9th, 2012. Kenny will be grooming with the snowmobile today as the BR 250 is still out of commission. All classic tracks have firmed up overnight and should be perfect today. Kenny will touch up the skating areas with the Tidd Tech groomer.
Conditions: Weds. Feb. 8, 2012 (posted Weds. 8:00 a.m. )
Kenny will
groom. BTF Flat and Bunny Hop at 8:00 a.m. and will then
groom all other trails in the ski park for skating and
classic with the BR250. With the 5+/- cm that has fallen
since the last grooming, all trails should be in excellent
condition for skating and classic. Lots of rave reviews
about Sleepy Canuck on lower Braveheart. Give it a
try. Check out the new signs that Greg Alexander is putting
up ... hopefully they will keep all skiers on track and give
them an idea of what's the quickest way "home". Greg will
be putting up more signs over the next few days ,,, big
thanks to Greg for taking on this project. GO
Conditions: Tues. Feb. 7, 2012 (posted Tues. 8:00 a.m. )
Kenny will groom. BTF
Flat and Bunny Hop at 8:00 a.m. and will then groom all other
trails in the ski park for skating and classic with the BR250. With
the 5+ cm overnight, all trails should be in excellent condition
for skating and classic. It is worthy to note that the BR250
electrical gremlin has been expunged from the system (we think). GO
Conditions: Mon.
Feb. 6, 2012
(posted Mon. 5:00
p.m. )
Due to the large
accumulatrion of
snow on the trails
throughout the day,
the Foxtrot was
re-groomed at 4:00
p.m. with the
BR250. Grad your
skis and get out to
the trails. GO
Conditions: Mon. Feb. 6, 2012 (posted Mon. 8:00 a.m. )
Kenny may have to delay
grooming for an hour
or because we are waiting on
fuel for the BR250. If
delivery is delayed until
afternoon, Kenny will go
down town and pick up enough
fuel to do today's
grooming. BTF Flat and Bunny
Hop will be groomed for
classic at 8:00 a.m. All
trails should be in
excellent condition
for skating and classic.
Kenny will re-groom the
Foxtrot today at 4:00 p.m.
if we have a significant
snowfall. GO
Conditions: Sun. Feb. 5, 2012 (posted Sat. evening )
BTF and Bunny Hop will be groomed
first thing tomorrow morning and
then Kenny will groom all trails
with the BR250 including lower
Braveheart. The shortcut from
Rendez Vous to Abbey will also be
groomed for masters skiers who wish
to try the 10 km course. All
trails should be in excellent
condition tomorrow so grab a friend
and take them out skiing. Don't
forget to tell them about the
lessons ... the lesson will be free
however there is a charge for the
rentals.
Sunday we will
have another "Join the Club
Day" ... I will be offering a
beginners lesson at 1:00 p.m.
... see you there. GO
Conditions: Sat. Feb. 4, 2012 (posted Fri. evening )
Kenny will touch up the trails tomorrow morning with the snowmobile groomer ... he will also groom the Master's Cut which joins Rendez Vous to Abbey Road so that master's skies can give it a go. Kenny will return to the groomer garage early tomorrow (10:00 a.m.) as we will be working with the groomer mechanic at 10:00 a.m. on the BR250. Hopefully we can have it back in service to groom all the trails on Sunday. The trails are in very good condition so grab your skis and friends and become Winter Active at Whaleback.
Note: Lower Braveheart was groomed today and is in good condition
Sunday we will have another "Join
the Club Day" ... I will be offering a
beginners lesson at 1:00 p.m. ... see you
there.
Conditions: Friday. Feb. 3, 2012 (posted Thurs. evening )
Kenny will touch up the trails with the snowmobile groomer in the morning and will then move on to trail work. No snow is expected overnight so Kenny will leave the well-set classic tracks in place. A trio of us will be forerunning all the trails in the early morning and that should melt the frost off them. With the temperature dipping into the teens overnight classic will no doubt be the best choice for Friday morning as the glide will be crunchy. In the afternoon the temperatures will be less nippy ... if you are a skater that might be the best time to go for your tour. GO
Conditions: Thurs. Feb. 2, 2012 (posted Weds. evening )
Kenny will leave the classic track in place as it only calls for only 1 cm of snow overnight ... several of us will ski all the trails in the classic mode toomorrow morning so the tracks shoudl be in very good shape. The classic track was wicked Weds. evening ... firm and fast. Kenny will also use the drag to level BTF and then set a track on it and will do repairs at the 1.5 mark on Raven's Ridge where the trail has eroded. He will also groom the skating lane on all trails with the snowmobile groomer. The trails should be firm on Thursday as they have had a chance to set up and will be great for classic and skating. I was speaking with Bernie our "call in" mechanic and he will make a trip out to work on the groomer as soon as he is clear to do so, that could be Thursday evening after his day shift, or on the weekend. We should all try to display some patience and understanding with the grooming ... we are a small club without a mechanic on staff and we must rely on the relationships we have established with an expert mechanic who has a full time job at Marble. When Bernie called this evening he said he had put together a number of spare parts for our BR250 and has all the gauges and tools necessary to trouble shoot the electrical problem with the BR250. He will come out as soon as he has a window of opportunity. GO Weds. 9:45 p.m.
