New Years Eve Grooming Report

Doug went out late last night and re-set the classic tracks and did one pass on the skate lanes.  He's on his way out again this morning with his son to stake the edge of the skate lane and make another pass.  

A hearty thanks is not nearly enough to acknowledge the many many hours spent keeping the track in world class shape!

Grooming and an Introduction

Jeff is on his way out to tune up the course right now (8pm Tuesday). It will take 2-3 hours to groom the skate course and reset the classic tracks.  It’s bitterly cold, so it may take a bit longer than usual for the snow to set up. Tomorrow should be good skiing as it will be a little warmer. We expect some light snow in the afternoon, which should be fun to ski in.

For those who have asked, here’s a brief introduction of our grooming crew:

Doug grooms every couple of days and keeps a very close eye on the course. Randy has spent countless hours also grooming over the years. The two of them actually started the whole ski course many years ago by pulling box springs behind a snowmobile to groom a skate course. They eventually purchased grooming equipment of their own and turned Teton Lakes into a winter wonderland for cross-country skiers. Jeff (my husband) helps out when he can. Six years or so ago, Steve and I started a youth ski club, and Joel came aboard early on to help coach. The club is now run by the Rexburg Recreation Department. The City stepped in a couple of years ago and officially turned the golf course into Teton Lakes Winter Park - skiing, sled hill, snowshoeing off the track - although grooming for cross-country skiing continues to be done on a volunteer basis. The Cupid Cup ski race has been run by volunteers since its inception as an Eagle Project by Parker A. Some years the race doesn’t happen, but when it does it’s a fun event.

Many thanks to Doug, Randy and Jeff - and to all those involved with the City Rec. Dept., ski rentals and Redd’s Grill in the Clubhouse, and the County for snow removal - for providing such a service to the community. It has turned into a team effort. We appreciate all of you for enjoying and caring about the Winter Park. Happy trails!

Track report

 The classic tracks are set and the skate track is groomed nicely. Skating is kind of slow right now and is still cold and soft; it could use some sunshine and time to transform. Bill (on his cool sit-ski) and Debbie were out in the classic tracks and reported similar slow snow there. But the sun is shining so it’ll be great skiing in no time at all (or perhaps not until later this afternoon or tomorrow).

Also - please feel free to submit your own reports. I don’t get out everyday and sometimes don’t know how it is. You can text me at 208 317 1365. Let me know your name and what time you’re out and I’ll do my best to post your updates.

Track

 I suspect the track will be groomed early tomorrow morning, but I’m not certain. 

I hope it goes without saying, but please remember that the Cross-country ski trails are groomed for skiing only. Absolutely no fat bikes (those ruin the trails faster than anything!), walking, dogs, or snowshoeing on the groomed trails. Our groomers volunteer a great deal of time to create wonderful trails just for skiing, with Classic tracks for traditional skiing, and a groomed deck for skate skiing. Thank you all for respecting their work.

Grooming

Doug went out earlier today and Jeff is out right now (Wednesday 8pm), tuning up the course. The classic tracks are set and the corduroy is calling the skate skiers. Should be good skiing tomorrow. Dress warmly. Thanks to Doug and Jeff for their great work!

Note: a reminder to please not walk on the ski trails, and the City/Golf Course does not allow dogs on the course.

Please stay off today

 Doug asked that I encourage skiers to stay off the course today. It’s just too warm. He wrote:

It will be extremely soft and I don’t see snow for a few days which will make it impossible to fix until new snow.  If we stay off today I will be able to fix it this evening if there are no deep ruts.  Just ask them to wait a day.  Thanks

Track Report

 After so many skiers today, the classic tracks are really well-set, which is great. The skate track was skied out, though, so Jeff spent a couple of hours tonight tuning up the track. Thank you, Jeff! 

Grooming report

Great news - Doug groomed the skate track again late last night, and the classic tracks are all set. It takes a long time to do all that work and we really appreciate it. Thank you, Doug! 

Track

 Looks like the track is groomed and ready for skiing. Have fun!

Track Update

 I just got this report (below) from Doug. Thank you, Doug! 

Doug texted: We are skiing with both skating and conventional tracks. The snow is quite soft, so it will take a few days of grooming to get a base established. Things are covered well, so I think our skies are safe. Get the crowd coming. The City plans to open the Club House Saturday for rentals.  The winter appears to be off to a good start.

