Got 18" from the last storm. Great conditions everywhere!

Went to Wendell yesterday, Friday. I saw some guys over near the maintenance barn and started talking with them since I noticed Wendell hadn't been groomed yet and it was 2 days after the storm. Got the full low-down. About 52 DCR employees got laid off recently. That leaves 2 people to maintain 4 state parks that are near me.

However they will groom next week they said - they were waiting for some "traffic" and compression since the snow was so fine and dry. They did go out on snowmobiles to compress a little bit so right now the paths are 2 snowmobile widths. The conditions were excellent when I went out. They'll be grooming twice a week with a machine thereafter.

It was quite busy when I was there, for a weekday. There were 3 cars at one access and 6 at the main access. I passed 4 people while I was out. The guys said that because of the economy people are looking for cheaper alternatives for fun, and that forest usage during the winter has increased in the last 2 years.

Today I went to Dennision. This is always well maintained. I learned that DCR owns the groomers but Coldbrook does the maintenance which is why conditions are so good all the time. It was fairly busy with snowmobilers though being a weekend after some very good snow. I went to a part that was less busy and had an excellent ski but I might avoid Dennison on the weekends unless I go late in the afternoon or on a weekday.

However today I came across the dogmusher that goes out there. How fun.