UNB WOODLOT SKIER BLOG, END OF SEASON POSTS!
" alt="UNB WOODLOT SKIER BLOG, END OF SEASON POSTS!">
Groomer Bob’s early photo of Kent Road trail, Saturday March 8th.
" alt="UNB WOODLOT SKIER BLOG, END OF SEASON POSTS!">
Groomer Bob’s early photo of Kent Road trail, Saturday March 8th.
feu MRSMC bISJckA
I plan to groom today starting around 9:30. It will be a very hard surface today with
softer spots gradually appearing in areas where the sun hits them directly.
Thanks for grooming again, we got another skate in!!!!
Bob,
Want to meet up for lunch 11:30 at the Cabin, Friday 14th or Monday 17th?
Thanks,
Barry
Thank Barry I appreciate the thought. Send me an email matthews.bob@hotmail.com.
Thanks for the grooming today and this ski season Bob. Very much appreciated! Lots of variety today in terms of icy sections vs softer areas depending on the sun. Great day to be outside!
Bob: 2nd thought… Monday works better for me (my treat) Barry
Thank you so much for giving us these last few days, and another great season.
Skated today at 2:00.Entry at Lian patchy. Kent Road very soft. The rest mix of bald ice and slush. Still happy to get one more day!😊
Merci Bob pour cette saison –
I went today midday. As others have said Lian connector has ice and a bare patch. No bare partches in other trails I was on. East-West trails (kent,#1,#2) were icy, hard and fast. North-South trail (back rd) was soft but not sticky yet at 1:30pm. I had fun! Thanks to Bob for the great grooming.
Great job all season, Bob. Thanks so much for your grooming. You certainly are an expert in your field! Fran
Has anyone skated the Woodlot today? I’m wondering about bare spots that might need skiing around (other than the obvious obstacle course that is the Lian entrance)?
I skated woodlot at noon, other than the ice & one bare spot on the Lian entrance, everything else is fine. No bare spots or rocks to dodge once you’re in. It was still icy in spots that hadn’t seen the sun yet but he was doing a 2nd pass to try and break things up. I recommend going, it’s not sketchy, you won’t be disappointed.
No bare spots after the Lian Connector. Was getting soft in places lat 2:00 pm.
Fun skate with variable snow conditions at 3 pm.Thanks for the late season skiing Bob!!
Trails were touched up this am. Firm and fast.
I thought I was done days ago + thought I missed the good conditions this morning. An evening ski turned out to be surprisingly good. If you can get over the Lian entrance it was worth it. Kent road was soft but the rest had firmed up for a great ski. Thanks groomers!
Hi Bob, thanks for a fabulous ski this morning, I even skied out to Kent and back as a bonus! It was just awesome. And judging by the number of cars there yesterday and today, it is really appreciated by the skiers. They better all be members!
Even if you stop grooming I think all east west trails will keep snow and “self groom” with the temperatures as Leon calls it!
Some more skiing to be done yet!
Another great day of skiing in the books. Thanks Bob for having gone out today.
Will groom this am around 11:00.
Spring skiing at its best, thanks for the great skate Bob!!
Thanks Susan, I plan to groom a bit earlier tomorrow as it’s going to get fairly warm. Get out early. Might be the last.
👍👍
Btw, Barry discovered two signs on 2 near Front Road. He stood them up to the side of trail.
Also, we saw a fisher cross Kent Road near the junction!
The signs fell off the skidoo when I was bringing them in for the season. I will pick them up tomorrow. Fisher, WOW. I have only seen two in 72 years.
Another beautiful day and excellent grooming created a fantastic experience. Thank you, Bob, for donating your time so we can enjoy the trails.
Thanks for your work Bob. Lots of folks out getting their fix.
Thanks so much for grooming the trails this morning! We had a great ski in the late afternoon
Kingswood and Stonehenge are CLOSED. They are ribboned off.
Trails are grooming up very nice. No track but a good skate surface with control. Lian is a bit of challenge on the hydro line. Follow the groomer track and detour the ice spot, hill is good.
