This month of September will go down as one of the most spectacular ever at Maplelag! The fall colors have been some of the best we can ever remember and the weather has been amazing to boot. With no hard frost or freeze, lack of major wind and rain, the leaves have been staying on longer than usual after the peak over the weekend. Windy and dry conditions on Tuesday bringing many leaves down but still some fantastic fall scenes. The oak, poplar and tamarack trees are still 4-8 days from changing and should provide some nice color into October.
Great to see everyone out on the trails this past weekend hiking, walking, biking and taking a lot of pictures! It truly was a special weekend.
We are focused on having the ski trails in tip top shape going into the winter. We will be on the trails daily, weather permitting, with final mowing and clearing leaves etc. throughout the fall right up until the frost sets in and snow flies.
The mountain bike trails are open for riding. We will continue maintaining the trails, and will be open, weather permitting, until November 1st. The Maplelag trails are closed to horse travel and motorized vehicles.
Golden scene on Mother North Star ski trail, September 28th, 2021. Many leaves falling down today!South slough on Mother North Star, September 28th, 2021. Tamarack trees in the middle still a week or so from their autumn gold.Late afternoon sun highlighting maples near the Finnish Log cabin, September 27th, 2021.Sap Run ski trail after leaf clearing, September 27th, 2021. With the thick canopy of leaves at Maplelag, it will be a month long process to keep clear. Leaf clearing on Sukerbusk, September 27th, 2021. We will continue clearing leaves on all the trails throughout the fall. The main trails, such as Sukkebusk, we try to have completely free of leaves before the snow flies. Have a smooth and clear as possible deck allows us to be skiing on minimal snow. Fall color scene lakeside lodge, September 26th, 2021.View of Little Sugarbush Lake from the wood fired sauna, September 26th, 2021.These three maples have outperformed this year compared to other years which indicates, to us, the special fall color season it has been this year. September 26th, 2021.Sunrise kayak on Island lake near Wavy Gravy ski trail, September 26th, 2021.Late afternoon scene looking towards the lodge, September 26th, 2021.Switchyard at Maplelag, September 26th, 2021. Leaf clearing on the Maplelag trails is a non stop process from now until November, weather permitting. September 25th, 2021.Start of the ski trails to the south, September 25th, 2021.Twin Lakes ski trail, September 26th, 2021.Golden hour color on Sukkerbusk ski trail, September 23rd, 2021.Trail head, September 23rd, 2021.Tamarack trees in the slough surrounded by fall color, September 23rd, 2021. Along with the poplar trees standing tall, will change in October.Mother North Star ski trail, September 23rd, 2021.Switchyard scene September 22nd, 2021.Golden hour near the basketball court, September 22nd, 2021.Another incredible September evening, September 21st, 2021.View from lodge dining room over lake, September 21st, 2021. Switchyard scene, September 21st, 2021. Maplelag driveway, September 21st, 2021. Bullhead Bootleg mountain bike trail, September 21st, 2021.Fantastic fall color around the cabooses, September 21st, 2021. Fall color scene around the orange cabooose, September 19th, 2021.Fall grooming on Mother North Star trail, September 19th, 2021. Thanks Swanston Equipment of Fargo for the demo over the weekend!
Another great weekend of racing and mountain bike fellowship for Laddies Loppet 2021. This was the 31st year celebrating mountain biking at Maplelag.
With that first race in 1990 we forged relationships that we continue to maintain and treasure the new and old ones made throughout the years. Thanks to everyone who visited us this year making it another memorable weekend amongst amazing weather. Special shout out to our staff, volunteers and sponsors that help make it happen.
Beautiful weekend for Laddies Loppet 2021Always great seeing the kids on the line!
