Category Archives: Reports

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Ski Trail Report

Trails are open. A great day hosting the 29th DL Invitational Nordic Ski meet. Over 400 skiers representing teams from the central and nw part of the state. (click here for results) Got very warm with high temperature at 46 before cooling down in the evening and freezing down hard. The tracks are a bit icy and fast and the skate deck is a bit rough and hardpack. We are waiting to groom until the snow dries out and plan to groom on select trails mid morning. Looks to be warm again in the afternoon which will soften the deck and provide better skiing. The base held out great and the snow transformation will only make the base more durable.

Skating on Skaters Waltz, the extension loops, North Loup, Single Green, Kristin’s Kutoff and Eira Bikwadinaa Hill. All other trails are tracked for classic skiing. (Please no skating on classic trails) Sukkerbusk is a great starter trail for classic which feeds the outer trails and crosses most of the inner trails providing a good “lay of the land”. 

17″ of snow so far this season. We have been grooming daily on the entire trail system the past two weeks. 

Thank you to everyone that comes to ski and supports the trails with season pass purchases. Day passes can be purchased hereA MN State trail pass is NOT required to ski at Maplelag. The Maplelag trails are self funded by operations with no grants or state funding. 

 Fat bike trails are not groomed yet. Click here for fat bike trail report.

We had a great Autumn of Fall grooming clearing leaves and debris off the trails and the new snow is packing in well with the clean deck before the snow. 

We cleared over 600 trees since the Solstice 2025 storm. Big thanks to everyone that has helped!

Total snowfall in December: 10″. Snowfall in November: 7″. Snowfall YTD at 16″. October precipitation (rain) at 2.7″ and around 1″ in September. Total precipitation ytd (rain) at Maplelag is at 25.12″.

Start of the girls varsity race, DL Invite, December 16th, 2025.
Start of the girls junior varsity race, DL Invite December 16th, 2025.
Boys Varsity start DL Invite, December 16th, 2025.
Final day of ski camp for St Paul Highland Park Nordic ski team, December 14th, 2025. Nice job skiing in the cold this weekend!
Roy’s Run, December 14th, 2025.
Rootin Tootin trail, December 14th, 2025.
SP Highland Park skiers putting in a full day of skiing despite the cool temps, December 13th, 2025.
SP Highland Park skiers putting in a full day of skiing despite the cool temps, December 13th, 2025.
Saturday smiles. Great day on the trails, December 13th, 2025.
Magical afternoon on the trails, December 12th, 2025.
Afternoon sun dogs, December 12th, 2025.
Hill repeats on Eira Bikwadinaa hill, St Paul Highland Park skiers , December 12th, 2025.

Ski Trail Report

Trails are open. Today we are hosting the 29th DL Invitational ski meet. Always a fun day with great energy and we are looking forward to another fun day! Trails use for the race include Poki Loki/Mother North Star, Sap Run and Skaters Waltz.

For day skiers today, please try to ski before noon to preserve the snow based on forecasted warmth today. 

All the classic trails are now tracked. Has been 4-5 years since everything was tracked this early in the year. Bullhead lake segment has a skied in track on the lake. Follow the track and pick up the grooming on the other side and full Bullhead and Bootleg loop. Thursday we set track on all the singletrack classic trails.

Skating on Skaters Waltz, the extension loops, North Loup, Single Green, Kristin’s Kutoff and Eira Bikwadinaa Hill. All other trails are tracked for classic skiing. (Please no skating on classic trails) Sukkerbusk is a great starter trail for classic which feeds the outer trails and crosses most of the inner trails providing a good “lay of the land”. 

17″ of snow so far this season. We have been grooming daily on the entire trail system the past two weeks. 

Thank you to everyone that comes to ski and supports the trails with season pass purchases. Day passes can be purchased hereA MN State trail pass is NOT required to ski at Maplelag. The Maplelag trails are self funded by operations with no grants or state funding. 

 Fat bike trails are not groomed yet. Click here for fat bike trail report.

We had a great Autumn of Fall grooming clearing leaves and debris off the trails and the new snow is packing in well with the clean deck before the snow. 

We cleared over 600 trees since the Solstice 2025 storm. Big thanks to everyone that has helped!

Total snowfall in December: 10″. Snowfall in November: 7″. Snowfall YTD at 16″. October precipitation (rain) at 2.7″ and around 1″ in September. Total precipitation ytd (rain) at Maplelag is at 25.12″.

Final day of ski camp for St Paul Highland Park Nordic ski team, December 14th, 2025. Nice job skiing in the cold this weekend!
Roy’s Run, December 14th, 2025.
Rootin Tootin trail, December 14th, 2025.
SP Highland Park skiers putting in a full day of skiing despite the cool temps, December 13th, 2025.
SP Highland Park skiers putting in a full day of skiing despite the cool temps, December 13th, 2025.
Saturday smiles. Great day on the trails, December 13th, 2025.
Magical afternoon on the trails, December 12th, 2025.
Afternoon sun dogs, December 12th, 2025.
Hill repeats on Eira Bikwadinaa hill, St Paul Highland Park skiers , December 12th, 2025.
St Paul Highland Park skiers on Eira Bikwadinaa hill, December 12th, 2025.

