North Shore ski season: Sudden death overtime

At the Piedmont Ski Trail overlook, April 3, 2013

All good things must come to an end. Eventually, this amazingly late North Shore ski season will be over. But not yet. I skied three kilometers this afternoon on Duluth's Piedmont Ski Trail, and it was basically pretty okay. There is a lot of snow in the woods. As long as the night time temps keep going below freezing, we'll have skiing. But all it will take is a heavy rain or a few days in the fifties, and it will be over.

Here are a few updates for the committed North Shore skier:

City of Duluth trails
The city crews stopped grooming early last week. Positive reports are still coming in from Lester and Piedmont. 

Boulder Lake Ski Trails
The good folks at Minnesota Power are still out grooming the trails.  According to their phone hotline, skate lanes are in good shape. For the most recent updates, find "Boulder Lake Ski Trails" out on Facebook.

Sugarbush Trails
Up in Lutsen and Tofte, they're still grooming their terrific trails. Their reports say Fair to Good for virtually the whole system.

As for me, I'm out of here. For the next 10 days, we're off to explore the desert canyon country again. When we're back, the trails will all be mud and energy bar wrappers. I am done. My good ski season has in fact come to an end.

Unless...

Bonus season: Take another lap

Are we near the "Finnish" of the North Shore ski season?

It's been an amazing month for skiing on the North Shore. Just when you think the big thaw is around the corner, another 5-6 inches of snow comes out of nowhere, the temps drop below zero, and the groomers carve out another perfect ski trail. The snow pack is still building up. The snow is like January, the sunshine and long days are like March. 

Sally and I have been out skiing every chance we get. On Saturday, we skied at Piedmont here in Duluth. Sunday we drove north to Boulder Lake. Both days we decided to ski one more lap, one more bit of trail that on any other day we would have skipped.

The ski season will end. Even with today's snow, the season could end next week. For now, it's carpe diem and take another lap. 

Where to go for the snow
Where is there still good skiing on the North Shore? The short answer is "everywhere." But as temps rise and the crowds thin, you'll want to head to trails that are committed to grooming. Here's where you'll find the best late-season North Shore skiing this year:

• Sugarbush Trails (Tofte and Lutsen area), especially the Moose Fence area up the Sawbill Trail and the Onion River Road.
• Boulder Lake
• Tettegouche State Park
• Central Gunflint Trails (click here for some great wintry photos)

Choose Korkki Nordic for your best ski of the year

One of my favorite all-time North Shore ski trails is Korkki Nordic, up in the ridgeline above the shore between Duluth and Two Harbors. Sally and I played hooky today and took a few laps on this terrific woodland trail. That was the first good choice of the day.

Korkki is a truly classic trail. It's narrow and winding and is groomed for classic skiing only. Because so much of the trail is in deep forest, more snow is required to open it safely. Last year, the trail might have been open only two weekends. This year, it's been open for two months already and going strong. I had to get out there before the snow all melts.

To reach Korkki, drive north on Homestead Road from the Highway 61 expressway (about halfway between Duluth and Two Harbors). After 2.5 miles, turn left on Korkki Road. About 0.5 miles later, watch for the small entrance sign on the right. You'll find ample parking around the terrific chalet. Bring a few bucks to add to the donation box at the trailhead, too. 

 
The trail is one big narrow counter-clockwise 10 kilometer loop, with cut off points all along. The signage has changed a bit in the last few years...what was the "6K cut-off" is now the "5K cutoff." The trail isn't any shorter, but maybe someone got out there with a GPS.

Today I chose the 7.5K cutoff and climbed to the top of the Iso Maki Big Hill. Looking through the maple trees on the hilltop I could see the open blue waters of Lake Superior and the distant Wisconsin shore. 

Then I fell on my ass, before I even headed down the big scary hill. 

And then I got my skis pointed the right way and took on the hill itself. I flew by a sign so fast I couldn't read it...I think it said "Caution, hill ahead." Right about there, I had a small religious conversion, calling out "Jesus!" just as the trail got steeper yet and narrowed in between two large trees. 

And I made it all the way down without falling again.

That's Korkki for you: choose your path, get a thrill, and it all works out. 

On the long run back down to the chalet, I felt like a skiing god. With just a few kicks or pole pushes, I glided through the forest.

