Trail groomers report the following conditions:

Crossroads at Big Creek Conditions: Fair. New snow this week on Thursday but warm temperatures and sun in the open areas are causing it to go fast.

Newport State Park Conditions: Poor, 4” inches of new snow this week covered the hard pack but even the new snow is quickly melting. Not ideal, but skiable.

Peninsula State Park Conditions: Fair. We received 6″ of new snow this week so the trails are snow-covered but not groomed. Looks like a good time to make your own tracks! Enjoy the snow before it melts away!

Potawatomi State Park Conditions: Good. Trails are groomed and tracked. The park was described as a winter wonderland with the most recent snowfall. Norway road is groomed nicely for skate skiing.

Snowkraft Nordic Conditions: Fair to Good. The recent snowfall surely helped, however we are still dealing with a rather thin base, to be thinner by this weekend. Sunday looks by far the best of the two days to ski IF trails hold up OK. Looking at the temperatures ahead, it appears there are not many more days of skiing left.

Whitefish Dunes State Park Conditions: Good. Trails at Whitefish Dunes are currently snow covered and in skiable condition. They will be rolled and tracked on Friday if weather permits. This should provide skiable trails for the weekend, but if the forecast is fulfilled, trails may be in the process of melting down again.

Weekly Cross Country Ski Report brought to you by Door County Silent Sports Alliance.

If there is no cloud cover, no headlamps will be needed. If there is cloud cover, feel free to bring a headlamp. Some of us have discovered that battery operated Christmas lights pinned to our jacket make a pretty fun addition to night skiing! The Collins Learning Center will be open for socializing before and after the ski. Bring your own favorite beverage. We will have hot water for those who would like to make hot chocolate or tea.

Facebook RSVP

WLUK TV’s coverage:

Janelle Peotter, the unofficial Queen of the Jacksonport Polar Bears posted a short Flip video on Facebook:

The Green Bay Press Gazette provides a video in their coverage: Jacksonport Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s Day and a nice collection of a dozen still shots in Jacksonport Polar Plunge: Jan. 1, 2011.

Cam3roooon’s Channel on YouTube provides their first video:

Snowkraft Nordic north of Sturgeon Bay

All of Door County has received two significant snowfalls since the last report and all cross-country ski trails are open. Trail groomers have been out working and report the following conditions:

Crossroads at Big Creek Conditions: Very good. Thanks to the great snowfall on Tuesday and Wednesday with over 6 inches total snow, cross-country skiing conditions at the Crossroads are very good. Trails were rolled on both days thus adding to the good base. All ski trails were tracked December 23. Skate lane is somewhat soft in areas due to the warm weather but the track is excellent. A couple of cold nights will help. If we get heavy use during the next few days, a new track will be set and the skate lane leveled for the weekend.

Newport State Park Conditions: Fair to good. Not groomed since last snowfall but single track is in good shape. Watch for rocks on Newport Loop. Grooming will probably occur December 24.

Peninsula State Park Conditions: Good. 6” of new snow last groomed December 22. Trails are in good condition with excellent snow coverage and a little debris. Tracks are soft on the red loop but nice and firm elsewhere. Unfortunately, we have already had hikers and snowshoers on the ski trails, so please discourage such activities.

Potawatomi State Park Conditions: Good. As of Wednesday December 22, the grooming was still in progress following Tuesday’s new snowfall. One pass on the south loop, but the striding track is skied-in for a back country experience. Grooming is done by an all-volunteer staff so please, be patient. There is good snow coverage and the trails should be groomed in due time. Check the park office at 920.746.2890 for current conditions.

Snowkraft Nordic Conditions: Very good. Trails have been groomed numerous times since the new snowfall. Base around 5 inches, although lower in windblown areas – dirt in a few areas. You may use your good skis now. Just a trace of dirt here and there. Classic track will be set late on December 23. All trails are now open.

Whitefish Dunes State Park Conditions: Good. Last groomed on December 22. Overall system is rated as fair to good. Track is set on all trails with full depth in most areas. Track is quite firm, but pole plant areas are still somewhat soft in many areas. The double-tracked areas of the Red and Green trails that were previously affected by a construction project are now covered with mostly new snow, but still are very marginal and caution is advised.

Weekly Cross Country Ski Report brought to you by Door County Silent Sports Alliance.

Thursday December 16, 2010

All of Door County received a significant snowfall last week but it was accompanied by high winds. All Door County ski areas are open. Trail groomers have been out working and report the following conditions:

Potawatomi State Park Conditions: Fair to good. Groomed and tracked for classical. Skate lane is soft and a bit wavy in spots. Some debris on the trails due to high winds. Very skiable.

Snowkraft (formerly Cherry Hills Nordic) Conditions: Good, especially in the woods. This last storm brought Snowkraft 13 inches of snow but it has taken many days of grooming to get the bare spots covered and the drifts leveled out. The Woods trails are now open with the orchard likely to be open by the weekend. No classic tracks laid yet. Most of the skate lane is nice and smooth. A few areas need a bit more leveling or have some dirt and debris; would not recommend A stock skis yet.