Track Update

 Good news from (and thanks to!) Doug:

The trail was rolled this evening and it is looking well covered.  I will run the groomer tomorrow after the snow stops.  Two or three more inches  and we will be skiing on great snow.  It is still soft.  The snow is very cold and is not packing well.  If we can get skiers on it they will fix that.  Get them out here to ski .  Winter will go by before we know it.

Track Update

 Randy texted me this afternoon that he will roll the course out this evening. Thank you, Randy! We expect more snow next week, so we should have some great skiing coming up!

Track Update Nov. 27

 Just got this text. Thank you, Doug!

I rolled the trail last night.  Not a lot of snow but where I rolled the night before it looks good.  Bring your old skies and watch for cart paths and gravel.  I made a couple of new trails just up and down fairways that should be safe for skating.  Pray for snow!

No news yet

 Sorry, I haven’t heard if the course has been groomed yet. Feel free to kick a classic trail of nothing has been set, and bring your skate skis just in case the skate trail is ready. If there’s no track, well, I guess this is cross-country skiing and we are happy just to be on the snow. :)

Track Update

Update: Doug groomed the track mid-afternoon today. Jeff shared the pictures below and it looks amazing. I don't know how much was done, but enough to make for a good ski. 

Notes: If you went skiing in the morning before he groomed, you likely found it a little challenging - the Cow Pasture was particularly sloggy. We really appreciate the volunteered time that our groomers put in to offer such a great activity for us. In order to guard their hard work, please remember the course is for skiing/skiers only, and to classic ski on the edges and skate ski in the middle. The City also prohibits dogs at the Golf Course. 

Thanks! Many thanks to Doug for going out twice already - this is a great, and really early, start to the season! And thanks to the City of Rexburg for setting out the port-a-potty, and to the County for keeping the parking lot plowed. This is a concerted effort, for sure.

Heads up: although I tossed 50 golf balls off the track (yes, I counted), there were at least that many still left. Hopefully the new snow has covered them. Regardless, until we get a bunch more snow, watch for golf balls and clumps of leaves (they may look innocent, but they can trip you up), bunches of grass, strewn twigs and fallen branches. Rock skis - i.e., your oldest, most worn-out skis - would be ideal for this early in the season, if you have a designated pair.

November 12 Track Report

 Randy texted me this evening to let me know that Doug rolled a track at the course and that it's skiable. Pretty exciting! I suspect the classic tracks have not been set yet and won't be until we have deeper snow, so please be courteous on the skate track if you're on classic skis. Just keep to the edge so the skate track doesn't get ruts. As always, remember the groomed tracks are for skiing only. Thanks!

Grooming Report

Amazingly enough, the track is still intact. Doug tuned it up last night (thank you!). Here's his report:

The track is still very good skiing.  It was tuned up last night with new diagonal tracks, only a couple of places showing grass. The skate track is still all covered but getting thin under or around some of the trees.  

They have spread charcoal on the greens.  So look out - golf is in the air.  The problem is that there are still 4 ft drifts in places and for the most part about 1 ft of snow yet, so we will move around the thin places and keep skiing as long as we can.  It has been a great winter.   

Track Report

Pavel sent a report:

Remarkably, still plenty of snow and good skiing 03/07/20. The track is 100% snow covered. No standing water in low areas (yet).

Grooming Report

I don't know which of our groomers went out, but yesterday there was fresh corduroy for skating and the classic tracks looked perfect.  The skiing is as good as ever, so go enjoy it today. We expect some new snow tonight, and the track isn't melting any time soon. It's pretty amazing to be skiing into March.

Have fun!

Grooming Report

It's pretty amazing that we have all our snow (plus the new snow from last night). I just got an update from Doug (thank you!).  He said:

The track was groomed about 10am but then the wind blew it in in places, so this evening just before dark I fixed it. It is beautiful. Should be great skiing tomorrow.

Weather Report

It's pretty remarkable that we still have so much snow. Jeff skied the other night and said the track was good, but because it was so cold it was slow (he was on skate skis). This super-cold weather is a good time to get on classic skis.

In case anyone is interested, here's an update on our current cold snap from our neighbor Lee Warnick:

 Rexburg old-timers may find this hard to believe, but the 8-below-zero low temp yesterday and the 10-below this morning are both records for these dates. The accompanying light breezes have given us wind chills as low as 23-below. 

