A brief summary of conditions on trails, on routes taken recently:

• Valleyview Nature Park – all trails were wet, but not icy to date.
• Valleyview Silt Cliffs Triangle and Lower Rose Trails – good hiking, but a little snow, but not icy.
• Dallas – Barnhartvale Park – all trails were wet or snowy, but okay for hiking.
• Barnes Trails – trails were wet in the lower grasslands and snowy in the forest, but not icy.
• Peterson Creek – the lower end was wet but good for hiking.    The upper trails were wet, with some sections of packed snow.   Some slippery sections.
• Kenna Cartwright Park – trails have been good for hiking, with some muddy areas on south-facing slopes.
• Nature Conservancy – snow on the tracks, but no ice.    Some hidden hazards so care is needed,
• Batchelor Hills – mostly good hiking, but some muddy spots in the afternoons.
• Ironmask Hills – officially closed, but hikers are still finding good conditions.
• Dewdrop Range – some reasonable hiking, but the access road is muddy and there will be muddy sections on the lower trails.
• Bunker Road Trails – good conditions found.
• Rose Hill Road – routes have been good for hiking to date.
• Dry Hills and Abbey Road Hills – good conditions for hiking so far.
• Rivers Trail (West) and Cooney Bay – good for hiking to date.   Mission Beaches were dry.
• McQueen Lake and Isobel Lake – snowy conditions.    Isobel can be snowshoed.
• Bush Lake and Dogwood Marshes – it has been marginal for snowshoeing, but with new snowfall, it should be better, but cold.

With new snowfall coming, trail conditions will change.    Trails will be snowy and good boots with gaiters may be a good choice.   Microspikes (cleats) can be worn or carried.     Local popular trails will become stomped in and will not ice up until we have a daytime melt.    More remote trails will be a snowy stomp requiring some care.    Snowshoeing will be better at higher elevations.