It’s a wintery wonderland out there in places, hopefully you can find ways to enjoy it today!
While it has been raining in the valleys this week it has been snowing at higher elevations, many of our friends have been finding good snow after a drive. Please consider sharing a trail report from where you find pleasant snow to play on.
We are grateful that the rain snow line has moved down considerably! Please continue to check the grooming page often to see when local Nordic areas get into their regular grooming schedule.
Happy skiing, fat biking, snowshoeing, dog walking and winter adventuring!
At a Glance
- Groomed trails available at Grand Targhee, Teton Canyon, and Turpin Meadow Ranch
- Groomers are doing the best they can with what they’ve got to work with in terms of snow amounts and temperatures
- Plenty of snow at higher elevations for snowshoeing and touring excursions (think Togwotee, North end of Grand Teton National Park, Teton Pass)
General Weather – Cooler Temps and Sunshine
Mountain Weather is forecasting a high probability of snow today followed by clear skies and cold nights. Expect breezy conditions today when you go outside.
What’s Groomed Today?
• Teton Canyon – rolled this morning
• Grand Targhee – Sat / Sun
• Turpin Meadow Ranch – Daily grooming
How To Make A Nordic Ski Trail
We have all been patiently waiting for kilometers of freshly groomed cross-country ski trails, preferably with classic tracks included. And we all know when conditions are just right the skiing feels almost magical. But this winter that magic has been hard-earned.
So far this season, the snowpack has been thin and fickle. Storms tease us, warm spells undo progress, and the window for grooming often feels frustratingly narrow. And yet, day after day, the groomers who can be are out there, at all hours to catch the vital groom time in order to create the best possible xc skiing with what nature provides. Understanding what goes into a well-groomed trail can deepen our appreciation for those tracks and corduroy under our skis.
Creating quality trails is a careful balancing act that depends on three things: snow, temperature, and timing.
First, there’s snow. Not all snow is created equal. Cold, dry powder behaves very differently than dense, wet snow, and both respond differently to grooming equipment. In low-snow winters like this one, groomers are often working with a shallow base that must be preserved at all costs. This often means grooming with a snowmachine instead of a snowcat in order to carefully pack snow to build durability without scraping down to dirt, grass, or rocks. Sometimes it also means leaving sections ungroomed, or delaying grooming entirely, to avoid damaging the trail for the rest of the season. While it might feel disappointing to see fewer groomed miles, restraint early on can be the difference between skiing or not.
Temperature is the next critical factor. Snow needs to be just right to set up properly after a groom. Groomers often aim for a “Goldilocks zone,” typically when temperatures are dropping or holding steady in the mid-20s to low-30s. That’s why typically grooming happens overnight or in the very early morning hours, when the snow can be worked and then given time to set before skiers arrive. Though with this winters unseasonably warm weather grooming has occurred at all different times of the day. Some days have reflected spring like grooms where the ginzu is out during the midafternoon when snow is soft enough to manipulate.
Timing ties everything together. Grooming during a storm leaves trails looking like they’ve not been groomed at all. Grooming too late after skis, bikes, or boots have churned the surface can lock in ruts and unevenness that are hard to fix. In a lean snow year, timing becomes even more critical. Groomers are constantly watching forecasts, tracking overnight lows, and making judgment calls that balance immediate ski quality with long-term trail health. These decisions aren’t always obvious from the trailhead, but they matter enormously.
The next time you glide along a a freshly groomed track take a moment to notice the quiet craftsmanship beneath your skis. That trail represents not just machinery, but experience, restraint, a deep local knowledge of weather patterns, snow behavior, and this landscape we all love. The groomers are doing the best they can with what they have, turning a paltry snowpack into meaningful miles of winter joy.
And when conditions aren’t perfect? That, too, is part of the story. Cross-country skiing has always been about adapting to what winter gives us. Every groomed trail is an invitation to appreciate the magic of gliding across winter landscapes and the hard work that goes into making it possible.
Updates from the Groomers
Teton Canyon
As of 5pm Friday 12/26 about 4” of new snow fell. The plan is to roll the track this morning though unsure if classic tracks will be set. The skiing ought to be adequate.
Events
Sorry to Report
Trail Creek Nordic is sorry to have to report that Christmas day rain has forced them to cancel the Betty Woolsey Race for this year. While it is snowing at Trail Creek as of report time on December 26, there were many obstacles that recently melted out of the snow making the course unacceptable.
Wednesday, Jan 7
Join representatives from the Teton Basin Ranger District, AMPL, Mountain Bike the Tetons, Greater Yellowstone Coalition and the Nordic Alliance for Teton Valley Trails and Pathways winter trails forum.
Come ask questions, hear updates and converse with other trail users and managers.
Sunday, Jan 11
JH Nordic Alliance and Partners invite you to come play on winter trails for the Annual Free Ski, Snowshoe & Fat Bike Event at Turpin Meadow Ranch.
The day is a celebration of community, winter trails recreation and public lands in the beautiful Buffalo Valley and surrounding forests.
We hope you come out, and we hope you carpool with friends and family.