THANK YOU! Your grooming efforts were much appreciated and I had a lovely ski today. It was surprisingly pretty good given the conditions.
Thumbs up for a great skate today, bonus ski!
Thanks Bob!
Please do not use the City depot parking or trail for the remainder of the ski season.
We’d like to advise all skiers that the access trail from the City depot to the UNB Woodlot ski trails will be closed for the remainder of the season. This was a trial effort, in partnership with the City of Fredericton, to provide skiers with another parking and trail access option. We will be carefully reviewing the merits of this option and will be considering improvements for next season.
Because of current icy conditions and our inability to groom across the marsh in wet conditions, we will be closing this trail. The trail will be taped off and signage regarding access will be removed this weekend.
We’ll be checking the trails tomorrow morning, the 8th, and will post here on the conditions that we find.
Skated today, such great conditions. Thanks to the groomers for a season of excellent conditions. Here’s hoping we can eke out a few more weeks!!
Awesome conditions today! Get out while you can as the forecast does not look great 🙁 thank you to the groomers for keeping these trails in such great shape all year. It truly is a treat to have these trails in Fredericton.
Met Bob finishing up at Lian St entry so we timed things perfectly! Went all around the trails including Stonehenge down and back up. “Hero Snow” – thanks Bob and Rex, for an amazing ski. If this is the last good one, it is definitely one to remember! Toon
The skate ski conditions were great today. Thanks so much to the groomers!
Agree wholeheartedly, lovely wrap if it is the last of skiing for this season. Thanks groomers!!!
Classic tracks were still in great shape on Monday at 4pm. Icy in some spots but still a great pleasure to ski. As an intermediate skier, it was great to be able to step out onto the freshly groomed skate path for greater control on the slopes. Thank you groomers!!
Thanks Bob. Awesome job on the grooming today.
Will groom again tomorrow late morning. Get out tomorrow, may be the last if we don’t get new snow.
I’ll be grooming tomorrow late morning. Should be started by 11:00 am.
Amazing conditions this afternoon!! Thank you Bob and Rex for all you do!
The conditions Saturday morning were absolutely amazing. Thanks so much Rex and Bob!!
Rex is going out from Kingswood around 8:30. I will be going out from Brianna around 11:30. Hopefully we can break it up enough for some fast skiing later today.
Thanks Bob
Great skiing today in the woodlot!!!.. amazing!!
Bob and Rex.
Thank you for the wonderful grooming today!
Wonderful ski at lunch time! Thank you so much for getting the trails ready this morning!
Saturday, March 1st
Groomer Bob reports that he has gone around the Woodlot once and is now going back around to set track. He reports that the snow has crystallized, making it good for classic and skating.
Trails will be groomed early tomorrow after it turns cold tonight. Rolling today with the wet snow would make a real mess. Ski if you like.
Thank you very much for this grooming plan update. Looking forward to getting out tomorrow on the new snow!
Bob, you are truly a magician. We were at Killarney late this morning (NP showed ‘grooming’) to find things were like concrete. Someone was driving around with some gear, but wasting time, money, and gas. So we transferred to the woodlot to find “hero snow” conditions, especially Kent Rd, the outer loop, and lollipop. We were just swirling around for about an hour and a half, with a few snow flakes starting to fall on the way back to Brianna St. Did we ever tell you we love you Bob? Toon and Shelley
I’m on the trails now. They have stayed in fair shape but are very hard. Lots of deep ruts where people wouldn’t stay off when they were wet. I will try to have the main loop done by 10:30. Kingswood won’t be done and I would not advise going there. The depo entrance will be treacherous. Could be awhile before everything thing is done. I am grooming over the track which is making it very good with snow groomed into it.