It was all so much fun, we chose to do it again. 

 

Tour Duluth, an urban ski challenge this weekend

You know how in a Broadway musical, they start with an overture that includes snippets of all the great songs to come? What if they did the same thing at the end of the musical as well? An epilogue...an “outro”?...the grand finale?

That’s just what’s happening on Duluth’s cross country ski trails this Saturday, March 9. Thanks to Duluth XC Ski Club for sponsoring a great event.

 

Hans Slade, Tour Duluth 2012

It's all about Duluth
Tour Duluth is a year-end celebration of cross country skiing in Duluth. Skiers are encouraged to ski as many of Duluth’s ski trails as they can in one day. There are six trails and over sixty kilometers of trail here in town.

I challenged myself last year to ski at least 2 km at every trail in Duluth. Toward the afternoon, temps were in the 40s and my son was skiing in shorts. and some people actually ski every last bit of trail.

This year: Better, not bigger
The Tour is a bit easier this year because the ski trail at Chester Park is closed and they’ve consolidated some of the long trails at Spirit Mountain. Last year, there were eight area and about seventy kilometers of trail

Conditions are looking really good this year, plenty of snow with more on the way. Organizers are asking that you download a kilometer tracking sheet.

There are suggested starting times for each of the ski trails. The fun starts at 8:00 AM at the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center, off of Skyline Drive. They will have hot cocoa and refreshment there from 8-11. From there it moves to Piedmont trails, then to Snowflake Nordic (Free skiing for Tour participants), then to Lester. There will be more refreshments at Lester from 2-4. The tour ends at UMD’s Bagley and finally Hartley Nature Center.

Late afternoon on the Hartley Park cross country ski trail

The day wraps up with a big taco dinner at Hartley, 5:30-7:00. Preregistration is requested for the taco dinner.

See you out on the trail!

It's North Shore candlelight season

We are in the heart of North Shore winter right now, with enough snow along the shoreline and the Sawtooth Mountains for almost any of your favorite winter activities. Some of the most popular winter events in North Shore state parks are the annual Candlelight events. Clear your calendar for the next few weekend evenings, because these magic outings in the winter woods are coming soon!

These are great community events. You have never seen our parks so full of life on a dark winter night. Volunteers have worked long hours creating the luminaria, packing the trails, and lighting the lanterns.Trails disappear into the dark woods marked only by candles flickering in a block of ice or in a paper bag. The lights are just close enough that you're never wholly in the dark, yet the dark surrounds you. Often there's a bonfire somewhere off in the woods. Could even be s'mores back there.

 When you get back to the visitor center, you'll find hot chocolate and a lot of ruddy faces full of smiles and woodsmoke. Might even be live music. Ever dance in snowshoes?
 
These candlight events are not just for skiers, either. In fact, at Split Rock Lighthouse, it's just a snowshoe and a hike.

Here's a list of North Shore candlelight events:
Friday, February 8 Jay Cooke State Park, 6:00-9:00, ski and snowshoe.
 
Saturday, February 16, Gooseberry Falls State Park, 6:00-8:30, ski snowshoe and walk.
 
Saturday, February 23 Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, 6:00-8:30, snowshoe and hike.
 
I hope to see you there!
 

Spirit Mountain nordic trails: The same, only better

The cross country ski trails at Duluth's Spirit Mountain have been an insider's mecca, a system of well-groomed trails in lovely hardwood forest that only a few folks seemed to know about. Those that knew it, loved it. If you didn't know it, well...

Over the summer, the Spirit ski trails got a major makeover, both physically and logistically. The trails are no longer managed by the Spirit Mountain ski hill, but are cared for by a partnership between the City of Duluth and the Duluth XC Ski Club (DXC).

DXC volunteers took a hard look at the trail system and came up with some significant improvements to the trail layout. What had been a set of nested ski loops, ranging from a 1 kilometer easy trail to an 11 kilometer gut-buster, is now a well-thought out network of trails for all skiers. New signs mark every intersection. DXC volunteers were out this fall clearing out the brush and filling in rough spots. The trail feels well-loved now, after many years of benign neglect.

