Maplelag - Trails

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Trail Report

Click for Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Forecast

May 8th, 2008

Dry and seasonable weather after very warm temps and half inch of rain on Monday. The woods are slowly coming alive and a great time to be on the trails. The mountain bike course is in good shape with a few soft/wet areas. We still have signs to put out and some trail work to do but the course is open for riding. Please drop us a note. if you have questions.The ice is off the lake with a May 3rd ice out. Since 1893, there have been only 12 other ice outs in May with the latest May date on the 17th in 1950 and most recent May date in 1996 on May 5th. Of course the loons were back right away and can be heard calling every day now. A few wild flowers blooming over the weekend and other signs of spring emerging in the forest.

Click here for skier and trail photos from 2008

Click here for course map of the bike course Note: This is a general layout of the bike trails with some additional singletrack that has been added since 2002 that is not on the map but marked off the ski trails.

Photo taken May 6th of Jake and Lars riding on Skaters Waltz. Hard to believe one week ago exactly, Lars was over enjoying mid winter like ski conditions on the same section of trail. See photo from April 29th!!

Photo taken May 6th on the singletrack.

Photo taken May 4th of a May flowers starting to bloom in the woods.

Photo taken May 3rd of Little Sugarbush free of ice.

Photo taken May 3rd of Larry "Waldo" Eisinger setting a canoe into Little Sugarbush.

Photo taken May 3rd at the top of the "toot" hill. Water pooling up at the bottom but for the most part the trails have dried up since the snow with the low areas still a bit soft.

Photo taken May 3rd of the horses off of Bullhead lake trail. No derby at Maplelag.

Photo taken May 3rd riding on the mtb singletrack. Most of the track in good shape Saturday afternoon.

Photo taken May 3rd in front of the Northern Pacific building and near the lakeside singletrack. Quite a change from a week ago when we were experiencing a full on blizzard and 18" of snowfall.

Photo taken May 3rd at the start of Sap Run ski trail. Just a few patches of snow remaining here and there, mainly where it was drifted, otherwise the trails are starting to dry up nicely.

Photo taken May 3rd looking down Sukkerbusk ski trail. A few low spots soggy but should dry out nicely this weekend.

Photo taken May 3rd at one of the trail heads. Quite a difference from a week ago when there was almost 2 feet of snow here and skiers hitting the trail!! Check out the photos below from April 27th.

Photo taken May 1st. First time skiing in May on the Maplelag trails!

Photo taken April 30th grooming one more time on the special loop.

Photo taken April 29th of Lars Ellefson out for a morning ski.

Photo taken April 29th of Lars skiing on pretty much perfect surface conditions, any time of the year!!

Photo taken April 29th grooming early in the morning. Last grooming of the year?!?!

Photo taken April 29th of Jim discusssing with Bruce Adelsman the unbelievable snow conditions on Skaters Waltz Monday morning.

Photo taken April 28th of Bruce Adelsman out for a morning ski.

Photo taken April 28th of Bruce on Skaters Waltz. Beautiful morning on the trails. Hard to believe the amount of snow and skiing conditions for April 28th.

Photo taken April 27th of Jonell at the top of Suicide Hill enjoying the beautiful late season conditions. Tracks down Suicide made by Knute Thorsgard and Glenn Gifford.

Photo taken April 27th on Rootin Tootin. Special track made by Knute Thorsgard who broke his binding on one ski and had to "one ski" back to the lodge!!

Photo taken April 27th of Jonell skiing late afternoon on the loop that has been groomed over the weekend. Ruts forming from the soft snow but groomed Sunday evening and Monday morning should be nice skiing.

Photo taken April 27th of Denny Barry and Paul Cullen back on the trail for some freak snowstorm skiing.

Photo taken April 27th of Tom Moore and Rich Callendar hitting the trail early afternoon.

Photo taken April 27th of Carol Torgerson. Carol does massage therapy at Maplelag and paints a lot of the trail signs.

Photo taken April 27th after a few laps on Skaters Waltz in the early morning hours. Unbelievable skiing for late April. Dry snow, felt like mid winter.

Photo taken April 27th on Skaters Waltz. Beautiful morning. Sounds of birds that you don't normally hear in the winter making for special conditions.

Photo taken April 27th on Skaters Waltz.

Photo taken April 26th of cars buried in snow and drifting from big snow storm over the weekend.

Photo taken April 26th grooming at 8:30 pm....and still light!!

Photo taken April 26th of car buried in parking lot.

Photo taken April 25th after packing through the skinny field.

Photo taken April 25th in the parking lot. Snow starting to pile up on the cars.

Photo taken April 25th of Jib and Fly at the trail head as snow starting to accumulate.

Photo taken April 24th of fog rolling off Little Sugarbush. Warm temps combined with rain falling on the ice made for fogging conditions. But later in the day, the wind switched and the temp dropped nearly 20 degrees.

