Banadad Snow Conditions- First Tracks Set, December 11, 2010

Banadad Ski TrailSnow on Ground – 20 inches

Packed Trail base – 14  inches where rolled
New snow last 24 hours – 0 inches
New snow last 7 days –  6 inches
Groomed and Tracked – Lace Lake Tracked 6 kilometers and Tall Pines and Banadad 11.2 kilometers Rolled-
More information – go to  Banadad Trail Association

Good Early Winter Snow Conditions

Banadad Ski TrailSnow on Ground – 15 inches

Packed Trail base – 6-8 inches where rolled
New snow last 24 hours – 4 inches
New snow last 7 days –  9 inches
Groomed and Tracked – Lace Lake and Tall Pines Rolled-
More information – go to  Banadad Trail Association

November's Snowfall

Almost enough snow

We now have 8" of snow on the ground but because the ground has yet to freeze we cannot get on to the trail to begin compacting and rolling the snow in preparation for setting tracks.  However the from the east end the first 3-4 kilometers are ski able.

Banadad Closes for Season

Sorry folks the snow is gone; the Banadad is no longer ski-able. See you next winter.

East end of Banadad Still Open for Skiing

There still is enough snow left from the east end of the trail to the lisz lake portage to ski. Tracks are about gone, bare spots on the sides of the trail and 3 kilometers out at the first swamp the snow is gone for about 50 meters across the beaver swamp.

Banadad Ski Trail Snow Report

Banadad Ski Trail - Saturday March 13, 2010-  Trail Map

Snow on Ground	0- 10
Packed Trail Base	6-8”
New Snow last 24 hours	0
New snow last 7 days	0
Groomed and Tracked	Banadad –8 km- west from eastern trailhead. Entire Bandad 30 km has mostly 6"-8" of continuous snow cover. Only eastend tracked.
Conditions Rated	Good spring skiing -continuous snow cover on trail Bountry Trekking and Poplar Creek Guesthouse

               

bct@boundarycountry.com

 

Boundary Country Trekking/Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B
800-322-8327       218-388-4487
11 Poplar Creek Drive                 218-388-2253 Fax
Grand Marais MN 55604          
        
Before printing this e-mail, assess if it is really needed                

Banadad Ski Trail - Feb 26, 2010-  Trail Map

Snow on Ground	23 inches
Packed Trail Base	16”
New Snow last 24 hours	none
New snow last 7 days	trace
Groomed and Tracked	Banadad 31 km, Tracked -Feb. 19 Lace Lake 5 km, Tracked Feb. 24 Tall Pines 2 km , Tracked Feb 24
Conditions Rated	Skiing excellent; great snow conditions. For More Information: www.banadad.org

Trail Conditions

Banadad Ski Trail - January 14, 2009-  Trail Map

Snow on Ground	25 inches
Packed Trail Base	16”
New Snow last 24 hours	traces
New snow last 7 days	1 1/2 inches
Groomed and Tracked	Banadad 31 km, Tracked Jan. 12 Lace Lake 5 km, Tracked Jan. 11 Tall Pines 2 km , Tracked Jan.  11
Conditions Rated	Skiing good to excellent - some brush on trail from trail clearing following ice storm great snow conditions. For More Information: www.banadad.org

               

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.

Getting the Banadad Trails Ready for Skiing

Our trail maintenance  began this year in August when a crew of five people from the Minnesota Concervation Corp sent-up camp some four miles from the west end of the Banadad. Working from this camp land and from an another camp at the Bedew Lake Yurts the crew working ten hours days widen and clearied most of the western end of the Banadad. Eight days later the crew had logged 400 hours of labor widening two miles and clearing the down trees from a storm this past suimmer along five more miles of the trail.

Aided by Pete Harris, Ted and staff moved replacement bridge beams into the Croft Yurt on Sept 12 and 12 and opened the Moose Trail to the Croft yurt with chainsaws and using hand saws cleared from the Yurt to the Bridge site. unfortunately we will have to wait now until next spring to get the beams into the bridge.

Then is September the three mile section of the eastend of the trail outside of the BWCA was opened by Ted and staff using an ATV and Chainsaws.

October 22-25,  saw five members of the Northstars Ski Touring Club with the help of staff from Boundary Country Trekking clearing the first 1 1/2 mile of the western end of the Bananad and the removal oft many large trees along a 3 mile streatch of the trails west end.that had fallened in a storm earlier this summer. The following two days the North Stars cleared the Lace Lake Trail. In all the five member North Stars crew put-in some 128 hours of hand labor on the trail.

Two weekends later five members of Adventure Vacations, a Twin Cities travel company hiked 1 1/2 miles in along the old Winchell Lake Fire Trail, west of Poplar Lake and then cleared west about 1 1/2 miles almost to the Lodgging Camp The group logged about  35 hours.

Still more work to due so stay tuned!

First Snow on the Gunflint

First snow of the season! Over the last two days the mid-Gunflint Trail area has registered about three and one-half inches of snow. More is predicted through Monday. But don't break-out your skis just yet. The trails still need more work; the swamps and ponds along the trails are not frozen and it is quite likely we will have some more warm weather before we finally settle into our winter season sometime around mid November.

Minnesota Conservation Corp takes on the Banadad

A five-person crew from the Minnesota Conservation Corp (MCC) spent eight tough days widening the remote interior of the Banadad Ski Trail. The crew hiked in from the west end trailhead, setting up camp at the bench midway to the Bedew Lake Yurt Camp. After several days clearing the trail on either side of their camp, the crew then moved onto Bedew where the sent several more days widening the trail from the yurts to the midtrail junction. When they finally hike out from Bedew the crew had widen two full miles and cleared many down trees blocking the eight miles of the trail they covered.

It is speculated that the down trees were the result of a nasty hail-wind storm cell that hit the western end of the Banadad on August 13. Luckily it appears the storm missed the trail’s eastern end.

