Trail 36 can be such a delight, with classic tracks which roll up, and down and around, as well as some of the best scenery in the park. We chose this trail for those reasons as well as for the shelter it offered against today's cold temperatures. As well, the NCC website indicated that it was groomed this morning.

Rather than being a delight, today's ski was a disappointment. Temperatures were not a problem, in fact, I was a bit too warm with my fuzzy boot warmers and wind-proof mitts. The trail was ski-able, but if grooming was done, it was a bargain basement grooming done in quick fashion with sub-standard equipment, the kind of grooming you might be happy to see at a third rate conservation ski area. The tracks were often missing or only half the depth they should have been. There were corrugated sections of trail that looked as though a snowmobile had passed by while the snow was wet. (!?) The edges were not properly compacted, and there were frequent sections of icy snowballs, particularly at corners. The downhills required quite a bit of attention, and were scraped down to a very hard base in many spots. The rocks are still in evidence at the section downhill, but more snow will take care of that. On a more positive not, there was no evidence of walkers or snowshoers using the trail!