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About a dozen miles before Ely, we turned south on the Taconite Spur Trail, heading homeward. This was yet another beautiful route through the woods, groomed to perfection. At Babbitt, we skirted the western edge of town and turned southwest for the run to Virginia, stopping for a photo at the junction with the Iron Ore Trail.
The afternoon light was fading as we passed the Giant’s Ridge ski resort and cruised by the nearby town of Biwabik, heading onto the Moose Trail toward Gilbert. Just before sunset, Dave veered off the main trail and took us on some unplowed roads so that we could see an iron ore pit up close. What a sight, and what a treat to see it from the seat of a snowmobile!
Back on the main trail and pointed north, we said goodbye to Dave, who was heading to his home in Eveleth. It was getting dark as Todd and I motored slowly through Virginia, marveling at how well the route took us right through town. If more cities would allow an urban trail like this one, the snowmobile world would certainly be more interesting!
We finished with 135 miles on our odometers, already savoring the great day of riding we’d had. Before heading out the next morning, we visited the Blade Motorsports facility in Eveleth where FAST suspensions and Blade snowmobiles are made. Yes, the legendary Blade is still being built, with new state-of-the-art models produced to order. Seeing the operation from the inside was fascinating - and all the more so with Dave as our guide.
The Iron Range deserves its reputation as a prime snowmobiling playground. The trail network is extensive and with so many connecting routes, mapping out a day of riding is easy, no matter what distance you desire. This region generally enjoys plenty of snowfall, so conditions are usually good –- and a comprehensive grooming program keeps them that way, making it a place well worth visiting.