Conditions: Weds. Feb. 1, 2012 (posted Tues. evening )
Kenny will groom all the trails for skating and classic with the snowmobile groomer. Temperatures will be chilly Weds. morning so the glide will be reduce and for that reason classic skiing may be the preferred choice. The new snow that is accumulating with the onshore squalls will certainly help the trails. GO Tues. 8:00 p.m.
Conditions: Tues. January 30, 2012 (posted Tues. 1:40 p.m.)
Kenny will
re-groom the Foxtrot this evening at 4:00 p.m. Skiing should be
good, however with the squalls the snow accumulation on the
trails is significant. GO 1:45
Conditions: Tues. January 31, 2012 (posted Tues. 9:00 a.m.) We still have a problem with the BR250 this morning so Kenny will groom all trails with the snowmobile except lower Braveheart . Should be a great day for a classic ski so get out and have a great day.
Conditions: Mon. January 30, 2012 (posted Mon. 9:00 a.m.)
We may have isolated
the electrical problem with the BR250 (restricted to the wiper motor).
Kenny will continue on with his grooming schedule and will do all the
main trails with the BR250. If he encounters problems he will return to
the garage, GO
Conditions: Mon. January 30, 2012 (posted Sun. 9:25 a.m.)
Kenny will use the BR250 to groom the
Foxtrot only when he starts
grooming tomorrow morning. The reason he will
only do the FT is because we want to give the
machine a trial run over a short distance to see
how it's working. Sunday we experienced an
electrical problem with the BR250 and Bill
Forsey is helping to chase down the problem.
After he finishes the Foxtrot he will go in and
do Snowy Owl and Oliver's Twist with the
snowmobile groomer. I will keep you updated on
the status of the groomer. We are not the only
club experiencing mechanical problems. Gord
Brewer from BMD told me today that the BMD
groomer has been out of service for three weeks
with an alternator problem and when they got
that fixed a hydraulic pump gave out.
GO
Conditions: Sun. January 29, 2012 (posted Sat. 8:25 a.m.)
All trails in the ski park are in excellent
condition and are groomed for skating and
classic ... today we have the Snowy Owl Classic
on at 1:00 p.m. ... have a Healthy Heart and
come out and be WINTERACTIVE at Whaleback. GO
Conditions: Sat. January 28, 2012 (posted Sat. 9:25 a.m.)
The
plan for today is to work on the trails with the
BR250. Kenny will leave the chalet at 10:00 a.m. and
will pack down all the wider trails before the snow gets
clammy. He will also try to push snow into the wet spots
and level the trail base. Hopefully, with the high
winds, the groomed trails will drift in again and we'll
increase our accumulation on the trail. BTF may not be
on Kenny's Agenda today as that trail is in good shape
and and the trail would only drift in soon after it was
groomed. So to all you get keeners ... get ready ...
get set ... go! Put on your ski cloths, shovel the
driveway, and chase the groomer. GO 9:35 a.m.
Conditions: Sat. January 28, 2012 (posted Friday night at 12:10 p.m.)
Let me first
say ... do you own touring skis? I have four sets of touring
skis and Fischer Country 57mm-50mm-52mm would be my first choice
for tomorrow. Hmmmm on second thought, might be Fischer Crown
52-49-50 waxless from Colin Smith's garbage pile might be first
choice because temperatures may go in the plus zone. Difficult
choice! With the forecast for tomorrow, trail grooming will
probably be futile ... more than 20 cm with high winds from the
east is not a good scenario. The Snowy Owl is postponed until
Sunday ... so we are in a "wait and see mode" regarding
grooming. Stay tune for updates tomorrow. There is a
possibility that we may groom some time tomorrow to pack
snow. If so you will be informed. But if you want a wonderful
independent day on the trails tomorrow, complete with a boilup
at the pentagon, read my first sentence. GO 7:58 p.m.
Friday
PS Did you
hear the Secrets are playng at the Holiday Inn 7- 11 ... yes
Karla Pilgrim and crowd ... oops this is about skiing so I must
stay on task!
Conditions: Fri. January 27, 2012 (posted Friday a.m. 7:05 a.m.)
There is a winter storm watch in effect for Saturday .... there is slight
change in grooming plan as a result. We will groom all cross country ski
trails this side of Gallants including the Masters cut off Rendez-Vous for
skating and classic with the BR250. The first trails groomed this morning
will be BH and BTFlat. If the storm comes to fruition, the Snowy Owl may be
postponed until Sunday. If there is bad weather tomorrow, there will
probably only be a few trails groomed. (GO 7:10 a.m.)
