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Trail Report – : Ely, Minnesota – January 3, 2019

Ely, MN Chamber of Commerce

Reporter:Ely Chamber of Commerce/Explore MN Visitor Center
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: 13"
Date of Report: January 3, 2019
Area Report:

Taconite/David Dill State Trail

Snow: 12-20”

Base: 2-3”

Groomed: No

Condition: Fair

As of today the Taconite is ungroomed. The following portions will be groomed Thursday and/or Friday: Ely to the Pike River trail bridge (just east of the Arrowhead State Trail junction), and Hwy 53 west to Hwy 73. West of Hwy 73 was groomed over this last weekend.

Hwy 53 going east to the Pike River trail bridge has not yet been groomed because ice is not thick enough in a number of wetlands between Big Aspen and Pfeiffer Lake campground.

The spur trail leading from the Taconite to the Oasis Bar and Grill in Britt has been rerouted due to landowner issues. The reroute goes from the Taconite east of Hwy 53 (opposite side from the Oasis) to Peppard Rd, crosses Hwy 53 at the Peppard Rd Jct, and follows the ditch south to Peel Rd and to the Oasis.

Putnam/Fishing Lakes Trail

This trail remains ungroomed. We anticipate having the Putnam Lake trail groomed within the next week. We’re still unsure when we’ll be able to groom the Fishing Lakes trail because of ice thickness at a flowage southeast of Putnam Lake.

Lake Vermilion- Soudan Underground Mine State Park Trail

The park has five miles of snowmobile trails that connects from the Taconite State Trail to the Lake Vermilion ice trail.  This trail remains ungroomed.

Tomahawk Trail – No current report

Arrowhead State Trail

Snow: 14-22”

Base: 2-3”

Groomed: Partially

Condition: Fair

The Arrowhead is groomed from the Fortune Bay trail to the Frazier Bay shelter and from the Bill Morgan trail north to the 3K trails. The trail section from the Landing spur trail south to the Frazier Bay shelter should be groomed entirely by Friday night. We anticipate grooming the section from the Bill Morgan trail to the Arrowhead Link trail within the next week. We are currently checking ice thickness in swamps south of Elephant Lake and Ban Lake so we can determine when we can groom those sections. Please be aware of and slow down for logging activity throughout the trail.


News and Reports:

KCPRO – East, Kids Championship Power Racing Organization – January 5, 2019
19th Annual Snowmobile Fun Run – January 19th, 2019

Northland 300 Kick off – January 24th, 2019

Pink Ribbon Riders 2019 Snow Run Tour – February 22-23