In response to some comments and feedback regarding the new access point from the City depot, Wostawea would like to share the following comments:
Thank you for your feedback regarding the City depot access to the woodlot trails. We have been trying for several years now to get better access to the beautiful woodlot trails. Unfortunately access options cross land that we do not control. The city depot option opened up for us in late fall after we obtained approval from the city, UNB, and the DOE. Volunteers cleared the trail as best we could before the weather prevented further work.
We realized that further work would be required to improve the trail to a level that Wostawea skiers are used to, but we thought that opening up the trail as a trial this season would have some merit and enable us to plan further improvements that may be required. Some improvements will require further approvals from our partners, which we are pursuing.
There are no plans at the moment to improve the trail such that it is suitable or wide enough for skate skiing or using the ginzu for track setting, as we are limited by the berm along which the trail runs.
I thought the new entrance was a fun option the two times I tried it. Bit of an adventure and great parking. I can see where drifting will be a problem along the wetlands. Some modification at the trail end next to existing trails would be helpful for safety, removal of one tree if possible at the first little hill. Thanks groomers and trail volunteers for the work on this!
Challenging weather this week! Any chance of grooming tomorrow AM, or waiting until after snow?
Not sure yet Susan. Keep an eye on NP in the am.
Do you know if there is any water laying on the trail anywhere?
I haven’t been in the trails since last Friday, so don’t know about water.
I tried the new trail from DOT to the Woodlot on Monday, Feb. 24. Thanks to the Wostawea executive for pursuing the new trail.
The start of the trail wasn’t obvious, having been drifted over. It starts just a few meters beyond the corner of the parking lot. There’s a steep pitch down to the trail. It runs across the wetland parallel to the New Maryland highway, then there’s a short, steep pitch up to an old road. I had to side-step up this pitch. The trail then turns away from the highway and is an easy run until it enters the woods. At this point, the trail is narrow and winds through trees. The downhill section into the woods is a bit scary. The run through the rest of the woods is pleasant.
The trail ascends steeply for maybe 6-8 meters to the corner of Front Road and Road No. 1. Et voila! Bob and Rex are your uncles! You’re on the Woodlot loops!
On the way back, leaving the corner of Front and No. 1 roads, I took my skis off to get down the steep pitch into the woods.
In summary, the trail is narrow and scary in a few places. Conditions yesterday were not ideal, the snow being hard and crusty with just a light skiff of new snow on top. Your mileage might vary. The experience might be very different with freshly groomed new snow. The big advantage of this trail to me is that it eliminates the Lian connector and the long stretch from the Kent Road to the Woodlot loops.
Thanks to the groomers for your time and dedication. The skate conditions were amazing on Sunday and on Monday. Your hard work is appreciated.
Had to get out today before the warmer weather hits. Trails were in awesome shape many thanks to the groomers !
Made a trek from Maine for a change of scenery, becoming a member. It was well worth the trip, and will hopefully be able to do this at least once annually.
Excellent skate ski conditions today & great blue sky! Thanks so much Bob and co for the grooming. We are very fortunate to have this trail system in our City and dedicated volunteers who make it happen!
Thanks Tony, keep an eye on the blog and Nordic pulse, come anytime. Glad you enjoyed the trails.
conditions superbes et rapides dans le Woodlot ce matin – r
Amazing skate conditions today! Guessing tomorrow will be just as good. Get out and enjoy it.. Huge thank you to the groomers!
Thanks, glad to see someone enjoyed it.
The trails were indeed excellent yesterday!
Feb 20th: Thank you Bob for another great day of skiing on freshly groomed trails. Although the skating surface had softened, it was still fast. The classic track remains firm and fast.
Fun skate yesterday, granular snow is the right texture for good glide. Thanks Bob!!
Best skiing of
The season is happening right now. The grooming is superb (thanks), the surface is fast and the weather is ideal.
Conditions are some of the best this season. Snow is fast both in the track and on the skating deck. Thank you Bob for your 4.5 hrs of dedicated grooming out of a retirement day.
Bob was initially having trouble setting a track of any depth due to snow conditions. As always he persevered and things are shaping up nicely in the woodlot. Thanks Bob.
