I skied about 4.5 miles, it was not good as reported there were long lengths of bare ground in the tracks. Everything was glazed over with ice so I had frequent times of near uncontrolled speed in deep tracks and stepping out was hazardous as the deck was rutted and frozen. My reason for the late post is to share the response I received from the Parks Department regarding the stoppage of grooming. I certainly thought there was adequate snow for a Saturday and perhaps a Sunday groom.
"We did not make the decision to not groom lightly. The primary factor in the decision to cease grooming was related to the ground conditions. With the warmer weather and exposed ground we have had, there is an absence of frost cover. As a result, grooming will invariably compact the ground causing turf damage, which is a significant concern for the overall management of the park grounds. At Elver the trail corridors used in some places are steep, and killing/damaging vegetation can (and has) led to erosion issues.
We assessed the grounds and consulted as a team, including our partners at MadNorSki ski club, which helps support grooming at Elver. We assessed the park again today, and we were open to grooming the skate deck if MadNorSki had the resources to support the grooming, which they did not. Together, given the conditions and the weather forecast, we have decide to discontinue grooming, likely for the season. If nature has other plans in store, which results in freezing temperatures and enough snow to groom, we will reassess, as we did today.
As a point of reference, I am a cross country skier. I understand when there is snow, we want to ski. I hope you can understand there are other factors beyond the ski enjoyment we need to, and do, consider."
Best Regards,
Greg Genin
Parks Operations Manager