Ice / Snow Conditions in Ely Area

[echo439]

Can anyone provide any recent reports on lakes in the Ely area.  I am planning a trip up within the next few.
Are all lakes mostly safe for sleds?  What is the typical ice thickness? 
Thanks for the help.

[Desperado]

I don't have first hand knowledge, but just looked at weather.com
for the next 10 days, everyday is supposed get no warmer than 25
and every night is down to somewhere between zero and 8

I'd suspect lakes will be just fine for a snowmobile.

[Hard Ice]

The Ely Area has about 10-14 inches of snow on the ground.

SNOWMOBILE TRAILS:

Ely area trails (including the Tomahawk Trail) are in good condition although cold temperatures have created a very hard trail surface and some icy corners. Riders should use caution when entering turns and try to stay as far right as possible. The portage trails are in good shape, with the exception of Bass Lake. Ely Igloo grooming operations are still running wide-open with all trails on a regular grooming schedule. If the cold weather continues as predicted with lows of 20 degrees below zero, grooming operations will be switched to warmer daylight hours. 2 to 6 inch base on the trails.

The Bear Island Lake Snowmobile Trail Loop was groomed on Monday and will be groomed again with any snow accumulation. The trail saw a lot of activity over the weekend but remains in good condition. This trail connects the Taconite Spur Trail to Bear Island Lake AND the Bear Island Lake Trail AND the trail from Bear Island Lake to Birch Lake which crosses over Highway 21. Riders should follow all trail signs and use caution as they cross Highway 21. This loop offers an alternative scenic ride.

The Taconite Trail is groomed and in good condition with a 4 inch base. Trail conditions may vary from one location to the next depending on when it was last groomed, the amount of traffic, and weather conditions. The trail is currently being groomed twice weekly. The trail base is hard packed and icy in places, so please use caution, especially in the corners. Logging activity is occurring in a few places, please pay attention to signs and use extra caution around logging operations.

The Arrowhead Trail is groomed and in good condition with a 4 inch base. Trail conditions may vary from one location to the next depending on when it was last groomed, the amount of traffic and weather conditions. The trail is currently being groomed twice weekly. The trail base is hard packed and icy in places, so please use caution, especially in the corners. Logging activity is occurring in a few places; please pay attention signs and use extra caution around logging operations.

A snowmobile state trail sticker is required for ALL snowmobiles operating on state or grant-in-aid trails. This sticker is valid from November 1 – April 30 and costs $16. It can be purchased by calling 1-888-665-4236, on-line at www.dnr.state.mn.us or at several locations in Ely.

CROSS COUNTRY SKI TRAILS:

Trail conditions are excellent at Hidden Valley for both classic and skate skiing. Trails are groomed and have an 8 inch base.

The Trezona Trail has been groomed for skating and classic skiing and is in excellent condition. Snow base is 8 inches.

The Bear Island ski trails we groomed over the weekend and again on Monday. Trails will be groomed again this week following any snow accumulation. The trails are packed (not tracked) for classic or skate style skiing. The Bear Island Trail loop is in excellent condition. Skiers on Sunday morning shared the trail for a brief moment with a large wolf. Late Sunday night, skiers took in a moon lit trek around the lake and were again serenaded by the wolves. Please note that lake trail conditions could change with windy conditions. The wooded trail leading back into Perch Lake off of Highway 21 is in good condition with a varying base of 3” to 5” and is in fair to good condition. This trail is worth the trek just for the solitude and the view. The Perch Lake trail remains in very poor condition with lots of slushy spots. Skiing is NOT recommended on Perch Lake at this time continued cold temperatures should allow us to resume grooming shortly.

The North Arm trails – The North Arm Trails are skier-tracked trails and so are classic in every sense of the word (though skate skiing can be fabulous in late winter on the hard crusted lakes). Because they are not machine groomed, they can be challenging at times even for intermediately skilled skiers. They are among the most beautiful in the area as they roll up and down over forested ledge rock and across lakes through the wilderness. The trails are easy to follow and each intersection has a ‘you are here’ map. Beginner skiers can first test their proficiency on the Moose Horn Loops. Users should check on current ice conditions and proceed with caution on the lakes as ice conditions can change rapidly. As of today (February 6, 2006), the skiing on the North Arm Trails is pretty good. It was hard and icy and dangerously fast on the hill after melting hard at the end of January, but after a few inches of new snow, the trails are in good shape. After a busy weekend, the hills are fairly fast, especially coming back down off the ridge into the trailhead. The lakes are (almost) slush free and the ice is about 12 inches thick in most places.

Bear Head State Park – This trail system is listed in good condition with a 3-6 inch base. Trail will be groomed and tracked again before the weekend.

The North Junction Trails –The North Junction trails are still being impacted by the logging (which seems to have come to a standstill.) The cutting appears complete but collecting the wood has stalled. So, the trails on the north side of the North Arm road are mostly skiable. The trails on the south side are skiable if one is willing to climb over piles of logs. For the most part the trails are well covered with snow but there are a few places where skis may scrape exposed roots or rocks.

The Pine Park Trail – This trail is in good skier-tracked condition.

South Farm Lake Trail – Good skiing since the recent snow.

**Please note that trail conditions can change on a daily basis. Please call ahead for the most current trail conditions.

The Hidden Valley and Bear Head State Park trails require that skiers over the age of 16 must have a current Minnesota Ski Pass to use public ski trails. You can purchase your $15 annual ski pass at several locations in Ely, by calling toll free 1-888-646-6367 or on-line at www.dnr.state.mn.us
_________________
Jim Blauch
Moose Track Adventures Resort, Outfitters and Guide Service - www.moosetrackadventur es.com
Pro-Staff- www.catch-n.com