     Yesterday's high was only 21, a few degrees from a daily record, and today's predicted high is just 22. These temps are about 15 degrees below normal. With tonight's predicted low of 7-below, this will become the longest zero-or-below spell in late February in 10 years.

     By the end of February average highs reach near 40, so we typically see our snow cover start to melt more consistently after Valentine's Day. Not so this year -- once the snow stopped in earnest about two weeks ago, the cold moved right in. Most of our snow mountains are still there, right where we left them.

     There won't be much change in the next week: Temps might barely nose above 32 Saturday and Sunday, but otherwise are predicted to stay solidly below freezing.

     For you weather nerds, yes, we are in a mild temp inversion. Pressures are very high (30.53 right now), steam from the plants on the north side of town are not rising much vertically, and temps in much-more-frigid West Yellowstone are running 5-10 degrees warmer than here. The temps at my home station, a mere 250 feet in elevation above the official airport station, have been running about 5 degrees warmer. That's an inversion!

Cupid Cup 2020 Video

2020 Cupid Cup Race Results

Here are the race results - video and pictures to follow!

https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=210732

Friday Morning Grooming

Randy just finished buffing out the skate track this morning (thank you!). He must have started his day in the middle of the night!  Should be a nice day to ski.

Enjoy!

Cupid Cup Wax Recs

Wednesday Grooming, Cupid Cup, and January Weather Report

Grooming

Randy just texted that he's groomed everything except the Cow Pasture. Thank you, Randy! The long-term forecast looks like winter isn't leaving anytime soon. Enjoy the snow!

Cupid Cup

Just a reminder that you and all your friends & family are invited to join the Cupid Cup on Saturday. Check the Cupid Cup tab up top on the home page for more information. The main course will be closed for the race until around 11am, but there will still be skiing at the Cow Pasture.

January Weather

Also, in case anyone is interested, here's Lee Warnick's January Rexburg Weather re-cap:

Rexburg Temperatures

High temperatures: 30.5 / 2.5 degrees above normal

Low temperatures: 17.0 / 6.1 degrees above normal

Zero or below days: 1     Normal: 6.4

Highest wind gust: 40 mph on the 14th

Number of windy days: 7    Normal: 3.5

Highest temperature: 39 on the 21st

Lowest temperature: -7 on the 10th

Lowest wind chill: -9 on the 15th

     • We saw mildish max temps in January -- highs each day ranged only between 22 and 39, with about half of the days within a few degrees of freezing. No great cold snaps this month.

     • Once more, the most prominent temp feature was the really mild average low temperatures. Our single subzero day was sandwiched between ones with lows around 20. The bounteous cloud-cover was largely the reason: We had cloudy skies for the final 12 days of the month, meaning that not only were we given only rare glimpses of sun, it also meant an insulating blanket, and higher low temps, on most nights.

     • January was snowy -- more about that to come. The first round of storminess brought us classic Pacific winter systems with temps generally in the 20s, and all snow of the typical Rexburg winter dryish variety. The final-week storminess was more like a Pineapple Express, with temps in the 30s and some rain, or occasionally frozen rain, mixed in with the much wetter snow. 

Rexburg Precipitation

Precipitation: 2.16 / 208 percent of average

   Notes: Breaks January monthly record of 1.85 from 1982

Snowfall: 26.7 / 184 percent of average

   Notes: 2nd most January snow in 49 years, second only to 26.8 in 1982

2019-20 water year precipitation (4 of 12 months): 4.02 / 96 percent of average

2019-20 season snowfall: 51.6 / 128 percent of average

     • Yep, this was our all-time wettest January, easily so, and it was almost the snowiest one ever. (It also could have been a record-breaker -- snowfall measurement is tricky, and when in doubt I tend toward the conservative. It's safe to say this January ranks right there with the epochal winters of the early 1980s.) 

     • This month featured two half-inch precip days (we'd only seen seven of these in the previous 48 Januarys). The month (as well as year and decade) began with one of the Top 3 snowstorms of all time, a monster system that registered 0.60 precip / 8.5 inches. Things quieted down for the next several days to give us time to dig out, and then a week-long series of generally light storms added 0.34 precip / 6.5 inches. After another quiet week, the month ended with a week of wet storms that occasionally mixed in rain with the snow. This final week registered an impressive 1.19 precip (by itself more than the January average) / 11 inches (a lot, but relatively light for that much precip). Of such are record-breaking months built!

