Gatineau Park ski conditions 31dec loop from P10

Today I skied closckwise from P10 and did the loop including going up to Champlain.  There had been no grooming on the parkway system today.  The Doldrums were quite icy and fast but once climbing the hill past P8 conditions were much softer.  The skating became downright slow and tough in some sections.  Although it was tougher work it was well worth getting out there. 

Someone (Demsis I assume) has put a lot of snow under the overpass on the Gatineau Parkway.  This is much appreciated.

Gatineau Park Ski Condittions 30DEC-to Fire Tower

I couldn't wait any long to ski to the Fire Tower so thought I  would try it out even though NCC does not recommend the trail.  P8 to P9 was very good and FP was groomed today.  Trail 32 has some sketchy sections.

Ridge from the Fortune Parkway is still very hard packed.  Skiing improves on the part running beside 1B.  Ridge has been groomed all the way to McKinstry, although not for many days.  Given there is less traffic the skating was pretty good with the "grooming" that is done by the snowmobile pulling the metal thingy.  It is bumpy but still very skatable.  There are some issues with the classic track and thus I would think skating is the preferred method.  From McKinstry to the Fire Tower there doesn't seem to have been any grooming this year.  Still there has been enough traffic to make skating possible although there are few areas that require caution, it is not as good as the part to McKinstry.

Conditions to McKinstry are better than on Ridge in the higher traffic areas that NCC lists as Fair or Good.  In fairness to NCC they may not want to encourage skiing out to McKinstry because of the conditions and fear of negative feedback.  However for the keen this route is certainly doable.I would recommend rock skis just in case.

Gatineau Park Ski Conditions 23DEC10 P16-P19+Lac Taylor

Conditions range from fair to excellent for skating.

I left from p16 around 10am and there was no fresh grooming until Herridge.  (However it looked like trail 36 had been groomed this morning).  From Herridge on to Lac Philippe there had been grooming with a shallow classic track being set on one side of the trail.  (Looked like trail 52 may have been groomed recently.)  The road to Lac Taylor was freshly groomed and was fantastic for skating.  On the way back Demsis was grooming the other side of trail 55 with snowmobiles, again putting in a shallow track.   Around Lac Philippe the skating lane is messed up with a lot of walkers but is still pretty good.

There were not many people out this morning.  Although not great, the conditions still warrant getting out there.

One concern remains-there is a significant spine or hump running down parts of trail 50.  This is not the "Demsis Ridge" of last year.  I don't think this has anything to do with the snow fall and may be a result of the rounding of the tops of the trail such as was undertaken on Ridge.  I'm not more snow will take care of this problem?

Gatineau Park ski conditions 22DEC10

started @ p10 and took Duldrums over to Gatineau Parkway, up Penguin to Champlain Lookout and back via the parkways.  Seems it snowed a bit overnight and it looked like there had been some grooming along Ridge and Fortune.  This makes the skating a bit less slippery than yesterday but a touch slower.  Still skate conditions are very good.  Classic track range from good to non-existant depending on the trail.  On Ridge there is occasionally a mm or two of rock sticking out, just enough to require a stone grind.   With a little care it is easy to avoid.  Its icy and very thin at the usual locations.  

Gatineau Park ski conditions 21DEC10

p3, trails 5, parkway to Penguin, along Ridge to Champlain and back along parkway.  Certain parts of the parkway appeared to have fairly recent classic tracks set and were in good shape.  In the heavier traffic areas the skating track was very hard packed and fast.  However on the parkway between Fortune and Gatineau the grooming was good except for the snowmobile track that dug up a portion, still conditions are pretty good overall.  On trail 5 and Ridge the classic track is very well worn bordering on disappearing. 

Gainteau Park ski conditions 20DEC10

Began @ P10 then up Ridge to Champlain lookout and back along the parkway.  According to the GP website no grooming had been done but skating was excellent and parts seemed to have some recent grooming.  Along the Fortune Parkway the classic track was well worn but much better on Champlain Parkway.  Ridge had almost no classic track and I'm not sure there is enough snow to make a decent track.  The skating was fast and quite slippery on Ridge.

Ridge is very bumpy which will be fixed with more snow.  However I wonder what the impact will be on grooming, as we get more snow, with Ridge having been "rounded".   I think Trail 50 may have been rounded too based on my ski there yesterday.

The trees continue to be spectacular.