Ski Trail Report

Lace Lake Trail (4 km.) opened and tracked.
Banadad east end opened out 10 miles but not tracked.

Snow on the Ground- 16"
New snow past 24 hours- 1-2"
Snow base on trail: 10+"



We are not making much headway on the Banadad- we move ahead one step and then two days later it back one step. Two days ago two guys re-cleared the Lace Lake trail, it took 5
1/2 hours. This was after the Lace Lake was completely cleared about five days ago.Then yesterday I tracked Lace Lake and still had to cut two more trees that just fell across the trail. Today four guys will be re-cutting their way east on the Banadad. We are out about ten miles of the twelve to the mid-trail junction. 

Trail Block by down trees and brush-Crews working to get the Banadad

Tons of down brush and tree have totally blocked the trail. We have been getting more snow and it has even made it worse. Paid trails crews of three to five people have been working daily. We now have the Lace Lake, Tim Knopp and 10 of the 20 Mile of the Banadad cleared. But more tree keep falling into trail as we work. It will be at least another seven or eight days before the Banadad will be cleared. That is if we do not run out of money to pay for the trail workers before then.  Help needed!

We now have 14" of snow on the ground. But unfortunately the Banadad is littered with down brush and
trees from the heavy wet snow we had the last few days.  See above- images from start of Lace Lake
Trail. There is also a lot of trees on the trail from a storm that went through in early November after
most of our volunteer maintenance crew had worked on the trail. We are working on clearing the trail
but it going to take quite a bit of time to get the Banadad open for skiing this year.

Volunteers Work to get the Banadad Open for Skiing

Maintenance crews have been working hard to get the Banadad Ski Trails’ twenty-six miles open for skiing. This past weekend fifteen volunteers from the Minnehaha Academy Nordic Ski Team widen and cleared the center brush along the first two miles of the trail’s west end. While all the trees that had fallen on this section of the trail were cleared previously by the North Star Ski Turing Club on November 30, the ski team still had to clear several new down trees. That same day Andy Jenks, president of the Banadad Trail Association (BTA) and his wife Julie worked on the east end starting at the Meads Lake Portage the pair were able travel about one and three-quarter of mile.  They also had to remove some thirty newly fallen down trees from this section of trail. This section of the trail was completely cleared during the BTA’s Work Weekend on November 24. Both trail sections were in the BWCA. Volunteers also worked on several trail sections outside the BWCA.

The newly down trees, the volunteers found, likely had came down due to the soaking rain, wind and heavy wet snow that occure just after the earlier crews were on the trail.

Volunteers, since September, have now but in 277.5 hours clearing some sixteen mile of the twenty- six mile of the Banadad Trails. However it clear a lot of work remains before the Banadad can open for skiing. This remaining clearing will be taken-on be Boundary Country Trekking’s trail crews with some help by additional volunteers.

First Good Snow

Last night four plus inches fell. Still snowing lightly at 5:00 AM. However not sure if it is going to last.
It might be good idea to think about skiing but don't get your hopes up.

Plenty of Snow but It is Over Folks!

Still eight to ten inches of mostly continous snow along the Banadad Ski Trail. It looks last week's skier will be the last for this season. The temperature today is 62 degrees! 

Very Good Spring Skiing on the Banadad

Very Good Spring Skiing on the Banadad

Retracked Tall Pines, Lace Lake & Banadad to Lizz Lake - 9 km. Set nice track.

Temperature 28 degrees this morning but the new track is holding

·         MEASURED SNOW DEPTH :  15"

·         COMPACTED SNOW BASE ON TRAIL: 14"

·         NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 3

Temperature in the morning below freezing; mid day mid thirties. 

 

 

Friday, March 13, 2015

Good Spring Skiing on the Banadad

In the morning the trails are icy and fast but as it warms up in the afternoon they soften up.

Banadad, Lace Lake, and Tall Pines - 41 km tracked and holding up well. Track 1-2" deep. Snow is melting a bit each day but no bare spots showing through on the trails.

·         MEASURED SNOW DEPTH :16

·         COMPACTED SNOW BASE ON TRAIL: 14"

·         NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS:  0

Temperature in the morning below freezing; mid day mid thirties.