Now with this year’s work by MCC some eight remote interior miles of the Banadad have been widen over the last four years. Yet to be widened is about one and one-half more miles some of which it is anticipated will be taken-on this fall.

Bandadad Trail Receives Grant for Trail Improvements

The Minnesota DNR recently announce that the Gunflint's Banadad Trail Association will receive a $4500 grant to upgrade the 3.5 Kilometer Tall Pines Ski Trail located south of the Lace Lake Trail and near the Banadad Trail's eastern end. The project will inable the Association to hire a contractor with a bulldozer to level and clear rocks and stumbs from the surface of the previously hand-cut trail.

The trail was first marked in the fall of 2005. Later the North Stars Ski Touring Club and the Minnehaha Acadamy's Ski Team help to hand clear the trail. However the trail has been to rough to be very usefull as a ski trail. It is expected the latest trail work should be completed by this fall and the improved trail ready by this winter season.

The trail was built to extend the Lace Lake Ski Trail and to connect the Trail with lodging facilities at the Tall Pines Yurt camp with

Gunflint Nordic Ski Trails Carbon Off-Set to Gunflint Green Up

Nordic Skiing is normally considered an eco-friendly sport, northeast Minnesota’s Gunflint Nordic ski trail managers have taken this one step further. The Central and Upper Gunflint Ski Areas connected by the Banadad Ski Trail known collectively as the 210 Kilometer Gunflint Nordic Ski System this year went carbon neutral.

The trail managers calculation the cost of sequestering the carbon emissions produced from the maintenance and grooming of the trails based on information from the Chicago Climate Exchange, “Regional Estimates of TreeAnnual Carbon Accumulation,” and the Gunflint Ranger District, USFS tree plant cost estimates.

Then, yesterday, May 5, at the Gunflint Trail Association’s Spring Meeting ski trail representatives presented a $896 “carbon off-set” check to Nancy Seaton, Gunflint Green Up chairman, The money will be used as seed money for next year’s tree planting. Since the Gunflint Trail’s 2007 Ham Lake Fire, the Gunflint Green Up has annually purchased young trees and organized volunteers to plant the trees. To date the Green Up has planted over 100,000 new trees in the area burned over by the Fire.

According to Ted Young, Banadad Trail manager, “It was a great snow year for the Gunflint’s ski trails. That translated into lots of grooming hours. And as a result we put lots of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere- by our calculation the maintenance and grooming of the Gunflint’s three ski systems created some fifteen metric tons of CO2. We feel that offsetting this carbon by planting trees in our neighborhood, to us, is the right thing to do for the Gunflint and our environment.”

Resorts participating in Gunflint Nordic Ski Trail’s Carbon Off-set project are Gunflint Pines, Hestons and Gunflint from the Upper Gunflint Trails: Boundary Country Trekking from the Banadad and Bearskin from the Central Gunflint Trails. Golden Eagle Lodge, that maintains half of the Central Gunflint Trail offset the carbon their maintenance and grooming created by planting trees on their own property.

Note- Attached image- Left to Right Ted Young, Boundary Country Trekking, Nancy Seaton, Gunflint Green Up Chairperson, Dennis Neitzke, Gunflint Ranger USFS, Shari Baker Gunflint Pines Resort, and Sue McCloughan, Bearskin Lodge.

Snow Continues on the Gunflint Trail

In the mid-Gunflint Area from the “Pines” to about Gunflint Lake winter still lingers on in the shady spot and in the woods where continues snow from one to two feet remain. Along the Banadad Ski Trail the ski conditions are still great with bare spots only in sunny open areas. Once you get much past the South Gunflint Lake Road where the Ham Lake Fire took place conditions change drastically. Here must of the snow is gone- must likely due to the lack of shad in this area’s burned over forest. Also, as it usually happens, the upper Gunflint area again this winter received a bit less snow then the mid Gunflint, which may have helped it to melt faster.

Temperature are hovering in the 30s to 40s.

Spring Skiing on the Gunflint Banadad

April 17- Starting at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, two skiers from Tofte skied 9-10 kilometers out and back from on the Banadad. Upon their return they stated the skiing was great and had a excellent time. The temperature was about 40 degrees. Today it is down below thirty and snowing.

Spring Skiing - It ain't over till it's over

April 16, 2009. Six Kilometers of the east end of the Banadad Tracked. Great Spring Skiing! 12-16" of snow; no bare spots.

You can expect snow on the Banadad to remain at least another two weeks. Right now the trail is in great shape. Also go "crust skiing" and travel anywhere in the area.

April Fools Spring Snow No Joke

April Fools Day brought 12 - 14 inches of heavy wet snow to the Gunflint Trail's Banadad Ski Trail.

The Banadad remains snowed-in. The trail groomer is expected to begin opening the Trail on Friday, after the snow has settled a bit making it easier to groom. It is anticipated that about 5 or 6 kilometers of the east end of the Banadad and the Lace Lake Trails will be tracked by this coming weekend. According to Boundary Country Trekking which maintains the trails, it is anticipated that with the addition of this snow fall the Banadad should remain ski-able well into April.

Total measure snow on the ground at Poplar Creek Guesthouse is now 32 inches.

Spring Skiing Report

Snow on Ground – 24 inches- Crust with 2" of fresh snow on top

New Snow last 24 hours- 2"

New snow last 7 days - 2"

Groomed and Tracked
Banadad –5 km- March 27

Lace Lake –5 km – March 27

Knapp-3 km- March 27

Tall Pines (Westside) March 27

Crust skiing in Backcountry excellent. Trails-good to excellent ski condition. Snow should hold well into April.

Snowshoeing trails and backcountry open.


For lodging along the trail information go to- www.poplarcreekbb.com

Banadad Ski Trail - March 13, 2009

Snow on Ground – 33 inches

Packed Trail Base - 29+"

New Snow last 24 hours- 10-12"

New snow last 7 days - 10-12"

Groomed and Tracked
Banadad –31 km- March 12

Lace Lake –5 km – March 13

Knapp-3 km- February 10

Tall Pines (Westside) 1 km -February 10

Excellent ski conditions continues; trails in great shape. Snow should hold into April.