Map

(click to view larger map)

Night Skiing

Full moon dates are:

January 22nd, 2008
February 21st, 2008
March 21st, 2008
April 20th, 2008
November 13th, 2008
December 12th, 2008
January 11th, 2009
February 9th, 2009
March 11th, 2009
Keep in mind there is usually a week or so before the full moon that can be counted on for good moonlight skiing. Some of the most interesting moonlight skiing is after the full moon date has passed and the moon has the best light around 4 or 5am. Skiing in moonlight then skiing into a sunrise is a great experience.

Trails

JibFly (3.0 km): JibFly is a new trail we cut in the Fall of 2006. The trail is named after the two new Border Collie pups, Jib and Fly which we acquired in May of 2006. The trail starts off of Sukkerbusk near the last Freight House. A real nice beginner trail with "easy" hills and a good starter loop or end of the day, one more trail loop.
Lucky's Loype (3.4 km): Lucky's Loype is a newer trail that we built the fall of 2003. It is the only singletrack classic trail on the trail system. Most early Nordic trails were one track clasic so you could say this trail has a "retro" feel to it. The trail was named after Maplelag mascot, Lucky. The trail begins to the right of Sap Run ski trail and follows the upper shore of Little Sugarbush before heading deep into the woods towards the top of Suicide Hill. The trail has a lot of up and downs, keeping skiers "on their toes", finishing in the back bowl.
Mother North Star (4.1 km): Named for Jinny McWethy, one of the founders of the North Star Ski Club in Minneapolis, which is the oldest cross country skiing and touring club in the country. This nice one-way trail is skied counter-clockwise, starting where Poki-Loki ends. Good up and down action, with a steep hill called The Toot to add some excitement along the trail. Christened by two Norwegian girls who had a hill like this one in their area called Toten. For those who wish to avoid the hill, The Toot has an easy by-pass.
Although you'll find no running water along the trail, there is an interesting beaver dam built right on the trail, making a small pond in the woods. The beavers here have gnawed on many of the non-aspen trees in the area, such as oak, ash, and elm. The change in dining habits may be the result of shortages in the food supply.
Sap Run (1.3 km): A nice short trail with a just-right-size hill for beginners. In the spring, this trail used to be one of our main sap hauling routes when we hauled the maple sap to the sugarhouse. Skied in a counter-clockwise direction, the trail is just over one km in length.
Island Lake Trail (7.1 km): Starting at the same point where Twin Lakes Trail begins, the Island Lake Trail heads to the southwest, offering many scenic views of Island Lake. A shallow lake with no fish, Island Lake does support a large waterfowl popu lation, as well as leeches. Early in the summer it becomes a busy leech-trapping lake.
The major hill on this counter-clockwise-skied trail is Bird Stand Hill, so called because our banker, Dick Clemenson, was going to sit in a "birch stand" of trees at the top of the hill (during deer season), and our son Jay got the message as "bird stand." As the trail heads out, it passes between Twin Lakes, where you'll see the beaver channel connecting the two lakes as well as the two beaver houses.
Rootin Tootin Trail (3.2 km): As all loyal Three Stooges fans know, Rootin Tootin was the Egypt ian king the Stooges were always seeking. Skied in a counter-clockwise direction, it's a great trail with a natural rhythm that really lets you stride out. Go right when you are at the top of the hill by the
"Toot." (The big hill named the "Toot" is part of Mother North Star, not Rootin Tootin.)
Kristin's Kutoff (.7 km): Named for one of the Norwegian girls who helped cut the trail, this cut off connects the two accesses to the Bullhead Lake Trail. Those who want to practice on Suicide Hill can ski down, and then ski up to the Square Field and take the Kutoff back over to Suicide. The Skinny Field in which Suicide Hill is found was once an old Finnish homestead site.
Debbie Woodle's Cutoff (.2 km): A shortcut for those who don't wish to ski the entire length of Mother North Star. Named for our daughter, Debbie, who was known as Debbie Woodle in her younger days.
Roy's Run (10.1 km): This long trail, created by a dozer in the fall of '86, starts where the North Loup trail begins. This one-way trail, skied in a counter clockwise direction, heads through the big timber country. When you head northwest, you'll get into county tax land that is being managed for timber and fuel wood sales. As the land has been cut over, new growth is sprouting up, inviting a lot of deer back to this section, Keep your eyes peeled for deer or tracks. You might even be one of the lucky ones to spot a moose. Three packs of elusive brush wolves also work the country, but chances of see ing them are slim.
Roy used to live just east of the trailhead, but he now lives in a nursing home in Lake Park and is still a character who could have stepped out of the pages
Lake Wobegon. Roy was a renowned skier in these parts and used to make his own skis by hand from carefully selected ash trees which he then hewed out with a hand ax. He found our tracks too skinny for him, so he skied through the woods on top of the snow using the old style single Norwegian ski pole. Roy loves music and still entertains for many events at the nursing home with his concertina and guitar. We have since pur chased his land, but his spirit still abounds north of the county road.
