Bonus Tune-up April 6, 8:30

 Wow. Doug went out again this morning! Here’s his report:

I groomed one more time and it will make for great skating if out before noon. The conventional (classic) tracks are not great, the snow is like ice in many areas and I cannot soften the snow enough to allow the track setters to do their job. There are are areas where the track was altered to stay on snow.  So watch for those places and there is grass showing up in places on south facing hills watch before heading down hills.  Have a great day!

Final Tune-up, Wednesday April 5, 7am

 This is the last grooming for this season. A huge thanks to Doug for all his work. And many thanks to Jeff and Randy for their contributions. It’s been a great season. The track will probably last through the rest of this week, although you’ll want to ski early on Friday and Saturday. 

Here’s Doug’s 7am report this morning:

One last day, I have tuned up the skate track and will see what can be done with the classic track. Have a great spring and we will be back when it snows again.

And here’s his 9am update:

I did make an attempt at putting in new conventional tracks. They are good in most areas but shaky where snow was like ice. I think all will have a good morning,  after lunch it will be too soft to enjoy.

Tuesday morning April 4 track report

 The skate track is a little rutted and icy, but it’s actually not bad. You can skate the entire course, although the Cow Pasture hasn’t been groomed since last Friday. Everything else was groomed yesterday and is holding up.

There is only one bare patch that I saw. Watch for grass as you come down the hill alongside the highway,  near the highway sign. Classic tracks are fading away, but are still visible.

I suspect this may be the final week of skiing, with a chance of getting into next week. We’re so lucky to have this extra month of really great skiing here. Meanwhile, there is still plenty of snow in other nearby Nordic ski areas. Have fun!

March Weather Recap

 With permission, I’m posting this monthly email report from the Rexburg Weather Group. Interesting info!

Temperature High temperatures: 33.3 / 11.7 degrees below normal      Coldest March highs on record, smashing the record of 35.6 from 1985 Low temperatures: 15.4 / 8.4 degrees below normal      3rd coldest March lows ever and the coldest since 1985 Highest wind gust: 60 mph on the 10th Number of windy days: 6     Normal: 8.0 Highest temperature: 47 on the 29th Lowest temperature: -1 on the 8th Daily temp records set: High  0    Low  11    • We were also headed for the coldest March low temps ever until the final three nights, when snow-filled clouds held up our night-time temps and kept us from breaking this record. However, the mean March temperature was also easily our coldest ever.    • It’s been an amazingly long-lived dominant weather pattern since mid-January, when California-sent atmospheric rivers were replaced by a strong northerly flow. In the 77 days since then, only 8 (10 percent) have seen above normal high temps, including streaks of 15, 8, 20 and, currently, 20 straight days below normal.     • In addition to the monthly records smashed, we broke or tied 11 daily records, covering a span of 52 years of weather data. For reference, in the midst of last summer’s record-breaking heat, we also broke 11 daily high-temp records. What last August was to hot, March was to cold.    • But guess what? After another chilly work-week mostly in the 30s, our Easter Sunday high is predicted to be 51! This is 2 degrees below normal, but we’ll take it. It would also be the first 50-degree day since November 5 — 155 days! Precipitation Precipitation: 1.68 / 165 percent of average      5th most March precipitation on record Snowfall: 22.2 / 358 percent of average      Most March snow ever, breaking the record of 17.2 inches from 1985 2022-23 water year precipitation (6 of 12 months): 6.80 / 114 percent of average 2023 annual precipitation (3 of 12 months): 3.78 / 134 percent of average 2022-23 season snowfall: 79.4 / 143 percent of average 2023 annual snowfall: 53.4 / 179 percent of average Thunderstorm days: 0     Fog days: 22 Daily precip records set: Precip  1    Snow  2   Drought status: D0 (Pre- or Post-Drought)    • Because of all this cold, the vast majority of our generous March precip fell as snow, which accounts for that eye-popping percentage above, and the eye-popping amount of snow still hanging around well into April. We have far more snow cover on this date than any other year since I started keeping snow records in 1997.    • Our high-country snowpack still measures in at healthily above normal, not anywhere near the all-time-record amount now in Utah. Speaking of which, as I’m writing this, the Wasatch Front is being pummeled by a Winter Storm Warning-grade system that decided to just graze us (we’ll see maybe an inch). They’re supposed to receive 6-12 inches from this storm, just in the valleys. Aren’t you glad we won’t be dealing with this on top of all that snow we already have!    • We’ve already clinched our heaviest seasonal snowfall in 12 years, and if we add on the normal April 3 inches, this would be our best winter's snowfall in 15 seasons. •  •  • You’ll hear from me quite a bit this week: On Wednesday I’ll send out the final Winter Score for the rollicking season just passed, so you can see how this one compared to winters of yore. And Thursday or Friday will come the quarterly drought update, and there’s plenty of good news to share!         You received this message because you are a member of the Rexburg Weather Group. Unsubscribe • Update Email Address • View Online

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April 3, Monday 8am

This is not an April Fool’s post - but it’s still crazy that we’re skiing this late! 

Doug just sent this grooming report.

I learned that a track that was a beat up can still be fixed and made new with a little work. All is good with the golf guys. I spoke with them after tuning the skate track this morning and they acknowledged our track made clearing the greens much easier and said for the next few days they would avoid the trail as much as possible except where they need to cross. And by the way skiing should be great this morning. Enjoy!

Saturday April 1, Grooming Report

We have it on good authority that the real reason for the multiple tracks and trenches laid across the skate lanes yesterday were to facilitate the placement of a rope tow for the remainder of the season around the perimeter trail.  No info yet about when this will be up and running, but we'll keep you posted!  

April Fool’s Day addendum: Jeff posted this in my name, just so you know. There’s no rope tow.