Snowshoeing could not be better with 12 inches of fresh powder.


For lodging along the trail information go to- www.poplarcreekbb.com

Late Winter-Early Spring Skiing Can be the Best

Skiing here along the Gunflint Trail does not end just because the calender says it is Spring. Some of the best skiing of the season is yet to come. In a recent article by New Hampshire ski writer, Roger Lohr, he states, "It happens every year – winter wanes and spring blooms with a flip of the calendar page. People, who live to ski and ski to live also known as snow lovers or winter worshippers can be disappointed to see springtime come. But there are a few well kept secrets about so called “spring skiing.” Spring snow conditions have many faces and offer many different opportunities. We see wet snowy blizzards that dump deep heavy feet of pillowy snow. And the warm March or April sunshine turns the snow to beads of corn before it turns to mush. The days are longer so we can ski after work or into the early evening hours."

You do not have to stop skiing just because it is spring. Long ago "local" skiers have learned to taken advantage of the hard crust formed on the snow by the alternating freezing and thawing that occurs in the spring. "Crust skiing," as it called enable you to skate off-trail deep into the Boundary Waters and other places inaccessible during the winter. Then there is the Banadad, perhaps, the last remaining trail in the state to close for the season. Protected from the warming spring sun by its east west orientation, the heavy forest shading along the trail and the use of light grooming equipment, the Banadad normally is still ski able through at least the first week in April and often longer.

Whether you want to try the fun of crust skiing or another tracked ski along the Banadad, spring skiing on the Gunflint is the place to come!

Banadad Ski Trail - March 1, 2009

Snow on Ground – 28 inches

Packed Trail Base - 20+"

New Snow last 0

New snow last 7 days - 6

Groomed and Tracked
Banadad –31 km- February 28

Lace Lake –5 km – February 27

Knapp-3 km- February 10

Tall Pines (Westside) 1 km -February 10

Excellent ski conditions; trails in great shape. Snowshoeing could not be better with ten inches of powder over snowshoe supporting ice-crust.


For lodging along the trail information go to- www.poplarcreekbb.com

Trail Association Meets with Forest Service

Grand Marais, MN- Banadad Ski Association members; Barb and John Bottgar, Pete Harris, Jim Morisson and Ted Young met with Dennis Neitzke and Steve Schug from the Gunflint Ranger District yesterday. The purpose of that meeting was to bring the forest service up to speed concerning the maintenance supervision of the trail being transfer from our company, Boundary Country Trekking to the new Association.

At the meeting we gave Dennis and Steve Schug,a list of the Trail’s needs, projects and concerns (see attached). In reviewing this list, Schug agreed that the Forest Service would assist in rebuilding the Banadad Bridge and Dennis stated that they had applied for stimulus funds to hire Minnesota Conservation Crews to work on trails. Dennis stated that if funded, a crew could be assigned to work on the Banadad Trail Widening Project. Schug also mention that they had budgeted $750 for each trail in the District for this year. It was however unclear if this would be in addition to what the Forest Service would spend in replacing the bridge.

It was also agreed that as a first step in moving the trail's west end, the Assocation should layout a proposed new route ending near the Loon Lake Public Landing. When that is competed the Forest Service could then consider re-routing this section of the Trail along this proposed route.

Schug will be drawing up a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the USFS and the Banadad Trail Association which if acceptable to the Assocation will define the rights and responsibilities of each party in the administration of the Banadad Trail.

New Ski Trail Association Formed on Gunflint Trail

Grand Marais, MN – Boundary Country Trekking, Gunflint Trail area residents, and several members of the Twin Cities-based North Star Ski Touring Club (NSSTC) have joined together to form the Banadad Trail Association (BTA). According to Karen Monsen, the association’s new president and NSSTC member, “the purpose of the association is to maintain and enhance the Banadad Ski Trail, preserve the history of the forest and the trail, and promote the appreciation and care of wilderness lands”.

The new association will manage the 46-kilometer Banadad Ski Trail system that includes the Banadad Trail (the BWCAW’s longest tracked trail), the Lace Lake Trail, the Tim Knopp Trail, and the Tall Pines and Seppala Trails. The trail system is centrally located along the 200-kilometer Gunflint Nordic Trail system.

The organization’s founding meeting was held February 14 on the Gunflint Trail to adopt by-laws and elect a Board of Directors. In addition to President Monsen, the board includes Vice President Linda Bosma of Minneapolis, Treasurer Karla Miller of Duluth, and Secretary Barb Bottger of Hungry Jack Lake. Elected as at-large board members were Jim Morrison of Poplar Lake, Wayne Monsen of Stillwater, Tom Rice of Shoreview, Mel Peterson of St. Paul, Peter Spink of Poplar Lake and Minneapolis, John Bottger of Hungry Jack Lake, and Anne Rykken of St. Paul.

Following the meeting, the board met and selected Ted Young of Boundary Country Trekking to continue to serve as the trail maintenance manager. Board members were also assigned responsibility for incorporating the new association as a non-profit organization.


Until a permanent mailing address and e-mail account are established, the Banadad Trail Association can be reached by e-mail at bta@boreal.org.

Snow Report for February 15, 2009

Banadad Ski Trail - February 15, 2009
Snow on Ground – 24 inches

Packed Trail Base - 18+"

New Snow last .5 hours - traces

New snow last 7 days - 6

Groomed and Tracked
Banadad –31 km- February 14

Lace Lake –5 km – February 13

Knapp-3 km- February 10

Tall Pines (Westside) 1 km -February 10



Excellent ski conditions; trails in great shape


For lodging along the trail information go to- www.poplarcreekbb.com

Snow Report for February 11, 2009

Banadad Ski Trail Snow Report

The temperature over the past 24 hours has been in the low 30’s, this along with some rain has dropped the snow on the ground from 27” to 20” a loss of seven inches.

