Park City’s Nordic trails hang in the balance amid stubborn warm spell

Current conditions on Hat Trick in Round Valley. Photo: TownLift // Laura M

PARK CITY, Utah — As temperatures continue to linger above freezing levels and rain looms in the weather forecast, the Nordic ski trails around Park City are rapidly diminishing. Reports of exposed road surfaces, bare ground, and slushy snow conditions have presented a significant challenge for grooming operations, with some locations even forced to halt their efforts.

Mountain Trails Foundation mentioned in its Feb. 2 trail report, “The snow is what we would consider ‘rotten’ (in Round Valley at least). It was the first morning in over a month the grooming crew didn’t see even one skier out there during the morning (speaks volumes to the conditions we have this morning).”

Basin Recreation’s trail report shows they are still grooming the trails in Willow Creek and Utah Olympic Park, but conditions are soft and slushy.

The weather forecast provides little relief as daytime temperatures remain unseasonably warm. Nonetheless, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon, with overnight temperatures predicted to dip below freezing in the coming days, dropping as low as 17 degrees by Saturday evening.

Skiers are urged to ski at their own risk — while simultaneously crossing their fingers and invoking the favor of Ullr — in hopes of a much-needed drop in temperatures.