SE Wisconsin XC Ski Reports for Public Trails

Official Lapham Peak Trail Report on Tuesday Jan 27 2026 at 11:31am
by Collin Bergholz

The Piston Bully was out at night, cleaned up the skate deck and reset the tracks on the manmade. Should be nice skiing Tuesday.

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Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Saturday Jan 31 2026 at 4:32pm
Excellent conditions for skate and stride on the snowmaking loops today. Firm base with a layer of powdery snow provided an ideal surface for all skate techniques. Even with the huge number of skiers on the trail today, the surface never broke down into corn snow. The Magic Carpet downhill was fast but totally controllable. No debris to speak of. Striding tracks were solid and fast. Please note that a fantastic ski trail, and superb trail side facilities - the Lapham Lodge - that can handle hundreds of skiers is the result of hardworking volunteer snowmakers and groomers, supported by your donations.

Lapham: Report by Liz Loya on Saturday Jan 31 2026 at 12:58pm
A huge thank you to the snowmaking and grooming crew! The conditions this morning were amazing! What a gem we have in SE Wisconsin!

Lapham: Report by Jim on Saturday Jan 31 2026 at 8:48am
Excellent conditions this morning on the manmade loop. Skate and classic groomed last night. Will wear in with heavy use today but should hold up well.

Lapham: Report by Bill Arnold on Friday Jan 30 2026 at 7:54pm
Skied lower trails man made trail excellent. South field marginal but skiable. Has anyone skied upper trails this week and if so how are those?

Lapham: Report by Ann D on Friday Jan 30 2026 at 6:00pm
Striding/Classic report late afternoon - four sets of excellent tracks on Field loop.  Thank you, groomers!  A bit slow due to cold snow but wonderful, so I went around numerous times.  Not many skiers unlike the next two days.

Lapham: Report by Jim Kania on Friday Jan 30 2026 at 1:41pm
Classic skiing today 01/30/2026, tracks are in excellent condition, deep, somewhat fast, great grip with skins!

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Wednesday Jan 28 2026 at 4:06pm
Excellent conditions for skate and stride. Cold snow was a bit slow. Firm skate surface with a powdery surface layer. Tracks are solid and snowy.

CLCF_Nordic: Report by Charlie Dee on Tuesday Jan 27 2026 at 5:01pm
Magnificent skating today. Jerry went over everything with the scarifier attachment, and it produced a corduroy deck that allowed for full control and easy edge. I did not ski the East Woods. All the meadow trails are good to very good (I know, and with a limited base!), while the West Woods trail was fair to good: leaves and some dirt coming up make it more uneven than the other trails. You can use good skis in meadow but definitely not in the woods. I threw off two rocks and saw two other large ones breaking through the surface. Classic track were covered with a fresh 1/4 inch dusting that made them slow but consistent. I was the only one out there; please come ski and make the groomer happy!

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Tuesday Jan 27 2026 at 4:36pm
Very good conditions for skate and stride. An excellent job by Alex of grooming and setting track, but the wind has blown off some of the powder on the skate lanes and filled in the tracks in the open areas. That said, both the skate deck and the tracks are faster than yesterday.

Lapham: Report by Jim M on Tuesday Jan 27 2026 at 8:17am
Snowmaking is scheduled for Thursday 7am-7pm to reinforce any thin areas. There will be some trail closures. We hope this will be the last snowmaking day and the base will hold for the rest of the season.

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Monday Jan 26 2026 at 4:20pm
Good conditions for skate and stride. Where the Ginzu groomed this morning, the skate deck is good with a firm base and some loose snow on top. Ungroomed areas are a little hard packed. Tracks are well used but still solid, with a little more debris than yesterday.

Lapham: Report by Christina Callies on Sunday Jan 25 2026 at 5:53pm
The purple loop was quiet and glorious on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons with a few thin spots and avoidable rocks, but this afternoon it was significantly thinner/more rockyâ?¦so it was back to the manmade loop, which was wide and wonderful. Thanks groomers and volunteer snowmakers!