Trails are grooming up nice, firm and flat. Tracks tomorrow.
Thanks Bob for your dedication to providing us with first class grooming.
Thank you Rex and Brian for your dedication on the trails in just a cruel environment as yesterday. It doesn’t look any better for today.
Has the skidoo gone through the new connector from DOT yard?
Susan: Yes, Rex went through there today, the 17th.
Is there public parking there?
The parking that is now available at the City depot is limited to the designated spaces that have been outlined in member communications and these spaces are reserved for members of Wostawea. To access these spaces, please place your Wostawea membership card on your vehicle’s dash so that membership can be verified. If these guidelines are not followed, we will lose this privilege. We hope that skiers of the Woodlot are all members and enjoy this additional parking location. ❄️❄️❄️
Brian reports that the trails are all rolled. Numbers 2, 3 and Beaver pond are done but did not show up on NP. Conditions are very soft ice pellets.
Merci
Rex and Brian will be rolling after lunch.
Thank you very much for this update Bob!
I have been doing some traditional skiing at UNB and want to send my thanks to the Groomers, awesome job guys, trails have been great
Skating was great in the woodlot today in advance of the snow arriving. Despite debris from the recent winds, conditions were VERY fast.
Thanks for the great grooming Bob!
Great skiing conditions today thanks to Bob who took a day off his retirement to volunteer for the Wostawea skiers. Thank you Bob.
Hit the trails this AM before the snow. Still holding up, firm and fast. Thanks to the groomers.
25-02-12: Groomer Bob’s report from the trails reports that if we want a very good ski, today would be the day for it. Snow tomorrow and Sunday will make for bad conditions for a while. So we should get out now.
On Monday, the 10th, skating and classic conditions were excellent, and the early morning grooming was exceptional as usual.
I second this! These little snowfalls are indeed making the trails exceptional. Thank you!
Skated this morning and even with light snow having accumulated on the corduroy, I found conditions firm and fast. I accessed the trails via Kingswood for a change and apart from the first 100 feet or so as one hits the golf course, there is good snowcover all the way thru to Lollipop.
Wonderful skiing early this morning, the woodlot was in such great shape! Thanks to the groomers who make this all possible.
many thanks to the groomers, the woodlot has been great
Thank you Bob and Rex for grooming the trails this morning. We’re looking forward to a great weekend of skiing.
Thank you Brian, Rex and I had 8 hours between us. Nice to know that 2 people enjoyed the trails.
It was -23C this morning when Nordic Pulse showed Bob was out there touching up the trails for all of us! Bob, thanks for your dedication to the Woodlot Trails! The trails were great yesterday and will be even better today.
Thank you Bob for being part-polar bear and for making awesome skiing conditions yesterday.
Skied the woodlot today. I was a tad soft for skating but still had a great ski. Thanks for the grooming.
Rex and Brian are rolling now. I will groom and track when they finish. Rex’s NP is not working. If you see NP it will be me grooming.
Thanks so much for the grooming under challenging conditions! Any grooming plans for today or waiting until tomorrow?
Today, the UNB Woodlot trails were in excellent condition, as usual. Thanks to Rex & Bob for grooming and setting new classic tracks yesterday and today. Looking forward to another great day tomorrow.
Trails are all done. Overall very good. New track everywhere. Stonehenge is still rocky at the bottom.
If you like the trails at the Woodlot or at Killarney let us know.
Well worth the effort to get bundled up for a late afternoon ski in woodlot today. Thank you Bob.
VW car keys hanging from trail map at intersection #16 at the UNB Woodlot. They were there at noon on Monday Jan 27.
Just a huge shout out and heartfelt thanks to the groomers’ heroic efforts over the last few days to: 1) Reinforce the workaround at the icy death patch on the Lian Street Connector; 2) Polish off the boot holes left by the A-hole walker near the New Maryland connector; 3) pack down the skate deck so it was fast fast fasty-fast over the last few days. Can’t say thank you enough!