Last Skier on the Banadad after a Tough Year on the Trail

Judy Ross this year's last on trail

For the second year in a row the person to close-off the ski season on  the Banadad this winter season has a cabin on Little Ollie Lake. This year's honors goes to Joanne Nichols and her dog. She skied several days getting out as far as the Lizz Lake Portage a round trip distance of eight kilometer. Her last day on the trail was April 16.  According to Joanne  "You can't beat 60 degrees and nice snow on the Banadad. Making my own tracks was just fine!"

Swamp west of Tim Knapp Trail

Last year on April 8 Judy Ross closed off the trail. Judy also has a cabin on Little Ollie Lake. Both Joanne and Judy and their husbands hail from White Bear Lake..

All and all it was a tough winter season on the Banadad Ski Trail- A heavy wet snowfall in mid-December resulted in dropping much of the side brushed and hundreds of trees into the trail. The Banadad Trail Association made a valiant attempt to clear the brush and trees blocking the trail. Eighteen kilometers of the east end was cleared however as fast as that section of trail was cleared more snow laden  trees fell into the trail and the trail became impassable again. This continue throughout the winter.

Since most of the Banadad Trail System is located within the BWCA all work had to be done using hand tools. Thus complicating a all read difficult task

Clearing miles of brush like this

In attempting to clear the trail the Association funded  255 1/2 hours by paid trail crews supervised by Boundary Country Trekking at a cost of $7453 for the labor and snowmobile expense,  In addition some 83 hours of volunteer labor was contributed clearing the east end of the trail and two USFS crews spent  four days clearing on the west end of the Banadad and a day on the Moose Trail. 

Finally,  in early February, with trees continuing to fall, and overworked grooming equipment breaking down, the trail crews decided to concentrate on the eastern end of the Banadad through the rest of the winter. As a result crews  were able to keep cleared about 16 kilometers trails including east end of the  Banadad ,the Lace Lake, Tall Pines and Knapp Trails.

It is clear, that with much of the brush and down trees still remain on portions of the trail from last year's storm, the Trail Association has a herculean task ahead of them before the entire 41 kilometers  Banadad Trail System can be opened for skiing next winter.