Category Archives: Ski Trail

Ski Trail

Ski Trail Report

Trails are open. A glorious day to ski! Sunshine on Sap Run for a morning ski didn’t get much better. Despite a mild day on Wednesday, the trails and snow are holding out great. High temperature was 36 but only for a hour or so before cooling back down. Today we reached 32 for a hour or so but started cooling back down around 2pm. We had an inch or so of rime snow fall from the trees yesterday that is grooming in nicely to the existing base making for very good to excellent conditions. Thursday grooming on all the skate trails and resetting of tracks on Mother Hen, Mother North Star, JibFly, Twin Lakes, Wavy Gravy and Island Lake. Friday track grooming planned on Rootin Tootin, Roy’s Run and a reset of the track on North Loup to complete grooming of the entire open groomed trail system.

We have also have a loop on Little Sugarbush Lake “Lumi’s Loop” with a skate lane and track on each side. This is a fun 1.2km loop that makes for a fun ski at sunrise, sunset and especially at night with the full moon this past week. The lake has over a foot of ice. 

This Saturday and Sunday 1/10 and 1/11 the “old sauna” will be available to the public from 12noon to 4:30pm. Please purchase a trail pass for skiing and a trail pass for sauna.

It’s been awesome seeing so many people out on the trails over the holiday season and we deeply appreciate the support! Want to share your ski experience at Maplelag, consider a report on Skinnyski.com

Skating on Skaters Waltz, the extension loops, North Loup, Single Green, Kristin’s Kutoff and Eira Bikwadinaa Hill. All other trails are tracked for classic skiing. (Please no skating on classic trails) Sukkerbusk is a great starter trail for classic which feeds the outer trails and crosses most of the inner trails providing a good “lay of the land”.  

26″ of snow so far this season. We have been grooming daily on the entire trail system since mid November, only missing a few days.  

Thank you to everyone that comes to ski and supports the trails with season pass purchases. Day passes can be purchased here. A MN State trail pass is NOT required to ski at Maplelag. The Maplelag trails are self funded by operations with no grants or state funding.  18 and under day pass is $15, use the summer trail pass option. 

Ski rentals are available at a rate of $25 for adults and $15 for 18 and under. Snowshoe rental is $10 a person. 

The entire 25km FatLagChilada loop is now open. Click here for fat bike trail report. 

Snowfall YTD at 26″ Compacted base on trail 3-6″. Total snowfall in January at 2″. December: 17″. Snowfall in November: 7″. October precipitation (rain) at 2.7″ and around 1″ in September. Total precipitation ytd (rain) at Maplelag is at 25.12″. 

Sunny start to the day on Sap Run, January 7th, 2026.
Resetting the double track on JibFly, January 8th, 2026.
Touch of rime frost on the deck making for really nice gliding but loose outside the track for great control, January 8th, 2026.
Resetting double track on Twin Lakes, January 8th, 2026.
Frosty scene in the “Switchyard“, January 7th, 2026. 
Late afternoon groom on Mother Hen trail, January 7th, 2026. There is great snow to work with for future grooming and conditions should be very good to excellent rest of the week and weekend. 
Frosty scene at crossing to Twin Lakes and the western trails, January 7th, 2026.
Wavy Gravy trail, January 7th, 2026.
North end Bullhead lake trail, January 7th, 2026. (M. Sands photo)
Frosty scene between Twin Lakes, January 7th, 2026 (Dani S. photo) 
Frosty day at the races January 6th, 2025
The hills of Mother North Star January 6th, 2026
JV Boys classic race, January 6th, 2026.
Ending the day with a ski….magical conditions! January 6th, 2026.
Always good when the moon pops out during the evening groom, January 6th, 2026.
Trees thick with rime frost, January 5th 2026.
Norwegian Log cabin at night surrounded by frosty trees, January 5th, 2026.
Cutting a new track on the lake loop, “Lumi’s Loop”, January 5th, 2026.
Night grooming on the course for tomorrow’s JV/Jr High races, January 5th, 2026.
MPLS Washburn skiers in the “skinny field”, January 4th, 2026.
Local skier D. Johnson happy to have the recent fresh snow after navigating the icy conditions the week before! 78 years strong! January 4th, 2026.
MPLS Washburn skiers gliding on Bullhead Lake, January 4th, 2026.
After the fire of October 2022, Joel Woodward unbeknownst to us, started a GoFundMe to bring back the cookies. The cookies are back! Thanks Joel.
Local skier “Dr. Bob” still going strong at 82 on trail today, January 3rd, 2026. 
MPLS Washburn skiers working on skills on Eira Bikwadinaa hill, January 3rd, 2026.