Beautiful September weather in place. Recent rainfall has really brought the forest to life and signs of fall are appearing more and more each day. More trees are starting to change color providing beautiful autumn scenes. Lot of wild mushrooms and fungi appearing on the forest floor adding even more vibrance to the forest floor.
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.
A great Laddies Loppet weekend. Thanks everyone that came!
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.
Early fall color surrounding the red caboose, September 14th, 2021. The maple trees are doing great around Maplelag and a spectacular fall color season is on tap!Maplelag driveway, September 14th, 2021.More mushrooms appearing almost daily adding to the vibrance of the forest, September 14th, 2021.Mountain bike trail surrounded by early fall color, September 14th, 2021.Fall color along Kohlepp slough near Mother North Star trail, September 10th, 2021.First maple leaves changing color, September 10th, 2021.Touch of fall color at intersection of JibFly and Sukkerbusk ski trails, September 9th, 2021.Early fall grooming on Twin Lakes ski trail, September 9th, 2021. Just a few signs of fall color around the cabooses so far, September 9th, 2021.Early touches of fall color along the Maplelag driveway, September 7th, 2021.More interesting mushrooms popping out yesterday thanks to recent rainfall, September 3rd, 2021.Beautiful afternoon walking on the JibFly ski trail, August 29th, 2021.Recent rain bringing late season blooms to life, August 29th, 2021.More mushrooms popping up on the forest floor thanks to recent rain, August 27th, 2021.A few leaves changing color, August 25th, 2021. Typical this time of year and overall the trees are looking great despite the drier conditions. We anticipate another beautiful fall with our peak usually occurring the third week of September. Ski trail segment on the Laddies Loppet mountain bike course, August 25th, 2021.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.Champlain Park CC team at Maplelag this week for running camp, August 24th, 2021.Warming up for the run! August 23rd, 2021.Woodpecker action on dead maple, August 23rd, 2021.Recent rain bringing the colorful moss, lichens and mushrooms to life, August 23rd, 2021. Spider web along the bike singletrack, August 12th, 2021.Another summer grooming on Suicide Hill, August 12th, 2021.
Spectacular September riding in place. The course is in great shape after last weekend races with the dirt surface the best of the year. A quick afternoon shower Saturday evening and on Tuesday keeping the dirt perfect.
A few leaves are starting to come down as we transition to fall but we will clear off the trails every 10 days or so. Fargo singletrack cleared on Wednesday and Bullhead Bootleg loop cleared Friday the 10th. This week we will plan to clear off additional trail, Bjorps, Moorhead and Hudson Hula singletrack segments.
Be sure to check this report for days we plan to clear singletrack to enjoy primo conditions! The mountain bike trails will continue to be open until November 1st, weather permitting. We will leave the signage up for Citizen, Sport, Comp and Expert and the LagChilada signs remain in place for the LagChilada challenge. (Nice job to the riders competing in the races and completing the challenge this past weekend!)
Fantastic Labor Day weekend for the Laddies Loppet. Thanks everyone who came to the race. Race recap click here.
Transition segment on the bike course from singletrack to ski trail, September 10th, 2021. Primo riding surface! “Fargo” singletrack, September 9th, 2021. Recently blown out and cleared of leaves. Signs for the Laddies Loppet course.
Trail head is at flagpole near main lodge. Look for signs that have “Citizen/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. Note: this distances are accurately based on wheel sensor readings. GPS will not record the whole track due to the thick canopy forest and twisty nature of the trail.
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.
Start of the “Kids Comp” race, Laddies Loppet XC, September 4th, 2021.Enjoying the primo dirt on Sunday afternoon post racing, September 5th, 2021.Short track racing action, September 5th, 2021.
Beautiful September weather in place. Recent rainfall has really brought the forest to life and signs of fall are appearing more and more each day.
A great weekend for the Laddies Loppet mountain bike race. Thanks everyone that came!
We are now focused on having the ski trails in tip top shape going into the winter. We will be on the trails daily with final mowing, clearing leaves throughout the fall and removing deadfall.
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.
