Skiing the North Shore
A Guide to Cross-Country Trails in Minnesota’s Spectacular Lake Superior Region
Get the guide to cross-country skiing in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin—from Duluth-Superior to Grand Marais and the Gunflint Trail.
Before you hit the trails, grab this essential guide. Get the skinny about the most gorgeous cross-country ski trails in North America. Join Andrew Slade as he takes you along 700+ kilometers of trails winding through the North Shore’s city and state parks, the Superior National Forest, and private ski areas. See why these perfectly-groomed trails have earned names like Bear Chase, Lonesome Grouse, Eagle Ridge, Picnic Loop, and Lonely Lake.
The guide is written for all who love to ski—beginner, recreational, and experienced skiers, families, and classic and skate skiers. Learn about 35 groomed trail systems from Duluth-Superior north to Grand Marais and the Gunflint Trail. Discover hidden gems and rediscover well-known state parks in winter. Andrew offers useful information about challenging trails for the expert skier, gentle and fun trails for a family outing, scenic overlooks where you can stop for lunch alfresco, and lighted trails where you can enjoy a romantic night ski.
Everything you need is inside the book:
- Detailed trail maps with driving directions to all trailheads
- Helpful trail descriptions and difficulty ratings
- Fees and pass requirements…plus free trails!
- Where to find current snow and grooming conditions
- Trailside lodging options
- The author’s top trail picks for best grooming, Lake Superior views, most family-friendly, off the beaten path, more!
Andrew Slade’s parents first set eyes on each other on the North Shore of Minnesota, and his life has centered there since birth—despite growing up in the Twin Cities. As a kid, he caught nets full of smelt at the Cross River, jumped cliffs into the deep pools of an unnamed North Shore river, helped to band woodcock in the open fields of North Shore homesteads, and shut his eyes tight each time the family wagon drove around Silver Cliff (readers, don’t worry— today there’s a tunnel through the cliff and Andrew’s eyes stay wide open). With his intrepid father, he had to abandon a mid-1970s assault on Carlton Peak due to a lack of recognizable trails.
As a canoe guide and outdoor educator in Ely, he learned that “sauna” is a three-syllable word (sow-ooh-nah). In his twenties, he bushwhacked by snowshoe much of what is now the Manitou-Caribou section of the Superior Hiking Trail. At age 28, in his “before kids” era, he was the editor and lead author of the first Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail.
Andrew graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in environmental education and from the University of Montana with a MS in environmental studies. His favorite wildflower is Mertensia paniculata, the native North Shore bluebell.
Andrew has worked for environmental education, parks, and conservation organizations on the North Shore since 1992.
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