Today’s StarTribune reports that skiers in Minnesota are “livid” about the lack of snow in the entire state.  That’s weird. We see skiers all day every day and none of them look very livid to us.  Mostly they seem quite happy. Thrilled even.  After all, when you’re skiing in ideal winter conditions, there’s not much to get livid over.

Our phone calls are going like this each day:

Watching the melting snow drip off your roof day after day does get old. We might get livid too, if all we’d done this winter was wait for winter weather to appear.   But you can find winter on the Gunflint Trail  — it’s here, waiting for you.

We’ve put together some nice winter packages to entice you up north. Our musher, Erik Simula, has many openings for dog sled trips and Chef Scott Bergstrom has an awesome menu planned for dining every Saturday. More than 40 miles of beautifully groomed ski trails await you. We have a surprising number of openings this weekend, which is normally one of the toughest weekends all winter to find a spot here — it’s not too late to drop everything and make a plan to head up north.   Visit www.bearskin.com

The latest numbers, from the measuring man Zach Baumann, at Golden Eagle:

Central Gunflint Ski Trail Conditions on 1-28-15

• New Snow Last 7 days:  3.95”
• Trail Base, Staked:  9” – 12” average
• Snow in Woods, Staked:  Low 14”   High 20”
• Groomed with classic tracks:  70 K
• Groomed for skating:  53.4 K
• Surface Conditions:  Fresh Packed Powder
• Last grooming day:  1-27-15
• Snowshoe trails:  Open
• Total snowfall since Nov. 1:  55.30”
• Comments:  We’ve had beautiful weather these past few days with highs in the upper 20’s and now 3.25” of fresh snowfall again on January 26^th. All trails have been freshly groomed and are in excellent shape; ski conditions are fantastic! More snow is predicted to fall before the weekend which means no rest for the groomers. We don’t mind, though; the snow-covered wilderness is absolutely gorgeous now!

Please contact Golden Eagle Lodge (1-800-346-2203) or Bearskin Lodge (1-800-338-4170) for specific conditions and grooming information on each trail or route. Central Gunflint Ski Pass Required.

What a beautiful winter this is turning out to be!   A guest who has been coming up to ski since 1989 summed it up perfectly today:  “The best snow conditions and best temperatures we’ve had for years.”   Last year we did have amazing snow, but it was coupled with brutal subzero temperatures and frequent high winds.  It was difficult to actually have fun. We feel like any guest who skied here last year and still opted to come back this winter must be very brave! Luckily, it’s payback time for those people.  This year they are skiing in outstanding winter conditions.

We’ve been living in a snow globe lately.  Every day it seems to snow those big soft, shiny flakes that are reminiscent of the fake snow that comes down on a movie set. Granular-looking snow, so when you look at the snowbanks it’s as if you can see every distinct particle that accumulated to make the snow mound. It means that we’ve had to groom often to keep everything in great shape.  Both resorts have been out on the trails repeatedly all week, freshening the tracks.

Zach Baumann at Golden Eagle has been out on the trails with their measuring stick. Here is their latest report:

Central Gunflint Ski Trail Conditions on 1-21-15

New Snow Last 24 hours:  0.8”

New Snow Last 7 days:  4.1”

Trail Base, Staked:  10” average

Snow in Woods, Staked:  Low 13”   High 20”

Groomed with classic tracks:  70 K

Groomed for skating: 53.4 K

Surface Conditions:  Fresh Packed Powder

Last grooming day:  1-21-15

Snowshoe trails:  Open

Total snowfall since Nov. 1:  51.35”

Comments:  It’s been a busy week for both groomers with new, fresh snow coming down each day since the 17^th. Trail conditions are excellent and the scenery is gorgeous!

We have now passed a benchmark for total snowfall on the year at over 50 inches since November 1^st. With total snowfall now at 51.35 inches, we are slightly ahead of where we were last year on this date, which totaled 50.40 inches. At this rate, we are looking at another 120 inch season! Keep it coming!

