Groomed for skate and classic to the first switchback. 10″ of new, wet snow at the gate and 14″ at the switchback. The snow made grooming a challenge, with a record number of stucks: More than the usual number getting all the way to the pass. Get stuck, shovel, unhitch, pull with tow ropes, use winch, etc. Wash, rinse, repeat. It took nearly 7 hours, when going to the first switchback usually takes perhaps 3 hours. Then, walkers center punched the groom.
If you are a walker or biker that visits this Nordic skiing website for walking/biking consideration, we ask your consideration on preserving the groom for the skiers for whom our work is intended. Please stay to the far right side and off the groom. To be clear, SR-65 is a public road and all users are welcome to engage in all activities allowable by law. Walking three abreast is allowable by law. Center punching with a fat bike is allowable by law. However, doing so damages the groom. At a minimum, the damage reduces the quality of skiing. The foot prints and bike tracks can also be hazardous to skiers when they trip on prints and get caught up in bike tracks. Today, three walkers were three abreast across the fresh groom. We stopped to request their consideration and explained the issues. Two of them understood, thanked us for our explanation and moved to the side to resume walking. “Larry”, however, kept center punching the groom. His friends yelled at him to move to the side. Larry ignored them. Don’t be a Larry. Please stay on the far right side while ascending and return on that side. PLEASE.
