Nordic skiers take advantage of fresh snow, newly set tracks
Tracks set for classic, skate skiing at Dredge Lake, campground
Cross-country skiers are enjoying this week's snowfall by trying out trails in the Mendenhall Valley, near Eagle Beach and on the slopes at Eaglecrest Ski Area.
Marc Scholten, a forester with the Juneau Ranger District and an active member of the Juneau Nordic Ski Club, has set tracks for classic and skate skiing at the Dredge Lake area and the Mendenhall Campground.
Club member Scott Fischer checked out the tracks Thursday and said the campground was in great shape.
"There was perfect coverage and he set a skating lane," Fischer said this morning. "They've got enough snow and it's clean and nothing's showing."
The Dredge Lakes network of trails had some thin snow and puddles, particularly in sections under trees, but today's fresh snow should improve the situation, said Fischer, who co-owns the Foggy Mountain Shop.
"Right now it should be a world of difference," he said.
Tracks also have been set at Eagle Beach State Recreation Area trails, although forested areas have thin snow.
Nordic skiers also have been exploring the slopes at Eaglecrest, which doesn't have enough snow yet to open its downhill runs.
"We found fresh powder snow at the East Bowl chutes and made 'laps' by repeatedly skiing a short distance down and skinning back up," said backcountry skier Greg Bledsoe, who visited Eaglecrest with three friends Wednesday.
"Skinning" is the term for skiing with strips of specialized fabric attached to the ski base to provide the friction needed to ski up hills.
Eaglecrest has not set tracks on its loop trails yet, although skiers have been using them, according to the Nordic ski club Web site, home.gci.net/~jnordski/. Eaglecrest officials warn backcountry skiers to be careful because of an avalanche threat caused by an earlier layer of dry snow.
Eaglecrest reported about 2 inches of fresh powdery snow this morning and more was expected. But the city-owned ski area can't open until it has a foot to 14 inches of packed snow at the base and about 5 feet at the top of the mountain, which is still a few snowstorms away.
The National Weather Service predicts snow showers through Sunday with the possibility of additional snow next week.
Ed Schoenfeld can be reached at eschoenfeld@juneauempire.com.