26Jan night ski from p10

Seemed like FP was groomed up to Champlain but the rest of the Champlain parkway (ie left at the T) had not been been groomed and was very hard packed.  Same with Ridge, it was skiable but very firm.  However Ridge after the Lookout was groomed at least past 24.  All in all, not too bad.

25Jan Nighttime ski P3-P8

Skated from P3 to P8 with a diversion onto trail 5.  It is icy but not too bad, it clearly had been groomed since the rain.   I suspect that those who were out when it was a bit warmer and softer really would have had great conditions.  Should be the same thing tomorrow.  Another 5cm and we would be back to perfect conditions.

22Jan, Penguin to FT + Burma etc

If for some strange reason you didn't like the conditions yesterday you would have been disappointed again.   The only difference was less snowmobile damage and grooming right out to the Tower, in others words- fantastic.

I left from P6 @ 9:30 and headed down the parkway to come back up via Penguin then I wanted to hit the Training Course.  There was a race on so I didn't get a chance to check it out for the first time this year.  Instead I went over to Burma and then headed to the Tower. 

The following trails were in very good to excellent condition: Parkways, Ridge; Penguin to the Tower, 4, 14, 1b and 24.  As for Burma, it is much improved and is certainly enjoyable although it could use a little more work.  At least it wasn't the slog that it had been a week or so ago.  Although I was going up, the hill coming down to the parkway is no longer a luge run.  There are a few thin spots showing up, in fact I got a nasty nick on Burma from a rock.

A truly great day skiing. 

21Jan 1Black to the Fire Tower

I left from P9 hit the Doldrums and turned left @ 13 to head over to 1black.  From there it was straight up to the Fire Tower with a detour on 24 on the way up and 1b on the way back to the FP.  When I checked the GP website this morning it indicated there had been no new grooming.  However everywhere seemed well groomed except from McKinstry to the Tower.  The grooming itself was very good however there was some damage in different places from snowmobiles.  The worst was on trail 13 where there is major damage.  The ruts were quite noticeable on much of Ridge although not too much of a problem.  24 was untouched and was fantastic, as was Penguin.  The ungroomed part of Ridge past McKinstry was still very good with a few cm of fresh snow.  (Fortunately the lack of grooming here discouraged the hikers that were out last weekend)

I'd be surprised if those on their classic skis today would have anything bad to say, all looked good.

Re: 1Black.  This trail is listed as a skating trail on the GP site.  However in sections it has two classic tracks close together and no skate lane.  I guess from this it really is not for skating but it is very nice section with a couple of steep (but short) climbs.

19JAN-Night Ski P10 FP to Ridge to 24

I don't think there was any grooming today but it really didn't need it.  Trails are fast and firm yet seemed to have better "footing" tonight relative to last night.  Parts of Ridge were fantastic.  However they insist on driving a snowmobile on sections of this trail even though they could come down the parkway but when conditions are this firm and fast its not too bad.  That being said there are still some good size gouges on the parkway from the snow machines.  There is a bit of hump forming past the 1b cutoff.  All in all though I think the grooming in this part of the park is better this year than last?

18Jan-night ski P3-P8 & 5

Seems like the grooming was pretty good today on the parkways and 5.  In spots there were some gouges, perhaps from a snowmobile, that were a bit tricky.  It was particularly dark tonight so these will not be an issue in daylight.  It is very firm!

15Jan P10 to Penguin to Fire Tower, incl. Burma

The grooming today ranged from very good to outstanding all the way from the bottom of Penguin to the Fire Tower.  1B and 24 were also very good.  The only problem is Burma.  The website had the "thumbs up" for skating but this is a mistake.   It was not freshly groomed so the skating lane is too narrow and makes for an unpleasant 5km.  The skaters would be doing their classically trained friends a favour staying away until it is widened because the skaters are chewing up the classic track that if left alone would be very good.

In some spots on 1 blue there were hikers out causing some minor destruction to what was otherwise very nice grooming.   Also there was a group  snowshoeing on Fortune Parkway!

The wind was cold, the sun was warm and the trees were spectacular.  Just what Gatineau Park in January should be.