My old fave, changed
In the old Spirit trail system, my personal favorite was the Pete Fosseide 5K trail, named after the guy who won the 153-mile ski race from Duluth to St. Paul in 1938. It was a perfect five-kilometer intermediate loop, running counter-clockwise through the oaks and maples. About two-thirds of that trail is still in place. However, about three kilometers in, the old "5K" disappears into a small maze of redirected trails. No problem, I found a way to stay on the basic loop using a short section of the advanced 11K. 

In the new map and signage, I went from Intersection E to Intersection I. E to I. Or, as I yelled going down the first steep and scary hill in the gloaming dusk, "E-I-I-I!!!"

If you go
The Spirit Mountain Nordic Center is right off Skyline Drive. From Exit 249 of Interstate 35, head toward the Spirit Mountain downhill area but stay on Skyline Drive. It's about one mile to the entrance to the Nordic Center on the right.

The trail is open daylight hours every day. The nordic chalet is open 3:30-5:30 weekdays and 9:00-4:30 weekends. Plan to come up to Spirit on Saturday, February 9 for Winter Trails Day, with free rentals and free lessons co-sponsored by DXC and local ski shops.

Due to a quirk in time and management, the Spirit Mountain trails this year are free to anyone to ski. You are of course encouraged to buy a Great Minnesota Ski Pass and/or join the DXC.

Duluth cross country ski trails: 2013 winter update

When you think of skiing and precipitation, most people think about snow. But it's been rain that has affected our trails the most. The great Duluth flood of June 2012 has impacted cross country skiing in Duluth at least as much as this winter's snow. Here is your guide to Duluth's city ski trails in this post-flood winter, working from west to east.

Magney Ski Trail
At the far western end of Duluth is a large and wild 13 kilometers of ski trails that wind through the old-growth forests of a city scientific and natural area. Sadly, the June floods wiped out the stone bridge where Skyline Drive crosses over Stewart Creek, so there is no direct access to the Magney trailhead this year. Some very hearty skiers are skiing all the way into the Magney trails via the Spirit Mountain nordic ski trails, but that adds at least four kilometers just to get there. While the Duluth city groomers are maintaining the Magney trail, it's really open only for the most committed skiers. Read recent reports from SkinnySki.com here.

Piedmont Trail

Perched above West Duluth along the city's scenic ridgeline is this family-friendly 6 kilometers of trail, mostly double-tracked and well-suited for advanced beginner skiers. The flood did not affect the Piedmont trail long-term at all (a few small bridges were replaced this fall). Skiing has been decent so far this winter, with just enough snow for skiers to make their own tracks. Bonus for this year: thanks to the extra funding provided by Duluth's new parks fund, there's a porta-potty in the parking lot. Read recent reports from SkinnySki.com here. 

Chester Bowl
Wrapped around Duluth's urban family downhill ski run is a 3 kilometer advanced loop. Sadly, the June floods wiped out a critical bridge on the loop as well as parts of the trail. The city will groom a small loop in the open field area near the trailhead, but the Chester trails are closed for the winter. Read recent reports from SkinnySki.com here. 

Hartley Field
Tucked into the middle of eastern Duluth is the 660-acre wild area known as Hartley Field, with a nested set of ski loops totaling 5 kilometers. While these trails have not been groomed this year, skiers are still enjoying them. There was no damage from the floods, so really nothing is changed here...yet. Ski planners are considering a major reroute of the trail system. Red recent reports from SkinnySki.com here. 

Lester Park
On the city's eastern edge is this giant system with 18 kilometers of trails for all ages and abilities, including the city's only trails that are lit at night. The trail itself sustained moderate damage from the June floods, but those have all been fixed. The major impact of the flood is the closure of Seven Bridges Road, the most common access to the Lester system. If you drive up Seven Bridges Road (a.k.a. Occidental Boulevard) from Superior Street, you'll find the road completely closed just past the first of the seven bridges. As at Piedmont, there's a bonus porta-potty here for your comfort. From this new parking area, it's a short walk up a seldom-used snowmobile trail to the trails. Most skiers will start at Point A on the system now. The snow is shallower on the lower parts of the trail and gets deeper the further you ski up the hill and away from Lake Superior. Read recent reports from SkinnySki.com here. 

Remember, you can call the city's grooming hotline at (218) 730-4321 for current conditions.

Are you addicted to skiing? Take this easy test!

Are you addicted to skiing? Take this easy test and find out!

