Two years ago with a lot of help from Minnesota based JD friends we took an epic saddlebag trip through some awesome trails of northern MN. Last year we were not so lucky with the snow over there and had a great UP tour. This year we are holding out hope that we can return and explore more of the great trails of MN. We started in Moose Lake and made a long loop up through the Boundry Waters and back down in six days. We would like to do that again but maybe start around Duluth or so. If anyone can chime in on a good place to drop, stay overnight and leave the trailer, I would really appreciate it. We averaged about 200 a day and would like to get up to the Angle this time. Any ideas again for routes and lodging? We are looking at the 12th of Febuary for a starting date, so hopefully the conditions will improve more by then. Thanks guys....
Thinking Minnesota again?
- Thread starter switch07
- Start date
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Guest
Right now a little thin on snow but most of the area you want to go to has been groomed at least once. It is ridable but there is no 'extra' snow. Hopefully John's forecast is good and we will gain a little in the next week or ten days. Are you thinking Taconite or Arrowhead trails? The Arrowhead usually needs a little more snow just to cover up all the rocks and stuff. Some guys from here are over that way this weekend. I will try to get a report when they return.
Thanks Grub. I'll watch for the report. Not sure of the trail names but we did go up the north shore to the gunflint last time. Tower, Elephant Lake, Orr, and IF area. Will probably run near the same route, but really want to get up to the Northwest Angle this time and do an overnight maybe. Will plan the route based on conditions.
Switch
Switch
CrossfireLOW
Member
Trail conditions are marginal to fair here right now but it I don't think it would take a lot of fresh snow to improve things quickly...hoping for more snow.
FYI you may want to check into places to stay up at the angle soon. Its hard to find places to stay up here on weekends in a normal year. In a warm year like this one, ice fisherman flock to lake of the woods like snowmobilers to the UP in a low snow year.
FYI you may want to check into places to stay up at the angle soon. Its hard to find places to stay up here on weekends in a normal year. In a warm year like this one, ice fisherman flock to lake of the woods like snowmobilers to the UP in a low snow year.
our last trip to min-no-snow-da we stayed at ameracinn in Two Harbors. there is a large DNR parking lot about 8 miles west of there right on the north shore trail where you can park for the week. you can ride from two harbors but it's a lot of ditch riding and slow going. so we drove and parked there. worked good for us....
Builder Bob
New member
Let me throw an idea out there, but 1st traveling thru the BWCA is not permitted, there are many restrictions for the BWCA.
I am traveling from Crane Lake, north across the border to Atikokan Ontario, then on, to visit the White Otter Castle.
02/13 - 02/15 Ontario will not require a trail pass. It is to promote sledding in Ontario.
Crossing into Canada, US citizens will be required to have a RABC (Remote Area Border Crossing), returning will require a stop back at the Crane Lake US Immigration Hut.
Yes there are many places to stay. Visit to the Castle is a must.
Border crossing can be made at Gunflint Lake, but I believe it is longer travel to Atikokan.
Consult Atikokan Sno-Ho sledding Club.
To make the trip to Crane many routes are possible, as outlined by Switch07 above. I am parking at Crane, with overnight accommodations. (Voyageair)
We/they/everyone needs more snow.
In addition my route will take me across Namikan lake, (L901) which is to soon to be checked & staked by Ontario Conservation Officers. Again check the Sno-Ho website for results. It may be a 10 mile run across the lake, No stakes/no go, I am taking my wife.
Best of Luck
I am traveling from Crane Lake, north across the border to Atikokan Ontario, then on, to visit the White Otter Castle.
02/13 - 02/15 Ontario will not require a trail pass. It is to promote sledding in Ontario.
Crossing into Canada, US citizens will be required to have a RABC (Remote Area Border Crossing), returning will require a stop back at the Crane Lake US Immigration Hut.
Yes there are many places to stay. Visit to the Castle is a must.
Border crossing can be made at Gunflint Lake, but I believe it is longer travel to Atikokan.
Consult Atikokan Sno-Ho sledding Club.
To make the trip to Crane many routes are possible, as outlined by Switch07 above. I am parking at Crane, with overnight accommodations. (Voyageair)
We/they/everyone needs more snow.
In addition my route will take me across Namikan lake, (L901) which is to soon to be checked & staked by Ontario Conservation Officers. Again check the Sno-Ho website for results. It may be a 10 mile run across the lake, No stakes/no go, I am taking my wife.
Best of Luck
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Guest
Sounds like you went up the Arrowhead. Not my personal favorite trail but everybody should do it once. There are a lot of better places to go. Northern MN is a big place. If you went over by Walker and up to Bemidji and then north up towards LOW you might see some new territory. They are short on snow over that way also though. The most snow right now is over on the North Shore which is normal for MN. See what elf has to say. That is his stomping ground.
We rode the north shore this weekend and while the groomed trails are good, they are thin. The NSST today was getting bumped up pretty good by 1:00 and the snow is just worn out. The local trails around Finland are holding up well and were great all weekend with the exception of the access trails from the NSST into Finland. Forest roads are great, I'll start another post with some pictures. Supposed to get some snow tomorrow with more later this week.
oldguy
Member
The trails around Tower, Buyck, Cook, Babbit and West of Ely is the same as Elf’s report. They were thin on snow, but rideable shape on Thursday and Friday. They all took a major hit on the weekend. The trail east of Ely towards the Stoney Spur Trail maybe will be awhile before it gets groomed, issues with a massive beaver dam. The Vermillion River is good to go up to Crane Lake.
We got an inch or 2 of snow Saturday night and we are supposed to get more the next three days. If we do get the snow predicted the trails will generally be in good shape. I will be out on them this week and can give you a report within a 150 mile radius of Tower.
