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Post by patrick on Dec 5, 2016 17:15:59 GMT -9
12/5 Maybe I'm being optimistic to start a thread, but I did ski the upper Buskin today. I had planned on skiing at the Golf Course and so had not even brought rock skis, but the inch of new snow convinced me to try the Upper Buskin. It was pretty good in places - the old military roads - and marginal in others - all the fields and places where impromptu trails cut thru alders etc. I did the big loop.
Someone cut all the trails so the tunnels and trails are excellent. The alder tunnel has never been so good! But beware of creek crossings and places where creeks washed down trails. Those places still have exposed rocks.
I did not hit a single rock in my good skis! Now let's hope it continues to snow!
Patrick
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Post by patrick on Dec 6, 2016 15:59:40 GMT -9
12/6 a solid 3 inches of new snow on the upper buskin, and looks like no rain fell. The XC skiing was GOOD - no need for rock skis, but watch out for rocks on the dry creek crossings. Also there is still water in the first crk crossing but easy enough to skitter on across jumping from rock to rock. Get it while it is GOOD Patrick  |
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Post by Philip on Dec 6, 2016 20:17:52 GMT -9
The trails that John and I trimmed this past weekend are highlighted in pink:  |
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Post by patrick on Dec 7, 2016 18:16:28 GMT -9
12/7 When I went early in the afternoon there was an inch or so of new dry powder. The conditions were excellent. By the time I finished there were also 3 cars in the parking lot. So 'lots' of other people seemed to have enjoyed the trails too.
The Upper Buskin is the best it has been in 3 years.
Patrick
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Post by mrsquishy on Dec 7, 2016 19:29:27 GMT -9
Huzzah! I'll be there tomorrow!
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Post by patrick on Dec 8, 2016 17:12:45 GMT -9
12/8 A couple inches new snow since yesterday and still snowing when i left at 2:30. Today even the creek and river bottom had enough snow to cover the boulders. Think snow.
Patrick
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Post by mrsquishy on Dec 10, 2016 9:24:13 GMT -9
12/8 & 9: I skied the UB Thursday and Friday. Thursday was excellent - I skied all the trails and down the river a ways as well. Friday, the road was not plowed past the golf course when I got there, so I skied along the road to the first parking lot, then took the "Hunter" trail to the river, joined my tracks on the river from Thursday and skied a big loop. Snow conditions were best described as "squishy"... I did scrape some rocks on the river, but the other trails were fine. Most of the creek crossing bridges are melted, so I had to take off the skis a few times. Nice to have tracks unravaged by post-holers, dogs, etc. - except the Hunter trail which is used by dog-walkers, it would appear.
BTW, by my GPS, the Hunter trail from the first parking lot to the river is 0.67 miles. From the golf course parking lot to the first parking lot is 0.27 miles.
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Post by mrsquishy on Dec 10, 2016 13:53:10 GMT -9
12/10: Track frozen; the last person to ski yesterday had skinnier skis than mine, so the frozen track was not much fun. I think skinny skis with blue wax would probably be good. Wish we could get some snow on top of this nice frozen base. Thanks to all the trail fairies: Philip, John, Patrick, me and anyone else who's ever sawed a limb on the trails. They are all well-brushed.
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Post by patrick on Dec 10, 2016 17:09:13 GMT -9
12/10 The frozen ruts are why I went downhill skiing yesterday. Today I went to the golf course and it was OK. Pretty solid crust and bumpy so not that great classic XC. But just a little punchy in places under trees etc so not the greatest skate skiing either. But you can do either, and either 'aint bad. It is not a boilerplate crust either so you can get an edge in and waxless skiis also work great. I'd have killed for these conditions for most of the last 3 winters! Patrick
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Post by mrsquishy on Dec 12, 2016 12:05:27 GMT -9
BTW, skate skiing on the river should be good as I was not breaking through when I skied off the track.
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Post by Philip on Dec 12, 2016 12:23:14 GMT -9
I hiked up to Heitman Lake yesterday and the lake has a perfect crust of snow on it for skate skiing. I could not determine the ice thickness, but it seemed solid enough. The snow on the trail up is a bit punchy and annoying. You don't need snowshoes, but some Microspikes would be nice despite there being no ice on the trail.
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Post by patrick on Dec 14, 2016 16:54:34 GMT -9
12/14 the Upper buskin was actually pretty good. It hasn't really melted at all and the warmth just softens it up a tiny bit. Silver Klister conditions. Saw some bear tracks!
Patrick
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Post by mrsquishy on Dec 14, 2016 19:48:25 GMT -9
I wondered if might be softening up - and when the bear would start showing up.
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