My wife and I are staying in a rustic cabin on White Iron Lake for a few days starting Friday. I'm wondering what the overall conditions are, especially in the woods. She wants to ski, but I'm thinking there likely isn't enough snow to ski or snowshoe.

Can anyone provide an update as to snow cover, lake ice safety (in general, I know it is lake specific), or any other information about how things are looking?

Mike

The ice is safe- 12" give or take. There isn't a lot of snow in the woods. I think there is enough snow on the lakes to ski on. Looks like Ely just got a little snow. Snowshoes would be pointless.

I’m out off of Moose Lake & there is probably 6-8” of snow on the ground by me. Took a bit of a walk today & it isn’t too deep for boots though it is deep enough to need to lift one’s foot when stepping. With the recent warm spell, the snow has become more wet, good for snowballs, compared to the powder it was recently during the cold snap. Some flakes falling yesterday/today though nothing significant. Weather has been pleasantly mild.
Have a fun trip!

Thank you both!

Mike

49 degrees F. Jan. 1 in Ely yesterday.

Any updates on the snow Mike?

I skied from the Echo Trail through Everett and East Twin down to Burntside. Wasn't great skiing (classic), it was around noon and the snow was soft and deep enough to eat the glide- ended up skiing a lot of snow machine track in the deep snow areas and in the vast areas of substantial slush (due to melt from shore I think). Better than not skiing. Some tracks from skaters that had been out when the crust was still tight though they did show lots of breaking through. I was surprised by how much snow was on the lake.

We were in Ely today. I averted my gaze when the dashboard thermometer hit 52 shortly after noon. It was 45 in Embarrass when we got there and warmer everywhere else. I would not plan on depending on skis to get me there and back:

egknuti: "Any updates on the snow Mike?"

Sorry for the delayed response. We got back on Tuesday.

Snow predominantly covered the ground on, in, and around White Iron Lake. Did a lot of walking in the swamps immediately SE of the lake. However, walking was easy because snow just wasn't that deep.

Walked the Stuart River portage on Monday. That was deeper snow, probably 10 inches or so, and completely covered the area. Looked like winter.... the end of winter, but it looked like winter nonetheless.

Mike