Double Green Trail (1.4 km): This trail heads you in the direction of the Bullhead Lake Trail, passing by the soccer field and going through the Square Field. In early days, the Square Field was the site of an early Finnish homestead.
Mother Hen (1.1 km): Judged by many to be the best beginner trail, you'll find the Mother Hen an easy trail: both short and flat. It takes off from Poki Loki in a counter-clockwise direction. You can come back home when it hits Sap Run or continue on to the start of Bullhead Lake Trail or Double Green. Named after one of the great trip organizers of all time, Bryant Dunshee, a long-time North Star member.
Loon Return (1.3 km): The closest trail to Little Sugar- bush lake, this is a two-way access trail that connects Sukkerbusk and the Main lodge.
North Loup Trail (8.2 km): A long-time favorite, you'll take a fancy to the great hills and natural flow of this trail that heads you into the wild north country. The trail skirts around Dry Lake and returns to the country road known as the Goat Ranch road. The unusual name comes from an adventurous home steader who in the early 1900s fenced in a square mile section for his herd of goats, which he thought would clear out the brush for him. Unfor tunately, it didn't work but the name stuck. The trail also lays claim to one of the trickiest hills in the area, Dipsy Doodle. Its deceptive appearance has been the nemesis for many an expert skier.
jon
Wavy Gravy (7.4 km): This trail has become a favorite for its length and challenge of small ups and downs. Heading northwest from the Twin Lakes trailhead, it comes close to the north edge of Island Lake and offers a good view of the island. (Future plans call for an outpost cabin on the island). Wavy Gravy was the first trail completed totally by a dozer, and Ben Chromy from Waubun was the operator on the project. Ben also left his mark on the trail, which we call Chromy's Cut. We dropped the dozer into the swamp in 200 below weather, and considered ourselves very lucky to get it out! On a very sad note, a year later on his last job of the year, and the last job ever as he was ready to retire, Ben was loading his cat on the lowboy, and due to the ice, it slipped off and he was killed. His memory lives on as Ben was such a wonderful and gentle person. The trail's namesake (Wavy Gravy) is a mime who teaches brain-damaged children in the Berkeley, CA area.
Skater's Waltz (4.1 km): This trail is used exclusively for skating so it is packed but there are no tracks set on it. It is laid out so that it can be skied in either direction and starts where Poki Loki begins. Racers will find it a great place for practice and for those who want to try skating, this is the spot to give it a try. The tricky downhill run on Kamikaze Hill is for EXPERTS ONLY. (Hint: it turns to the left, so be ready). Please use this trail only for skating or freestyle. All the other trails are for classical or traditional track skiing. PLEASE DON'T SKATE ON THE CLASSICAL TRACKED TRAILS.
Sukkerbusk (3.4 km): This main loop, starting right behind the Norwegian Log cabin, allows you to take off on one of the many other trails that connect with the loop. The two-way trail is gentle enough for the beginner skier. Sukkerbusk is the Norwegian word for Sugarbush.
Bullhead Lake Trail (4.9 km): A scenic journey that loops around Bullhead Lake. More advanced skiers will enjoy the challenge of Suicide Hill, while the intermediate skier may opt for entering the Bullhead Lake Trail via the Square Field. On the east side of the Bullhead Lake Trail is a new two km loop, which is skied counter-clockwise. Here you'll discover the flowing spring which was once the source of water for the Sugarbush Town ship bootleg operation. On the south end of Bull head Lake you'll pass two beaver dams, which indicates where the water flows into Little Sugar- bush lake. On the northwest side of the lake, you'll come upon the home of Ted and Carol Torgerson and the Sugarbush Sign Studio. Carol paints all our great trail signs. Their dog loves to retrieve so don't be surprised if he entices you to stop and throw a stick for him.
Twin Lakes Trail (5.6 km): A nice intermediate trail with gently rolling hills and a nice rhythm. You'll wander around the Twin Lakes, which you can glimpse through a break in the trees. North Twin Lake is one of the deeper lakes around. When the country was first homesteaded by Finnish settlers in the early 1900s, they told of Indians fishing for giant northern pike that would run 20 pounds or more. The one-way trail is skied in a clockwise direction.
Poki-Loki (1.0 km): A good, short beginner trail that ends when it hits Sap Run, where it becomes Mother North Star. Named after our Blue Heeler dog, Loki, which the kids called Poki-Loki. Since he seemed to have an incurable habit of nipping skiers clad in green outfits, we no longer have Loki with us.

Lessons

Ski instruction is offered to all levels of ability. If you have never skied before, Maplelag is a great place to learn how to ski. We go out of our way to make sure people are comfortable with this new adventure and will want to come back for more. Top level instruction in classic, skate and telemark technique and racing/training.

Ski Rental

We have Fischer and Madshus skis for use in our rental shop, offering the "traditional" touring ski as well as top of the line track and skating ski. Complementing the rental fleet will be the reliable and warmest boot on the market, Alpina boots. We are part of the Fischer Key Nordic Program. This is a nice advantadge as members of the Subaru/Fischer team spent the week between the Mora Vasaloppet and Bemidji Finlandia, training at Maplelag.

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