Temps warming up after a cold week which saw lowest temp at -5. Cold weather has set frost deep into the ground and made good ice on the lakes, sloughs and ponds. This week we packed around 5km of trail (Sap Run and early season loop) after a few dustings of snow. We still need 2-3″ of snow before we can open for skiing but packing the snow on the early season loop now makes it easier to open after additional snow.
Little Sugarbush lake, lake Maplelag is next to, froze over completely on November 7th. This is one of the earliest dates on record it has frozen over. Setting frost deep into the ground will be good for the first snowfalls.
The trails are now closed to the public until November 18th in respect to local landowners deer hunting. This includes the mountain bike trails a well.Winter riding season will open November 18th as well, weather permitting.
We had a great end to fall trail clearing until the cold weather moved in. Overall the trails are in good shape and ready for snow. We will continue with fall grooming right up until the snow accumulates enough to groom. Clearing the leaves and having a clean and smooth surface as possible allows the ground to freeze up sooner and open select trails on minimum snow for early season skiing. With dense snow, we can open select trails on just 3-4″ of snow for early season skiing.
Sap run after roll packing, November 14th, 2019.
Skater Waltz, November 14th, 2019.
Sukkerbusk, November 14th, 2019.
Top of Suicide Hill, November 14th, 2019.Skinny field, November 14th, 2019.Sukkerbusk ski trail, November 12th, 2019.Skaters Waltz, November 12th, 2019.Bullhead Bay, November 12th, 2019.Air pocket between ice, result of falling lake levels on Little Suguarbush, November 12th, 2019. Enough snow and good ice on the lake for skiing. November 11th, 2019.Mink track on the edge of the lake, November 11th, 2019.Mink entering and exiting on shore of the lake (with a little issue). The lake level has dropped since the lake froze over last week with the edges collapsing. November 11th, 2019.Little Sugarbush lake mostly ice covered, November 6th, 2019.Clearing on JibFly, November 5th, 2019.Removing thick leaf bed on Mother North Star, November 6th, 2019.Dusting of snow on Sap Run, November 2nd, 2019.
Mother North Star ski trail, November 2nd, 2019.
Around 5-6″ of snow accumulating on the trails from a storm October 11th and 12th. We groomed an out and back segment for the first grooming of the year. We were able to ski a few days and good to see a few other folks out enjoying. This is one day later than last year in October when we had snow enough to groom and ski.
Earlier this fall we did cat work on Mother Hen, making a new return and also made a new return on Wavy Gravy trail. We are excited to have Mother Hen back on the grooming plan for this coming winter season!
Other trail work includes cleaning deadfall along the side of the trails and cutting firewood for next season for the wood burning stoves at Maplelag. We also planted nearly a 1000 trees earlier this year.
Final mowing/clearing on Suicide Hill, November 1st, 2019. Ready for snow! Fall grooming on Rootin Tootin ski trail, October 31st, 2019.Bullhead lake frozen over completely, October 31st, 2019. (as seen from bottom of Suicide Hill)Fall grooming on Skaters Waltz, October 30th, 2019.Another load of deadfall cleared off the trails, October 30th, 2019.Leaf clearing on Skaters Waltz, October 30th, 2019. Many low areas that were holding water now frozen over. Most ponds and sloughs now frozen over with a dusting of snow on top after multiple nights in the upper teens, October 30th, 2019. Ice forming on the edge of Island Lake, October 29th, 2019.
Icy scene on the edge of Island Lake, October 29th, 2019.Fall grooming through the skinny field on Sukkerbusk, October 28th, 2019. Moss deck after clearing leaves on Skaters Waltz ski trail, October 26th, 2019. Dry weather has been welcomed to resume final fall grooming.Clearing on Kamikaze hill, Skaters Waltz October 26th, 2019.Many ponds freezing over Thursday including the new pond at the start of JibFly after temps in the low 20’s. October 24th, 2019.Clearing leaves on Twin Lakes singletrack, October 23rd, 2019.Members of the Moorhead Nordic team out for a training session taking advantage of MEA break. October 16th, 2019.Fall/winter scene at start of JibFly ski trail. October 14th, 2019. Usually this low area is dry!
