Get out Your Ski
This morning I awake to eight inches of snow on the ground. The trees are blanketed in snow it is gorgeous. Unfortunately my camera is out of order so no pictures. Sorry about that!
November 23, 2012
October 2, 2012
Calling all Skiers-Banadad Trail Work Day and Annual Meeting
The Banadad Trail Association invites you to help get the Banadad Ski Trail ready for winter. This work day we plan to hike into the Banadad along the Old Winchell Lake Fire Trail. This trail begins near the Poplar Lake Public Landing then winds through the BWCA to the Banadad just west of the Meads’ Lake Portage. Part of the area where we will be working was heavily damaged by the 2010 Meads Lake Prescribed Burn This burn left many burnt-out trees fallen or precariously close to falling into the trail. We will be removing some these tree then clearing the summers accumulation of brush and down trees along the 3 mile section of the Trail back to the trail’s eastern Trailhead.
According to Ted Young, Banadad Maintenance Coordinator, “since most of the Banadad is within the BWCA where we can not use any power equipment, it take a lot of volunteers working with hand tools to get the Trail ready for skiing. Please join us; we really need your help!”
Volunteers meet for the Trail Work Day at 9:00 am, Saturday, October 20, at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, 11 Poplar Creek Drive (just off the Lima Grade) Gunflint Trail. Hand tools and lunches will be provided to all volunteers. Wear sturdy clothing and boots.
Friends of the Banadad are also invited to the Banadad Trail Association’s Annual meeting at 1:00PM, October 21 at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B. Following the meeting a social hour and Potluck Dinner is planned.
For more information on the Trail Work Day and/or the Banadad Trail Association’s Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner contact 218-388-4487
March 16, 2012
Still lots of Snow on the Banadad
The temperatures has been in the 40s even up 50 over the past week but the Banadad is still up for you to get in that last spring ski. While the tracks on the Banadad have melted away. There is still plenty of snow throughout the
trail, with few if any bare spots. A couple of groups of skiers were on the trail yesterday and said the
skiing was fine.
February 27, 2012
Snow- Lots of it!
Woke up this morning with eight inches of new snow. Twenty-eight inches of snow is now on the ground.Ski trails are being tracked today and hope to finish grooming by tomorrow.
February 25, 2012
The Leopard Ladies Ready to Take on the Banadad
Long time Poplar Creek Guesthouse guests and BWCA canoeist Shelly, Tammy and Mary aka, the "Leopard Ladies" finishing breakfast in anticipation of skiing the 18 kilometer to the Croft Yurt. Then spending the night at the yurt and continuing on to the Banadad western end.
Interesting ski outfits! I am think they should keep away any "dangerous" animals the trio encounter during the trek.
Just a note- ski condition on the Banadad are excellent.
February 23, 2012
Skiing Continues to be Nothing Short of - Great
The Banadad Ski Trails are in excellent conditions. Following the three inches of new snow yesterday, the east end trails including the Lace Lake, Tall Pines, Knapp and 3 kilometers of the Banadad were retracked. Today the entire 31 kilometers of the Banadad is being tracked.
November 29, 2011
Poplar Lake Freeze-over
While Little Ollie and the smaller lakes froze over more then a week ago, Poplar Lake just froze last night. Today the surface of the lake is cover with a thin ice sheet but with little or no wind and temperature expect to be around 10 degrees tonight, Poplar should get a good layer of ice by tomorrow.
Meanwhile around Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B there is about 4 inches of snow on the ground. Friday, November 25 the Lace Lake, Seppala and Tall Pines Ski were packed. Sunday, the east end of the Banadad was packed up to the Logging Camp.
May 9, 2011
Ice out on Little Ollie Lake
Yesterday, May 8, the ice went out on Little Ollie Lake. Poplar Lake is still ice-in and likely will not be going out for three to seven day. Most of the smaller Lakes are open, Gunflint is open and Sea Gull on the east end is open. Around Poplar Creek Guesthouses there still are patches of snow around and the Banadad has quite a bit of snow left on it.
April 24, 2011
Easter along the Banadad
April 24, 2011- Plenty of continues snow remaining on the trail- thirteen Inches of base. Each spring Banadad has beenone of, if not the last remaining, ski-able trail in the state. Come on your diehards you only have a few weeks left. Images is at the 
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March 27, 2011
Current Ski Conditions on the Banadad
Spring Banadad Bulletin - This past weekend three parties skied the entire trail. Along the way they stayed overnight in the Croft Yurt at Bedew Lake. Reporting on conditions along the trail, each group stated that the trail remains in excellent shape. While the track early in the morning was frozen hard, light snow that has been occurring overnight during the past few days has mitigated the potential icy conditions. With over twenty inches of snow on the ground, it is likely that the Banadad will remain open and ski-able well into April. For current trail conditions go to the Banadad Trail Association’s website .
Also it is crust skiing time! Conditions are perfect; you can ski anywhere on the frozen snow crust. It’s almost effortless skiing, especially if you use the skate-skiing technique. Crust is best after a few days of thaw conditions followed by cold nights. Every day is different, so just go out and see what it’s like. Crust sets up best in the mornings, and sometimes the sun will soften the crust too much by midday or early afternoon. If you hit the right conditions, it’s great going. Crust skiing takes place on the Gunflint from the end of March through early April. When conditions are right the lakes are turned into giant flat ski trails enabling skiers to travel from lake to lake and to get into remote BWCA lakes.