Conditions: Fri. January 27, 2012 (posted Thurs. at 12:10 p.m.)
Kenny will groom FT/SO/RR/OT with the BR250 tomorrow for skating and classic and BTF/BH for classic only. He will then work on the Snowy Owl. Conditions should be very good tomorrow as the added snow accumulation should help cover everything up nicely. There may still be a few wet spots punctuating some trails but Saturday's snow fall should look after that. If the weather is inclement on Saturday there is a possibility that the Snowy Owl will be moved to Sunday. The executive will consult after hearing an updated forecast and make a decision tomorrow around supper time when Ryan Snowden does the weather. GO 10:05 Thurs
Conditions: Thurs. January 26, 2012 (posted Thurs. at 12:10 p.m.)
Kenny has groomed FT, RR and OT with the BR250 for skating and classic and he has groomed the Bunny Hop and BTFlat for classic only. Skating is sweet today ... trails are flat and fast and you will have good control. The track for classic has some of the old icy base penetrating through, but it should be good for waxless skis and the flurries that are accumulating will provide added grip as the day goes on. Kenny is presently working on the Snowy Owl which is skiable but there are some wet spots in a few sections There is also some good classic skiing on the Braveheart, Abbey Road and Snowy Owl as these trails have not been groomed and there is still a track that is partially filled with snow. Due to the meltdown we had yesterday there are some wet spots popping up on upper Ravens Ridge and Snowy Owl. Hopefully with some good snow accumulation and cold temperatures overnight these minor problems will be cured. GO 12:20)
Conditions: Thursday, January 26, 2012 (posted Thursday at 8:37 a.m update Graham is now skiing on the trails and has reported( out of breath ) that there is about 3 cm of snow on the ground with conditions very good . Kenny will be doing a minimum groom with the BR250 this morning as he will spend most of his day upgrading the Snowy Owl trail .
Conditions: Thursday, January 26, 2012 (posted Thursday at 7:25 a.m.)
It is difficult to give a fair assessment of this trails this morning as we had considerable melting yesterday and then the temperatures dropped overnight . Only a cm or so of snow has fallen so they will be somewhat icy with a touch of new snow covering it. As far as grooming this morning .,,, unsure ... will meet up with Kenny in a half hour and we'll make a decision. I will ski all the trails this morning and will provide an update later in the day. GO 7:25 a.m.
Conditions: Weds, January 25, 2012 (posted Weds at 12:30 p.m.)
I just returned from the trails and we will remain closed this evening as they are still very soft. GO 4:05
Conditions: Weds. January 25, 2012 (posted Weds. at 12:30 p.m.)
I was out and about and also talked to Kenny ... the trails are still very soft so we will remain closed with the possibility of opening up for the evening skiers should conditions firm up. The track is still in very good shape and the trails are good but soft. We may go through a period of "clickity-clack" icy conditions before fresh snow covers up the ice ... so it is a wait and see. Kenny will leave the gates closed to the parking lot as an indicator that we are closed down. I will update later if and when we are opening. GO 12:30 p.m.
Conditions: Thurs. January 25, 2012 (posted Wed. at 9:30 p.m.)
The relative humidity is 100% with light drizzle (8:35 a.m.) and the trails are very soft. Kenny also told me that he was sinking into the trail base when he walks on it, we have therefore decided to close the trails until further notice. Kenny will close the gates at the entrance and they will remain closed until the trails re-open. The chalet will also be closed. This is a great chance for Kenny to pick up propane and work on servicing the machine. GO
Conditions: Weds. January 25, 2012 (posted Wed at 9:30 p.m.)
Wednesday will offer a mixed bag of tricks. For the next 16 hours or so the temperature will be above freezing ... Kenny will not be doing any grooming until the temperatures drop. Will see what happens tomorrow and will update conditions if there is any change. Forecast looks good for later in the day when temperatures will be dropping. We are supposed to get some snow between overnight tonight and tomorrow which will be a big help in improving conditions. GO
Conditions: Tues. January 24, 2012 (posted Mon. at 9:00 p.m.)
The trails were all in very good to excellent condition on today (Mon.) and overnight there is very little snow accumulation forecast. Kenny will use the snowmobile to touch up the trails tomorrow and will then go to work on finishing off the brush cutting on Abbey Road. He will then move on to Bravehart starting south of the pentagon and working towards Sleepy Canuck Hill. The weather conditions for tomorrow are ???? and the morning will be the best time to ski. In the afternoon the forecast calls for some rain, rising temperatures and winds increasing to 45 km. It is difficult to predict what snow conditions evening skiers can expect on Tuesday if the mild temperatures and light rain come to fruition. The outlook for the next two days are not great, but by Thursday temperatures drop again and we will be back into consistent snow conditions. GO
Conditions: Mon. January 23, 2012 (posted Sun. at 9:20 p.m.)
