Lack of snow, cold and insurance are preventing us to groom the wilderness Banadad Trail.
We lost our insurance coverage due to the fire last year; we are actively seeking coverage for operations.and equipment. Until we have coverage we can't do anything.
The wilderness Banadad Trail is not physically closed but no or little snow, no grooming and water crossings are just now freezing enough to get across. Use it at your own risk.
Now for the Good News!
The wilderness Banadad Trail was prepared (cleared) in the Fall for ski operations. I was perhaps one of our better years for clearing and reaching all areas of the wilderness Banadad Trail.
We replaced our burned up snowmobile with a much newer 2021 Skandic and acquired and outfitted a newer aluminum 18 1/2 foot covered trailer. We also acquired a grooming/tracker from Golden Eagle Lodge (thanks). Our 2018 Arctic Cat Bearcat survived the fire.
We will be using the covered trailer to support our operations based a the Banadad West End Trail head. The wilderness Banadad East End Trail head will still be maintained and plowed as in past years.
We have many new volunteers and groomers lined up. Our local Gunflint Trail Lodges and friends have been great stepping forward to help us recover from the fire last year.
Basically were good to go EXCEPT Insurance and of course Snow (which sounds like it is coming).
Bearskin Lodge has taken over the Lace Lake Trail, widened the trail and will be grooming both a skate lane as well as a single track for skiers for both types of Nordic Skiing. Bearskin will groom the Lace Lake with the same equipment they use for all the Bearskin trails. Note, all Bearskin Trails (now including Lace Lake) require the daily or annual Bearskin ski pass.
The small Tall Pines Trail has been cleared but not widened or added to the Bearskin System. Our plans are to help Bearskin add the Tall Pines Trail to their system in future years. Right now we will try and groom Tall Pines with our snowmobile tracker. The Tall Pines is a small trail loop South of the Lace Lake Trail.