Ski Trail Report

Trails are open. A mild day in place compared to the weekend and a great day of skiing on tap. Today we will be grooming the courses to be used for the 29th DL Invitational ski meet on Tuesday December 16th. Trails use for the race include Poki Loki/Mother North Star, Sap Run and Skaters Waltz.

For day skiers on Tuesday, please try to ski before noon to preserve the snow based on forecasted warmth Tuesday. 

A great weekend of skiing! Nice job to the St Paul Highland Park Nordic Ski team members skiing this weekend in the cold for their ski camp. 

All the classic trails are now tracked. Has been 4-5 years since everything was tracked this early in the year. Bullhead lake segment has a skied in track on the lake. Follow the track and pick up the grooming on the other side and full Bullhead and Bootleg loop. Thursday we set track on all the singletrack classic trails.

Skating on Skaters Waltz, the extension loops, North Loup, Single Green, Kristin’s Kutoff and Eira Bikwadinaa Hill. All other trails are tracked for classic skiing. (Please no skating on classic trails) Sukkerbusk is a great starter trail for classic which feeds the outer trails and crosses most of the inner trails providing a good “lay of the land”. 

Monday we will be grooming the courses to be used for the 29th DL Invitational ski meet on Tuesday December 16th. Trails use for the race include Poki Loki/Mother North Star, Sap Run and Skaters Waltz. For day skiers, please try to ski before noon to preserved the snow based on forecasted warmth Tuesday. 

Around 8-9″ of new snow this week, 17″ of snow so far this season. We have been grooming daily on the entire trail system the past two weeks. 

Thank you to everyone that comes to ski and supports the trails with season pass purchases. Day passes can be purchased hereA MN State trail pass is NOT required to ski at Maplelag. The Maplelag trails are self funded by operations with no grants or state funding. 

Skating on Skaters Waltz, the extension loops, North Loup, Single Green, Kristin’s Kutoff and Eira Bikwadinaa Hill. All other trails are tracked for classic skiing. (Please no skating on classic trails) Sukkerbusk is a great starter trail for classic which feeds the outer trails and crosses most of the inner trails providing a good “lay of the land”. 

 Fat bike trails are not groomed yet. Click here for fat bike trail report.

We had a great Autumn of Fall grooming clearing leaves and debris off the trails and the new snow is packing in well with the clean deck before the snow. 

We cleared over 600 trees since the Solstice 2025 storm. Big thanks to everyone that has helped!

Total snowfall in December: 10″. Snowfall in November: 7″. Snowfall YTD at 16″. October precipitation (rain) at 2.7″ and around 1″ in September. Total precipitation ytd (rain) at Maplelag is at 25.12″.

Final day of ski camp for St Paul Highland Park Nordic ski team, December 14th, 2025. Nice job skiing in the cold this weekend!
Roy’s Run, December 14th, 2025.
Rootin Tootin trail, December 14th, 2025.
SP Highland Park skiers putting in a full day of skiing despite the cool temps, December 13th, 2025.
SP Highland Park skiers putting in a full day of skiing despite the cool temps, December 13th, 2025.
Saturday smiles. Great day on the trails, December 13th, 2025.
Resetting track on Wavy Gravy trail, December 13th, 2025.
Magical afternoon on the trails, December 12th, 2025.
Resetting track on Wavy Gravy, December 13th, 2025.
Afternoon sun dogs, December 12th, 2025.
Hill repeats on Eira Bikwadinaa hill, St Paul Highland Park skiers , December 12th, 2025.
St Paul Highland Park skiers on Eira Bikwadinaa hill, December 12th, 2025.
Skater trail grooming, December 12th, 2025.
Resetting track on Mother North Star trail, December 12th, 2025.
North end of Bullhead Lake trail, December 12th, 2025.
Good coverage on north end of Bullhead lake trail after this weeks snow and skiable throughout, December 12th, 2025.
Cutting fresh track on Sukkerbusk, December 11th, 2025.
Striding on Twin Lakes double track, December 11th, 2025 (P.Arneson photo) 
Heading to the trail, December 11th, 2025. (P.Arenson photo)
Blue hour ski on Wavy Gravy ski trail, December 11th, 2025.
Skied in track in between Twin Lakes on Island Lake and Wavy Gravy trails, December 11th, 2025.
A couple rough spots but plenty of snow and skiable throughout, December 11th, 2025
Cutting double track on Sukkerbusk along the “skinny” field, December 10th, 2025.