After grooming BTF & Bunny Hop, Kenny will groom all other trails (except Lower BH) with the BR250. All trails should range from very good to excellent condition tomorrow. The forecast if for a few cm of snow tomorrow and cool temperatures. Kenny will finish off cutting the few remaining bushes popping up through the base on Abbey Road and will then move on to Braveheart where he will do the section from the pentagon intersection to the switchback shortcut before Sleepy Canuck.
(GO 9:40 p.m. Sun)
Conditions: Sun. January 22, 2012 (posted Sat. at 9:20 p.m.)
Tomorrow should be a great day on the trails ... Kenny will groom Beaver Tail Flat with the snowmobile at 8:00 a.m. and will then do all other trails for classic and skating with the BR250. BTF and the Bunny Hop are now in very good condition. You should note that Lower Braveheart still needs work and more snow so please avoid this trail. I spent some time working on re-locating the path of a pesky brook that was dammed off and was flowing across the trail so that problem is solved as the brook is back on track, But there is still a lot of brush cutting to do on BH and it needs about 5- 10 cm of snow before bringing it into the grooming schedule. In the meantime, take the switchback bypass which will allow you to access all of the upper BH loop. Snowy Owl has improved with the latest snowfall and thanks to Kenny's diligent work shoveling yesterday. Please use caution going down Yellow Birch Hill as it can get icy at the bottom. Other trails that are looking better are upper Raven's Ridge, Abbey Road and Chickadee Hollow. Give them a try. Most of the wet spots are now covered in. Kenny will work at brush cutting on Abbey Road and will will then move to upper Braveheart on Monday. (GO 9:30 p.m. Sat.)
Conditions: Sat. January 21, 2012
Tomorrow morning (Sat.) Kenny will first groom Beaver Tail Flat and will then groom all of the trails that are open with the BR250. These trails will include Foxtrot, Raven's Ridge, Snowy Owl, Upper Braveheart, Oliver's Twist and Abbey Road. Kenny worked most of today on Snowy Owl and despite the fact that he did a lot of shoveling at the bottom of Yellow Birch Hill you are advised to use caution. We will do a lot of work on SO next week to prepare for the Snowy Owl next Saturday. You should also note that Braveheart from the top of Sleepy Canuck to the switchback on the Big Climb has been base prepped, but it is officially closed as it needs work and more snow. The forecast overnight is for approximately 3 cm+/- and there is a call for easterly winds which may cause localized low drifting on the trails. Unfortunately the nice firm classic track that we had today will be wiped out .... sometimes those are the sacrifices we have to make. All that being said, it will be a great day to get out skiing on Saturday. If you have the attitude that cross country skiing is "cross country" is about covering distance as you proceed over the country, then everything will fall in place when you are on the trails tomorrow. Don't forget that chili is on in the kitchen from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and make sure you talk to the people ... that is what Whaleback is all about "Say Hi ... introduce yourself to people and smile ... if you are a member, bring someone along to join us ...we love meeting new faces ..... Don't forget that Sunday is Join the Club Day at Whaleback ... I will give a free classic lesson for adult and teenage beginners at 1:00 on Sunday ... hope to see you there. GO (8:00 p.m. Fri.)
Conditions: Fri. January 20, 2012
Depending on which weather forecast you look at, we will either have a few flurries tonight, or snow squalls blowing onshore. If we have the latter there may be more snow, if it is the former we will have insignificant accumulation. I will not be available to post the conditions report tomorrow morring as I will be on the trail early. If there is significant snowfall overnight we will groom with the BR250, if not we will use the snowmobile and tid-teck groomer. If the classic track is firm and in good condition we will leave it as is. Greg, Dan and I will be skiing all the trails (including BTF) in the classic mode tomorrow morning so the track will be open even if we do have a small snow accumulation in the track overnight. BTF will have priority tomorrow morning as it was not groomed today and a new track will be set on it. A lot of people have been asking about this trail and it is worthy to note that BTF is now in very good condition. If we get 5 cm of snow to set a deep track it will be excellent. Kenny will also open up the connection at the Switchback turn on Braveheart tomorrow so that skiers will be enticed to take the shortcut and cut off the bottom part of Braveheart as it still has some low brush on it. That being said, lower Braveheart is a sweet ski, despite a few sidesteps around a few alders along the way around. Kenny will spend most of tomorrow working on Snowy Owl shoveling in pesky wet spots and removing brush. Hats off to to Kenny for all the great work he's been doing. For the record, St. Anthony has only 5 km of trail open and according to club organizer, George Smith it's not in very good shape. Hopefully George and the gang will get some snow so that the trails will be in great shape for the marathon in March. Happy Skiing, GO (7:20 p.m. Thurs.)
Conditions: Thurs. January 19, 2012 (2:30 p.m.)
