Wilderness Lodge - Feb 21

We were at the Wilderness Lodge trails over the weekend. Sat evening did the Peak trail. Yesterday skied a bunch of miles coming in from the Peek N Peak side and then all around the PA side

Today, skied in from Peek N Peak and had to break trail all the way up to A Frame and back - thanks Jim for taking point on all the new snow. The area had 10 to 12 inches of dry powder last night and it was great to play in. Kids struggled with skate skis but the parents were able to classic in the new snow. Took 90 min to get to the road after climbing ! Hill. Coming back was soooo much faster.

Wilderness has a great base - got to be 24 inches in most places and with teh new snow it would be great all week.

Cheers - Phill W

Holden - Saturday

Went out for the first time to Holden and skied the trails. Would have cost $6 to get in but our membership to the Botanical Gardens on University Circle www.cbgarden.org got us in. The trails are groomed for classical, a little narrow for skate.

We started on the Blue loop and then took off in to the wood on the Red Trail, a little narrow going through the woods but there was a track we could use. Back up to the Blue Loop and around Corning Lake. Across the road and the tracks were wind blown and covered so we went on the Orange Loop and into Bole Woods, not packed but well travelled so the 1/2 mile trip around the woods was fun, deep deep snow. Back to the Nature Center after searching for a hat lost on the trail - no luck - for a cup of coffee and to warm up.

Looking for somewhere different to ski - try Holden - we thought it was worth it. Phill and Cindy

Great White Ski Chase next Sunday

The Chase is at Springvale Golf course in North Olmsted, near Great Northern Mall. It is a fun enduro event, where you ski a 1 mile loop as many times as you can in one hour. You may ski solo, or team up and tag off relay-style, skiing as many or as few laps as you want before passing off. It's a fun, family event. Last year there were about 40 skiers, and everyone won something.  The clubhouse is open, serving hot food, and beverages. Chase starts at 1PM. I'll see you there!

By the way, Big Met was rolled for skating this week using an ATV, and is pretty good, although a bit windblown after today. -MF

Big Met groomer broken

The new sled has been sent out for repairs, that's why the grooming has  been neglected. It will be back online soon, and grooming will continue. Actually, the classic lanes have been Ok and the skate lane has been skied on a bit to re-establish it on the fresh snow over the frozen crust: it's do-able! -MF

Wilderness Lodge excellent, Lake Erie JR. Races this weekend -Help needed!

Skied Wilderness Lodge in PA this weekend for the first time in many years, and it was terrific. New snow groomed to perfection. Winter AutoBahn.

This weekend is the Lake Erie Jr. Championships being hosted by the Hilltoppers and Lake Farmpark of the Lake Metroparks. There is a Classic race Saturday am; and a Skate race Sunday am. Volunteers are still needed for this Jr. Olympic qualifier. Contact Tom Cook to help.

Icy, crusty, skiing

Big Met was groomed before the freeze and is now rock hard. It's very tough skiing for skaters because they groomed an extra stride track right down the center before the freeze-up. I suggest classic skiing only there until they are able to Ginsu the ice a bit, and re-set a track to the side, where it belongs. The track is so fast, it's almost not even a workout. I know, I'm getting picky now...A BIG CONGRATS to Coach Tom who took some Hilltoppers to B.C. Canada for the International Children's Winter Games and had a lot of success. See the YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLqKQ6bLcvE  -MF

Conditions are a 10!

Unbelievable skiing everywhere. Has anyone been out to Punderson? Those trails are a blast, especially if groomed. The trail system is actually named after Betsy Youngman,  our very own Olympic XC skier, although I think those signs giving her kudos are long gone.  The big sled dog races are Feb. 26-27, so a tip is to get out there a day or two before or a day or two afterwards for an excellent groomed trail to ski on. Don't go the day of the dog races, because the trail is closed except for the mushers. Punderson also has the greatest sledding hill ever, in case the kids want to sled while you ski. But when you see the hill, you probably will want to try it too. It's a former ski slope, probably a quarter mile long. and has a safety zone in the middle for returning up the hill. -MF