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Sunday Jan 25 2026 at 5:53pm
Excellent conditions for skate and stride on the snowmaking loops this afternoon. Firm base with a perfect layer of powdery snow provided a great skating surface for the huge number of skiers who braved the cold today. Tracks remained solid and fast, but not icy. A fantastic ski day.

Lapham: Report by GiGi on Sunday Jan 25 2026 at 1:02pm
Classic skiied from 11-12 this morning. What a delightful time! Great conditions, not icy, track were clear of debris. Lots of people out enjoying the great conditions.

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Saturday Jan 24 2026 at 4:30pm
Excellent conditions for skate and stride on the snowmaking loops. Skate deck is very firm with some corduroy and some loose powder. Tracks have been skied in and are much faster than yesterday. Minimal debris. Another nice ski day.

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Friday Jan 23 2026 at 4:34pm
Slow, but excellent conditions for skate and stride. Beautiful corduroy on the skate deck - not hard packed. Perfect striding tracks - solid walls, snow base. Very little debris. Very nice ski day - no crowds.

CLCF_Nordic: Report by Charlie Dee on Friday Jan 23 2026 at 8:46am
Skating on Thursday, 1/22 was very good. Half-inch of powder over a very skiable base. Unbelievably good for limited amount of snow. Only a few places where dirt coming to the surface. Classic tracks are not deep but are consistent with very little debris in them. I did not ski the west woods. I was on B skis and could have used A's. When it warms again, and Jerry works his magic, conditions should be the same.

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Thursday Jan 22 2026 at 7:11pm
Variable conditions for skate, very good for stride. Skate deck is generally hard-packed, with windblown areas being the most challenging and protected areas much better. Hard to get an edge, though there was some loose powder on the deck in places. Tracks were good, and not real icy. Some skiers went off the snowmaking loops and found it to be okay.

Lapham: Report by Sam Barrette on Wednesday Jan 21 2026 at 4:27pm
Skied both skate & classic late this morning. Both were absolutely perfect!!! Wow! Fresh corduroy, so I'm deducting they groomed immediately after the snow stopped this morning. Great job groomers, - thank you!

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Tuesday Jan 20 2026 at 5:01pm
Very good conditions for skate and stride. Very firm skate deck with just a bit of loose snow. Slow, due to the embedded cold from last night. Tracks are solid and good. Snowmaking during the day on the east, north, and west legs of the Field Loop resulted in very slow snow in those areas.

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Monday Jan 19 2026 at 4:54pm
Very good conditions for skate and stride considering the cold and wind. Skate deck is a very firm mix of natural and machine-made snow. Tracks are generally solid, but have been filled-in in the open areas by wind-blown snow. Debris throughout due to the wind. No idea how far or long I skied as all my timing devices shut down in the cold.

Lapham: Report by Grateful Skier on Monday Jan 19 2026 at 3:20pm
THANK YOU TO THE SNOWMAKING AND GROOMING VOLUNTEERS AT LAPHAM PEAK A QUICK AND SINCERE THANK YOU TO THE SNOWMAKING AND SNOW GROOMING CREWS AT LAPHAM PEAK. WHAT MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT REALIZE IS THAT MUCH OF THIS WORK IS DONE BY VOLUNTEERS. THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO GIVE THEIR TIME, OFTEN IN COLD AND CHALLENGING CONDITIONS, SO THE REST OF US CAN ENJOY THE TRAILS. SNOW CONDITIONS ARE NEVER PERFECT AND ARE ALWAYS SUBJECT TO WEATHER, TEMPERATURE, AND EQUIPMENT LIMITATIONS. EVEN SO, THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT AND CARE THAT GOES INTO KEEPING THE PARK USABLE AND ENJOYABLE IS SIGNIFICANT AND DESERVES RESPECT. IF YOU FIND YOURSELF FRUSTRATED WITH CONDITIONS, PLEASE CONSIDER GETTING INVOLVED. VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME IS ONE OF THE MOST CONSTRUCTIVE WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND GAIN A BETTER APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK BEING DONE. LAPHAM PEAK IS WHAT IT IS BECAUSE OF THESE VOLUNTEERS. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

Lapham: Report by Mike S. on Sunday Jan 18 2026 at 8:07pm
Skied classic early this morning and was disappointed that fresh tracks were not set around the entire man-made loop after a busy Saturday with a race and with new snowfall. The tracks were slick and washed out in some areas. Sunday classic skiers deserve a better experience.

