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Weekly Trail and Ice Report: 12/21/09

From the National Park Service, 12/21/09:

Park staff has continued monitoring rapidly improving ice conditions over the weekend.  Early season ice and snow conditions have developed in a favorable manner.  As a result, park staff is counting on the weather to allow most snowmobile trails to be open several weeks earlier than they have in many years. The remaining section of the Green Trail is now staked and the entire trail from Crane Lake to Rainy Lake is open.  Snowmobiling conditions are smooth on lake surfaces with the presence of 6 to 10 inches of snow.  Overland portages have adequate snow for traveling but conditions are occasionally rough.   Ice checking efforts will continue today (12/21) on Rainy Lake from Kettle Falls west to the park boundary and tomorrow (12/22) between Ash River and Kettle Falls.

Please remember that the snowmobile speed limit within Voyageurs National Park is 45 mph on frozen lake surfaces and 25 mph on all overland portages. Speed limit signs are posted at trailheads and overland portages.  Regular weekly winter trail conditions reports will be available on the Park website at www.nps.gov/voya.

Snowmobile Trails
International Falls to Kettle Falls (Purple Trail) – NOT OPEN
Black Bay to Kabetogama Lake to Ash River – OPEN & STAKED
Ash River to Crane Lake (Green Trail) – OPEN & STAKED
Chain of Lakes (Dashed Black Trail) – NOT OPEN
Ash River to Kettle Falls (Yellow Trail) – NOT OPEN
East Namakan Lake to Sand Point Lake (Blue Trail) – NOT OPEN

Rainy Lake Ice Road – CLOSED

Ski Trails
Echo Bay Ski Trail – OPEN
Black Bay Ski Trail – CLOSED
Tilson Connector Trail – OPEN & PACKED
KabAsh Trail – OPEN

Snowshoe Trails
Blind Ash Bay Trail – OPEN
Sullivan Bay Trail – OPEN
Oberholtzer Trail – OPEN

                               ~ REMEMBER ~
                     “STAKED TRAILS MAKE SAFETY SENSE”
                         ORANGE IDENTIFIES HAZARD