Happy New Year from all of us at Bearskin Lodge and the Central Gunflint Trail Ski System.

It’s been a while since our last update. The days before Christmas and then the post-Christmas week keep us wildly busy at the lodge. Normally we’re not only jam-packed full in the cabins, but we’re also mobbed with day skiers from Grand Marais and Lutsen.  As usual we were full with guests, but the -20 degree temps slowed down the day skiing.

Our guests know how to have fun in this weather. They ski a bit, come back to sit in front of the fireplace, ski a bit more, come back to take a sauna or soak in the hot tub, and then finish the evening with a prolonged family board game or a glass of wine by the fireplace. It is a bit harder to be a day-skier having fun in sub-zero temps when there isn’t a cozy cabin retreat nearby, so we weren’t surprised by the lower numbers of skiers from other resorts and town. Wise choice!  It’s unusual to have such cold weather during this particular week, so if you didn’t brave the cold temps this time, next year will probably be much better.

We do have lots of snow.  All of the Central Gunflint trails are open and everyone braving the frigid conditions reported good skiing. Poplar Creek, always the last trail to open because of sections that freeze late, has been groomed with the Pisten Bully groomer several times now. Conditions there are quite good. The Logging Camp Trail section around the east end of Flour Lake, which has to be groomed differently because of BWCAW regulations, was finally ready to go a few days ago.  Lake crossing trails are all open.

We have a gradual warming trend this week, and the temps for the weekend look excellent — more like a normal winter ought to be at this time of year.  We have openings this weekend. Our restaurant is opening for the season on Saturday night and as an added interesting activity for the weekend, the Gunflint Mail Run dog sled race will be going on at Trail Center, just 3 minutes away.  Click here for more info on this fun event.