All the Banadad Trail System is tracked but the trails are now icy. As soon as the temperature falls we will attempt to cut-up the ice and re-set the tracks.

Banadad Ski Trail - February 5, 2009

Snow on Ground - 27 inches

Packed Trail Base - 20+"

New Snow last 24 hours - traces

New snow last 7 days - 4"

Groomed and Tracked
Banadad –31 km- February 3

Lace Lake –5 km – February 4

Knapp-3 km- December 30

Tall Pines (Westside) 1 km -February 4

Conditions Rated
Skiing excellent - great snow conditions

For More Information:
Boundary Country Trekking and Poplar Creek Guesthouse





bct@boundarycountry.com

Boundary Country Trekking/Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B
800-322-8327 218-388-4487
11 Poplar Creek Drive 218-388-2253 Fax
Grand Marais MN 55604

Before printing this e-mail, assess if it is really needed

Banadad Ski Trail

January 28, 2009 Trail Map
Snow on Ground - 25 inches

Packed Trail Base - 16-18”

New Snow last 24 hours- 0
traces

Groomed and Tracked
Banadad –31 km- January 27

Lace Lake –5 km – January 25

Knapp-3 km- January 25

Tall Pines (Westside) 1 km -December 27

Conditions Rated
Skiing continued excellent - great snow conditions

For More Information:
Boundary Country Trekking and Poplar Creek Guesthouse

Snow and Trail Conditions

Monday, January 021, 2009
Banadad Ski Trail - January 6, 2009

Snow on Ground- 24 inches

Packed Trail Base - 16-18”

New Snow last 24 hours- <1"

New snow last 7 days- 4-5 inches

Groomed and Tracked

Banadad –31 km- January 19.

Lace Lake –5 km – January 20

Knapp-3 km- December 30

Tall Pines (Westside) 1 km -December 29

Conditions Rated
Skiing excellent - great snow conditions continues

For More Information:
Boundary Country Trekking and Poplar Creek Guesthouse

Cook Country Volks Ski Fest

Skiers Unite; attend Cook County's Gunflint Trail and Northshore Volks Ski Fest- January 31, 2009 - Sunday, February 08, 2009

The Volks Ski Fest is a fun, laid back, skiing and snowshoeing festival for the whole family! All week-long, all over the county, there are events and contests designed to help everyone get out and enjoy hundreds of kilometers of beautiful northwoods trails.

You can try to be the person to ski the most km in a week...or enjoy a leisurely ski just one day. You can get your festival booklet stamped to show you've made it to all of the trails...or you can just go to the events that feature food. Whatever you enjoy the most. Check out the list below for the details on the many events planned.

Banadad Ski Trail - January 6, 2009

Snow on Ground- 25 inches

Packed Trail Base - 16-18”

New Snow last 24 hours- traces

New snow last 7 days- 13 inches

Groomed and Tracked
Banadad –31 km- January 5.

Lace Lake –5 km – January 5

Knapp-3 km- December 30

Tall Pines (Westside) 1 km -December 29

Conditions Rated
Skiing excellent - great snow conditions

For More Information:
Boundary Country Trekking and Poplar Creek Guesthouse

Happy New Year Snow Report- 12/31/08

Snow on Ground 19-20 inches
Packed Trail Base 12-14”
New Snow last 24 hours 1/2 inch
New snow last 7 days 7 inches
Groomed and Tracked

Banadad –31 km-12/29
Lace Lake –5 km – 12/30
Knapp-3 km- 12/30/08
Tall Pines (Westside) 1 km - 12/29

Conditions Rated -Skiing good to excellent some trails wind has blown snow onto tracks

For More Information:Boundary Country Trekking and Poplar Creek Guesthouse

First Skiers Through the Banadad This Winter

Gunflint Trail-With the temperature hovering above freezing, the ski conditions on the Banadad Ski Trail were not great, as Erik and Karl Hoeg became the first skier to complete the entire 31 kilometer Banadad non-stop this winter. The two boys time was about 4 hours. They both are very good skiers and they explained afterwards that had the ski conditions been better they certainly would have made the trip much faster. Their parents shuttled a car to the western end of the Banadad then skied in from the western trail head, about 7 kilometers, where they met-up-with Erik and Karl. The pair were staying at one of Poplar Creek Guesthouse’s cabin with their parents.

Snow and Trail Conditions

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails- map

DATE: December 17, 2008

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 20"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL:12"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 0

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 11"

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: 10 km.

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: 6 miles open

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: excellent - plenty of snow/eastern end of Banadad to Lizz Lake and Lace Lake Trails Tracked; remaining trails packed and grooming underway

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and Yurt
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Great Snow for Skiiing on the Gunflint

Grand Marais, MN- The cross-country skiing season has begun along Minnesota’s famed Gunflint Trail as the snow piles up- over nine new inches of snow fell yesterday. More is expected this week. With yesterday snowfall, area B&B and lodge owners along the Gunflint report eighteen to twenty inches of snow now on the ground.

According Ted Young from Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, which operates the Banadad Ski Trail, “we are grooming the east end of the Banadad now and we should be completed tracking all our trails by the weekend. With this new snow skiing should be great!” Those responsible for the Central and Upper Gunflint Ski Trails expressed similar optimism.

Nordic Skiing is by definition an eco-friendly sport but the Gunflint area ski trail managers have taken this one step further. Last year, the Banadad Ski Trail became “carbon neutral” with the purchase of carbon credits to offset the emissions of grooming. This year, the Central and Upper Gunflint ski trail systems are adopting carbon neutral strategies. The cost to sequester the carbon released into the atmosphere from the maintenance and grooming for the Gunflint Nordic Ski Trails will be invested in planting of trees along the Gunflint Trail.