Good Spring Skiing on the Banadad

 Banadad,  Lace Lake, and Tall Pines - 41 km tracked  and holding up good

• MEASURED SNOW DEPTH :20"

• COMPACTED SNOW BASE ON TRAIL: 16"

• NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS:  0

Temperature in the morning below freezing; mid day mid thirties. Today's temperature 35.

Excellent Weather and Excellent Skiing this Weekend

 Banadad,  Lace Lake, and Tall Pines were pack using a compactor bar then re-tracked yesterday -41 KM. 

• MEASURED SNOW DEPTH :27"

• COMPACTED SNOW BASE ON TRAIL: 24"

• NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS:  0

This morning actually woke-up with the temperature above 0 for the first time in weeks. This weekend looks like it is going to get into the twenties. The Banadad is in great shape and the weather is going to be beautiful. A great weekend for skiing.

Excellent Sking

Excellent Sking

 Banadad  Lace Lake, Tall Pines and Knapp Trails were re-tracked today -41 KM. 

• MEASURED SNOW DEPTH :25"

• COMPACTED SNOW BASE ON TRAIL: 22"

• NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS:  trace"

Skiing Excellent this weekend with warm weather expected

Trails in Great Shape

 Banadad  Lace Lake, and Tall Pines were re-tracked yesterday.  The groomer found drifting snow and he got stuck in snow drift in the open area caused by the Meads Lake prescribed burn.

• MEASURED SNOW DEPTH :25"

• COMPACTED SNOW BASE ON TRAIL: 22"

• NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS:  trace"

Lots of people on the trails. Skiing Excellent if you don't mind the negative 15 to 20's.

Cold weather skiing

Added couple of more inches of snow then re-tracked the Banadad Friday and the Lace Lake, Tall Pine and Knapp Trails on Thursday. Plan to re-track the south end trails today. Heavy winds have blown snow over trails in open areas.

• MEASURED SNOW DEPTH :25"

• COMPACTED SNOW BASE ON TRAIL: 22"

• NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS:  1-2"

Lot of people on the trails. Skiing Excellent if you don't mind the negative 15 to 20's.

Great Snowfall the Past Two Days

Snowed the last two days; added another 5 inches of snow. Yesterday we tracked the east end trails- Lace, Tall Pines and the Banadad from the east end to Meads Lake Portage. Got more snow and covered the fresh tracks. However several people skied and re-opened the tracks. Skiing on the for mentioned tracked trail is excellent. 

• MEASURED SNOW DEPTH :23"

• COMPACTED SNOW BASE ON TRAIL: 19"

• NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS:  3"

The snow stopped so tomorrow we plan to re-track the entire Banadad- two snowmobiles will be tracking.

Forest Service Using Trail for Summer Project

The USFS will be carry building materials along the Banadad from the Lizz to Mead Lake Portages starting today,  Monday, February 2. The works is planned to take two days. The building materials will be stored at the Meads portage and then used this summer to repair the walkway along the portage. As a consequence the ski tracks will we trashed along this section of the Banadad during the process of moving the materials. 

While this work is going on this one and one-half mile section can be skied but there will be no tracks. Must importantly skier should be watch-out for snowmobiles on the trail. When the work is completed the trail will be re-tracked.

Banadad Trails Tracked and in great shape

Yesterday (Thursday, January 29) the entire Banadad Traill System- 41 kilometers was tracked. Skiing is excellent. Enjoy!

MEASURED SNOW DEPTH :20"

COMPACTED SNOW BASE ON TRAIL: 16"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS:   trace

      NEW SNOW PAST WEEK 5"

Banadad re-tracked

  Banadad tracked today- 31 KM,  Lace Lake, Tall Pines and Knapp tracked yesterday.

 

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 18"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 15"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 1/2"

      NEW SNOW PAST WEEK 1"

Banadad Ski Trail tracking

Banadad re-tracked on Thursday (31 km.) west end trails tracked the previous day. Wind blown snow likely covered much of regroomed trails

Entire Banadad Trail System Tracked- cold and windy weather

Forty one kilometer tracked

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 18"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 15"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 0

      NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS : 6"

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