Early touches of fall color along the Maplelag driveway, September 7th, 2021.More interesting mushrooms popping out yesterday thanks to recent rainfall, September 3rd, 2021.Beautiful afternoon walking on the JibFly ski trail, August 29th, 2021.Recent rain bringing late season blooms to life, August 29th, 2021.More mushrooms popping up on the forest floor thanks to recent rain, August 27th, 2021.A few leaves changing color, August 25th, 2021. Typical this time of year and overall the trees are looking great despite the drier conditions. We anticipate another beautiful fall with our peak usually occurring the third week of September. Ski trail segment on the Laddies Loppet mountain bike course, August 25th, 2021.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.Champlain Park CC team at Maplelag this week for running camp, August 24th, 2021.Warming up for the run! August 23rd, 2021.Woodpecker action on dead maple, August 23rd, 2021.Recent rain bringing the colorful moss, lichens and mushrooms to life, August 23rd, 2021. Spider web along the bike singletrack, August 12th, 2021.Another summer grooming on Suicide Hill, August 12th, 2021.
Another gorgeous day on tape beautiful day for the Laddies Loppet mountain bike weekend!
Short track racing starts at 10am and concludes around 1pm. All trail outside of the short track course open. Short track includes a small portion of the start of the course only.
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. Note: this distances are accurately based on wheel sensor readings. GPS will not record the whole track due to the thick canopy forest and twisty nature of the trail.
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.
Welcome to the Laddies Loppet mountain bike weekend! September 4th, 2021.
Rainy day Thursday after a beautiful start to the week with brilliant sunshine and mild temps. The rainfall has brought the forest to life with vibrant colors of mushrooms and a few signs of fall colors and everything is green again!
It has been busy summer on the trails mowing, brushing and clearing windfall. We consistently work on the trails to have in best condition possible before the snow flies. Overall the trails are in great shape!
Wildflowers have been popping out nicely this spring and summer and really exploded when we had hot and warm conditions late May and early June. Many sights and sounds of nature. With the dry conditions, the bears have been knocking over dead stumps in search of grubs etc.! Eagles hatching in the eagles nest near the western trails. Bear sign on Twin Lakes and Bullhead area and many deer moving through the woods on the singletrack trails. Blue herons, Trumpeter Swans and pileated woodpeckers providing naturalistic sounds. This spring we also planted 100’s of trees and clearing on the trails as part of our regular forest management.
The mountain bike trails are open for riding. There are no services in the main lodge. Meal service and lodging closed at this time. The Maplelag trails are closed to horse travel and motorized vehicles.
More interesting mushrooms popping out yesterday thanks to recent rainfall, September 3rd, 2021.Beautiful afternoon walking on the JibFly ski trail, August 29th, 2021.Recent rain bringing late season blooms to life, August 29th, 2021.More mushrooms popping up on the forest floor thanks to recent rain, August 27th, 2021.A few leaves changing color, August 25th, 2021. Typical this time of year and overall the trees are looking great despite the drier conditions. We anticipate another beautiful fall with our peak usually occurring the third week of September. Ski trail segment on the Laddies Loppet mountain bike course, August 25th, 2021.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.Champlain Park CC team at Maplelag this week for running camp, August 24th, 2021.Warming up for the run! August 23rd, 2021.Woodpecker action on dead maple, August 23rd, 2021.Recent rain bringing the colorful moss, lichens and mushrooms to life, August 23rd, 2021. Spider web along the bike singletrack, August 12th, 2021.Another summer grooming on Suicide Hill, August 12th, 2021.Wild flowers in the woods, August 12th, 2021.Summer grooming on “Eagle View” return on Twin Lakes trail, August 9th, 2021.Summer grooming on North Loup trail, July 29th, 2021.Another beautiful summer sunset over Sugarbush, July 25th, 2021.Moon over Maplelag! July 23rd, 2021.Another fresh cutting/summer grooming on Suicide Hill, July 19th, 2021.Summer grooming on Mother North Star ski trail, July 18th, 2021.Sunset with a extra tinge of orange as a result of hazy skies from wildfire smoke in Canada, July 13th, 2021.Aspen leaf and snow moth! July 12th, 2021.Clearing deadfall on the trails, July 8th, 2021.Interesting finds inside the log! July 8th, 2021.
A Family Owned and Operated Destination Cross-Country Ski Center