Packing of the Banadad Ski Trail Underway

With about four inches of snow now on the ground, the final stage of maintenance of the Banadad began yesterday. This stage is the packing, which is done by snowmobiles running back and forth along the trail to compact the snow in preparation for setting track. During this process any remaining trees and brush blocking the trail are cleared with handsaws and nippers. Usually the packing takes about of week. After that as soon as another four to six inches of snow falls tracks can be laid down and the Banadad will be opened for skiing.

Maintenance of the Banadad Continues

February 8 and 9, Lee Wenzel fromt the NSSTC and a friend spent two days widening one and one-half miles on the western end of the Trail. The crew spend their nights at the Croft Yurt after walking the eight miles from western trailhead to the Yurt. In addition to the widening, the they removed all but one of the larger trees blocking the trail's western end.

February 14, Al Berglund using a tractor and brush-hog cut the side brush along the 5 mile Moose Trail. This trail is used as the snowmobile access to the Croft Yurt and as skating trail for those staying at the croft and at the Trail's eastern it is tracked for local skiers.

Boundary Country at the Twin Cities Winter Sport Show

If you are looking forward to winter and live in the Twin Cities area you should plan to attend Midwest Mountaineering's annual Winterfest http://www.midwestmtn.com. This event is scheduled for Friday, November 21 through Sunday, November 23 at Midwest Mountaineering's Store located at 309 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, and in large tents erected behind the store.

We at Boundary Country Trekking (BCT) will have a booth at the show and will be providing information about our winter Nordic Skiing program- including, ski and snowshoe vacations at the Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B and Ski-in Cabins, Yurt to Yurt and lodge to Lodge Skiing, and of course skiing the BWCA's longest tracked trail the Banadad.

This year we have spent on lot of time clearing the Banadad Ski Trail in anticipation of the ski season. With the assistance of eight volunteers from the Minnesota Conservation Corp (YCC), three-quarters of a mile of the Trail’s remote interior by “Moose Kill Hill” was widened. Brush was encroaching into the Trail along this section; after the YCC completed their work this section of trail looked great! In addition the old Olga’s Hut, midway along the trail and used as sleeping quarters for larger groups was replaced. This overnight stop along the Banadad will now be able to comfortably accommodate nine people again.

The Banadad Ski Trail is maintained and operated carbon neutral.

Attending the show for BCT will be Ted Young and his daughter Karla Miller. They would love to have you attend the show and stop at BCT's booth to say hi!

This announcement is brought to you by Boundary Country Trekking providing secluded lodging and Adventure Vacations on Minnesota's Gunflint Trail, BWCA, the Iron Range and Lake Superior's North Shore. For additional information go to Boundary Country or call 800-322-8327.

Getting the Banadad Trails Ready for Skiing

According to Ted Young co-owner of Boundary Country Trekking and Banadad Trail Coordinator, “opening the 39.8 kilometers of the Banadad Ski Trail System is no easy undertaking. Twenty-seven Kilometers of the trail system are located within the BWCA where only hand tools can be used to cut the summers accumulation of brush and down trees and crews are only able to travel to the work site under their own power-by foot or canoe. The remaining portion of the trails, outside the BWCA, power equipment including mowers is allowed and when possible used. Annually some 500-600 of labor is require to open the trails for skiing each year. This year’s maintenance will be no acceptation.”

Over the pasts two weekends nine volunteers from the North Stars Ski Touring Club and thirteen volunteers from Adventure Vacations, a Twin Cities based adventure travel company logged 332 hours cutting brush and down trees along the Banadad and hand cleared the Tall Pines Trail. Prior to this volunteer effort, Boundary Country Trekking, staff had cleared and mowed the Lace Lake, and Seppala Trails outside the BWCA. Earlier this summer a group of eight youth and staff from the Minnesota Conservation Corp spent two days widening approximately 1.2 kilometers of an overgrown portion of the Banadad around Moose Kill Hill.

As a result of these efforts, to date the Lace Lake, Tall Pines and Seppala Trails and the first 1.6 Kilometers of the Banadad now only needs snow to be opened for skiing. Along the 32 kilometer Banadad, most of which is within the BWCA, crews have cleared 21 kilometers.

Minnehaha’s Academy’s High School Ski Team is scheduled to work on the trail in mid-November. They will round out this years volunteer maintenance effort. Then, as in past years, the remaining clearing of the Banadad will occure when snow arrives and the trail packing by snowmobile groomers can take place. These groomers, as they pack, will hand-cut the remaining brush in the remote interior sections of the trail, which volunteers could not reach.

Young when on to state that, “normally there is enough snow to start skiing on the Lace Lake, Tall Pines, Seppala and the eastern end of the Banadad by Thanksgiving. Packing and tracking of the full length of the Banadad is usually completed and the trail opened for skiing by mid-December.”

North Star Ski Touring Club Writes about Weekend of Trail Clearing on the Banadad

Andrea Johnson, NSSTC -Nine North Stars arrived at host Ted and Barbara Young's Poplar Creek B & B on the evening of Thursday, October 16, ready to clear the BWCA’s Banadad Ski Trail. The group was put-up in the Little Ollie Lake Cabin and one of the rooms in the Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B. Each day a huge farm-style breakfasts was prepared for us and we returned to mouth-watering dinners and a refrigerator stocked with beer.



On Friday morning, we paddled across a very calm Poplar Lake. We left our canoes at one end of Mead portage and hiked a long trail, part of which was steep and rocky. The day's work consisted of nipping alders and overhanging pine branches as well as cutting down and removing larger trees. Two men took down a stony berm in the trail.

Hiking to our canoes in the late afternoon, I noticed gold underfoot – gold leaves, gold cedar tips, gold pine needles – a welcome cushion for tired feet.

The second day, we drove to a different area on the Banadad. Our group cleared from the western Banadad Trailhead in approximately four miles. A few of us ate our trail lunches sitting in the sun on a bridge crossing a rushing creek between East Dawkins and West Dawkins lakes.

