Choosing trails

When visiting nordic ski areas with big trail systems, check the grooming report before planning your skiing day.

“We have one area of our system that totals 50Ks of trail and we groomed almost all of it the day after the last storm,” said Jay Lucas of the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association. “But a group that was visiting here for a week went out and skied the only trail in that area that we didn’t get to even though I had recorded the grooming report by 7 a.m.

One of them called to complain and Lucas asked why they decided to ski on the only ungroomed trail.

“He said they had planned to ski that trail days in advance,” Lucas said. “That’s a shame. They missed out on perfect groomed-trail conditions just one trailhead away.”