American Birkebeiner

Skiers are encouraged to ski on nearby trails including:

• Mukwonago Ski Trail (skating) located 18 miles east of Hayward on Hwy 77
• Rock Lake Trails (classic) located 7.5 miles east of Cable on Hwy M
• Seeley Ski Trail located 1/2 mile east of Seeley on "OO"
• North End Ski Trails located 2 miles south of Cable on Randysek Rd

The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation reserves the right to alter the course route and distance in the event that weather conditions do not allow access to certain portions of the trail or lake. The Trail Report gives you an updated report on current trail conditions.

The entire American Birkebeiner (Birkie) Trail and Birkie Classic Trail will be closed to public recreational skiing on Friday of race week to preserve the conditions of the trail for the race. Trail closures may be required earlier.

Tracks will be set across the entire 180’ start line for the first 100 meters. All skiers are required to double pole over that section. Nine sets of Classic tracks will continue on the left side of the ski course to where the trails separate at 600 meters and then will gradually decrease to three sets of tracks all the way to OO. These three sets of tracks will be set "best line" and will continue to the 28K point just south of "OO". From that point south of OO where the Classic and Skate courses join for the remaining 26K to the finish, two sets of tracks will be set on the left side of the trail with the skate lane on the right. Two sets of tracks will be set on one side of the Kortelopet trail from the 9K point to the finish line at Telemark.

No tracks will be set on the Skate course where it parallels the separate Classic Trail except on downhills. The Birkie Trail will be groomed to provide three skate lanes only to "OO" at 23K.

Skate skiers are requested to avoid skiing over the classic tracks when present. Two sets of tracks on the right side of the course and three skate lanes will be available for the last 200 meters on Haywards Main Street finish.

The addition of the Birkie Classic Trail offers another alternative route in the event of low-snow conditions on the south half of the trail. In the event we experience low snow the following options are in place:

1. Preferred course provides full length Birkie events with a finish on Main Street. Kortelopet races complete their full courses with a Telemark finish.
2. In the event that Lake Hayward is not skiable the second option would be a Birkie finish at Duffy's field providing a 47K Birkie Skate and a 51K Birkie Classic. Again Kortelopet races complete their full courses with a Telemark finish.
3. Third option would have both skaters and classic skiers use the Birkie Trail to ski to "OO", complete a small loop there and then use the Birkie Classic Trail as a return route to finish at Telemark providing a 51K alternative course. In this case, Kortelopet skiers would ski Birkie Trail and finish at "OO" completing a 24K.