Landon and Sofie out for a ski Monday afternoon on the last remaining snow from weekend storm. Nice job getting out! Just Ski! October 14th, 2019.Still lots of snow at bottom of Suicide Hill morning October 14th, 2019.Few hours of good crust skiing before softening and melting, October 14th, 2019.Tracks from the neighbor! Fall and winter scene, October 14th, 2019.Bending branches slowly popping back up, October 14th, 2019.One of the downed trees from snow load, October 14th, 2019.First grooming of the year on Sukkerbusk, October 12th, 2019.Grooming Suicide Hill, October 12th, 2019.Skiing through the Skinny Field, October 12th, 2019.Bottom of Suicide Hill, October 12th, 2019.Skiing through fall color on Sukkerbusk, October 12th, 2019.As expected, unfortunately a handful of trees falling due to heavy snow, October 12th, 2019.Many branches folding over with leaves catching snow. October 12th, 2019.Start of Roy’s Run and North Loup late Friday afternoon, October 11th, 2019.
Skaters Waltz extension late afternoon, October 11th, 2019.
Bending branches from the wet snow collecting on the leaves. October 11th, 2019.
Tree art in the woods! October 11th, 2019.Fall grooming, top of Suicide Hill, October 9th, 2019.Fall grooming, bottom of Suicide Hill, October 9th, 2019.Golden scene on Skaters Waltz, October 7th, 2019.Clearing leaves on Poki Loki trail, October 7th, 2019.Fall scene on the Maplelag driveway, October 7th, 2019. Mostly oak trees with color along the sides.Start of Northern Trails, North Loup and Roy’s Run. Low areas holding water after excessive rain this fall. October 5th, 2019.Start of Roy’s Run ski trail, October 5th, 2019.Autumn scene off the ski trail, October 3rd, 2019.Fall grooming on Mother North Star, October 3rd, 2019.
Maple with fall color in front of Six Swedes, October 3rd, 2019.
Maples alive with color behind cabins at Maplelag. October 3rd, 2019.Fall scene on south Twin Lake. At least a dozen trumpeter swans have been residing on the Twin Lakes. October 1st, 2019.Fall scene near slough off Mother North Star. Nice to see the sun for a few hours after all the rain yesterday, September 30th, 2019.Lakeside mountain bike Twin Lakes singletrack, September 30th, 2019. Fall scene on north side of Bullhead Lake, September 28th, 2019.Round two for these beavers on birch tree, September 28th, 2019.Trumpeter swans in slough along Goat Ranch Rd. September 29th, 2019.Sunrise scene on Island Lake, September 28th, 2019.Intersection of Rootin Tootin and Skaters Waltz, September 27th, 2019.Leaf bed on Rootin Tootin. Still some deep pockets of solid green, September 27th, 2019.Mother North Star ski trail cleared multiple times this week, part of the bike course. September 27th, 2019.Meadow near trail head, September 27th, 2019.Fall scene on Bullhead lake. Trumpeter swans enjoying a piece of floating bog, September 26th, 2019.Tuning new return for Mother Hen trail. We are excited to have this beginner trail back on the grooming plan for this upcoming winter season.Clearing leaves on Sukkebusk, September 23rd, 2019.Clearing leaves on Sukkebusk, September 23rd, 2019.Cat work on the trails, September 23rd, 2019.New return added to Wavy Gravy ski trail, September 23rd, 2019.Fall color around the Finish Log and Sava Sauna cabins, September 19th, 2019.Fall color scene in the switchyard, September 18th, 2019.
Trail head at Maplelag, September 18th, 2019.Beautiful evening ride, Maplelag driveway, September 18th, 2019. The colors have exploded this week! Sukkerbusk ski trail, September 18th, 2019.Rootin Tootin ski trail, September 18th, 2019.
Rootin Tootin ski trail, September 18th, 2019.Slough along Mother North Star, September 17th, 2019.Fall grooming on Mother North Star, September 17th, 2019.Crossing at driveway from Twin Lakes ski trail, September 17th, 2019.Fall color scene in the switchyard, September 16th, 2019.Fall color scene as scene from the tower of the main lodge, September 16th, 2019.Fall color scene on the driveway, September 16th, 2019.Fall riding on the mountain bike course, September 15th, 2019.
A Family Owned and Operated Destination Cross-Country Ski Center
