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Trail Conditions Updated 3/9/10

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Comments:  Spring conditions.  The snow base and trail conditions have deteriorated due to warm temperatures and sunshine. Open areas and south facing slopes have really lost snow.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

The 14 km of machine groomed trails pass through rolling hills, paper birch and pine stands, and newly planted red and white pine plantations and are perfect for beginner to expert skiers. ‘You are here’ maps guide you along the trail.

Report Courtesy of Ely Chamber of Commerce

Trail Conditions Updated 3/10/10

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Comments: Expect spring conditions on this trail and grooming has ended unless we get a good snowfall.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

Dogs are allowed on this trail. This 6.4 Km trail is relatively flat and has great views of the old Pioneer Mine headframe. It circles Miner’s Lake which is a designated trout lake.

Report Courtesy of Ely Chamber of Commerce

Trail Conditions Updated 3/8/10

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Comments:   The North Junction trails are icy and there are patches where some rocks are visible. Use caution!

 Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

The North Junction Trails consist of a series of loops. There are two loops south of the North Arm Road. The Beaver Meadow Trail is a beginner to intermediate trail that goes through an area occupied by beaver. The Moose Trail is an intermediate level that goes through hilly upland areas, a spruce swamp, and a beaver pond. The west end of the Beaver Meadows trail leads to Camp Widgiwagan. Please respect camp property and watch for vehicles.

Reports Courtesy of Ely Chamber of Commerce

Trail Conditions Updated 2/16/10

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Comments:  Trail was not groomed 2008 / 2009.  Awaiting first report of the season.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

The Stuart River / Baldpate trails consist of 15K of interconnecting loops (easy to advanced), including the Pine Meadows Trail that passes through the BWCA.  Classic only.  Excellent for viewing wildlife.  No fees required.

Report Courtesy of Ely Chamber of Commerce

Trail Conditions Updated 3/10/10

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Comments:  Poor.  With recent warm weather and forecasted rain, snow and trail conditions are quickly deteriorating. We will be unable to groom again until we get some fresh snow. Expect bare patches, exposed rock and debris on the trails. The Becky Lake loop has been packed by users and is a great trail for snowshoes or hiking.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

The Bear Head State Park Trails wind through mixed pine, balsam, birch and aspen stand and skirt four lakes along the way. Great views of Bear Head Lake can be seen from varying vantage points. Many exciting downhills, both gentle and more demanding, await the skier. These trails are machine groomed and accommodate both beginner and expert skiers.

Report Courtesy of Minnesota DNR, and the Ely Chamber of Commerce

Trail Conditions Updated 3/10/10

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Comments:  The snow base and trail conditions are deteriorating due to warm temperatures and sunshine. Open areas and south facing slopes have really lost snow. Grooming has ceased pending additional snow. Conditions are poor to fair. Expect bare patches, exposed rocks and dirt. Please use caution, especially on corners and hills.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

These trails are groomed for diagonal skiing only and are beginner to intermediate in difficulty. These trails roll through a mixture of birch, aspen, pine and spruce. The tracks of deer, wolves, moose and marten are typically seen along the trails, and sighting wildlife is not unusual.

Report Courtesy of Northern Lights Lodge, Minnesota DNR, and the Ely Chamber of Commerce

Trail Conditions Updated 2/16/10

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Comments: The lake conditions are mostly very good right now with only scattered slush so many skiers have moved onto the lake routes.  As always, travel on ice can be dangerous and people not familiar with the area should check with locals or stay on established tracks across ice. In most places, the ice is very thick this year but anywhere there is running water underneath, ice may be thin. People should avoid or use extreme caution in narrows and places where streams flow in or out of lakes. Skiers should travel with matches, extra clothing, food and water, a scraper in case they get into slush, a good map and a compass.

Swamp Loop is pretty rough. An earlier storm pulled a lot of brush into the trail.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

8 km of user tracked classic wilderness trails.  Trails are beginner to intermediate with soft rolling hills.  A BWCA permit is required and is available at the trailhead.

Report Courtesy of Ely Chamber of Commerce, Kawishiwi District, Blue Heron Bed & Breakfast, and Timber Trail.

