Midwest Mags....Working for Turns???

[TyWebb]

Its fuggin hot and I'm sitting at the geek machine planning ski trips. I'm going to be out west as often as I can afford, but I'm quickly realizing that won't be enough.

Here's my question to midwest mags, is there anywhere in MN/WI that has any BC potential. Lake Superior, North Shore? Lutsen area? Lacrosse/Winona bluffs? I realize that this request may appear to be

like a boob job on grandma

but info on any place I can get a fix in the area would be much appreciated.

[P_McPoser]

Its fuggin hot and I'm sitting at the geek machine planning ski trips. I'm going to be out west as often as I can afford, but I'm quickly realizing that won't be enough.

Here's my question to midwest mags, is there anywhere in MN/WI that has any BC potential. Lake Superior, North Shore? Lutsen area? Lacrosse/Winona bluffs? I realize that this request may appear to be

but info on any place I can get a fix in the area would be much appreciated.

You kinda have to ahfve mountains for theat shit mangh.!

[uglymoney]

There is never enough snow along the Mississippi bluffs. Plenty of hills around that are fun to eye, and think what if, but anything clear enough to ski is probably pasture and private anyway.

I've done some BC on the north shore of lake superior when I lived in the cities, and skied out from Lutsen, but its was more touring for fun and winter camping than real B/C skiing, and you can only really do it in good winters, the north shore doesn't have good years every year. You can cruise over to the porcupines and get some turns in tight trees that are for real and throw in some winter camping, but its a long drive from the cities.

Mt. Bohemia is an option.

Your best bet is an early morning flight from the Airport to Denver, or Salt Lake.

[TyWebb]

As I said, its

like a boob job on grandma

but when I'm stuck in good ole' Murderapolis in mid Jan reading about you turds skiing pow, I'll drive a sled up and down 500 feet of vert all day to get a fix if I have. Just gotta get out sometimes.....

[Rontele]

The Porkies in Northern Michigan.

[TyWebb]

There is never enough snow along the Mississippi bluffs. Plenty of hills around that are fun to eye, and think what if, but anything clear enough to ski is probably pasture and private anyway.

I've done some BC on the north shore of lake superior when I lived in the cities, and skied out from Lutsen, but its was more touring for fun and winter camping than real B/C skiing, and you can only really do it in good winters, the north shore doesn't have good years every year. You can cruise over to the porcupines and get some turns in tight trees that are for real and throw in some winter camping, but its a long drive from the cities.

Mt. Bohemia is an option.

Your best bet is an early morning flight from the Airport to Denver, or Salt Lake.

Have you done the drive from MSP to Bohemia, what's that take? Worth it?

[uglymoney]

Have you done the drive from MSP to Bohemia,

No, was just a pipe dream when I lived up there. I remember talking to one of the founders at a ski show touting his idea in the nineties, and he seemed like a nutcase to me, the kind of guy you'd want to be friends with but not business partners with, but it seems to be working for them, and I'm glad.

what's that take? Worth it?

Dunno, guessing 5 hours. Definetely worth it from everything I've heard. 10 hours for me, A-Basin is 12 or a two hour flight, so I doubt I'll make it up anytime soon.

Edit on Porkies: The back side of Porcupine mountain is skiable, but tight. When I went up you could buy a single chair ride for like 5 bucks. We did, skied out for a ways and then camped for a couple days, skiing the trees, which were pow. Still it was more of a camping experience than a ski experience. I think there are some other diehards who occasionaly skin up this area.

[TyWebb]

Tough to find too much info, as they've got a brutal website, but from all the reviews I can dig up, it seems worthwhile when your options are limited, pretty good story too. I've saw it listed at 270 annual inches. Thats a lot of midwest snow, even in the UP.

[flatNshallow]

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...superior+dunes

Readers Digest Version: Bohemia lift served BC, Mt. Houghton earned turns and this tidbit:

...if you're travelling through, or want some variety, I'd suggest Marquette.

Having skied all over da UP back in the day, I'll say that Marquette is not a waste of time like much of the other midwestern skiing. Granted, I've only skied Bo when it was backcountry.

Worth consideration (my old favorites):
If the snow's good it can be fun to ski the outruns of Suicide or Copper Peak, and there can be good touring/powder turns off Mqt county road 510, and the Blind End road (Blind 35). It is possible, but maybe not advisable to get into the Hurons...I used to work for the club and they're pretty hardcore about trespassing--I've also been on Mt. Ives as a non-employee--it can be done.

For a potentially sketchy but also very fun ski (again, pending snow conditions and access), find your way to the logslide area of the Grand Sable dunes near Grand Marais (MI, not MN)....this is about 500 veticle feet of open 35 to 40 degree pitch. Please be careful, this can slide into the lake, which is an unsurvivable situation.

I feel like a rat giving up my old stashes, but it's been 9 years and I'm not going back....take care of 'em, they're my babies.

If you put it together PM me... I've been looking for an excuse since reading that thread last winter.