Maplelag Mountain Bike Team Members racing Laddies Loppet 2021
Jake RichardsSteve Wenzel before the start of his race. Steve hasn’t missed a race since 1990, competing in every Laddies Loppet!Jacob Olson. Congrats Jacob on winning the Comp Short Track race!Keith Moors. Thanks Keith for all your awesome work this summer helping prepare the course for race day!Ben OlsonCongrats John Peter on the Sport Short Track win!Wayne Carlson testing the tracks before race day.Smiling Bryan Schoenberger heading out at race start in the Comp race.Pat Crary heading out at the start of the Comp Race.John Muszynkski on the line
Trails are open. Excellent riding conditions. This week we are blowing out the courses for the Laddies Loppet races and also the trails not used for the race, Bullhead Bootleg, SukkerWest and North Loup Gnar. Be sure to check out these trails outside of racing!
Great seeing everyone out on Sunday for pre-riding. The recent rainfall over the weekend was great to keep the deck tight and season the most recent dirt work. Rain amounts were a bit less at Maplelag but just the right amount to really enhance the conditions.
Sport women race the Citizen course marked green and Comp women race the Sport course marked blue.
Signs for the Laddies Loppet course.
Trail head is at flagpole near main lodge. Look for signs that have “Beginner/Sport/Comp/Expert” or named singletrack segments. There are also red signs at key intersections and pink signs for the LagChilada loop challenge. For first timers to Maplelag, best trails first to start on would be Sukkerwest at end of driveway and Feeling Lucky near main start area. Also the Citizen loop (6.5 miles) which provides options to try the more advanced singletracks segments. The sport loop (11miles) is more intermediate, cutting out the more expert sections. The expert loop is around 15 miles.
The two way “North Loup Gnar” trail can be accessed of county road 110 just to the east of Maplelag driveway. Bullhead Bootleg loop accessed from county road 26 via the gravel road 110. Please park in the first parking lot where the recycling bins are located. The main lodge is closed, no services available. Park and ride! Any questions on riding etc., contact Jay at 218-849-7669.
The Maplelag trails are classic “old school” trails, first built in 1990, mirrored off the courses used for racing to provide training opportunities for local racers and feature some of the more technical areas of cross country riding in the Midwest. We hosted a race that fall of 1990 and continue to run an event on Labor day weekend call the Laddies Loppet.
Trails listed on TrailForks. (Please note some routes were added by riders not associated with Maplelag, in particular the lakeside areas but all trails and intersections are marked)
Trail fees are appreciated to help offset trail work, signage and hopefully a new map. These are major expenses and we receive no grants outside funding for the privately maintained trails at Maplelag. Click here for most recent map. (Note: There are a few reroutes on the map but everything will be tapped off. No riding allowed on AMA land and please stay on designated trails at all time. Assume all risk and take responsibility for your actions) We are working on a new trail map that will feature many new trails built last summer and fall.
Berm action on Bullhead Bootleg singletrack loop, August 30th, 2021.Sneaking in a afternoon ride in between rain events, August 27th, 2021. Track in great shape and Maplelag moss coming alive along the singletrack after recent rains.Recent rain making for great riding conditions and dirt work as we complete final tuning on the mountain bike course for Laddies Loppet mountain bike weekend, August 25th, 2021.
Ski trail segment on the Laddies Loppet mountain bike course, August 25th, 2021.Beautiful sunset riding, August 23rd, 2021.Ramp action, August 23rd, 2021.Rolling through “Bjorp’s” singletrack, August 21st, 2021.“Bridge” singletrack segment leading to Twin Lakes loop, August 19th, 2021. Areas of scattered organic matter from dry and windy conditions otherwise great riding! Rolling through a wooden feature on “Bjorp’s” singletrack, August 16th, 2021.End of “Feeling Lucky” singletrack, August 16th, 2021. Ride around option on first singletrack segment, August 16th, 2021.Bridge crossing on Bullhead Bootleg singletrack, August 13th, 2021.Rolling through the rock garden on Moorhead singeletrack, August 13th, 2021.Twin Lakes singletrack, August 13th, 2021.Summer grooming on Suicide Hill, August 12th, 2021. Each course will only go up Suicide once.