     • I've been taking daily snow cover readings (admittedly another quirky stat) since January 1997, and 19 inches is right up there with the deepest January 31 snow cover I've seen since then. However, I do remember measuring somewhere around a thigh-deep 38 inches in the open area to the north of my former Spori Building office sometime before that (we moved to Rexburg in 1988). I don't recall when this was, so it may have to qualify as urban legend until I can confirm when this happened.

     • Our water year has rebounded very nicely: We rocketed from 59 to 96 percent of normal in a single month!

Monday Evening Grooming Report and Cupid Cup invitation

Grooming

Randy called to report he just now finished grooming the course. Thank you, Randy! He set the classic track throughout, except for the Cow Pasture (but I suspect it's still holding up well there). The skate track has been groomed with the Ginzu except for the Clover Leaf. The Clover Leaf has been rolled. Randy will try to get the Ginzu out there later tonight or tomorrow morning.

Just FYI, the tracks that pull the Ginzu are slightly wider than the Ginzu, so it leaves a line in the snow off to the side. Randy is trying to figure out how to fix that. In the meantime, we have no complaints. This is cross-country skiing, after all! We're all set to ski on whatever terrain we can.

Cupid Cup:

Everyone is invited to ski in the Cupid Cup on Saturday. We will have skiers of all levels, so everyone is welcome. Come have fun scooting around or come ready to put it in high gear - either way, it'll be a great day. Check on the Cupid Cup tab on the homepage for registration and more information.

The track is back

Doug just barely texted that the track is back. He said it’s soft in places but should still be good skiing. With both Randy and Doug working so long and hard in such difficult circumstances, I’d say they pulled off a miracle. Enjoy!

Friday Morning Course Update

No tracks groomed or set yet. Read on.

One of the track assemblies on the groomer broke Wednesday so Randy spent several hours yesterday setting up the groomer to work with Doug's Razor. He then spent about 4 hours last night trying to roll out the track in order to pack the snow before grooming it. With a good 8-10" of new powder sitting on top of the frozen track below, it's been quite a struggle. The new snow isn't packing down or incorporating into the track below, so it ends up just being pushed/plowed as the roller goes along. Randy got stuck about six times because of that.

Doug is now out trying to run the Ginzu Groomer (the one jerry-rigged to his Razor). It's going to take some time and effort to get a track set again, so just be patient and enjoy the weather. Apparently we have some more snow in the forecast and - unfortunately - 20-30mph winds expected tomorrow morning.  This is one of the rare times when we might just have too much snow...maybe.

Many thanks to both Doug and Randy for their extraordinary volunteer work, commitment, and expertise.

Not groomed yet

As of Thursday at 1pm, there’s been no grooming yet. The storm finally stopped just a few hours ago and dumped lots of new snow. You can kick a trail if you’d like. I’ll post if I hear anything.

Moose on the course

Heads up, everyone: we have a moose on the course. Pavel reported seeing the moose today near the first bridge to the Cow Pasture loop. This is likely the same moose we've seen before. Some years she has had a calf by her side. We also share the course with deer and small critters; yet another reason we thank you for not bringing dogs out.

Please watch your kids, respect the animals, and keep your distance from all wildlife.

Friday Track Report

We had great feedback today from Pavel, one of our frequent skiers. Here's his report:

Probably the best skiing of the year this morning. Fresh, firm, fast corduroy. Thanks for the world class grooming.

Great to see increasing amount of people using the trails. Large groups of people of all ages converging in multiple cars to ski together. It is amazing to see everyone respecting the track by not bringing dogs, bikes, and not walking on it.

It could all change tomorrow as above freezing temps are forecast in the afternoon.

Thursday Morning Tune-up

Randy texted me this morning that he was able to get out and work on the course. He said it tuned up nicely. Thanks to Randy for his work!

Tuesday Morning Report

The January thaw hit hard yesterday but we should be okay. Here's Doug's report from this morning:

I tried to tune up the track from yesterday's disaster (the snowmelt). It is better but needs new snow. The diagonal/classic track worked up fair but also needs new snow. Maybe tonight.

Thanks to Doug for spending so much time on the track for all of us!

Monday Track Update

I haven't heard anything yet, but I stopped by the course earlier today and it looked freshly groomed. I think our track will survive the January thaw, but it did look a little touchy in a couple of spots from where I was standing. Mostly, though, it looked beautiful. Enjoy!

