Summer Home Road ski trail

What a weekend this is going to be!  Fantastic snow conditions, pleasant temperatures, and we even have sun in our forecast.

Bearskin does have a few openings this weekend.  Cabin 2 had a last minute cancellation, which means one of the all-time favorite little log cabins is now available.  Several of the larger cabins, well-suited to a group of 4 or more friends, are also available.

If you are a local day skier or coming from one of the hotels along the North Shore with so-so snow conditions, we recommend that you come early this weekend as this is clearly going to be one of the nicest ski weekends of the season. That always means our small parking lot will be crazy by lunchtime.  An early start gets you a full day of skiing as well as a decent place to park.

Don’t forget that Bearskin serves soup and chili for lunch. Warm up with a big mug of hot chocolate, or treat yourself to a fresh-baked chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin cookie.  We sell a wide variety of Minnesota beer brands in the lodge, or you can sit by the fireplace to enjoy a glass of wine.

Our musher, Erik Simula, also has dog sled trips available this weekend. Sometimes he heads out on trips where the participants need to be seriously bundled up to stay warm, but this is not going to be one of those weekends.  Great conditions!

Here are the latest ski trail measurements, as reported on 1/21/2016 by Golden Eagle:

Central Gunflint Ski Trail Conditions on 1-21-16

• New Snow Last 24 hours:  1/2” (and still snowing)
• New Snow Last 7 days:  4.5 inches
• Trail Base, Staked:  Average 7 – 8 inches
• Snow in Woods, Staked:  Low: 13”  /  High: 18”
• Groomed with classic track:  68 K
• Groomed with skate lane:  56 K
• Surface Conditions:  Fresh packed snow
• Last grooming day:  1-18-16
• Total snowfall since Nov. 1:  46.95”

Comments:  The excellent skiing and trail conditions continue! As an added bonus, we are expecting very comfortable weekend temperatures starting around 15 degrees on Friday and warming to the mid 20’s by Sunday. Throw on some light layers and enjoy some great skiing!

Poplar Creek trail, our last trail to be cleared from the damaging snowfall in December, has now been re-carved from the wilderness and is groomed and open! The North-South Link across AspenLake now has enough ice beneath it that we have been grooming it with Snow Cat. Flour Lake still has only 10 inches of ice – 2 more inches are needed for crossing with the big groomer – so we are still grooming that short section by snowmobile, with a classic and skate lane.

Overall, trail conditions are fantastic! We are only 3 inches of snow short of where we were last year at this time, with a season total of 46.95 inches as of this morning. There is no shortage of snow up here in the great Northwoods!

For the most up to date grooming information, as well specific trail conditions, please contact Bearskin Lodge (1-800-338-4170) or Golden Eagle Lodge (1-800-346-2203). Central Gunflint Ski Pass required.