So we're starting to get some halfway decent early season snow on the North Shore ski trails. In some places, the groomers are even out fixing up ski tracks. Just how committed are you to cross country skiing?

How many pairs of skis do you own?
A) Zero
B) 1-2
C) Not enough

How far have your friends ever driven for a ski outing?
A) 1 mile
B) 2-10 miles
C) Idaho, Alaska

Do you apply storage wax to your skis in the spring?
A) What’s storage wax?
B) No I just leave on whatever goop I last used.
C) Duh, you think I just let my skis dry up over the summer?

What’s the bare minimum amount of snow you’re happy to ski on?
A) Two feet and soft enough to be poofy when I fall.
B) Two inches, but it has to be a thick two inches
C) As long as the ground is at least half white.

What sort of goal do you have for skiing this winter?

A) Get out on my skis at least once.
B) Ski at least once a week, as long as there’s snow.
C) Not sure yet, but it’s measured in the hundreds.


Scoring:
Every A answer equals 1 point
Every B answer equals 2 points
Every C answer equals 3 points

5-8 points: You can take it or leave it. You can still maintain normal social relations, even when it’s snowing.
9-12 points: You might be losing friends who aren’t skiers and gaining friends who are.
13-15 points: You are totally addicted. Either get treatment or move to Greenland.

Banff Mountain Film Festival...in Duluth

Take 200 skiers, hikers and climbers out of their funky North Woods cabins. Dress them up in wool and recycled nylon. Send them for a night out at the movies. Pack them all into a high school auditorium and show them films of beautiful wild places and crazy outdoor adventures. That's the annual Banff Mountain Film Festival event in Duluth, and it's happening again this Sunday and Monday, November 18 and 19. 

 
This is a seriously special event for Duluth:

Like November snow, it's totally fresh
These films are the winners from a festival in Banff Alberta that just wrapped up a few weeks ago. Duluth is about the third stop on a world tour that will reach 40 states and nearly 40 countries. There's even a showing scheduled for Antarctica.  

The great films are for a great cause
The Banff Festival is also the season kick off for the Duluth XC Ski Club, an amazing group of volunteer ski enthusiasts that are making great progress improving Duluth trails and grooming.
 
You can experience the thrill of the unknown
The films that are screened Sunday night will be completely different from the films screened on Monday night. When you show up, you don't really know what you're going to see until it's announced from the stage. 

If you go
First, buy your tickets ahead of time. The festival will sell out. Tickets are available at the following Duluth shops:Vertical Endeavors, Trailfitters, Ski Hut, Duluth Pack and Continental. 

The event opens at 5:30 and the films start at 7:00. It's not just films, but also displays and socializing and a great raffle. 

Be there. And be there again.

Tour Duluth 2012: SKI THEM ALL

Hans at Chester Bowl, Trail #5, 1:45 PM

Tour Duluth is the year-end celebration of Duluth's great cross country ski trails. It's organized by the Duluth Cross Country Ski Club, or DXC for short. Duluth has over 80 kilometers of groomed ski trails spread from far west to far east, and including both city trails, a private system, and the University's nature area trail. 

Mark at the Magney Ski Trail trailhead. Trail #1, 8:30 AM

We were going to SKI THEM ALL. Some people try to ski all 80-plus kilometers in a day. Not me. It was quantity over quality for me. I was determined to ski at least two kilometers at each trail system. I called my friend Mark the day before and invited him and his skiing teenage son to join us  for the big day, and he was game. He brought Logan and another Denfeld skier, Kai.

Hanging over the whole plan was a forbidding weather forecast. Way too sunny and warm. While the day started at about 22 degrees, it was going to climb into the 50s by the afternoon. 50 degrees was going to turn our ample snow into slush. The 2012 cross country ski season was going to end this day, and we were going to take it out with a glorious bang.

We went roughly from east to west, following the schedule DXC had set up. At each of the trailheads in the morning, we'd see friends and colleagues. Some were out for the Tour. More were out for the glorious day. The city groomers had been out the day before and conditions were the best of the year. I called Sally and urged her to join us at Piedmont, our favorite local trail.