Saturday Grooming Report

Doug just sent this:

The track is groomed and looking good .  There are a good number of skiers, but some may be waiting to see if we groomed this morning.  The 1.5 inch of snow made a great track.  Have a great ski day.

Thanks, Doug! Happy skiing, everyone.

Friday Evening Report

Randy just called with a grooming report. Thank you, Randy! He's been out cleaning up the track after this morning's snowfall. He said the skate track is pretty smooth but there are still some punchy places. The groomer skipped on a few spots, so there may be some lumps. Right now the track is kind of soft, however it should set up pretty well overnight. The classic tracks are also set and ready for skiing.

Happy Trails!

Friday Jan 17 Track Report

With the new snow and wind the tracks are for the most part non-existent.  There is a good base underneath and a few brave souls have been out laying down tracks across the drifts.  When the storms die down and we've had a chance to got out and groom again we'll do our best to let you know ASAP.  Until then caveat emptor!

Wednesday Grooming

Doug’s been out grooming again. Hopefully he can have a little break for the next few days! Many thanks for his great work. Here’s the report:

Great snow, so deep I got stuck in a drift this morning.  I am out now & will be finished with the rest of the grooming in about an hour.  The sled hill is groomed also and should be a great place for kids to play while school is out.  Anyway great skiing, come enjoy.

Tuesday Report

Many thanks to Doug who has been working hard in this windy weather. Here’s the report:

The track has been groomed, but wind is creating havoc. If people will stay away from open areas skiing is good. Skating is good but the tracks are blowing in quickly in open areas. If you not afraid of bad weather skiing is pretty good. I will get back on it when wind goes down.

Monday Morning Report

Doug went out on this blustery morning in an attempt to groom. Thank you, Doug! Here's his report:

Tried two groom or roll this morning. Drifting snow filled in my tracks before I could make a second round. Some places the snow is blown down to the base and others the drifts are so deep I could hardly make it through with the roller. Once the wind calms I will be back out to try to bring the track back to what it was.

Randy and Doug plan to work on it together later.  Thanks for their work!

Saturday Report

Doug just texted this report:
The track has been rolled and groomed but it is still very soft.  It needs to be skied on and then groomed again.  It will be perfect after that, but it looks like the snow is coming again.  So enjoy, not perfect but very skiable.   We must love this weather for it may take us into March.  Let you know the next time I am out.  Oh the sledding hill was groomed also.

Friday Report

Look at this! The track is freshly groomed and absolutely beautiful on this frigid morning. I'm no sure which of our groomers did it, but here's a big thanks for their work.  Addendum: found it was Randy. Thank you, Randy!

Track Report and Grooming Insights

Doug just texted:
The track is tuned up as best as I could. The electric system on the Maverick continues to be a problem and the tines (to smooth the trail) will not go down. We will fix them today, but until then you will see places where there are track marks or still ski marks. The conventional (classic) tracks were put in before my electric problem, so they are great.

Thank you, Doug!

Jeff skied last night and said it was great. There was one pass of fresh grooming on the skate lanes through some lightly drifted snow. It was soft but skied well. The classic tracks are set nicely, although it is still a little punchy.

So after chatting with Doug the other day, I thought I'd throw out the following info just to give some insights into his amazing work. He mentioned that he'd been out grooming on New Year's day when the machine blew a fuse, leaving him stuck way out on the south end and the track half done in the middle of the night. He got things fixed up eventually, but the next time he was out the tines on the groomer started skipping and the bolts were coming loose. He had to leave the track in an imperfect condition to go work at his West Yellowstone clinic. He's been doing an amazing job despite the grooming malfunctions.

Just for a little perspective, he groomed Monday morning, starting at 3am and finishing three hours later. This is all volunteer work. Pretty astonishing, I'd say. This is also one reason we guard the track so closely so his work isn't ruined. If you see him out there (like, if you happen to be skiing at 3am), give him a big thank-you.

Freshly Groomed and Set

The track has been groomed and it looks amazing! The classic and skate lanes are both well-set. There are some punchy areas and some drifts - can’t do much about the wind - but it’s good skiing all around. Have fun!

Track report

The track looks amazing. Thanks to Doug, we have fresh corduroy for skating and well-set classic tracks. Soft flex skis would be the pick for today until the snow settles down some more.

Here's Doug's report:

The snow and track are as good as we have ever had. There is no grass exposed, the base is solid and the tracks are perfect. Get out and enjoy. It doesn't last long.