Did a classic T-tour from P6 via CP & GP to Pink Lake to Penguin via GP to Mulvihill Lake via GP & CP and back to P6 . Conditions varied from barely fair to almost good depending on the base and amount of new snow. Demsis has rolled the skating track which, by packing the snow down into the ice, improves things to the point that skating is possible but not yet good. The classic tracks are quite firm - frozen into the shape that they had before the thaw - and are probably the best option. Along the GP the icy base showed through the snow in both the classic and skating tracks and was not that enjoyable. The best conditions were on the “Swamp Road Bypass” (MacKenzie King Rd) and CP up to Mulvihill Lake where very little ice was showing with good snow coverage.

In places some skaters seemed to have success by crust-cruising the untracked snow between the classic tracks and the parkway edge.

I used my rock skis but could have used my good skis without damage. My klister, tar, and blue combination kick wax worked quite in these conditions.

Overall it was still a worthwhile ski. I agree with Jo-Ann: - better these conditions than Australia - 3 cm of snow vs. 9 m of water - ravens and owls vs. snakes and crocodiles