E.J. Croft Yurt Closes for Season

The last ski party of the 2005 winter season spent March 29 at the Croft Yurt. While they had skied in from Gunflint Lodge the day before the warm weather had cause the ski conditions on the Banadad to deteriorate. After spending the night at the Croft and with temperatures hovering in the mid-forties, the Banadad ski condition were so poor they decide to ski out from the yurt along the Moose trail thus bypassing the east end of the Banadad.

With the departure of the last skiers from Croft Yurt the yurt was closed for the season.

Just a note about the Croft Yurt. The yurt log (journal) reads as follows:

"December 22, 1984 2:ooA.M., -15 and getting colder, strong NW winds. E. J. Croft Memorial Hut set-up for first time at Bedew Lake by John Ofjord and Ted Young. We had to truck in yurt materials due to lack of snow. Ice build up from earlier rains on platform floor. "

"January 9, 1985e. First overnighters at the Croft, Ted Young and John Ofjord. Temperature -20."

Good Spring Skiing on the Banadad Trail

Four skiers traveling Yurt to Yurt completed the Banadad today, Easter Sunday. They reported the track was still in good shape except for a few short sections where the moose trashed the trail. They also came across lots of wolf tracks.

With the warmer temperatures, into the 40's, the snow depth is dropping. A few days ago there was about three feet of snow on the ground. It has now dropped to around two feet. But take heart, there still is plenty left.

Spring on the Gunflint

Spring on the Gunflint Trail? Hard to imagine this with still three feet of snow on the ground and some of the best skiing of the season. Nevertheless since spring is the time of "birth and renewal" we present the birth of - the Edge. A new blog for those that have something to say about the Boundary Waters (BWCA) and/or Gunflint Trail.