great sleddin up nort

You and your buddies spend months planning your snowmobile getaway. Whenthe day arrives, you load up your sleds, your gear and hit the road. Whenyou arrive at that popular snowmobiling destination, to your disappointment,you find over-crowded trails. And your dreams of riding across untouchedpowder-filled bowls have been demolished by the tracks of the guys who arriveda day earlier. Wouldn't it be nice to get what you really want from yourtrip for once?

Well, a change of direction may be in order- head to the midwest. Onaverage, 166 inches of snow blankets the 160 miles of groomed trails inand around Grand Marais, Minnesota. The Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club maintains110 miles of this trail system and about 57 miles is the groomed North ShoreState Snowmobile Trail.

Trails

We began our 70 mile tour of Grand Marais at the old Cook County Airport,which is the Ridge Riders' headquarters and home to the grooming equipmentand club repair shop.

Our guide, Doug Gilchrist, led us from the club headquarters to the GunflintTrail to begin a 40 mile trek to our destination at Poplar Lake. We traveledalong the Gunflint Trail to Devil Track Lake for a brief play stop. We thenjumped back onto the Gunflint Trail and continued on to Poplar Lake. Thewide trails made for a comfortable ride and the fact that the snowmobileclub grooms at least five times a week helped make the ride even more enjoyable.

Once at Poplar Lake, we stopped for lunch at the Trail Center and BlackBear Bar & Restaurant, then we were back on the trail. On our returntrip, we opted to take the Y Trail, also known as the Expressway. We didmore lake riding this time, crossing both East and West Twin Lakes and thenback onto the Expressway to Tressel Pine Lake. Soon we were back in familiarsurroundings as we rode across Devil Track Lake and back to the club headquarters.

Most trails in the area can be accessed from downtown Grand Marais. Theclub trails can be accessed either from the west end of town or from thedowntown hotels via Third Avenue. The Ridge Riders are working on a trailthat will lead through town and connect to the state trail. There is alsoa plan in the works to extend the state trail from Grand Marais north toGrand Portage on the Canadian border. If that trail is approved by the DNR,it will be completed this summer.

Food

On our tour of Grand Marais, we sampled as much of the local cuisineas possible so we could give you the true "flavor" of the area.For breakfast, we tasted the eats at the Blue Water Cafe (218/387-1597),the East Bay Hotel (800/414-2807) and the Pie Place (218/387-1513). Boththe East Bay Hotel and the Blue Water Cafe offer your standard breakfastfare with the midwestern charm you can only find in northern Minnesota.On these menus you will find omelets, oatmeal, french toast- the kind ofbreakfasts that will stick with you until you stop for lunch. The Pie Placecooks breakfast with a twist. It offers a small menu- five items or so-which feature original, made-from-scratch food such as sweet pecan pancakesand hearty omelets topped with sausage gravy.

We mentioned that we stopped at the Trail Center and Black Bear Bar &Restaurant (218/388-2214) for lunch. Offering more than just your usualdeep fried bar food, the Black Bear Bar & Restaurant, jazzes thingsup with tasty vittles like homemade tomato basil soup, huge bacon, lettuceand tomato sandwiches, gourmet hamburgers and the house specialty: biscuitsand gravy.

We were so impressed by the food at the Pie Place, we stopped back forlunch. We would suggest the wild rice soup, the oriental beef salad or theturkey club on homemade sourdough bread. We also sampled the blackberry/peachpie- during the winter months, the Pie Place offers 20 different kinds ofpie and that number increases in the summer months to 40 flavors.

For dinner, only northern Minnesota can offer pizza from a restaurantcalled Sven & Ole's (218/387-1713). This unique pizzeria features pasta,subs, sandwiches, and of course, the specialty pizzas.

Sticking to that northern Minnesota theme, the Howl'N Wolf Saloon &Grill (218/387-1236) offers diners a large variety of tasty morsels frombroiled walleye to pork chops with cranberry sauce.

Lodging

Grand Marais offers travelers a wide variety of lodging choices. TheBest Western Superior Inn & Suites (800/842-VIEW) provides guests witha spectacular view of Lake Superior from every room. A complimentary continentalbreakfast is included and all rooms are equipped with a refrigerator andfresh brew coffee maker. It offers direct access to the snowmobile trails.Accommodations range from standard and one-room suites to deluxe fireplaceand deluxe whirlpool rooms.

The EconoLodge (800/247-6020), is located near the North Shore StateSnowmobile Trail. It features an indoor swimming pool, whirlpool and sauna.Rooms are available with in-room spas and a king-size bed, two queen-sizebeds or "family" rooms. Many rooms have views of Lake Superiorand a free continental breakfast is available.

If you are looking for accommodations that provide a more at-home feel,a bed and breakfast may be what you are looking for. The Snuggle Inn IIB&B (218/387-2847) is located near the Gunflint Trail with a view ofthe Lake Superior Harbor. The Snuggle Inn II offers four private rooms eachwith its own bath. Enjoy a free continental breakfast while you plan youractivities for the day.

The Superior Overlook B&B (800/858-7622) offers two rooms for youto choose from. The Lake Suite has a queen bed, whirlpool, private entranceand a large picture window gives you a great view of Lake Superior. TheDeck Room has either twin beds or a king-wide bed and also offers a lakeview. We were served a delicious Scandinavian breakfast before we set outto ride for the day.

What else is there to do?

If you're looking to mix things up a bit while you are on your snowmobilingvacation in Grand Marais, this quaint town on Lake Superior offers a largevariety of things to do.

You can browse the local Scandinavian gift shops off the main thoroughfare,Highway 61, or check with the Chamber of Commerce (218/387-2524) to getthe schedule for the winter events in the area. The Grand Marais WinterFestival, the John Beargrease Sled Dog Race and various snowmobile racesare a few of the popular attractions.

For something different, we tried dog sledding. If you've never triedit before, it is a unique experience that is second to none. We met ArleighJorgenson at his home in the hills of Grand Marais and were welcomed byhis 155 Alaskan Huskies. After some brief instruction, we harnessed ourteams and headed to the backwoods of northern Grand Marais. We guided ourteams some 25 miles.

Arleigh Jorgenson Sled Dog Adventures (800/884-5463) offers several dayand overnight trips. AS

Thanks to Steve's Sports and Big Lake Marine for providing us withthe snowmobiles we used for this trip.