Opening of Banadad Begin as Snow Falls

With five inches of snow at the Banadad's eastern trailhead and more at the trail's western end, trail crews began to pack and clear the remaining brush and down trees along the Banadad Ski Trail. A few more inches of snow and the western end of the Banadad Should be able to be opened for skiing. With trail crews currently making good progress, the remainder of the Trail is expected to be open by around mid December.

Snow Report - November 28, 2006

TRAIL OPEN FOR HIKING AWAITING SNOW-Thursday night's temperature dropped to negative 3 at the Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B. This marks the first time below zero since last winter! With only a dusting of snow on the Banadad Ski Trail, the below zero temperatures served to freeze the wet spot along the trail. What this means is that when the snow does come it will make grooming much easier. As for snow some is predicted for this weekend although it does not appear to be in significant amounts. Please "think snow" the frozen trails are ready.

Banadad Ski Trail

The Banadad trail system is a Public Ski Trail maintained and groomed by Boundary Country Trekking. The Trail is partially supported by the State of Minnesota's Ski Pass. However this State support covers only about half of the actual annual operating expenses of $11,000-$13,000/year and the state contribute nothing toward the cost of plowing the extra parking spaces required to accommodate day skiers. To help defray costs a parking fee is charged at the Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B parking area at eastern trailhead.

Rates are as follows-

Day skiers-$10/day car- Free Parking for Volunteers who have worked on the trail, Members of the North Superior Ski and Run Club and Sugarbush Trail Association members.
Parking at the Banadad's western trailhead located 1/4 mile south of the Loon Lake Public Landing is free. Parking is limited to 2-3 cars.

Minnesota Ski Passes- required on Banadad $15/year available in Grand Marais at Bucks
Hardware.

Day Passes- $5/day available at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B
BWCA day permit require on Banadad- free, pickup at trail entrance boxes or at Poplar
Creek Guesthouse B&B.

Banadad Maps - $5 available at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B; free printable online map available at www.boundarycountry.com/banadad.html