Sally at Piedmont, Trail #3, 10:45 AM

At Piedmont, we felt like champions as we skied past the casual crowd. Lunch was at the famous Snowflake Nordic, home of Olympians and state champions. All of a sudden, our little promenade of underachieving skiers seemed teeny, as fancy racers with expensive skis glided circles around us. But were any of them going to SKI THEM ALL? I don't think so.

After Snowflake, it was about the pride. The next two trails had hardly been touched, even on busy Tour Duluth. Who could ever skip the roller coaster rides of Chester Park and Bagley Nature Area?! Obviously, some people just weren't in the spirit.

Logan at Bagley, Trail #6, 2:30 PM

We took a short break in the afternoon. Hans had to get ready for a date, so we left Mark, Logan and Kai to finish the challenge. I went out again at 4:30, as the sun was headed to the horizon, and skied my last two trails.

Me at Lester Park, Trail #7, 5:00 PM.

Tired and proud, I made it to the year-end club potluck, turned in my form, and headed home. I put away my skis and took the ski box off the top of the car. Ski season is over.

At middle age, it's hard to find those landmarks to check off as life passes by. Days turn into weeks turn into years. Suddenly our children are adults and my legs just aren't as strong as they were. But this year, 2012, is the year that I SKIED THEM ALL.

The great lake swirl: WAY better late than never

What an amazing day we had on Saturday here in Duluth. The meteorologists got it all wrong in the right way. What started as a forecast of an inch or two of snow overnight turned into the biggest single dump of snow we've had in over a year. 

Apparently, two air masses ran into each other over the western part of Lake Superior and the resulting lift sucked the moisture out of the open lake water and turned it into snow. Lots of snow. Snow that fell all day. We shoveled three times just for the joy of shoveling. Meteorologists, at a loss for words, called it a "lake swirl." Over a foot of fluffy snow fell over places in Duluth.

Here are the forecasters trying to figure out what was happening:

UPDATE...A VERY INTERESTING SITUATION WAS SHAPING UP ACROSS THE NORTHLAND DURING THE EVENING. IT APPEARS THAT A "LAKE SWIRL" HAS SET UP AT THE HEAD OF THE LAKES. HAS ALREADY BEEN A GOOD COUPLE INCHES OF SNOW ALONG THE HILLSIDE OF DULUTH AND INTO THE SUPERIOR AREA. HAVE NOT SEEN A SWIRL LIKE THIS FOR MANY YEARS PERSONALLY. FROM PREVIOUS RESEARCH...THE SWIRLS TEND TO SET UP WITH WE HAVE WEAK OFFSHORE WINDS AT THE HEAD OF THE LAKE...CREATING CONVERGING WINDS IN THE BOWL LIKE TIP OF LAKE SUPERIOR.  CONCERNED THAT WE COULD SEE SOME IMPRESSIVE SNOWFALL RATES OVERNIGHT. WILL NEED TO WATCH FOR POSSIBLE AMOUNTS JUMPING OUT OF THE ADVISORY CATEGORY INTO THE WARNING CATEGORY IF THE SWIRL CONTINUES TO JUST SIT THERE. ...WENT FOR 5 TO 7 INCHES THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...AND WILL WATCH VERY CAREFULLY FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER AMOUNTS.

It's early March in what had been a nearly snow-less winter, so our sense of the season was all thrown off. Not sure what to do, Sally and I headed for the Hartley ski trails. It was perfect conditions for snowshoeing, much less so for cross country skiing. In fact, I think we got passed by some snowshoers. But it was lovely and amazing just to be out in the midst of a big dump like that. I love this place. 

Three little words to warm a skier's heart

No, they aren't "I love you." Or "Time for bed." 

It's "Winter Storm Warning."

Here's the latest from the National Weather Service.

WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST MONDAY

SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM 5 TO 8 INCHES...WITH 6 TO 10 INCHES POSSIBLE OVER THE ELEVATED TERRAIN NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR FROM FINLAND TO TOFTE TO GRAND PORTAGE.

Even though it's five words long, the phrase "elevated terrain near Lake Superior" is a total heart-melter. That puts me right back in to the amazing ridges and trails, from Tettegouche through Sugarbush all the way to Pincushion Mountain.

Let's go skiing.
Groom those trails.
Eat more pie.

