I consider myself an intermediate skier, but after my experience on Owl Heal, I'm thinking of downgrading my ranking to klutz. I fell several times on the return trip and once banged my hip against a tree in a vain attempt at a graceful stop. I mention my Nordic pratfalls to emphasize that the steep sections of this route can be quite difficult. On the day I made the trip, I had trouble snowplowing down the narrow trail, because the snow on the sides was heavy and compact. Under powder conditions, I might have had fewer spills.
Some skiers abandon the trail altogether and ski through the open hardwoods.
That's a strategy to consider if you're having trouble controlling your speed on the packed trail. Another possibility is to ski in as far as you wish and snowshoe the rest of the way. The trail begins on an unplowed road, but soon enters the woods and makes a gradual ascent. After crossing a brook, it passes through a stand of hemlocks. The trail enters the state Forest Preserve about a half-mile from the start and crosses Slide Brook on a bridge at 1.1 mile.