CLCF_Nordic: Report by William B on Saturday Jan 17 2026 at 4:24pm
Enjoyed striding on the rolled trail this am. no Tracks but the snow was soft enough. beautiful as usual. coverage even but thin.

Lapham: Report by Jim on Saturday Jan 17 2026 at 12:30pm
I just got to the park and beetle is leaving. He just finished grooming the lit loop, two tier and the purple loop up top with the pb. He said itâ??s thin but skiable. Iâ??m heading out to check it out now. Man made snow should be perfect. The loppet is at 9:30 kids and 10:30 adults. So it will be busy!

Lapham: Report by Jim on Saturday Jan 17 2026 at 8:04am
I just got to the park and beetle is leaving. He just finished grooming the lit loop, two tier and the purple loop up top with the pb. He said itâ??s thin but skiable. Iâ??m heading out to check it out now. Man made snow should be perfect. The loppet is at 9:30 kids and 10:30 adults. So it will be busy!

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Wednesday Jan 14 2026 at 4:37pm
The trail froze hard after the overnight grooming, leaving a very firm surface. At about 4:00 PM, Beattle took the Pisten Bully out to loosen up the skate lanes, which helped a lot. Tracks are icy underneath, with a shallow layer of new snow on top that has been skied in. There is debris on the trail in some locations.

Lapham: Report by John Mccarthy on Monday Jan 12 2026 at 12:20pm
Good conditions for skate and stride. Not groomed overnight. Very firm skate deck with a bit of loose snow, softening under the sun. Tracks are old and well used, but holding up okay. Exception is the north and west legs of the Field Loop, where the snow whales were spread and new track set. NOTE: groomers will be grooming the trails for ALL CLASSIC tonight for the Southern Division High School and Middle School races on Tuesday, starting at 6:00. So, PLEASE - plan to stride on Tuesday. Letâ??s leave the tracks in great shape for the kids.

Greenbush: Report by Matt rechlitz on Monday Jan 12 2026 at 4:59am
The trails at Greenbush are well covered by the new 2" of snow and the existing base that survived the warm up and rain. However as of late Sunday afternoon, I would rate it a C as there was a decent amount of traffic on Sunday. Trails are okay for skating (B/rock skis), no classic tracks set-sorry. Very hard pack and icy in a few spots. There are a few rocks out there in the thinner spots, so beware. After a brief warm up early this week with just a touch of rain (nothing like last week), there is a increasing chance of some light-moderate snows later in the week. I would recommend waiting until next weekend unless you bring your rock skis and have the need/time to ski. Average glide at best and very hard pack with okay edging. Honest report.

Lapham: Report by Jim on Sunday Jan 11 2026 at 8:54am
Nice conditions this morning. Snowmaking wrapped up early and the trails were groomed with new tracks set. Some whales of snow from last night have not been spread but represent small hills to go up and over. Enjoy!

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Saturday Jan 10 2026 at 12:04pm
About 4 inches of wet snow this morning made for slow going for skate and stride. Skating was hard work, mixing the new snow in with the moist base. A few icy spots with new snow on top. Tracks are soft and easily damaged, but kick with skin skis was good. Still, a good ski on a nice day.

Lapham: Report by Jim M on Saturday Jan 10 2026 at 7:22am
From the groomers. The man made trails have survived another warmup and rain event. The Piston Bully was out renovating the skate deck and classic tracks. The skate deck is in great condition with full coverage and just a couple of icy patches that can be easily avoided. The classic tracks are in good condition for the most part. There are a few patches of ice and a few bare spots but overall not too bad. Grooming plans: The snow makers will be out Saturday night starting around 7 pm. This will be a short shift and will wrap up sometime early Sunday morning. Expect some trail closures to go into Sunday afternoon.