On, Wisconsin: Great ski trail in Brule

I have a new favorite ski trail. Call me old-fashioned, but that trail happens to be the "Classic Trail" at the Afterhours trail system in Brule, Wisconsin.

It's been such a crappy snow year in Duluth and the North Shore, so I've been delighted to take a 45-minute drive through Superior and east along US Highway 2. In fact, I went twice this weekend. Not only do they have ample snow there, but they have this great 3.2 kilometer trail.

Unlike the rest of the trail system at Afterhours, the Classic Trail is just for us old-fashioned classic skiers...no skating allowed. So we don't get buzzed by those lycra-clad, stopwatch-punching racers training for their next Birkebeiner Loppet Korte-Marathon. 

The Classic Trail is mostly level, with few real climbs, but it still turns and curves majestically through a variety of forest habitats. It's lovely.

The only problem is, the Classic Trail ends smack-dab in the middle of the regular system and you have to work your way back to the trailhead on those same wide skating trails you were able to avoid so nicely before.

At the end of your ski, head for the cozy chalet. You can warm up, chat with your fellow skiers, then head out on the Classic Trail again. 

Ski it for yourself

The Afterhours Trail is about 25 miles east of Superior, Wisconsi on US Highway 2. Watch for a sign reading "After Hours Trail 1 mile" on the right, and then the turn onto the Afterhours Road. Parking is right above the highway. Day passes are $4.00 per person, age 16 and under free.

At long last, real skiing

FINALLY...a great day on the ski trails. It took a few good Lake Superior lake-effect snow dumps on the South Shore, but at long last we have decent natural snow within a short drive of Duluth. The Slade/Rauschenfels clan dove in yesterday, and though I nearly skied my legs off, it was totally worth it. It was the first real skiing I've had all winter.

What do I mean, "real" skiing?

• On natural snow, not manmade snow at a downhill ski area. 
• Longer, bigger trails that run through the countryside.
• A real deep classic ski track I can trust to guide me along.

We went to the After Hours Trail in Brule, Wisconsin, about half an hour east of Superior along Highway 2. Online reports had been very positive. Instead of another full day of house-cleaning at home, we packed up our gear and one of the boys and headed out.

Even at 11:00 on a 12-degree Sunday morning, the parking lot was full and overflowing to a nearby field. Skiers were abuzz in the parking lot, greeting each other as if it was Christmas Day all over again. 

 
The After Hours Trail runs in multiple loops and grids through the Brule River State Forest, just west of the Brule River itself. A few of the trails, like the River Trail above, actually run right alongside the famed spring-fed Brule.

Inside the warming hut at the trailhead, skiers were chattering away with the endorphin rush great conditions and an hour or two on silky ski trails provides. 

Perhaps the most pumped of all of them was our son, who not only skied the 15 kilometers he needed for some ski team letter points, but also had his first "real" cross country ski experience of the winter, moving through real terrain and covering real distance instead of looping around and around the artificial snow they've been on all year. "Real" skiing? Yeah, I think he gets it too.

Skiers are delusional

I went skiing at Duluth's Piedmont trails last week, first thing in the morning on the day that The Big Thaw began. There was just an inch or two of snow on the trails, not enough for a classic track but enough to cover most of the rocks and sticks. I skied all 5 kilometers and left thinking, "Hmmm...not bad."

Must have been those feel-good endorphins speaking. It was bad. It was awful. Mid-January and there's not enough snow to set a track? Who was I kidding?

The Big Thaw has continued for five days now. Skiers are still finding snow, and they are either hugely optimistic or totally delusional. Here's a sampling from SkinnySki.com today:

"Only one part of the trail was basically unskiable" (regarding Boulder Lake trails)

"We saw some stubble, but really not bad at all." (from Central Gunflint trails)

"Enough rocks and roots present to make it an exercise in situational awareness" (about Snowflake trails) 

If you want to ski and actually would like some snow that is not awful, head up the North Shore to Tofte and ski on the Onion River Road. Or head inland to the Flathorn Gegoka trails. 

Yes, a bad day skiing is better than a good day at the office. And after all that time sidestepping logs and seeking out tracks deep enough to hold a Hot Wheel, you deserve to be proud. Delusional, but proud. 