Whitefish Dunes State Park Conditions: Fair. The trails were rolled and tracked on Monday. Average of 10″ snow in most areas. Trail will be somewhat soft until it sets up more as skiers use it. Tracks are full depth in all but a few areas. Areas under the Hemlocks are very “dirty” with debris from the trees, but most other areas are very “clean”. Note: Portions of the Red and Green trails where it is double tracked are closed due to a construction project of undetermined duration. It is hoped the work will be completed in the coming days, but until they are open and groomed, skiers are asked to stay off these trails.

Crossroads at Big Creek Conditions: Good. We had 12+ inches of snow fall at the Crossroads on Sunday. With the high winds some drifting resulted as well as a few wind swept areas leaving little snow in only a few spots. Rolled and groomed the trails on Monday and Tuesday. Set a track and it turned out great. Skating lane is good but it will be improved after it sets up after a few more cold nights. Some work with the drag will be necessary later in the week to level the trails. Great skiing for the first round of the year.

Peninsula State Park Conditions: Fair. Some bare sections, and quite a bit of debris, but definitely skiable. Red, Purple, Yellow, Orange, and Black loops are groomed. Sections of a few other trails are also groomed. Groomed loops have fair coverage, but there are some bare spots and some debris, particularly in the open areas. Bring your rock (stick?) skis.

Newport State Park Conditions: Fair 4-6 inch base Europe Bay tracked for single stride. Newport Loop only packed. Lots of debris due to the high winds, but great base. Bare spots at beach area at Lot 3.

It’s not the easiest place to find, but once you learn where to look, the ski trails at the former Cherry Hills Nordic Center, now renamed Snowkraft Nordic, will lead to Valhalla… a skier’s paradise. It’s because of the dedicated perfectionism of founder Tom Parsons, coupled with a team of avid supporters like Paul Anschutz and other members of the Door County Silent Sports Alliance that make this a five-star accomplishment.

There are 10K of skate trails and 5K of traditional diagonal tracks – all groomed to perfection. I skied there a week ago, on Saturday, the last day in January. All around me I saw bare fields. Under my skiis it looked like a giant cake-decorating tool squeezed out a perfect stripe of corrugated white icing… no, not icy, perfect granular snow.

With an inch or two of new snow recently, the conditions have gotten even better. Here’s the proof! Tom and four other skiers take you on a ski-cam lap of the Orchard Trail:

With 37 acres to work with, the trail layout takes advantage of every bit of terrain, providing a great set of rolling hills and climbs. Don’t expect to find a fancy warming house or other amenities… what you may notice is the equipment. Sophisticated snow-grooming tools are parked at various spots on the grounds. There is a table and a set of drawers with release forms and an honor box for donations – suggested contributions to sustaing the effort are $5 per day or $50 for a season pass.

OK! Here’s the biggest secret revealed… How to find Cherry Hills Nordic Center located at 5736 Walker RD on the north end of Sturgeon Bay.

The Center is open every day. Questions? Call 920.743.0272 or cell 920.495.8484 or e-mail latitude44@gmail.com.

Freelance writer Mary Lu Laffey says, “Advances in snowshoe design in recent years have produced more user-friendly equipment, which has encouraged more people to strap on and head outside.”

She took time to interview Brian Merkle,  owner of Nor Door Sports & Cyclery in Fish Creek who confirms her comments saying, “Anyone who loves to get outside and exercise or wants to be active over the winter will like it.”

Mary also paid a visit to Karen Newbern at The Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor who adds, “This activity is intuitive. It doesn’t matter if you are klutzy or athletic. You are on your own and set your own pace.”

You can read her entire article in the Chicago Sun Times: Snowshoeing through Wisconsin’s Door County; Strap on some snowshoes for winter fun in Wisconsin.

Even though “Crazy Sheryl” McGlochlin is out in Utah, she has some excellent video tips on how to dress and what to take along when you go snowshoeing that will be of value to anyone setting out on their first such winter adventure.

There are dedicated snowshoe trails at The Crossroads at Big Creek, Potawatomi State Park, Whitefish Dunes State Park, Peninsula State Park and Newport State Park. Friends of Crossroads loan skis and snowshoes to children and adults who wish to use them on a first-come-first-serve basis every Sunday from 1 – 3 pm. Come to the Collins Learning Center. If you care to check on snow conditions there, call 920.746.5895.

You can also rent snowshoes at the Bay Shore Outdoor Store in Sister Bay and Sturgeon Bay.

Throughout the season you will be able to check current Door County ski conditions posted here by local skiers…  find out about events and other quiet season opportunities.

With cooler weather settling in and the leaves all raked, we are working on trail grooming all over the County of Door. Ski season is just ahead and the Peninsula will soon be full of winter hospitality, warm fireside chats and delicious hearty meals following a day outdoors. We’ll bring you all of info including a guide to the businesses that are open the year ’round, highlighting those with special deals available in the quiet season.