A place to stay and drop your trailer would be Fortune Bay Casino in Tower and base out of there. That is if you are planning to ride north and West instead of the north shore.
We got an inch or 2 of snow Saturday night and we are supposed to get more the next three days. If we do get the snow predicted the trails will generally be in good shape. I will be out on them this week and can give you a report within a 150 mile radius of Tower.
A place to stay and drop your trailer would be Fortune Bay Casino in Tower and base out of there. That is if you are planning to ride north and West instead of the north shore.
Thanks guys for the feedback. We did stay at Fortune Bay in Tower on our last trip. We were thinking to start in Grand Rapids and head north towards Crane Lake, over to IF, up to the angle, to Roseau, Thief River, then back. Not sure if this will work or not. Maybe in a couple weeks there will be more snow.
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Guest
That could be a good trip. You might be able to leave your trailers at The Sawmill in Grand Rapids. Their phone # is 218-326-8501. From there you can go back through town on the trail and catch the Taconite and you are on your way. Once you get to I Falls go back south on the trail following the road towards Big Falls and take a right towards Washkish. Do not take the godforsaken goat trail that is supposed to go directly to Baudette from I Falls. I nearly perished on that so called trail. It is poorly marked and only groomed once if at all in May I think. It starts out OK but pretty soon you can't even tell if you if you are even on a trail. The trail from Big Falls to Baudette is very nice and you will see 3 of the nicest warming houses you will ever see. Once in Baudette you can go and play around on LOW and see what there is to see. Roseau is another 70ish miles if you follow the road ditch trail. If I were you I would go south of Baudette and go through the Beltrami Forest trail system coming out in Wannaska. Then North to Roseau. You could backtrack south and get back into the Beltrami Forest and head for Fourtown and then on to TRF. This would be the only time you would be out in the open with not many trees. You have options there. From there you could ride trails back to Bemidji going through Trail and Leonard. Once in Bemidji go to Cass Lake and jump on the Cass Lake to Moose Lake corridor back to where you catch the spur trail back to Grand Rapids. Nice circle route. What do the rest of you guys think about that route? Maybe you have other points of interests along the way. Call ahead for tour times at Pol and AC. I think they are building 4 wheelers right now but it is still kind of neat to see where your sleds were born.
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Sounds like grub knows his trails in that area!!! We have done a trip much like the one you want to do and there are a lot of places to stay up there. Try the Casino's for some cheaper rooms. We found one downside to room availability however: if "the bite" is on rooms anywhere near L.O.W. are at a premium. The trails for the most part are wide and fast and the clubs do a great job grooming.
Not sure if this is relevant any more but late Feb '06 at the previously mentioned Two Harbors trailhead parking lot I had my locked top cap trailer stolen with a new '06 renegade in it. I still get a bad p!$$ shiver when I drive thru Two Harbors. I won't ever park there or even stop anywhere in Two Harbors again.
CrossfireLOW
Member
That north trail from IFalls towards Baudette that goes through Pelland is always the very last trail to to get groomed coming from Baudette. It probably is almost impossible to follow without being groomed first. If the snow is good and its groomed, it is a blast with seemingly endless mile after mile of tight twisty s curves through the woods and swamps.
skiroule
Well-known member
Grub's plan to start a little further west than Duluth is a good one for covering more of far northern MN. The trail from Big Falls to Waskish is a great trail and extremely remote. From Waskish I would head for Baudette, get a photo of your group in front of Willie Walleye, and then make a run to the Angle. The trip to the Angle is not something to be missed - gives you a good idea of the size of Lake of the Woods. There is a warming shack on one of the islands along the way if you want to take a break. From the Angle you could head further west to Warroad/Roseau.
The Rainy River is normally a good route out to Lake of the Woods from Baudette but there looks to be a lot of rough ice this year. Maybe it's better closer to the lake.
The groomed trails I've seen look to be decent and more snow is expected this week which will help. Keep an eye on CrossfireLOW's web cam for real-time snow conditions.
The Rainy River is normally a good route out to Lake of the Woods from Baudette but there looks to be a lot of rough ice this year. Maybe it's better closer to the lake.
The groomed trails I've seen look to be decent and more snow is expected this week which will help. Keep an eye on CrossfireLOW's web cam for real-time snow conditions.
CrossfireLOW
Member
Rainy River east of Baudette is unrideable this year. It would take about 3' of snow depth to cover up all the jagged ice this year. Baudette to the lake is passable, I'm guessing but its still not staked.
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Guest
Just heard a rumor that the trail just south of Big Falls that goes to Washkish and Baudette is impassable this year because of beaver activity that left it basically flooded so groomers can't get through. Maybe CrossfireLOW can confirm????? You could still follow the trail down from I Falls to Blackduck and then head north to Baudette though. Not the end of the world.
skiroule
Well-known member
Had my brother check with one of the guys from the Lost River club that grooms out of Kelliher. He said they have groomed the trail from Gemmel to Waskish. It's just a short ride from Big Falls to Gemmel on the railroad grade trail and the trail from there to Waskish is an awesome trail through stands of big white pines. Maybe the trail that runs a little further north to the John Beckel connection is the trail that has the issues.
Snowing like crazy in Morson ON (northeast of Baudette) this morning and snow forecast for three of the next four days. John's accumulation estimates for the area look to be pretty accurate. Keep it coming.....
Snowing like crazy in Morson ON (northeast of Baudette) this morning and snow forecast for three of the next four days. John's accumulation estimates for the area look to be pretty accurate. Keep it coming.....
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Guest
I am at my place at LOW right now. Maybe an inch overnight. Local weather here pretty much matches johns forecast. Could pick up another 6 in the next week or ten days which would make it really good. Start packing switch.