Ski conditions along the Gunflint Trail are heavenly right now! This past week we made it up to Bearskin Lodge for a couple of days of skiing and not only were the trails in prime condition but we had them almost completely to ourselves. We only saw a few other people out there. There is plenty of snow on the ground for the majority of the trails to be groomed and most of the trees have a thick blanket of snow on them which makes for a winter wonderland!
Yesterday we went up the Gunflint Trail again to do some more skiing. For part of the time we were up there it was snowing beautifully. The trees were covered in a fresh blanket of white. I made this photo from the overlook on Ridge Run midway through our ski.
It was a glorious day for skiing this past Wednesday after several fresh inches of snow fell on the north woods of Minnesota. Central Gunflint Ski Trails - Gunflint Trail, Minnesota.
Yesterday we headed up to Bearskin Lodge on the Gunflint Trail to play in the new snow that fell overnight. It sure was a beautiful day! It was fun to be the only skiers out on the trails and to be making the first tracks in 4 to 5 inches of fluffy new snow. I made this photo as we were nearing the end of our ski, heading back along Summer Home Road towards the lodge. The ski tracks, clouds, sunlight and tree shadows all combined to make a beautiful photo that really summed up what it felt like to be out enjoying the day.
Very cool to see the Interlake Steamship Company's "James R. Barker" traveling so close to the shoreline yesterday. It was a cold but beautiful day. The clouds were nice for this shot and the cold air made for a nice trail of steam coming from the ship's stacks. When I spotted the ship it's tail end was just disappearing from sight around Tamarack Point on Grand Portage Bay. I had to drive to Horseshoe Bay in Hovland to get a little ahead of it then wait a few minutes to make these photos as it passed the bay.
After spending a few hours on the bike this afternoon and evening it was a nice treat to see the moon rising through the fog and trees. Such a beautiful end to a nice day in the woods!
Grand Portage State Park, MN. The ice on High Falls is always very impressive this time of year. I find it endlessly fascinating to view the variety of ice formations that develop on the waterfall. Every day it's a different view!
