in Blue Mound (Moderator: Walt Hougas)

Six of us got out last night and packed in Holy Schist. Would be great if someone could get the rest of it marked so the snowshoers follow our trail.

Awesome Spike!

I really think that the trails on the pool side will take care of themselves now that there was a route established.  I was thinking last night that I hope someone keeps Holy Schist up an running with the new snow.  Sadly, my time has mostly disappeared with the start of the second semester.

Skied tonight, forgot to check Holy Schist but the section below the trailhead was snowshoed in and seemed set up already.

Hi everyone,

I'm new here, but I'm at Blue Mound at least a couple times a week to hike or bike, so I figured I'd share what I saw today around 12:30.
 
I tried riding from the pool this morning. The trail was ridable up to the giant rock just past the first crossing with the ski trail, but past that it wasn't packed enough to stay upright. I had stomped up to the rock yesterday morning. I strapped on the snowshoes again and stomped the entire section from the pool to the first creek crossing on Chert Dip in both directions. Some sections had no tracks at all, these were total powder and about 8 inches deep. Some parts were packed better than others but nothing was as firm as the section from the pool to the rock. Most of it I would never be able to ride in. My bike only has 4 inch tires so I can't say if those with 5 inch would have better luck. I'm going to go out tomorrow again since I'm on vacation and I'm itching to ride. Most likely I'll just stomp that first section again. So, to sum up, the section from the pool to Chert Dip is a mixed bag and most is unridable with 4 inch tires. I think if a couple more people stomped it once in both directions, the ridability would go up about 100%.

Cheers!

Thanks for the report and the help stomping the trail in.


It seems that once we get a track set, the snowshoers will follow. If you and others can get the trail marked we should have some traffic on it this weekend. Very few people are at the park during the week and if they are they may just randomly snowshoe around or in most cases they may not be comfortable being too far away from "civilization" unless someone else has hiked it ahead of them. Walking on a well worn trail kinda defeats the purpose of snowshoes but, it sure works well for us.


I wonder how Holy Schist is, we had a lot of traffic on it after Monday's storm. Hopefully someone has been on it since then.


To all Fat Bikers....Snowshoeing in the dark at Blue Mounds is a treat, give it a try.

I snowshoed a bunch today. I checked sections of every trail except Overlode.

Holy Shist is fairly well packed but has 2-3" of powder on top of the previously packed snow. I only had time to check 1/4 mile in from each end so I can't say what the majority of it looks like. There is a large branch across the trail about 1/10 mile in from the end. Not huge, but it's still attached to the main trunk so I couldn't move it. A hand saw would take care of it fairly easily. There is a big tree down about 1/4 to 3/8 mile in from the beginning. About 12-14" in diameter. There are some snowshoe tracks cutting through a couple hundred feet from the start of the trail and you can get to it in a couple minutes if you use them.

Home Stretch is in good condition. It looks like several snowshoers started from the pool end and went to the entire length up to Holy Shist then turned around and went back. It was pretty solid. A couple more passes and it might be ridable. I packed it from the Holy Shist end to the walking trail near the amphitheater.

Serpentine Climb was all powder with one boot track. I stomped the entire length in both directions. It's really loose and needs major packing.

Bsalty Bail/Bsalt & Pepper was just like Serpentine. All powder with one or two boot tracks that are drifted over.

Chert Dip is very powdery toward the end. A couple boot tracks, no snowshoes. The beginning was a bit more packed, I figure more people start from the pool and go in from there. I can't say what the majority of it's like. I just checked short distances in from the ends like I did on Holy Shist.

I packed the pool to Chert Dip section in both directions again. It's still in the best shape but has more boot potholes than it did yesterday.

Maybe the forecasted warmer temps will help some of the powder settle in the next couple days.

I live in Mount Horeb and get out there quite a bit so let me know if I can be of any more help.

Woo Hoo - thanks for the help.


With the extra traffic this weekend, now following the correct path and the slightly above freezing temps the trail could be close to perfect.


Plan next week's responsibilities around riding the trail  :D

I can handle that! Thanks!

Out here now. Pretty bad. Pushing the ups, barely able to ride at lowest possible pressure on  flats and downhills. We need more snowshoes and tres t pack this Down on this warm day!!  Also, armed guards to keep the hikers off!

Correction: only downhills rideable.

Tonight is candle light ski/snowshoe...that should get a bunch of traffic on the majority of the pool side trail.

I saw a couple friends in the parking lot who were going to get a couple sets of track around Holy Schist this afternoon too.

Teens and single digits for lows next, as long as no one walks on it wet tomorrow, next week has potential for awesome!

Got out last night, Parking lot to Holy Schist is packed and fast. Holy Schist is rideable but, slower.


Probably better to ride it in reverse, start on Home Stretch to allow for fresh legs on Holy Schist and then finish up on the easy stuff.