Please contact Bearskin Lodge (1-800-338-4170) or Golden Eagle Lodge (1-800-346-2203) for specific conditions and grooming information on each trail or route. Central Gunflint Ski Pass Required.

Snow Totals

November Total 2014 – 14.25 inches

December
Dec 1 – Dec 7:  1.75 inches
Dec 8 – Dec 14:  8.75 inches
Dec 15 – Dec 21:  11.0 inches
Dec 22 – Dec 28:  3.5 inches

Dec 29 – Dec 31:  0 inches

December Total 2014 – 25.00 inches

January
Jan 1 – Jan 4:  7.0 inches

Jan 5 – Jan 11:  1.0 inches

Jan 14:  .375 inches

Jan 17:  1.0 inches

Jan 18:  1.175 inches

Jan 19:  0.75 inches

Jan 20:  0.8 inches

January Total 2015 – 12.10 inches                           

Total Snowfall 2014-2015 – 51.35 inches

Welcome to our winter wonderland.  Conditions on our ski trails continue to be excellent.  As we’ve posted previously, don’t let the low snow conditions along the North Shore concern you as you drive up here. Once you go up the hill to the Gunflint Trail, it becomes a deep snow winter.

We’re in that usual winter stage where we seem to get a little more snow each day. That’s one of the reasons we’re a great ski destination: it always seems to be snowing.   Groomers have been out regularly freshening up the trails, but otherwise nothing significant has changed — no major snowfalls, no rain or melting, just regular little additions of more snow.

Please be carefully watching for moose as you come up the trail now.  There have been a huge number of moose standing out in the road lately, seemingly challenging drivers to hit them.  That’s not a fight you will win.  Watch for their dark shadows ahead on the road if you drive up here after dark!

Moose in the road. Photo by Nace Hagemann.

A good reminder

Here are the latest snow statistics from Golden Eagle, as measured on 1/14:

New Snow Last 24 hours:  3/8”

New Snow Last 7 days:  1-3/8”

Trail Base, Staked:  7” – 8.5” average

Snow in Woods, Staked:  Low 14”   High 17”

Groomed with classic tracks:  70 K

Groomed for skating:  53.4 K

Surface Conditions:  Fresh Snow

Snowshoe trails:  Open

Total snowfall since Nov. 1:  47.63”

Comments:  Skiing is still the best it’s been all season! All trails are open, conditions are excellent, the snow is plentiful, and the wilderness is inviting, peaceful, and waiting for adventurists. Come on up and have some fun cross-country skiing; it is full-blown winter on the Gunflint Trail!

Please contact Bearskin Lodge (1-800-338-4170) or Golden Eagle Lodge (1-800-346-2203) for specific conditions and grooming information on each trail or route. Central Gunflint Ski Pass required.

Fresh snow overnight  and slightly warmer temperatures meant that the entire Central Gunflint Trail ski system could be groomed again this morning.  The system was definitely ready for fresh tracks and new corduroy, after fairly hard use and subzero temperature during the past few days.  We are expecting a great deal of snow again on Saturday.

A note to day skiers in the area or coming from other resorts without snow:

Due to a Saturday afternoon wedding that is now being held indoors, our Main Lodge at Bearskin will be closed to day skiers on Saturday, January 3, from 1:30-5 PM.  If you are planning to ski on the Central Gunflint Trail ski system on Saturday afternoon, please go just a little farther up the Gunflint Trail and go to Golden Eagle Lodge.  Same trails, different lodge.  We will be selling ski trail passes all day, but there will be no option to hang out in the lodge on Saturday afternoon. This is a one time occurrence that will not affect skiers on Friday or Sunday, just Saturday afternoon.

Thanks for helping to make Allison and Bobby’s wedding a calmer, quieter experience.  Nobody wants a bunch of strangers in lycra and ski boots gawking at their wedding vows  🙂