Thursday, February 4, 2010

F.W. Kent Park (Tiffin/Oxford)

Earn your turns at Kent Park. Because there's been little wind to follow up the last batch of snow, what fell earlier this week remains uniformly on the ground. All of the hills surrounding the lake are easily ascended and can be carved up seven ways from Sunday on the descent. Begin at Bob White shelter, ski down to the lake, cross the ice, ascend the hill on the other side, return to the lake, then work your way north to find other nearly untouched slopes. Since the park is shaped like a bowl, you can keep this up for hours.
Snow conditions are near perfect for low-angle skiing: there's not enough to slow you down a ton, but plenty to provide stable turning. Straightlining is also an option taken by one skier yesterday who looked to be having a good time. There's no trail to follow in the bowl around the lake: choose your own adventure.
I can't officially comment on the state of the actual trails in the park; however, I would hazard a guess that they are skiable but probably thin in spots, especially where drainages cross the trail.