Just back off the trails .. skating classic conditions is great on all trails ... Beaver Tail Flat for classic skiers is flat and is free of weeds or brush ... all of Braveheart was groomed with the BR250 but there is no track on it ... it's a great fabulous skate but it still has brush on it ... it's a sweet run down Sleepy Canuck just use caution ... this morning when we were on it, it was very fast and flat as it was all new snow that had not been groomed for several days ... the switchback bypass was not open today, but will be tomorrow ... the classic track as of 2:00 p.m. on most trails was in good shape but with flurries and low drifting some of the tracks are filled in, but the fresh snow in the firm frozen track still gives you a good classic ski ... track in OT was very sweet .... Abbey/Rendez Vous/Snowy Owl and RR and also in very good shape. (GO 2:30 p.m. Thurs.)
Conditions: Thurs. January 19, 2012
Kenny will groom all trails fro classic and skating with the BR250 this morning. For the friends of BTFlat, it is worthy to note that Kenny removed the alders and set the track on BTF after it snowed yesterday so this trail should have a very good track and be in pretty good shape. We will focus on improving this trail as I know it is a much cherished trail for classic skiers who want to get off the beaten path. When Kenny finishes with the BR250 he will do some work on Snowy Owl (brush cutting and shovelling where necessary). It should be a great day on the trails and the long range forecast looks excellent.
(GO8:05 a.m.)
Conditions: Weds., January 18, 2012
Today Kenny will groom with the snowmobile groomer. Where the classic track is firm and in good shape, he will leave it in place. We will also leave the significant amount of snow that has accumulated on Snowy Owl, Upper Braveheart and Abbey Road untouched and groom these trails tomorrow after the mild weather passes through. By leaving these trails ungroomed, we will hopefully have some trails with some very good snow to work with tomorrow. The temperatures are expected to drop overnight tonight. The trails that will be groomed today are FT/RR/OT. Kenny groomed BTF with the big steel drag yesterday and the trail has improved considerably as a result. This morning will no doubt be the best time to go for a ski as the forecast calls for freezing rain and mild temperatures this afternoon. (GO 8:00 a.m.)
Conditions: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 Update: 8:25 News Bulletin regarding grooming ... I just had a call from kenny and he said we are having presently a very heavy snowfall in Cold Brook and this is supposed to continue this morning. He suggested that we delay grooming, because at the rate of accumulation the groomed trail will be filled in. Kenny will start grooming at 11:00 a.m. ... the forecast states that we should have flurries this afternoon with sunshine. GO 8:30 a.m. Conditions: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 I was just talking to Kenny and the plan for today is to groom the following trails with the BR250 ... Foxtrot, lower Raven's Ridge, OT, Up Hayes Hump, out Rendez Vous and Upper Raven's Ridge. We will keep the machine off Snowy Owl and Abbey Road until we get more snow and cold weather. The trails should be in very good condition for skating and good condition for classic. Kenny will also groom BTF after he finishes with the BR250, however this trail is still very uneven and more snow is required to flatten out the base. (GO 8:05 a.m.)
Conditions: Monday, January 16, 2012 Kenny will groom all the trails for classic and skating with the BR250. He will also try to groom the upper part of Braveheart from just below the pentagon to where the new connection has been made. This section will be a little rough as it will be the first time we've grooming it, but by running the machine over it the base will be prepared. We will also run the machine over lower BH (with the grooming gear raised) and this will prepare the base. You should note that we may only groom the connections between trails on alternate days (Hubert's Hop/cut through to BH/Switchback cut across on BH) on slected days as Kenny has to back up the machine tod groom these parts of the trail and this complicates the natural grooming circuit that Kenny has established. We will keep these connections open, but the grooming may not be up to the standard of the the other trails on a daily basis. (GO 8:10 a.m. Mon.)
Conditions: Sunday, January 15, 2012 Kenny will groom the Bunny Hop and Beaver Tail Flat (barring any washouts on BTF) first thing tomorow morning. He will then use the BR250 to groom all other trails except lower Braveheart. The temperature is forecast to drop overnight to -8 C and will go down to -10 C tomorrow ... the forecast is for sun and flurries and wind of 25 or 30 km NW which is tolerable ...dress warmly and get out and take advantage of some great skiing. I had a chance to ski many of the trails today and there is some excellent ungroomed snow on most of the trails, so once groomed by the BR250, conditions should be excellent. Classic should be a sweet choice and with the ice crystals in the snow, conditions will hopefully be great for skating. Don't forget tomorrow is Join the Club Day, so bring a friend up to see what's happening at Whaleback Nordic. I will be giving classic lessons at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.. These lessons are for new skiers (teenage & adult) who are considering joining the club and would like to ahve a lesson to get started. (GO 9:10 p.m.) Update as of 10:30 a.m. Sat. Hi folks .... usually we have conditions posted ASAP, but sometimes little gremlins get in the system to snare us up .... this is the story for the day ... after chatting with Prez Fowlow, we have decided to open up later this morning .... as per below, I was talking to Kenny early this morning and we decided to delay opening and then make a decision later in the morning so we could see how the day was unfolding. I have contacted Kenny and he is opening the gate and the chalet so that members only can access the trails and chalet today. We will not be opening up to the general public .... therefore no day passes. etc.. .... members who do ski today should be cautious as conditions will be difficult to predict as temperatures drop, there will also be snow squalls all day with high winds of 65 km +. Not a pretty day ..... but for the diehards it will be a great day to be outdoors ... see you for a chat around the wood stove this afternoon. GO Conditions: Saturday, January 14, 2012 I was just talking to Kenny and we have decided to close down operations this morning ... a weather advisory is in effect for our area ... winds 65 km and over, combined with snow are predicted for this afternoon .... if there is any change in the status of the trails, it will be posted later this morning. GO 7:45 a.m. Sat.) Conditions: Saturday, January 14, 2012 Conditions are very difficult to predict for Saturday .... rain/drizzle/snow/high winds ... not a pretty sight .... will wait and see. It may be just one of those days you go outand endure the conditions. Sunday calls for a better day. GO (6:00 p.m. Friday) (Environment Canada forecast below)Saturday..Rain showers or drizzle changing to flurries or snow squalls in the morning. Local snowfall amount 5 cm in snow squalls. Local blowing snow late in the afternoon. Wind southwest 60 km/h gusting to 80 except gusting to 100 along parts of the coast. Temperature falling to minus 2 in the afternoon.