Ash River Falls Trail

Trail Conditions Updated 3/4/10

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Comments:   The trails should be good through the weekend, but I think that will be it unless it snows. The snowmobile trails are fine, despite the fact that we have had no new snow for a couple weeks. I would think the ski trails would be the same. We have temps in the mornings in the single digits and in the afternoons in the 30's. Snow is slow to melt with those conditions up here.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

The Ash River Falls trailhead is about 30 miles north of Orr. Take Highway 53 26 miles north, then go east on Ash River Road (County Rd 126) for about 5 miles to the trailhead on the south side of the road.  MN Ski Pass required.

Report Courtesy of Minnesota DNR & Sunset Resort

Trail Conditions Updated 2/8/10

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Comments:  These trails were groomed last week. The fresh blanket of snow hanging on the trees is beautiful. There is a 1-2 inch layer of new snow on the trail.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

People interested in using the trails should check at the lodge as to where they should park. Do not park down by the Retreat cabin. Please note, these trails exist not only for the lodge’s guests, but those that are on the Hidden Valley network.

Report Courtesy of Ely Chamber of Commerce

Trail Conditions Updated 2/23/10

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Comments:  The North Arm Trails have a nice base of snow and the days have been sunny and pleasant the last few weeks without getting above freezing. So…ski conditions are nice. We’ve been getting a few light snows to keep things fresh. The lakes seem to be slush-free so this about as good as it gets. (Still carry a scraper in case.) We’ve been working hard on clearing back the brush that was leaning into the trails from the wet sticky snow that fell in a late January storm, however, we’re not done yet so you may find a few sections that still need work. We hope to see you on the trail.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

The North Arm Trail is one of the premier skier-tracked trail systems in the area. It boasts 42 km of scenic trails in and out of the BWCA Wilderness.  Trailhead is located on North Arm Road off Burntside Lake.  Because they are not machine groomed, they can be challenging at times even for intermediate-skilled skiers. They are the most beautiful in the area as they roll up and down over forested ledge rock and across lakes through the wilderness. The trails are easy to follow and each intersection has a ‘you are here’ map. Beginner skiers can first test their proficiency on the Moose Horn Loops. Warning! - Ice conditions may be unsafe. Users should check on current ice conditions and proceed with caution on the lakes as ice conditions can change rapidly.

Reports Courtesy of Ely Chamber of Commerce, Kawishiwi District, and Camp DuNord

Trail Conditions Updated 3/6/10

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Comments:  icy. Some rocks starting to pop up in spots.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

 

Trail Conditions Updated 3/11/10

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Comments: 

Gold (14k/most difficult)-Open w/ a few bare spots
Summit (6k)-Open w/ a few bare spots
Laurentian (8k/more difficult)-CLOSED
Northern Lights (3k/one-way)-OPEN
Silver (10k/more difficult)-CLOSED
Oslo (5k/easier)-
Biwabik Spur (6k easier)-
Bronze (6k/easier)-Open w/ a few bare spots
Cedar (5k/more difficult)-Open w/ a few bare spots
Wynne Creek (4k/easier)-CLOSED
Trapper Creek--OPEN
Sleeping Giant Snow Shoe Trail(6k/more difficult)--OPEN

The Gold, Bronze, Summit, Cedar and Northern Lights trails are Pisten Bully groomed. The remainder of trails are groomed by snowmobile.  All of the cross country trails at Giants Ridge are groomed and tracked every other day on rotation. Please note that snowfall, snowstorms, and wind play a key role in the grooming schedule and can cause surface changes on recently groomed trails.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

Giants Ridge offers more than 60 km of cross country trails, which are groomed and tracked every other day on rotation.  Please note that snowfall, snowstorms, and wind play a key role in the grooming schedule and can cause surface changes on recently groomed trails.  Giants Ridge also has 35 downhill runs and a terrain park.

 

Trail Conditions Updated 3/8/10

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This trail was last groomed on Saturday morning for classic skiing. Watch for bare spots. This trail will not be groomed again this season.

The Babbitt Golf Course –The Babbitt Golf Course was groomed for the final time this season. The golf course offers over 2 miles of groomed trails. It is still in fairly good condition.

Send your trail report to trailconditions@bwca.cc

The Birch Lake White Pine Plantation 17 miles south of Ely in Babbitt is partially within the first red pine (Norway) plantation in the Superior National Forest, covering 120 acres. While touring the area, you may see white paint on some of the trees. These mark out research plots to study the growth of the trees. The area east of Forest Road #131 is generally flat, and the areas west are more challenging but relatively easy.