October 23-28, 2007 - A two-person crew lead by Jim Raml spent five days widening a remote interior section of the Banadad west-end. In order to get to the site the crew was driven in by truck along the Moose Trail to the Croft Yurt. From the Yurt the crew hiked in two More mile where they set-up camp. They then worked out of their camp. According to Raml the trail was wet, there were a few large trees down along the way and they experience one cold morning when their water hole froze over. The net result of the crews efforts was a mile of the Banadad near the middle of the west end of the trail was widened.
"Gunflinters" woke-up this morning to a bit of snow on the ground. Not much; less then a quarter of an inch. But after all it is near the end of October and snow is expect. However for you skiers it still is to early but work has begun getting the trails ready for you.Earlier this month a crew from Adventure Vacations, a Twin Cities based adventure travel company widened a three-quarter mile section on the eastern end of the Banadad Ski Trail. The group found a larger number then normal of down trees, which they removed. The down trees were a result of a combination of the heavy rains and winds of the pasts two months.
Then today a two-person local crew is going out to widen a remote section of the trail beginning two miles west of the Croft Yurt. This crew will be camping on the trail for five days and plan to widen about mile.
More Volunteer crews are expected out on the Banadad during November. Normally by mid-December the entire Banadad is cleared and ready for skiers. Prior to that and given a little help with mother nature providing snow, skiers have been able to start skiing on the eastern end of the Banadad as early as Thanksgiving.
Yurt to Yurt Skiing
If the yurt to yurt trips look intriguing to you but you don’t have a group to go with or feel you don’t have the skills on your own for the trip - join one of our group guided yurt to yurt cross country ski trips. We have groups departing from the Twin Cities or drive up on your own. All the details will be taken care of so you can enjoy the winter adventure. Trips: February 21-24, 2008. See website for more details:http://www.adv-vac.com/group Trip led by Karen Nicholas, Adventure Vacations
Dog Sledding, Skiing and Snowshoeing With Bed And Breakfast Stay
Experience the thrill of mushing sled dogs, cross-country skiing in the Boundary Waters and snowshoeing up panoramic vistas overlooking Canada. The first night we will drive up the North Shore and stay in a hotel. Friday you will learn to harness 5-6 dogs in front of your own sled and then lead them through the gorgeous scenery of the north woods. We will spend the next 2 nights in a the Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B off the Gunflint Trail. Saturday we will continue our adventure by cross-country skiing and snowshoeing to the top of 200-foot palisades for spectacular views of Rose Lake and Canada.. Sunday we will cross-country ski sections of the Banadad Trail surrounding the B&B and head home early afternoon. Another great trip by Adventure vacations-February 28-March 2, 2008
The Explore Minnesota Tourism (EMT), the state's official tourism agency, is developing an environmentally friendly tourism program. A task force composed of representatives from both private and public tourism and environmental organizations are putting together "guidelines" for the state's tourism industry. It is expected that these guidelines will be voluntary, however, EMT will promote businesses that comply with these guidelines as environmentally friendly.
The action by EMT is a result of legislation enacted by last year's State Legislature. John Edman's EMT Director is committed to positioning the state's tourism industry as a leader in the nation as an environmentally friendly tourism State. It is expected that the Task Force's work will be completed by the end of this year and EMT will then proceed with implementing an environmentally friendly travel program.
The Task Force consist of Randy Gutzmann; Ted Young, Gunflint Trail Association; Hank Todd, Carlson Company; Peter Hark, Minnesota DNR; Kate Fernholz; Dave Siegel, Hospitality Minnesota; Kevin Matzek, Hospitality Minnesota; Representative Kate Knuth, Minnesota House of Representatives; Maureen Scallen, Pam Thorsen Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association; Bill Droessler; Tony Kwilas, Minnesota Chamber; Tom Ossell, Orion Resort Sales; Jan Joannides, Renewing the Countryside; Senator Mary Olson, Minnesota State Senate; Senator Satveer Chaudhary, Minnesota State Senate; Shannon Mann, Sugar Lake Lodge; Dorothy Anderson, Ph.D.University of Minnesota; Ingrid Schneider, University of Minnesota . Judy Plante, State of Minnesota is serving as the Task Forces moderate. Colleen Tollefson and John Edmans representatives EMT on the Task Force.
The rainfall came and came and came during September. The total for this September, recorded for Poplar Lake, was 16 1/2 inches far exceeding the past ten year monthly average of three inches. The previous highest September rain was in 1998 when 5.2 inches was recorded.
September 6-7 during a twelve hour period 9.9 inches of rain was received. Following this rain the Lima Grade near the Gunflint Trail had three foot deep gullies cause by rain run-off and at the North Brule the river over-flowed its banks flooding the road. Wash out road became impassable. Since then the roads have been repaired
Even, with the rain the B&B, cabins and yurt remained open.