Desperate times, 2011 edition

The winter of 2011-2012 is off to a slow start. Nature has not provided much snow to the North Shore area. I've chronicled desperate times before in this blog, from back in 2008, when we weren't skiing until late December and I biked on the beach and ran screaming down ski trails. I'm grumpy now, wanting to get out on real snow on a real trail.

The Duluth Denfeld Hunters Nordic Ski team has been skiing on snow for two weeks now. Thanks to the generosity of Spirit Mountain, the Denfeld team has been able to practice and race on the man-made snow of the slopes. 

It was a bizarre scene this week at Spirit when Denfeld hosted their annual ski race. Drizzle all day had turned into a heavy layer of fog perched right at the top of the hill in Duluth. Driving into Spirit there was just a dusting of snow in the woods. Then you walk out toward the racecourse and suddenly there's two feet of snow on the ground. There were more cross country skiers than downhill skiers, and those skinny skis stuck out in a ski world more about wide skis and wider snowboards.

The course started right by the chalet and went uphill. Skiers disappeared into the fog and dark. Less than a minute later, they zoomed out of the fog straight down the ski run, snowplowing or step-turning to make the big curve around the chalet. 

Although it was desperate measures for these desperate times, the foggy hilly race was  a lot of fun. The Denfeld boys took second place, behind the mighty East High School. It was actual real skiing at a North Shore ski area. Despite all that, I'm still grumpy. Maybe next time they'll let me on the course.

Downhill Duluth?

Duluth is a city on a hill...a sometimes very steep hill. What would it be like to strap on downhill skis and swoosh down to Lake Superior? This video was shot in British Columbia, but about half the scenes could totally be in Duluth's Central Hillside neighborhood. I loved the barking dog and the old guy with the bike trailer.

Great Duluth skiing ahead...just need some snow

Blue blob over MN means cooler temps.

There is a great season of cross country skiing ahead for Duluth. Despite major budget challenges, the city is receiving twice as much money as last year from the state for ski trail grooming. The Duluth XC Ski Club has taken over management at the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center. 

White space over MN means average temps.

The long range forecast still calls for below-average temperatures and average precipitation, which add up to more snow.  

Now we just need some snow.

Skiing Silver Bay: The best first K on the shore

It took me all winter and part of the spring to get back there, but yesterday I skied on my absolute favorite first kilometer of ski trail on the North Shore. Every ski trail has its charms in how it starts, but no trails have a first kilometer that is more intimate, welcoming and scenic than this one.

It's at the Northwoods Ski Touring Trail outside of Silver Bay. Skiers looking for this charming ski trail have no choice in the matter; from the parking lot on Penn Boulevard, every skier heads up the first kilometer of trail before they can choose another trail. The single-track, classic-only trail leads right along the bank of the quiet East Branch of the Beaver River. You climb gently through dark hallways of balsam fir, pop out on a short sunny stretch, then return to the woods. The trail pulls you into the woods; the river alongside the trail anchors you to the place. 

The last time I was here, I was with Sally, another friend, and Duluth outdoor writer Sam Cook, and we were all excited about skiing through to Tettegouche. My ski yesterday felt like the end of the season. There is still plenty of snow in the hills around Silver Bay, but it's going fast. Each day the sun takes its toll, turning some open stretches to slush while leaving forested sections crusty and needle-ridden.

Trail designers cleverly put a trail register at the first real intersection, a full kilometer in, so you sort of have to prove yourself to be able to sign in. Since I first skied these trails back in 1996, trail managers have done a much better job keeping snowmobilers and walkers off the trail; maybe this new sign helped!

It was a great day in the woods...especially that first kilometer up the banks of the Beaver River!

Winter is still here, with more on the way

There is plenty of snow up in the North Shore ridges. With a blizzard watch for tomorrow and a stretch of cold days coming after that, it looks like we've got a bonus week of real winter still ahead.

I love these snowdepth maps from the climatologists at the Minnesota DNR. Check out that raindrop-shaped smear of mauve along the North Shore. That's snow over two feet deep.  

Even if the forecasts for a big snow don't pan out, here are some great ski trails right in that mauve smear:

Flathorn-Gegoka, Isabella
Northwoods Ski Touring Trail, Silver Bay 
Sugarbush Trail, Tofte-Lutsen
Bally Creek Trails, Grand Marais

I've posted these with links to SkinnySki.com...you can watch for current trail conditions there.