Conditions: Friday, January 13, 2012 The conditions presently at the chalet (just chatting with Kenny) there is lots of snow on the trails ... have had some freezing rain ... snow is still dry enough to groom .... Kenny will groom FT and OT out upper RR ... this afternoon it calls for 4 and showers .... we are not supposed to get as much rain as previously forecast (6 mm) ... good news is that we also have snow forecast for later tomorrow Yipppppppppeeee ... they are calling for southerly high winds .... An early morning ski might be better today rather than delaying it until later in the day. Sat. calls for mixed precip so we will have another fun half day before the temp drops and it changes over to good snow. (GO @ 7:55 a.m. Friday)
Conditions: Thursday, January 12, 2012 On Thursday morning Kenny will groom all of the main trails (Foxtrot/ Raven's Ridge/ Oliver's Twist/ Snowy Owl/ Parts of Braveheart/ Rendez Vous/ and Parts of Abbey Road with BR250. Kenny will also use the blade to fill in some of the wet spots and this exercise should be effective as the temperatures are dropping to -12C+/- and we should also have some extra snow on he trails to work with. Today Kenny finished off the whips on most of Upper Braveheart and I gave to weed whacker a whirl and cleaned up the whips on the Bunny Hop and a section of Beaver Tail Flat to the end of the Crooked Brook. Kenny will also try to run the machine through BTFlat to set down a good base. But he can only do this, if he can cross one of the bridges which is in questionable condition. Once the base is set on this trail, we will soon be able to open it up. Beaver Tail Flat-enders, rest assured that we have not forgotten you. Classic backwoods rules at Whaleback! Thursday will be a great ski day and hopefully the well-groomed trails will remain in good shape throughout the day. Today (Wednesday) ... the Foxtrot was regroomed at 4:00 p.m. for the evening skiers. We will try to continue this practice on days when we have significant snowfalls throughout the day. We have had some feedback concerning snowshoers walking out in the skating lane and damaging the track ... will send out an email and post a sign as to trail etiquette (GO 8:00 p.m. Weds. evening)
Conditions: Wednesday, January 11, 2012
The trails were very good on Tuesday ...it was sweet for both classic and skate skiing ... the classic track was very firm and 1 cm of fresh snow that fell overnight made it that much sweeter. The cool temperatures overnight helped firm up the trail base and seal many of the wet spots. I just spoke with Kenny about tomorrow ... we will wait until tomorrow morning to decide whether to groom with the BR250 .... grooming will depend on snow accumulation overnight. If Kenny does not groom he will concentrate all his time on eliminating weeds and whips on Upper Braveheart. Today Kenny spend the entire morning fiinishing off the weeds and whiips on Upper Raven's Ridge. If any members would like to help in the Weed War, please feel free to grab a manual weed whacker and go at it. After a morning ski, I may go in and spend a few hours on the Bunny Hop as it would be good to have this trail ready for the weekend. The following trails are now in very good condition for both classic and skating: Lower Raven's Ridge, Foxtrot and Oliver's Twist. Upper Braveheart is open for classic and skating and you can now make a connection from Hubert's Hop (off Snowy Owl) over to the Big Climb via two new sections of trail that were opened with an excavator this past fall. Snowy Owl is open for skating and classic, but the bottom of Yellow Birch is still a bit rough, so please be cautious when descending the hill (the tree across the trail has at the bottom of Yellow Birch has been removed). Most of the weeds have been eliminated on Upper Raven's Ridge and it is now skateable right around to the finish ... there is no classic track on upper RR and there are still some wet spots. Abbey Road needs more work but is open as far as far as the Masters cutoff. A section of Rendez Vous is also open for skateable. Bunny Hop is open but weeds and whips have to be cut. We need another 15 cm+ to open Beaver Tail Flat. (Happy skiing, GO 9:00 p.m. Tues.) Conditions: Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Most of the trails were in superb condition today for