All posts by Jay Richards
Fat Bike Trail Report
Excellent surface conditions for riding. Base is rock solid and riding about as good as it gets. Few areas drifted but nothing to diminish the riding experience. Entire loop groomed Friday, February 5th.
For best riding experience, run lower tire pressure and widest tires possible. (please no mountain bikes) If you are making ruts, you need to lower your tire pressure. It will also make the riding easier and more fun! Please no hiking or snowshoeing on Fat Bike trails. Maplelag is one of the few tracks in the country that have fat bike exclusive use providing a smooth and level deck.
Grooming update: Entire 25km loop is open and groomed. Most recent grooming on Friday February 5th. Trail open to tires 3.5″ and wider. Run low tire pressure (4-6 psi) until the deck hardens up. Please no mountain bikes.
To access the bootleg loop, take Skaters Waltz ski trail, riding on the side than take Suicide Hill singletrack to bottom of Suicide Hill to access the Bootleg loop. Back up Suicide Hill on Skaters Waltz and follow grooming and look for eventual signage to complete the loop and continue on to Twin Lakes. To ride just Twin Lakes access half way down the driveway. Sukkerwest singletrack is accessed at end of the driveway and is a great beginner or starter loop.
Thanks Ben Olson for the volunteer grooming and use of the snowdog groomer!
Trail Report
Trails are open. Folks dressing proper and are out skiing. Good job to everyone getting out!! Reports have been good despite the cooler weather and typical response is “felt warmer than expected”. It is exhilarating for sure and for us, feels good to have a good cold front now and then. The wind has settled down and despite cooler air temp, it feels much better.
Entire groomed trail system groomed the past three days except Island Lake trail. Bit slower conditions with the cold temps and fresh snow but trails like Sukkerbusk and Sap Run will see more skier traffic and be bit faster skiing. Other trails recommended to ski are the inner double track trails. If venturing out, be prepared and recommended to ski Twin Lakes or North Loup for longer loops.
The local fox has been sighted by skiers which is neat to hear after seeing it on the trails cams the past month. It has been sighted near the end of Mother North Star trail. Also, be sure to look for porcupines off Mother North Star and Roy’s Run trails, about 1/3rd the way in on both trails. Lots of other tracks including deer, wolf, coyote, pine marten, fox, and beaver to name a few. Also look for the new and active eagle nest at the start of Island Lake trail. You can also see the nest at the top of “eagle view” at the top of the last downhill on Twin Lakes trail. Many birds also to keep an eye for including the swooping pileated woodpecker.
Trails are open for day use. All day and season passes for non overnight guests must be purchased online through the website. (click here)
Note: Please do not snowshoe or walk on ski or fat bike trails. Thank you! We have designated snowshoe trails for snowshoeing and walking. We take pride in having as “clean” as possible ski and fat bike trails.
Select singletrack loops groomed for fat biking totaling 25km. Report on the Fat Bike trail report.
Lotvola Cup is Back! Click here for more details.
All day and season passes for non overnight guests must be purchased online through the website.(click here) Parking in first parking lot as you enter Maplelag. Click here for trail map. There are no services in the main lodge. No ski rental available at this time.
Trails groomed for double track include Sap Run, Sukkerbusk, Twin Lakes, JibFly, Rootin Tootin, Mother North Star and Mother Hen.
Trails groomed for singletrack classic skiing include Wavy Gravy, Island Lake, and Roy’s Run. North Loup now groomed with track on side of skate lane.
Skate trails groomed include Skaters Waltz, Suicide Hill, Single Green, Krisitin’s Kutoff, Skaters Extension and North Loup.
Adventure trails: First part of Bullhead and Lucky’s are not machine groomed and are “adventure” ski trails with skier made track. Bootleg extension is now groomed. The north end is rough and probably best to take skis off and walk through. The first part of Bullhead remains an adventure trail. To access the Bootleg loop without skiing the adventure part, one can ski the last part of Bullhead to the extension, ski the extension loop than back out on Bullhead trail.
Please no snowshoeing or walking on ski and fat bike trails.
Total new snowfall past 24 hours, trace. Snowfall past 24 days around 22″. Total snowfall on season 34″ (since October 14th) Compacted base on trail 4-8″.
Snowshoe trail is open for snowshoeing. Please no hiking or walking on the ski trails!
First part of Bullhead Lake and Lucky’s Loype that traverse on AMA land not groomed. Use caution as unmarked obstacles etc. may exist. Not recommended to ski, assume all risk.
Trails are open for day use. All day and season passes for non overnight guests must be purchased online through the website. (click here)
Please no snowshoeing or walking on ski and fat bike trails.
Please note the lodge will be closed to day skiers as a result of COVID-19 precautions. This includes no ski rental availability. If you do enter the lodge, please follow signs for entering and exiting. Restrooms located downstairs. Porta bathrooms in far parking lot. Please help keep Maplelag open by limiting inside use.
