Tour of the North Shore Women’s 2025 Cross-Country Ski Trip Highlights
Desire a taste of mountain skiing without the altitude? Head to the North Shore of Lake Superior, where you will find multiple options for challenging cross-country ski terrain. In the Midwest, it isn’t easy to find long, gradual climbs that last 1-2 km, but on the North Shore, skiers can find multiple long climbs while overlooking scenic Lake Superior. With a lack of snow across most of the Midwest the trip was almost cancelled. Just in time, the North Shore received two snowfalls, providing perfect trail conditions. Initially, the Tour of the North Shore ski trip had eight ski venues on the itinerary, but the snow was not plentiful south of Tofte, MN so the trip focused on three central ski trail systems.
I arrived a few days before the inaugural ski trip to check the trail conditions. I was welcomed with four inches of fresh snow before skiing the Pincushion Trail System in Grand Marais. The Pincushion trail system offered pristine pistenbully groomed 25 kilometers of challenging ski terrain with scenic overlooks of Lake Superior.
I was the first to arrive at the trailhead and followed the fresh corduroy ski trail lined with snow-covered pine trees. It had been many years since I had skied at Pincushion, so every trail felt new and exciting! My favorite trails were the Pincushion Mountain Loop and the black diamond Ole Hyvaa, which provided technical twists and challenging climbs.
After refueling with hot chocolate and sweet potato fries at My Sisters Place in Grand Marais, I headed to Cascade Lodge to explore the Norpine Trail System. I had skied Cascade Lodge trails in 2020 but had not ventured far on the Norpine trails. The Norpine trails are a dream for classic skiers. Side-by-side classic tracks on a narrow wooded trail with long, gentle climbs. The new 100 km classic Ski North Ultra Race scheduled for March 8th includes many of the Cascade/Norpine trails, providing solitude wilderness skiing. What I enjoy most about skiing on the North Shore is the less trafficked ski trails, providing a true nature experience.
I was finishing my ski around 4 p.m. when I spotted a s Great Gray Owl perched in a tree above the ski trail. I tried to get a photo, but the owl heard my jacket crinkle and flew away. Later on, one of the trip participants informed me of the Owl irruption happening all over Northeastern Minnesota.
“This winter, hordes of people are seeing owls. They’ve come from all over the country, and even overseas, because of a phenomenon known as an irruption. Owls that live in the boreal forest in Canada, hundreds of miles away — great grays, boreal, and northern hawk owls — have flown south to northeastern Minnesota in search of their preferred food, small rodents called voles,” stated Dan Kraker in the MPR News article.
Before the trip participants arrived, I was able to check out the Sugarbush Trail system. Full sunshine with below zero temps made for perfect classic ski conditions. I took in majestic views of Lake Superior sparkling below as I climbed toward Oberg Mountain on a portion of the Picnic Loop trail. I was excited to guide the trip participants on these amazing trails since most of them come from areas without snow this winter.
Nine trip participants traveled from Madison, Green Bay, Iowa, Pequot Lakes, and the Twin Cities area. We started the trip with lunch at Coho Cafe, just a five-minute drive from the Britton Peak Trailhead on the Sugarbush Trail System. Coach Mary McKelvey and I were looking forward to coaching and guiding this fantastic group of women through the woods of Northern Minnesota. The trails were in perfect condition for our first skate technique session. After perfecting our V2 drills, we headed out on Homestead and Hogback Loop, which made for a nice 15 km ski outing.
Following the morning ski, we checked into our condos at Bluefin Bay and relaxed in the hot sauna and hot tub. The group enjoyed appetizers and social time each night before heading to dinner at the Bluefin Bay Grille. Guests can partake in crafts, ice skating, snowshoeing, yoga, or a walk along Lake Superior.
The second day of skiing started with light snow falling as we focused on classic technique drills, followed by a distance ski covering 20 km of the Pincushion Trail system. The group enjoyed deep classic tracks as they took in the beautiful scenery of snow-covered pine trees.
Following our ski, we enjoyed hot beverages, snacks and yoga inside the chalet. In the afternoon, some ventured out for a skate ski on the Subarbush trails while others relaxed in the outdoor hot tub and pool overlooking Lake Superior.
Day three included classic ski adventures starting from Cascade Lodge. The Cascade State Park trails connect to the Norpine Trail System, climbing above Lake Superior around 1,000 feet and extending to multiple trails with lakes and long 2 km climbs.
Once again, our group was treated to more snow showers, which made for a beautiful ski along Deer Yard Lake Loop. The group looked for owls since many of us had been sighting them over the last few days along the trail. I even saw an owl flying into the ditch by Highway 61!
The women quickly bonded as we skied through the woods, enjoyed conversation over appetizers and dinner, and relaxed at Bluefin Bay Resort.
On the final day, we explored more trails at Sugarbush and took in majestic views of Lake Superior below. Sunshine, fresh snowfall, and pristine grooming made for a top-ten ski day of the season!
What I enjoy most about leading these adventure ski trips is watching the relationships that form throughout and after the trip. Two women participants had just met on the December Silver Star trip and reconnected on the North Shore trip.
Join us next year for the North Shore Women’s Ski Trip scheduled for January 22 – 25, 2026!
Kim Rudd
