Storm Clearing Continues on the Banadad

Trail Alert- Portions of the Banadad Ski Trail remain closed due to the accumulating on alder brush and small trees caving them into the trail and making the trail impassable.  Crews of two to four people composed of Boundary Country Trekking's staff, members of the Banadad Trail Association and other Gunflint Trail residents have been out daily clearing the trail but the going is slow, wet and cold. It has been taking the crews four to five hours per mile to clear the brush. Thus far the Lace Lake and Tall Pines Trails are open and tracked. Twenty kilometers of the Banadad's thirty kilometers have been cleared. It is expected that the remainder of the Banadad should be cleared and re-opened by Februrary 10. Stay tuned folks!

Re-Opening of Banadad Moves Along

The good news is the Lace Lake and Tall Pines are once again open for skiing. However much of the Banadad is still blocked by ice covered brush. Opening of the trail is moving ahead as crews are out daily cutting the brush off the trail. The going is slow!  Crews report that it is taking about hour to five hours per mile to clear the clutter. As of yesterday, Tuesday, about one half of the Banadad has been cleared.

Lots of Snow- Re-grooming Begins

With some 12 inches of heavy wet snow dropping brush along the trail into the trail now frozen in place, the job of opening and re-tracking of the Banadad begins today. We plan to send out two snowmobiles early this morning- one to compact the snow the other to set tracks. As the pair travels along the trail the brush blocking the trail will have to been cleared. While the  crew hopes to open and the entire 30 kilometers of the Banadad, it is not certain if they will be able to complete the job today. Stay tuned folks! We will keep you posted.

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 12-14”

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 8”

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS:  Trace

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS:  2”

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL:  All trails- 40  km.

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: Open and in good shape

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Good to excellent skiing

ADDITIONAL COMMENT:  Looking for more snow this coming weekend

The forty-kilometer. Banadad Trail System is managed by the Banadad Trail Association under an agreement with the Gunflint Ranger District USFS. Grooming and Maintenance is provided by Boundary Country Trekking. Minnesota Ski Pass and BWCA Day Permit required on trail. Free parking available at both the eastern and western trailheads.

Snow Report December 29, 2009

Bandad Ski Trail- Conditions good to excellent. Snow depth of fifteen inches on eastend of Banadad  and lesser amounts of snow on westend. Banadad, Lace Lake and Tall Pines Trails all tracked. Some brush still showing through the snow particularly in the westend.

Season's First Tracks set on Banadad

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS:  9"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 4-5"    

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS:  4"
NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: - trace

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: 8 KM.

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: awaiting more snow

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: The Banadad from the east end trailhead to Lizz lake Portage 2.5 KM - very good to excellent tracked skiing. Seppala and west side of Tall Pines Trails tracked fair skiing. Remainder of Banadad Trail System packed ski able but awaiting more snow to track.

The forty-kilometer. Banadad Trail System is managed by the Banadad Trail Association under an agreement with the Gunflint Ranger District USFS. Grooming and Maintenance is provided by Boundary Country Trekking. Minnesota Ski Pass and BWCA Day Pass required on trail. Free parking available at both the east and west trailheads.

Snow, Cold Weather - Trail Packing and Opening to Begin

December 3- The last three days have seen the temperature getting down into the lower teens. This morning it stood at ten degrees. We have some snow, about three inches and more on the western end of the trail. It is not enough snow to stop the standing water along the Banadad from freezing. Another inch or two of snow and we should be able to get onto the trail with snowmobiles to pack and clear as we go. Still shooting for a December 15th opening of the Banadad and a bit earlier for the eastern Banadad trails. Stay tuned!

It is expected that Boundary Country will begin packing and opening the trail this Saturday.