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Weekly Trail and Ice Report: 12/30/09

From the National Park Service, 12/30/09:

Early season lake ice and snow conditions have been favorable making it possible to open and stake the entire Green Trail from Rainy Lake to Ash River and on to the Crane Lake community.  The Yellow Trail from the Ash River community to Kettle Falls is now open and staked.  Areas of thin ice and a major pressure ridge from Springer’s Point to Big American Island on Rainy Lake continue to hamper efforts to open the Purple Trail to Kettle Falls from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. Travel is not recommended in this area of the park.   With the recent heavy snowfall, pockets of frozen slush have developed on portions of the Green Trail.  Otherwise, snowmobiling conditions are good on lake surfaces and overland portages have plenty of snow for traveling but conditions are occasionally rough.   Lake surface ice safety checks in Voyageurs National Park will be performed again early next week and an update on snowmobile travel status will be reported at that time.

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) – Open & Staked
East Namakan Lake to Sand Point Lake (Blue Trail) – Not Open

Rainy Lake Ice Road – CLOSED

Ski Trails
Echo Bay Ski Trail – Open & Packed
Black Bay Ski Trail – Open, Packed & Tracked
Tilson Connector Trail – Open, Packed & Tracked
KabAsh Trail – Open

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

                     “STAKED TRAILS MAKE SAFETY SENSE”
                         ORANGE IDENTIFIES HAZARD