In the evening, several North Stars attended a meeting which saw the initial formation of the BWCA Banadad Trail Association, a non-profit dedicated to maintenance of the Banadad for future generations Ted agreed to continue to serve as Trail Maintenance and Grooming Coordinator.

Our last day, we hiked to an area near Tall Pines yurt where we worked through the morning clearing the western side of the Tall Pine Yurt.

Then we showered, packed, and ate lunch with in the B & B Guesthouse dining room. Ted thanked us for successfully clearing more than seven miles of the Banadad and he noted that North Stars have volunteered trail-clearing there for over 25 years, longer than any other group of volunteers. Barbara pointed out that only she has “volunteered” for Ted longer than the North Stars.

Together, we all shared the highlights of our invigorating trail-clearing experience: beautiful fall weather; lovely small trees on the side of the trail -trees that will need nipping in future years; fascinating lichens, fungi, and rare sphagnum moss spores; a old two-holer outhouse along side the trail at the site of the "Old Logging Camp" which one North Star passionately wishes to be forever preserved; lively discussions touching on diverse topics, including politics; and absolutely fabulous meals, including a roast turkey dinner and an ethnic Nordic brunch.

Trip leader Tom Rice summed it up: “Great crew! Great hospitality!”

Volunteers Needed for Fall BWCA Ski Trail Clearing

Join the "Banadad Beavers" for a Work Weekend clearing the summer's accumulation of brush and downed trees and bridge replacement projects along the Banadad Ski Trail. Most of the Banadad is located within the BWCA, where the use of power equipment for maintenance is prohibited. As a result, just to get the trail open for skiing each year requires some 600-650 hours of hand labor. Your help is needed!

This Fall's Trail Clearing Weekend Schedule

• October 4 – Saturday work all-day; Reduced rate lodging available through Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B.

• October 9-12 – Sponsor, Adventure Vacations, a Twin Cities based touring company- for more information contact Karen at 651-644—0333 or 866-910-0300

• October 11- Saturday work all day; Reduced rate lodging available through Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B.

• October 23-26 Sponsor, North Star Ski Touring Club for more information contact Tom Rice tjr@rhys.net.

• November 6-9 Sponsor Minnehaha Academy Ski team; also open on Saturday, November 8 to others. Work all day; Reduced rate lodging available through Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B

• November 15 - Saturday work all-day; Reduced rate lodging available Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B.

All volunteers receive special reduced lodging rates at Poplar Creek Guesthouse or at the Banadad Yurts and free parking along the Banadad Ski Trail during the 2008-09 Ski Season.

Following the trail clearing the east end of the Banadad is normally open for skiing with the first good snow- sometime near the end of November. However the entire Banadad and the Croft Yurt is not available until about mid-December.

Banadad Ski Trail Maintenance Schedule
2008-09

• September 30 open

• October 9-12 Adventure Vacations Tours for more information contact Karen at 866-910-0300 or in the Twin Cities @ 651-644-0333 or go to www.adv-vac.com .

• October 11 open

• October 23-26 North Star Ski Touring Club contact Tom Rice at tjr@trhys.net

• November 7-10 open

For additional information, to lend a hand, or possible other dates contact- Ted at 218-388-4487

MCC Takes on the Banadad Ski Trail

MCC Girls apply "warpaint" (mud) to take on the Banadad

One Island Lake Portage-The Minnesota Conservation Corp, six youth and two group leaders, yesterday head-out by canoe from the One Island Portage along the Moose Trail. Their destination- Rush Lake from where the group will spend the next four days brushing and widening the remote interior section of the Banadad Ski Trail around Moose Kill Hill. Seagull Lake, resident and winter Boundary Country Trekking employee accompanied the group to supervise the trail work. It is expected the crew should widen about a mile of the trail which when completed would finish the widening of all the remaining remote interior of the east end of the Banadad.

Banadad Ski Trail Carbon Offset Award Announced

Seagull Lake Resident, Jim Raml was the recipient of this year’s Banadad Ski Trail Carbon Offset Award of $134.44. Raml is planting some five thousand trees on his property ravaged by last Spring’s Ham Lake Fire. The planting of his property got underway this week.

“This award,” according to Ted Young, Banadad Trail Manager, “should at least help Jim plant a small portion of the tree needed to reforest his burned over property.”

According to calculation made at the end of the ski season this year’s maintenance and snowmobile grooming of the Banadad released 1.733 tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. The CO2 was produced by five mid size cars and one large van traveling some 3900 miles with volunteers maintenance crews to and from the Twin Cities to the trail, and 995 miles of snowmobile trail grooming.

In calculating the cost of off-setting this carbon the Chicago Climate Exchange's "Forest Accumulation Tables” for the amounts of CO2 that can be sequestered/acre by age group of white and red pine surviving for a least ten years was used. This was then multiplied by the amount of CO2 the Trail produced times the number of trees planted/acre times the cost/tree. From this it was determined that in order to sequester the carbon the Banadad produced this past year 335 trees would have to be planted at cost of $.134.44.

“It should also be noted” Young went on to state “that, Raml was the driving force behind and the author of a quarter of a million dollar Scenic Byways grant application, that if approved, will provide much of the funds necessary for the Gunflint Ranger District to implement their proposed Ham Lake Fire reforestation program.”

Banadad Ski Trail Now Closed for Skiing- See You Next Winter

While the trail is now closed for the season. During the non-snow months, the trail is open for hiking. Later in the summer and into the fall we will be conducting the trail's annual maintenance and we are looking for volunteers to help. Information on how you can help is posted under Trail
Maintenance.

Snow along the Banadad Trail is slowly melting away, In sunny areas the brown vegetation is completely exposed yet in the woods up to a foot of snow still remains. Most of the snow went when a heavy rain drenched the area on Monday night.

Banadad Ski Trail- May 24, 2008

This morning the temperature is hovering at 38 degrees but rain followed by snow is expected by tonight and into tomorrow. The lakes remain ice covered.

The Poplar Creek at the Ski-Snowshoe bridge below the Poplar Creek Guesthouse is still well below flood stage.