Trail Report
Another honest winter day on tap! Temp around 0 with a breeze and haze snow. Total new accumulation past 36 hours just under 2″. All double tracked trails groomed this morning as well as the skate trails again. We groomed the Thursday new snow into the existing base on the skate trails and reset track on Wavy Gravy, North Loup, Roy’s Run, Bullhead Bootleg and Loon Return Thursday afternoon. Cooler weather moving in, we are open every day. Take shorter trips, dress proper and plenty of good skiing to be had. Frontal snow slowing the skiing down,
The local fox has been sighted by skiers which is neat to hear after seeing it on the trails cams the past month. It has been sighted near the end of Mother North Star trail. Also, be sure to look for porcupines off Mother North Star and Roy’s Run trails, about 1/3rd the way in on both trails. Lots of other tracks including deer, wolf, coyote, pine marten, fox, and beaver to name a few. Also look for the new and active eagle nest at the start of Island Lake trail. You can also see the nest at the top of “eagle view” at the top of the last downhill on Twin Lakes trail. Many birds also to keep an eye for including the swooping pileated woodpecker.
Trails are open for day use. All day and season passes for non overnight guests must be purchased online through the website. (click here)
Note: Please do not snowshoe or walk on ski or fat bike trails. Thank you! We have designated snowshoe trails for snowshoeing and walking. We take pride in having as “clean” as possible ski and fat bike trails.
Select singletrack loops groomed for fat biking totaling 25km. Report on the Fat Bike trail report.
Lotvola Cup is Back! Click here for more details.
All day and season passes for non overnight guests must be purchased online through the website.(click here) Parking in first parking lot as you enter Maplelag. Click here for trail map. There are no services in the main lodge. No ski rental available at this time.
Trails groomed for double track include Sap Run, Sukkerbusk, Twin Lakes, JibFly, Rootin Tootin, Mother North Star and Mother Hen.
Trails groomed for singletrack classic skiing include Wavy Gravy, Island Lake, and Roy’s Run. North Loup now groomed with track on side of skate lane.
Skate trails groomed include Skaters Waltz, Suicide Hill, Single Green, Krisitin’s Kutoff, Skaters Extension and North Loup.
Adventure trails: First part of Bullhead and Lucky’s are not machine groomed and are “adventure” ski trails with skier made track. Bootleg extension is now groomed. The north end is rough and probably best to take skis off and walk through. The first part of Bullhead remains an adventure trail. To access the Bootleg loop without skiing the adventure part, one can ski the last part of Bullhead to the extension, ski the extension loop than back out on Bullhead trail.
Please no snowshoeing or walking on ski and fat bike trails.
Total new snowfall past 24 hours, trace. Snowfall past 24 days around 22″. Total snowfall on season 34″ (since October 14th) Compacted base on trail 4-8″.
Snowshoe trail is open for snowshoeing. Please no hiking or walking on the ski trails!
First part of Bullhead Lake and Lucky’s Loype that traverse on AMA land not groomed. Use caution as unmarked obstacles etc. may exist. Not recommended to ski, assume all risk.
Trails are open for day use. All day and season passes for non overnight guests must be purchased online through the website. (click here)
Please no snowshoeing or walking on ski and fat bike trails.
Please note the lodge will be closed to day skiers as a result of COVID-19 precautions. This includes no ski rental availability. If you do enter the lodge, please follow signs for entering and exiting. Restrooms located downstairs. Porta bathrooms in far parking lot. Please help keep Maplelag open by limiting inside use.
Fat Bike Trail Report
Excellent riding conditions. Base is rock solid and riding about as good as it gets. Entire loop groomed Friday, February 5th.
For best riding experience, run lower tire pressure and widest tires possible. (please no mountain bikes) If you are making ruts, you need to lower your tire pressure. It will also make the riding easier and more fun! Please no hiking or snowshoeing on Fat Bike trails. Maplelag is one of the few tracks in the country that have fat bike exclusive use providing a smooth and level deck.
Grooming update: Entire 25km loop is open and groomed. Most recent grooming on Friday February 5th. Trail open to tires 3.5″ and wider. Run low tire pressure (4-6 psi) until the deck hardens up. Please no mountain bikes.
To access the bootleg loop, take Skaters Waltz ski trail, riding on the side than take Suicide Hill singletrack to bottom of Suicide Hill to access the Bootleg loop. Back up Suicide Hill on Skaters Waltz and follow grooming and look for eventual signage to complete the loop and continue on to Twin Lakes. To ride just Twin Lakes access half way down the driveway. Sukkerwest singletrack is accessed at end of the driveway and is a great beginner or starter loop.
Thanks Ben Olson for the volunteer grooming and use of the snowdog groomer!