In spite of several forecast snowfalls, we've only had a few light dustings since my Monday posting.  The snow gauge is at 50cm - slightly less than it was on Monday, because the top layer of powder snow has settled a bit.  Some of the popular trails are starting to get quite packed - the snow that is predicted for tonight and tomorrow should help to freshen up the trails. 
Kolapore Trail Guide 

 

Kolapore has received about 15 cm of snow over the past 24 hours.   The snow gauge beside the trail is at 52 cm - of this about 20 cm is powder snow on top of the crust.  This morning I broke trail from Entrance E through County Forest to 11, up Kingsway, down Jackrabbit and back via John's Portage.   The skiing was very enjoyable.  My one caution is that there are spots where you are hitting the ruts in the underlying crust - this could be a challenge on steeper hills.  
Kolapore Trail Guide

Unfortunately, trail conditions haven't changed much since my last post.  There is about 3 - 4 cm of fresh snow on top of the crust.  This isn't enough to provide good skiing in the crusty/icy/rutted conditions   We continue to recommend that you not use the Kolapore trails until there is a substantial amount of new snow.  At the moment the best Kolapore skiing is probably off track  - there's enough base that you can go almost anywhere, if you are feeling adventuresome.
Kolapore Trail Guide
 

We strongly recommend that you not ski on the Kolapore trails until there is a substantial amount of new snow.  The thaw and subsequent freeze will have left the trails very icy and rutted.  There is only a dusting of new snow so far (Sunday morning).
Kolapore Trail Guide 

Winter has definitely arrived at Kolapore.  We had a great ski today on the Kolapore Church - Paradise Highway loop, breaking trail part of the way and then having a broken track.  Skiing was excellent - as noted in the previous post there is over 2 feet of snow in the forest.  You can probably leave your rock skis at home now.  When you are planning your route, think about how much trail breaking you want to do - we did not see any tracks leading off the Kolapore Church - Paradise Highway loop, and no one had been in at the east end of the County Forest.  If you can get out, do so on Thursday or Friday, because the weather forecast for Saturday is depressing.
Grey County has done an excellent plowing job at the Kolapore parking lot.
Kolapore Trail Guide

Since Saturday night the Kolapore area has received about 30 cm of snow.  We received about 18 cm Sunday night - Monday morning.   The Kolapore snow gauge is at 63 cm (25").  FYI, this is the total depth of snow in the forest.  The snow depth on the trails is about half this, which still gives a good base.  
Skiing should be very good this week, as long as you are willing to break trail.  This morning we skied in through County Forest and up Kingsway to 15, and it was "walking on skis" outbound.  Coming back in the same track is was possible to ski a bit.  No hint of rocks - it is probably time to stop using rock skis.
As noted above, we encourage other Kolapore skiers to post updates regarding trail conditions. 
Kolapore Trail Guide

I skied County Forest and the lower parts of Kingsway and John's Portage this morning.  Skiing on the flat to gently rolling trails in the County Forest is fair to good.  There is a very firm track, and the 5 cm of snow we've had in the past 24 hours softens it slightly.  I would not recommend skiing the steeper hills on the trail system unless you are a very good skier - the hills are rutted, and it will be difficult to snowplow.  In some places the safest way to go down a hill is to ski off the trail - there is a very firm crust under the fresh snow.  
Kolapore Trail Guide

I continue to recommend not skiing on the Kolapore trails.  Kolapore had a slight thaw on Sunday which glazed the trails, which were already suffering from the freezing drizzle the previous weekend.  (See my previous post for more info.) Since Sunday Kolapore has received 2 - 3 cm of new snow - not nearly enough to freshen the trails.
At the moment, the best local classic skiing is probably at Wasaga Nordic.  A number of Kolapore skiers had a good time there yesterday.  A squall was parked over the east side of Wasaga Beach, and the Wasaga trails had about 20 cm of fresh powder.  If you go there, be sure to do the outer loop including Monument Hill and High Dunes.  This is probably the most scenic and most enjoyable groomed trail in the region.
Kolapore Trail Guide

Trail conditions at Kolapore today ranged from fair to poor to terrible.  The Kolapore area has over 40 cm of snow, but the crust created by last weekend's freezing drizzle is covered by a limited amount of new snow.  The best skiing is on reasonably level trails that have been skied in, like parts of the County Forest.  Even there, it is possible to break through the crust, and poles are constantly going through the crust.   
I would strongly recommend against trying to ski any steep hills, because the trails will be rutted and it will be easy to break through the crust.  The worst skiing we encountered today was on Southern Crossing west of the 10th line.  Snowshoers had been through at some point, and had broken up the crust, which left a very rough surface for skiing.
Yesterday we skied at Wasaga Nordic, and the skiing was excellent.  They have some challenging single track trails that many Kolapore skiers would enjoy.  There are times when it is worth going to an area with groomed trails!
We need a substantial amount of new snow to improve conditions on the Kolapore trails.
Kolapore Trail Guide          

The trails are still suffering the results of the freezing drizzle on the weekend.  There is a crust on the snow everywhere, and on the trails there are very firm tracks.  This is marginally OK on flat trails, but not on hills, which will be fast and rutted.  As a result I don't recommend using the trails until we get about another 10 cm of fresh snow (we've had about 3 - 4 cm as of 4 pm Christmas Day).
Some nearby areas have had more new snow.  Several of the Kolapore Trail Guides skied at Scenic Caves today, and there is about 10 - 15 cm of new snow there.  Skiing was pleasant, although there were a lot of twigs and branches on the trails (another result of the ice storm.)  I hear that Wasaga Nordic has had quite a bit of new snow, so I will probably try it tomorrow, unless Kolapore gets a decent amount of snow.
Kolapore Trail Guide