It snowed like crazy here on Thursday, dumping 5 – 6 new inches of new, powdery snow on the Central Gunflint Ski Trail System.  The pines have a picturesque coating of white on the boughs, and our snow is brilliantly white and crystalline again. We’ve had ample snow for skiing for a long time now, of course, but this additional snowfall really made the trails fresh and beautiful again.

Both sides of the system were groomed Friday, so the trails are perfect. Our weekend forecast is cold again, although nowhere near as cold as it was on those brutally cold days shortly after Christmas. This forecast is cold, but better. Sunday is predicted to be a bit warmer, with a little snow.

We’ll have soup and chili available all weekend, as well as hot chocolate.  Or warm up with a glass of wine or beer. We also have Loon Lake Cafe here Saturday night, with Derek Hofeldt cooking.  We’ll be taking reservations until about noon on Saturday. Call 388-2292, or email stay@bearskin.com.

Trail passes for the entire 70+ K system are $18/day or $12/after 1 PM. As this is a three-day weekend, we encourage you to arrive early. Parking in our lot can become quite problematic by about noon, so an early arrival gets you a parking place!  Make a day of it and eat lunch with us. Another option to simplify parking is to drive a little farther up the road and start your skiing at Golden Eagle. They tend to have fewer cars in their lot. It’s the same ski trail system, you’re just starting on a different side. Ski over to see us, have a cup of hot chocolate or a glass of wine while you warm up, and skip the parking dilemma entirely.