[TyWebb]

If you put it together PM me... I've been looking for an excuse since reading that thread last winter.

I will....I'm going to keep an eye on the snowfall and try to get up there as soon as it makes sense.

[wanghoeby]

Yeah, I looked around the bluffs at La Crosse and didn't turn up much, it is very hard to get enough snow to cover enough of the underbrush to make skiing practical. Although, there is some really nice old growth forest in the state park north of there that I would love to try if we got 12 inches at once.

This winter I'll definetly be doing Bohemia though.

[Shredhead]

Your best bet is an early morning flight from the Airport to Denver, or Salt Lake.

I prefer early evenings flights. I can work all day and still make it to quite a few good resorts by midnight and get 1st chair the next day. From Chicago, the drive to the UP is just not worth it for me.

[brizz]

If you are heading up to Bohemia and want to earn the turns then you could check out the north face of Mt. Houghton, it’s just down the road. It’s about the same height of Bohemia and sees the same snow and little traffic. There is a switch back trail heading up the southernish side that is accessible off of the snowmobile trail.
Nice to see my old backyard mentioned. I’ve had some amazing and scary days in the logslide area between Grand Marais and Munising. If the weather and snow cooperate and you have a sled to get there, it’s probably some of the longer steeper and open runs in upper MI. Actually just got back doing some drunken summer sand skiing there.

[TyWebb]

I prefer early evenings flights. I can work all day and still make it to quite a few good resorts by midnight and get 1st chair the next day. From Chicago, the drive to the UP is just not worth it for me.

I got this message from another mag and it sounds like the same thing.

' don't know How they figure 5hrs. to Bohemia ;
I'd put It at closer to 9 .

caution about the SnowReport :
i'll go back after 200inches with >20 fresh ;
Cool Spot , but gets hit hard by the Houghton crew,
and no grooming means no real Base --

Go during an epic year, during an epic dump .


The Porkies have potential ,,,
but It's more of a tour and less vert. --
offTrail (backside) the trees are tight ...

skiing the UP can be sweet when the snow is Deep
( it's been a long time now since it's even approached 175inches -- 200+ was probably '97 )

good luck

5 hrs is one thing, but close to 9 hrs tells me its time to grab the Sun Country red eye, especially if the blower numbers are off by 100 "

[mnflyfish]

Ty,

The North Shore would be my first stop. I do a lot of fishing up there in the fall and spring and there's a ton of land available around Silver Creek, try to follow the drainage of Silver Creek, a lessor know river feeding Superior but a decent steelhead run that very few fish.

Going south is a crap shoot. On the South fork of the White Water I fish a section that would be perfect if we get good snow. Decent vert with a 35 degree slope and limestone cliffs. It even has a decent runnout before you hit the river. Unfortunately with the last 10 winters lacking major snow it hasn't been an option. I fished that section every weekend in January and never had a guide on my fly rod freeze up, it's just been too warm. If you're interested PM me and I can give you very specific directions to the spot. I will be deer hunting down there starting in September and could do a little scouting for you. The nice part about the Whitewater spot is that it's a Wildlife Management Area so you wouldn't have to worry about tresspassing and meeting some toothless bubba with a shotgun, though if you go before the first of the year you'll probibally run into a few hunters that won't bee happy to see you. If you go after the first let me know. Ski until it warms up a bit, then fish for those stocky browns and rianbows in the afternoon, followed up with beers in Elba, MN after dark. Doesn't sound too bad.

Lastly, it's been years since I hiked it but get a topo map of Gooseberry State Park, I seem to remember a decent vert drop there as well but you'd need to stop before the barrier falls at 61, or it would be your last run.

Good Luck,
Jay

[mnflyfish]

5 hrs is one thing, but close to 9 hrs tells me its time to grab the Sun Country red eye, especially if the blower numbers are off by 100 "

9 hours would put you in Sundance, WY where you make a choice of heading north into Montana or straight to Jackson Hole. Though it would also put you in the black hills which look like they could have some real possibilities if the snowpack was right. I drove through there the beginning of March and they were playing golf so I'd guess the window of opportunity is pretty small.

I could sneak you on Hyland afterhours and you could ski the backside into Hyland Park reserve?

Good Luck,
Jay

[TyWebb]

9 hours would put you in Sundance, WY where you make a choice of heading north into Montana or straight to Jackson Hole. Though it would also put you in the black hills which look like they could have some real possibilities if the snowpack was right. I drove through there the beginning of March and they were playing golf so I'd guess the window of opportunity is pretty small.

I could sneak you on Hyland afterhours and you could ski the backside into Hyland Park reserve?

Good Luck,
Jay

I haven't skied Hyland enough to know if that is a tounge-in-cheek joke or if there really is a little stash back there?

[TeleMang]

Bohemia is pretty kick ass for a midwest place. However, being near the cities you are probably better going west than going that far up to Bohemia. It is a long long way from there. Lutsen would be a better bet if you plan on staying close to home.