Yesterday and overnight Kolapore received 8 or 9 cm of new light powder snow.  I skied in the County Forest and beyond this morning, and the skiing was mediocre.  The thaw melted the uncompacted snow beside the tracks, so we now have "reverse" tracks - the old tracks are higher than the adjacent snow.  Walkers have punched holes on and beside the tracks.  Rocks are showing through, particularly beyond the County Forest lanes.   We did have some very pleasant off track skiing on old bush lanes - it was much better than on trail skiing.  We need more snow.  Kolapore Trail Guide

The thaw last week didn't eliminate the base of snow, but it did uncover lots of rocks.  With the subsequent cooler temperatures, the packed tracks turned to ice.  Today it has flurried off and on, but we need lots more than flurries to make the trails skiable.   This is particularly true where thoughtless people have been walking on the trails.  Fortunately the forecast for the next few days is promising.  I will post again when there is any significant change.  Kolapore Trail Guide 

I'm afraid that conditions have not improved since my last post.  Kolapore received about a cm of snow on Friday morning.  We need a lot more than that to refresh the trails.  The tracks are very hard as a result of the thaw and freezing rain a week ago.  Even off track wouldn't be appealing because of the hard crust.  The warmth that is predicted over the next week may provide some spring skiing conditions.  Kolapore Trail Guide 

As a result of the thaw and subsequent freeze, trail conditions are icy.  Skiing is dangerous.  Walking or snowshoeing will seriously damage trail conditions.  We ask that people stay off the trails until we have fresh snow.  Kolapore Trail Guide 

Probably time for a friendly reminder for walkers and snowshoers to stay off trails (especially the ski tracks) with the fluctuating weather! There are snowshoe tracks on most of Kev’s way and pretty significant damage on Paradise highway from Kev’s Way all the way down to the creek which made for a tricky descent with current (icy) conditions!

Although there is still quite a bit of snow cover at Kolapore, the depth has dropped significantly as a result of the mild conditions and rain.  A Kolapore volunteer who went in today to cut a tree that had fallen across a bridge reported that "rocks are reappearing in the usual places".    At the moment the snow is wet/sloppy, but will turn to ice when the temperature drops below zero.  Kolapore Trail Guide

I skied the Kolapore Church - Paradise Highway loop this morning, and conditions were "firm and fast" as a result of the heavy use on the weekend.  Tracks were in good shape, but hills have been snowplowed.  I would restate the "Not for Novice Skiers" caution for these trails.  A tree is down on Paradise HIghway south of 24, and we will try to remove it.  Some of our traditional wet areas are improving: the south end of Trail to the Summit can be skied with no problem, and it is possible to get through the cedar swamp on Quiet Pastures, although caution is required.  Southern Crossing was lovely yesterday.  

Kolapore received about 15 cm of snow in the past 24 hours.  As I post at noon it is squalling, and driving is poor.  Shortly before noon a car was hung up on the snowplow drift getting into the Kolapore parking lot.  The County Forest parking lot is in good shape.  Kolapore Trail Guide

A few more cm of powder snow drifted down today, and the snow gauge (unconsolidated snow depth) is up to 36 cm.  Ski conditions on the east part of the trail system were good to excellent.  On Tuesday a skier reported that he had broken through the ice into water while skiing through the cedar swamp on Quiet Pastures, and he almost broke through in other locations in the same area.  Caution is still required.  Don't forget to take a scraper in case your skis ice up.  Kolapore Trail guide

Skiing is generally good now, after the 25 cm of snow on Sunday, and the track setting by energetic skiers.  Both the County Forest and Kolapore parking lots were in excellent condition.  I still recommend rock skis.  Yesterday (Tuesday) a skier reported that he had broken through the ice into water while skiing through the cedar swamp on Quiet Pastures, and he almost broke through in other locations.  Caution is still required.  Kolapore Trail guide