Poplar Creek foot bridge- October 24, 2008

If the predicted rain and snow occurs, this bridge will likely be underwater.

Banadad SkiTrail Still Open for Business

There still is six inches of snow on most of the Banadad and there are very few bare spots. However the trail is no longer being tracked. Morning temperatures this past week have been in the lower twenties; afternoons have warmed to the mid forties.

Photo taken today at the eastern trail head.

The snow cover on the trail should last for another week at least. For you die-hearts, who want to make your own tracks, the Banadad remains open for very good spring skiing.

Banadad Trail Ski Report- Still Skiing

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 14"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 10"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: o

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 0

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: Lace Lake, east end of Banadad to Logging Camp re-tracked on April 2. Even with the warm weather the last two days the track remains. Great snow cover with no bare spot on the trail yet.


ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Good Spring Skiing; additional snow expected tonight, April 5 and continuing through tomorrow. Stay tuned you don't have to put away those skis yet.

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabins and Yurts
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Banadad Trail Snow Report

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 19"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 14"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: trace

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 6"

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: Lace Lake, Tim Knapp and eastern most-end of Banadad tracked March 26.

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: 6 miles open

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Skiing continues to be excellent; trails are in great shape.

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabins and Yurts
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Bandad Ski Trail Snow Report

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 19"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 14"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 0

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 0

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: All trails tracked- Banadad tracked March 15, Lace Lake and eastend trails tracked March 14.

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: 6 miles open

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Skiing continues to be excellent; trails are in great shape. Great BWCA crust skiing ushered-in with Spring thaws and re-freezing.

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabins and Yurts
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Banadad Trail Snow Report

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails


SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 19"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 14"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 0

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 0

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: All trails tracked- Banadad tracked March 6, Lace Lake and eastend trails tracked March 7.

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: 6 miles open

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Skiing excellent; trails are in great shape.

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and Yurt
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Banadad Trail Snow Report

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 19"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 14"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: trace

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 3"

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: All trails tracked- Banadad tracked February 15 and16, Lace Lake and eastend trails tracked February 16

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: 6 miles open

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Skiing excellent; trails are in great shape.

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and Yurt
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Banadad Trail Snow Report

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 23"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 17"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: trace

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 12"

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: All trails tracked- Banadad tracked January 18, Lace Lake and eastend trails tracked January 17

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: 6 miles open

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Trails are in great shape.

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and Yurt
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Banadad Trail Snow Report

Snow Conditions - by Boundary Country Trekking

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails- map

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 23"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 12"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 3"

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 12"

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: East end of to Meeds Lake portage -Banadad 6 km. Lace Lake and Knapp- 7.2 km.
Lace Lake Trail re-tracked January13.

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: 6 miles open
ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Trails are in great shape.

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and Yurt
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Banadad Trail Snow Report

Snow Conditions - by Boundary Country Trekking

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails- map

DATE:1/8/08

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 16"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 8"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: dusting

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: less then an inch

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: All Trails tracked - Banadad 32 km. Lace Lake and Knapp- 7.2 km.
Lace Lake Trail re-tracked January 7.

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: 6 miles open

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Trails are in good condition but maybe ice in sunny spots

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and Yurt
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Banadad Trail Snow Report

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Banadad Trail Snow Report

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails

DATE: 12/26/07

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 15"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 7"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 1"

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 6"

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: Lace Lake and east end of Banadad tracked- 24 kilometers; West end of Banadad tracked December 23 but now covered with by 2" of snow

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: 6 Miles open

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Westend of Banadad to be tracked December 27 or 28 depending upon weather conditions. Call 218-388-4487 for current trail conditions.

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and Yurt
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge

Ham Lake Fire – Good News on the Banadad

It was known that last spring’s Ham Lake Fire had burned over a portion of the Banadad Ski Trail but it was not known how much of the forest surrounding the trail was burned. From the fire maps it appeared the fire had burned through the red pine plantation located approximately eight miles west of the eastern trail head near Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B. This plantation was planted sometime in the 1960’s following the completion of the Moon Lake Timber Sale.

When the season’s first trail crew reached the burned over area the other day they found that the fire had passed over a half mile of the trail. And sure enough the fire had burned through that red pine plantation but the good new was that about three-quarters of the red pines survived and the forest floor had been cleared of competing vegetation. Now if, and only if, the surviving red pines should just happen to produce and release seed cones in the next few year the forest floor should be clear enough to regenerate a new red pine forest.

Banadad Ski Trail - Grooming Report

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails

DATE: December 15, 2007


SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 14"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 8"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 0


NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 2.5"

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: 7.5 Kilometers

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: 3 miles open


ADDITIONAL COMMENT: The Lace Lake Trail at the east-end of the Banadad is open and tracked and 1.6
kilometers of the east-end of the Banadad is open and tracked. The remaining 16 kilometers of the east
end of the Banadad is packed. Packing and clearing is continuing on the Banadad Western end.


Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and Yurt

Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Banadad 2007 Trail Clearing Report

October 12-14, 2007- A five person crew from Adventure Vacations, a Twin Cities based adventure travel company widened a three-quarter mile section on the eastern end of the Banadad Ski Trail. The group found a larger number then normal of down trees, which they removed. The down trees were a result of a combination of the heavy rains and winds of the pasts two months. Total time (including BCT staff support) -120 hours

October 22, 2007 - Traveling by ATV Ted Young removed a dozen or more large trees that had fallen across the Tim Knapp Trail and a one mile section of the Banadad outside the BWCA up to the Lisz Lake Portage. Total time - 12 hours

October 23-28, 2007 - A two-person crew lead by Jim Raml spent five days widening a remote interior section of the Banadad west-end. In order to get to the site the crew was driven in by truck along the Moose Trail to the Croft Yurt. From the Yurt the crew hiked in two More mile where they set-up camp. They then worked out of their camp. According to Raml the trail was wet, there were a few large trees down along the way and they experience one cold morning when their water hole froze over. The net result of the crews efforts was a mile of the Banadad near the middle of the west end of the trail was widened. Total time- 86 hours