both skating and classic as the BR250 made its rounds of everything except the last part of Abbey Road. Tomorrow morning, the BR250 will take a rest and Kenny will concentrate on cutting whips and weeds and removing a tree that is across the trail at the bottom of Yellow Birch Hill on the Snowy Owl. At 8:00 a.m. Kenny will go in and set a classic track on Snowy Owl with the snowmobile groomer. When he returns back to the SO/RR intersection, he start around SO again and cut across Hubert's Hop and set track over across to the top of Sleepy Canuck on Braveheart and then cut across to the Big Climb and continue on back to the Pentagon. Once he completes setting track on Braveheart, Kenny will start cutting the whips and weeds from the Saddleback on to the finish of Raven's Ridge. Four hours of cutting on this upper RR should make a big difference on this trail. For the record ... I just checked my log and we were not consistently skiing at WB until Jan 14/11 last year ..... on Jan. 16/11 we got 25 cm and from then on we never looked back .... this year we started skiing on Dec. 12/11 and some of us have skied right on through the holidays with only a few brief sporadic meltdowns. YIPPPPPEEE!!!!!!! (GO 9:00 p.m. Monday) Conditions: Monday, January 9, 2012
Kenny will be grooming most of the trails on Monday morning with the BR250, including the Snowy Owl. The BR250 needs fuel so Kenny's departure from the chalet will be delayed ??????. Kenny will do most of the trails (including Snowy Owl) and will then work on cutting weeds. Upper Raven's Ridge has some very good skating sections but there are some wet spots and sections with weeds and whips (below Whale's Hump), This being said, you can easily make the trip around. There are sections where water is still running on lower sections of Abbey Road. I am unsure if Kenny will get around Abbey tomorrow. Kenny will also probably groom from the pentagon going east to the Big Climb on Braveheart. After finishing with the BR250, Kenny has repair work to do on the snowmobile groomer and he will then go in and continue to work on cutting weeds and whips. With cool temperatures and more snow accumulating daily, the trails will continue to improve. Beaver Tail Flat will not be open until we get 15-20 cm more snow. Best trails tomorrow will be OT and FT ... it's approximately a 10 km loop from the chalet in around OT and back out, taking a left on FT and then back to the chalet. Maybe some GPS gifted people can verify this claim. GO 10:30 p.m Sunday Conditions: Sunday, January 8, 2012
Overnight it calls for 2-4 cm and 1-3 cm tomorrow morning. If we do get the snow that is forecast Kenny will resurface the trails with the BR250, if we don't get the snow, he will use the snowmobile groomer to re-surface the skating lane on Foxtrot and Oliver's Twist, but he will leave the old classic track in place. The long range forecast calls for daily snowfalls ranging from 1 cm to 5-10 cm up until next Saturday ... keep your fingers crossed. Skiing should be great on Sunday .... bring a friend and introduce them to cross country skiing a.k.a. " the King of Aerobics" ... it's true! Dr. Ken Cooper labelled it and he is the guru of the Aerobics Movement. (GO 8:30 p.m. Sunday)
Conditions: Saturday, January 7, 2012
Overnight we are expecting a few cm of snow which should continue to improve trail conditions. Tomorrow morning the jury is still out whether we will use the BR250, or the snowmobile groomer. It will depend on the amount of snow we receive overnight .... Kenny will make the decision in the morning. If we do not use the BR250 tomorrow morning we will probably use it on Sunday as we are expecting an accumulation of 10 cm over the next 24 hours. The Foxtrot and Oliver's Twist will be groomed tomorrow morning for classic (if the track is filled in) and skating and Kenny will continue to work on improving Upper Braveheart as this is a popular early season ski trail. We will not be opening Snowy Owl, Upper Raven's Ridge, Rendez Vous, Abbey Road, Lower Braveheart and Beaver Tail Flat until we get more snow. Kenny will instead concentrate on improving the trails that we already have groomed.
Note: There will have a beginner classic lesson for adults and teenagers on Sat. at 10:00 a.m. and another at 1:00 p.m. If you don't have skis, we will provide them.