Greenbush: Report by Matt rechlitz on Friday Jan 9 2026 at 6:32pm
Hey everyone. good news/bad news. Good news...Greenbush survived the warm week with two rainfalls and 50 plus temps last night, and currently has a 1-2" icy base with 85/15 frozen corn snow to icy snow. NOT SKIABLE at this time!! Amazing how the heavily dense forest keeps things somewhat cooler here. Bad news...the hilly terrain of the northern kettles really needs about 3-4+" of snow to get it back into good shape, but only 1-2" is predicted. Perhaps the higher elevated terrain of the northern kettles "may" squeeze out another inch or two on Saturday. It has happened several times before. That extra 2" would really help. If this area was flat, it would be back in good shape with the 2", but more is needed because of the rolling terrain. Honest report!! Matt

Lapham: Report by Mark janis on Thursday Jan 8 2026 at 2:19pm
Good afternoon skiers. As Everyone knows we are having another warmup. The trails will not be groomed tonight. We will resume grooming again tomorrow night and Saturday night. There will be a high school sectional race on Tuesday January 13th. It will be in the evening and it will be a classic race. Grooming for this race will take place Monday night. Given that it will be a classic race the man made loop will be set for classic racing and there will be little in the way of a skate deck. So if you skate only maybe you will want to take Tuesday off. Or grab some classic skis and give it a try. The trail will be groomed Tuesday night back to its original form. Thanks for your understanding.

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Wednesday Jan 7 2026 at 3:47pm
Mid-afternoon - soft and slushy for skate, nice for stride. Skate deck is really chewed up, but is already transitioning in the shade, and will continue to do so as the sun goes down. Likewise, the striding tracks are getting faster as the sun goes down. Should be interesting tonight.

Lapham: Report by Sam Barrette on Wednesday Jan 7 2026 at 2:52pm
Both classic track and skate deck were surprisingly good before noon today. Thanks Mark for grooming!

Lapham: Report by John McCarthy on Tuesday Jan 6 2026 at 5:09pm
Late afternoon - nice conditions for skate and stride. A little soft on the skate deck, but firming up as the sun goes down. Old tracks are still good with a slushy bottom that gave good kick on my skin skis. Some leafy debris, but mostly very clean. It would be great if we can keep it that way.

Nordic: Report by Matt rechlitz on Sunday Jan 4 2026 at 7:50pm
Went to Nordic for about 3-3 1/2 hours after Lapham. Stick to the flatter trails as the base is thin. Purple trail, Purple to cutoff onto back orange and the white backwards to the big hill & back was okay. Far less snow here than Greenbush with far less base. AVOID hills, lots of rocks from what I hear.

Lapham: Report by Matt rechlitz on Sunday Jan 4 2026 at 7:46pm
Fast, firm & fun on the man made loops. Clean. The best I have ever seen. Perfect skiing on a mostly sunny day and temps in the 20's. Thank you grooming crew.

Lapham: Report by Mark Janis on Sunday Jan 4 2026 at 8:28am
Good morning skiers. After a very busy day at the park yesterday the Piston Bully was out grooming the man made trails. The skate deck was tilled and is in great condition. The classic tracks were left as is and should be full depth and solid. The Piston Bully will be out this afternoon pushing out the piles in the playground area. This will not affect skiers in any way as it is far enough off the main trails. A normal grooming schedule will resume now that the holidays are over. If weather permits the Piston Bully will groom Monday night,Tuesday night and both Friday and Saturday nights.

Lapham: Report by Darren Blankenship on Saturday Jan 3 2026 at 10:48am
Man-made snow loop is now totally complete and was freshly groomed and tracked upon arrival early this morning. Joanie and I skated and strided the trails for a couple of hours early this morning. Very good conditions overall. Thanks to the snowmaking and grooming teams for making this happen. New shelter is a a very nice addition to the trail system. Well worth the hour drive from Fitchburg.

Lapham: Report by Gunde Svan on Friday Jan 2 2026 at 11:08pm
Friday night ski conditions were wonderful. The skate deck is very firm and fast. I waxed my skate skis with a base layer of Swix yellow...then followed with Swix violet for the second layer....the skis were very fast on this snow. Park crews were out spreading snow on portions of the loop, so the man-made loops will be very good this weekend for classic and skate skiers!! Aka Skidor!!!