Ski Trail Report

Trails are open. Slightly warmer day on Sunday capping off another great weekend of early season skiing. Cold night at -21 but “warming” up quickly as we finally got back above 0. The tracks are skiing very well and skate deck on Skaters Waltz is firm and skiing good for the cooler weather. Nice job to the St Paul Highland Park Nordic Ski team members skiing this weekend in the cold.

All the classic trails are now tracked. Has been 4-5 years since everything was tracked this early in the year. Bullhead lake segment has a skied in track on the lake. Follow the track and pick up the grooming on the other side and full Bullhead and Bootleg loop. Thursday we set track on all the singletrack classic trails.

Skating on Skaters Waltz, the extension loops, North Loup, Single Green, Kristin’s Kutoff and Eira Bikwadinaa Hill. All other trails are tracked for classic skiing. (Please no skating on classic trails) Sukkerbusk is a great starter trail for classic which feeds the outer trails and crosses most of the inner trails providing a good “lay of the land”. 

Monday we will be grooming the courses to be used for the 29th DL Invitational ski meet on Tuesday December 16th. Trails use for the race include Poki Loki/Mother North Star, Sap Run and Skaters Waltz. For day skiers, please try to ski before noon to preserved the snow based on forecasted warmth Tuesday.

Around 8-9″ of new snow this week, 17″ of snow so far this season. We have been grooming daily on the entire trail system the past two weeks. 

Thank you to everyone that comes to ski and supports the trails with season pass purchases. Day passes can be purchased hereA MN State trail pass is NOT required to ski at Maplelag. The Maplelag trails are self funded by operations with no grants or state funding.

Skating on Skaters Waltz, the extension loops, North Loup, Single Green, Kristin’s Kutoff and Eira Bikwadinaa Hill. All other trails are tracked for classic skiing. (Please no skating on classic trails) Sukkerbusk is a great starter trail for classic which feeds the outer trails and crosses most of the inner trails providing a good “lay of the land”. 

 Fat bike trails are not groomed yet. Click here for fat bike trail report.

We had a great Autumn of Fall grooming clearing leaves and debris off the trails and the new snow is packing in well with the clean deck before the snow. 

We cleared over 600 trees since the Solstice 2025 storm. Big thanks to everyone that has helped!

Total snowfall in December: 10″. Snowfall in November: 7″. Snowfall YTD at 16″. October precipitation (rain) at 2.7″ and around 1″ in September. Total precipitation ytd (rain) at Maplelag is at 25.12″.

Final day of ski camp for St Paul Highland Park Nordic ski team, December 14th, 2025. Nice job skiing in the cold this weekend!
Roy’s Run, December 14th, 2025.
Rootin Tootin trail, December 14th, 2025.
SP Highland Park skiers putting in a full day of skiing despite the cool temps, December 13th, 2025.
SP Highland Park skiers putting in a full day of skiing despite the cool temps, December 13th, 2025.
Saturday smiles. Great day on the trails, December 13th, 2025.
Resetting track on Wavy Gravy trail, December 13th, 2025.
Magical afternoon on the trails, December 12th, 2025.
Resetting track on Wavy Gravy, December 13th, 2025.
Afternoon sun dogs, December 12th, 2025.
Hill repeats on Eira Bikwadinaa hill, St Paul Highland Park skiers , December 12th, 2025.
St Paul Highland Park skiers on Eira Bikwadinaa hill, December 12th, 2025.
Skater trail grooming, December 12th, 2025.
Resetting track on Mother North Star trail, December 12th, 2025.
North end of Bullhead Lake trail, December 12th, 2025.
Good coverage on north end of Bullhead lake trail after this weeks snow and skiable throughout, December 12th, 2025.
Cutting fresh track on Sukkerbusk, December 11th, 2025.
Striding on Twin Lakes double track, December 11th, 2025 (P.Arneson photo) 
Heading to the trail, December 11th, 2025. (P.Arenson photo)
Blue hour ski on Wavy Gravy ski trail, December 11th, 2025.
Skied in track in between Twin Lakes on Island Lake and Wavy Gravy trails, December 11th, 2025.
A couple rough spots but plenty of snow and skiable throughout, December 11th, 2025
Cutting double track on Sukkerbusk along the “skinny” field, December 10th, 2025.

Fat Bike Trail Report

It has been a snowy start to the season! We had intentions to groom but unfortunately both groomers are waiting for parts. We hope to have the groomers ready later next week and groom the trail by next weekend. Currently trail has 8-14″ of snow coverage. The FatLagChilada has been ridden on but would be very slow going riding now.

Global Fat Bike Day ride! Breaking trail on Twin Lakes singletrack, December 6th, 2025.
Bullhead Bootleg bridge section, December 6th, 2025.
Bullhead Lake crossing, December 6th, 2025. A solid 6-7″ of ice.