Conditions: Friday, January 6, 2012 The plan is to groom on Friday morning with the BR250. Kenny will probably not be able to set classic tracks with the big machine and it is too early to compress hydraulically with the drag. Because the base has had a chance to setup overnight, conditions should be much better for skating on Friday. After Kenny finishes grooming with the BR250 he will set classic tracks with the snowmobile on the FTrot and OTwist and Lower RRidge. He will also try to groom Snowy Owl as far as Hubert's Hop and across top to Braveheart (new section of trail) and then down to the switchback at the top of the Big Climb and back around Braveheart to the pentagon (by now you are totally confused). This will create a new short, early season loop which will provide some variety. Although there is some cutting to do on Hubert's Hop, it should still be skiable. Night skiing is now on the regular schedule which is Mon. to Fri. until 9:00 p.m. Don't forget Free Beginner's Classic lessons on Sat. 10 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.at lesson. We will also provide the gear. (GO 9:50 p.m. Thursday evening)
Conditions: Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 Happy New Year to all .... Forget about skiing today ... it's raining, trails are slushy .. best to stay off the trails ... put the turkey on and and read a book. GO
Conditions Sat. New Year's Eve The trails have survived the mild spell, however we did lose the groomed classic track in some places. Kenny did set a new track where there was enoguh snow on the Foxtrot. The stadium area had a hardened base with some new snow on it. Inside on the FT, where the trails are not as much affected by the wind, there is a covering of new snow that will provide an edge. Oliver's Twist has been groomed and while there is more snow accumulation on it, the trail base has humps and bumps because the BR250 has not been on it yet. Sunday and Monday look to be mild days, but after that we should be into more snow ... keep your fingers crossed. Night skiers should note that we are having problems with the lights tripping out .... we are unsure of the source ... this problem will be passed on to the electrical crew .... have patience as we do not have full time licensed electrician on staff. Off to the trails ..... Happy skiing, GO
Conditions: Friday, Dec. 30/2011 High winds are forecast for overnight and into Friday morning which will also result in snow squalls. It is difficult to say how much snow will stay on the trails with the SW wind blowing at 55 kmph. Hopefully the new snow (10 cm forecast) will cover the frozen base. The winds are forecast to drop Friday afternoon. GO Thurs. 9:00 p.m. Conditions: Thursday, Dec. 29/2011 I was just chatting with Kenny and the trails are slushy so it best to stay off them until the snow firms up. The temperature is expected to drop below freezing this afternoon and 15 cm of snow is forecast over the next 24 hours. With the high winds and trail condtions in transition, it's probably a good day to read a book. GO (9.45 a.m Trails Update 3:00 p.m. Due the high winds and inclement conditions, there will no night skiing this evening and the chalet is closing immediately.
Conditions: Tuesday, Decmber 27, 2011 I was just talking with Kenny and he's on the trails grooming with the snowmobile ... a few centimetres fell overnight and this new accumulation will help built up the trail base and provide a fresh surface to the Foxtrot. Kenny will leave the old classic track in place as it is in great shape and he will groom the skating lane with the snow snowmobile. The long range forecast looks very good and we shoudl have no problem surviving the next few mild days. The chalet goes into full operation today ... grab your skis and head and go for a ski. GO 8:40 a.m.
Conditions: Dec. 26, 2011 You will have great early season ski conditions today with a little sunshine to boot. There is a good classic track and the Foxtrot is also grooming for skating. Come out and enjoy a post-turkey leisurely ski. Anyone wishing to sign up can do so tomorrow at the chalet. Off to the trails. GO
Conditions: Dec. 24, 2011 Thanks to the few centimetes that fell overnight conditions for both classic and skating have improved. Grab your skis and hit the trails. The firm classic track that was already well formed yesterday should be in great shape today with the new snow. The new snow will also provide better edging for skating. We are still waiting for more snow accumulation to open the inside trails. Until we get more snow we will concentrate on grooming the FTrot. GO 8:15 a.m. Sat.
Projected Trail Conditions for Friday, Dec. 23, 2011 With temperatures dropping overnight the trails should firm up nicely, however we are still in a wait-and-see mode in regards to how icy the trails will be on Friday .... if we get a few centimetres of snow overnight it will greatly improve conditions. With the mild temperatures over the past 18 hours, we may also have some rocks popping up through the base. The jury is still out until we get out on the trails. Friday morning will probably not be a good time for novice skiers to take to the trails. Posted: 7:45 Thursday evening (Temp +1C)
Thursday, Dec. 22/11 Although the FT (2.5 km) is still in great shape, we have decided to keep the machines off the trails and to close down skiing for the day so as to preserve the base. Once the temperatures cool after today we should be back in business. I have been chatting with Jack Lamond our long suffering webman and we will now try to keep conditions posted exclusively on the website. So bookmark www.whalebacknordic.ca and drop in daily to check the conditions ... often the "expected trail conditions for the following day" are posted the night before. Happy skiing, GO
Conditions: Weds. Dec. 21, 2011 Conditions on the Foxtrot are very good today. Kenny groomed with the BR250 for skating and used the snowmobile for setting classic tracks. It is sweet skiing in the track ... there are a few spots where the turf is showing but you can still use your good skis if you have a discerning eye ... just be aware that you may have side step some uncovered turf in a few places. Skating is also very good but the base is thin as there are only about 5 cm of packed snow over a frozen base. Lights will be on tonight until 9:00ish, but there will be no night skiing after tonight until further notice. GO
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