October 30 - Traveling by ATV the down trees blocking Trail were removed from Lisz Lake Portage west one and one-half miles to BWCA line by Mead's Lake Portage. Total time-11 hours

November 2-4 - A Six person trail-crew of parents and past members of the Minnehaha Academy cross country ski team worked one day clearing from the Meads Lake Portage to just past the Old Logging Camp. On the second day the crew widened about one-half mile of the west end of the trail starting at the Swamp Lake Portage. Total time- 96 hours

November 8-11 - The Twin Cities' North Star Ski Touring Club's seven member team cleared and widened from the westend trailhead three miles east on Friday hand cutting eight large trees along the way. Saturday and Sunday about one and have miles of the eastend of the trail was widened from the Tim Knapp west to just past the Lizz Lake Portage. As an aside- the Tim Knapp trail was name in honor of the club's first president. Total times (includes BCT staff)- 180 hours

Novermber 7- December 19 - Boundary Country Trekking's crews traveling by snowmobile clearing remaining down trees and brush on trail while packing- Total time- 50 hours

December 13- local crew hand cuts center stubble on Lace Lake. Total time- 13 hours

December 21 - Trail opened and first skiers through.

Lots of Snow on Trail

Mid-Gunflint Trail at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B eleven inches of new snow; sixteen to seventeen inches on th ground and counting. Snow expected to continue for several more days.
Banadad packed from eastern trailhead one mile past old logging camp -11.2 kilometers. Continuing clear and open remainder of trail. With the fresh snow it is beautiful out on the Banadad.

Snow on the Gunflint!

Gunflint Trail- Morning, November 28 at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B . There is five and one half inches of snow on the ground and it is still coming down.

While the Banadad Ski Trail is not tracked there is enough snow to ski. The Trail has been cleared from the east end to the Old Logging camp or 1o kilometers and from the west end in about six and one half kilometers. We are now starting to pack the trail and should have it ready to track, at least the east end, sometime within a week.

Finally Some Colder Weather on the Gunflint

Two nights at about zero; the mid size lakes such Poplar are finally "making ice."

It was not that many years ago, when we lived on an island across from Windigo Lodge on Poplar that by Thanksgiving we were crossing the lake by snowmobile. One of our measures to determine if the ice was safe for our snowmobile was to let Windigo's Ekroot boys get out on the ice with their snowmobiles then we would give the ice another week before we ran it with our machines. In those day is was not uncommon to have several -20 days prior to Thanksgiving to help set-up the ice.

Now we are lucky if it gets down to zero. At least the last few days of zero and with only about an inch of snow cover has enabled the swamps and beaver ponds along the Banadad Ski Trail to freeze-up. Now all we need is more snow to get the trails open. And guess what? I just looked out the window for the first time this morning and it is starting to snow.

Bandad Ski Trail Closes for Season

March 31, 2007- While there still is snow remaining on much of the Banadad Ski Trail, there are to many bare spots to ski. The last skier through the entire 29 km. trail was on March 23. Three skiers skied the east end of the Trail on March 25. On March 24 four dog sled teams mushed the Trail's west end as part of the Mush for a Cure- a Cancer Fund Raising Drive.

This past season the Banadad has an estimated 930 skier days of which 518 skier days were attributable to guests of Boundary Country Trekking, 410 skier days were by day skiers of which 30% were "locals" - from Cook Country. A skier day is based on one skier skiing one day. These totals came from the USFS Day Pass filled out by those using the Banadad from November 15 through March 31 plus an estimate of the number of skiers not filling out the Day Permit.

The Banadad Ski Trail is maintained and groomed by Boundary Country Trekking. From now until next winter the Banadad is open as a BWCA hiking/walking trail. Have fun and see you next winter!

Banadad Ski Report- March 20, 2007

Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails- map

DATE: 3/20/07

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 10"

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 7"

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 0

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 4"

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: Banadad, Lace Lake -37 Km.

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: Open

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Good to excellent spring skiing on Banadad. No bare spots best skiing Banadad East end.

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and Yurt
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Banadad Ski Report- March 16

Snow Conditions-Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails- map

DATE: March 16, 2007

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 6-8 inches

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 5 inches

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 1 inches

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 1 inches

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL:While the trails were icy the fresh snow last night has taken much of "edge" off the icy trails. The track is still viable and no bare ground along trails yet.

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: Open but since the snow is so crusty you do not need snowshoes. You can hike most anywhere!

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: -Even after three days of melt down the Banadad Ski Trail is still in good shape and seven inches of snow remains on the ground. Cooler weather and snow is forecast for the next few days. With a little help from the weather we should have good skiing through the rest of the March on the Banadad. See weather forecast. Great lake ski-skating!

You don't have to put your skis away yet! Lodging along the Banadad Ski Trail is still available at Poplar Creek Bed and Breakfast, the Banadad Yurts and two ski-in Cabins along the trail. For lodging information click on Lodging. at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and YurtBoundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web

Banadad Ski Report March 7, 2007

Snow Conditions-Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails- Gunflint Trail, Minnesota. Ski and snowshoeing Trails- map

DATE: March 7, 2007

SNOW DEPTH IN WOODS: 21 inches

COMPACTED BASE ON TRAIL: 9-11 inches

NEW SNOW PAST 24 HOURS: 3 inches

NEW SNOW PAST 7 DAYS: 13-14 inches

GROOM/TRACKED TRAIL: Banadad and all adjoining trails tracked (3/7/07)

SNOWSHOE TRAILS: Great Snowshoeing all Trails Open

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Skiing Excellent- Best skiing of the year and with snow covering the trees the Banadad Trail is beautiful

Lodging at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, Ski-in Cabin and Yurt
Boundary Country Adventure Trips - Ski Yurt to Yurt and/or Lodge to Lodge- on the web