Hixon Forest Bicentennial Trail Temporary Closure

 

Chasing Snow in a Snowfall Drought

I am a huge snow lover and winter sports enthusiast. Back in 1991, my partner and I were lucky enough to share a cabin with friends near Elcho WI for over 20 years. It gave us a chance to have a headquarters to really enjoy winter sports up north and to try trails and winter adventures all over the northwoods. 

MN DNR Snow Depth Map

It also gave a multi-year perspective to notice a curious phenomenon - the gradual decline of snowfall during those years. We began to see that the snow that made us head up north to the cabin frequently came later and later each year. Multiple thaws in January and shorter winters also became the rule rather than the exception. 

This same pattern was happening south in our Driftless area too. Our snow cover came late and didn’t last as long and thaws became more frequent leaving trails icy, bare or heaving. I learned to get out and snowshoe immediately and frequently once it snowed if I wanted to enjoy my favorite winter activity.

Once we sold our cabin share, we headed up annually in January even further north in WI near Michigan’s U.P. and to MN’s North Shore where snowfall was abundant, snow cover reliably deep and trails were awesome. Chasing - and finding - snow away from home became an annual ritual. And we were seldom disappointed!

This year, after a small snow before the holidays, thaws left us with no snow at home as the new year started. So my partner and I started January on an eleven day quest to find some snow to play in up north in WI and MN. Here’s what we found in the new winter climate change paradigm of snowfall drought.

Our first stop was a stay in Phelps WI at Pete and Gail Moline’s Afterglow Lake, a small “Ma and Pa” silent sports resort next to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest about a mile south of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I’ve been there frequently over the years enjoying the hospitality and great trails that start right outside the cabins. The resort has miles of snowshoe/biking trails and cross-country ski trails that are meticulously groomed. 

Lake effect snow at Afterglow

While we had some gentle lake effect snowfall in the frigid days we were there, there wasn’t enough snow to snowshoe or cross-country ski in. Two days of heavy rain in late December melted the snow they had to an icy layer. The ski trails were closed. We ended up hiking with microspikes on the many melted-snow-icy patches on the snowshoe trails. That was a first. 

To say that the Moline’s are concerned about this lack of snow for their clients and their own livelihood is an understatement. And this isn’t the first poor snow year for them or the many other businesses like restaurants, taverns, lodges, hotels and stores up north that cater to winter sports enthusiasts. 

On our way to our next VRBO stay near Lutsen on MN’s North Shore, we passed through the best and deepest snow so far this year in Michigan’s Ottawa National Forest and Sylvania Wilderness area. It was still far less snow than this region usually has by this time but definitely deep enough for skiing and ‘shoeing. But this area was an oasis in a sea of scant snow across the north woods.

Dawn on Lake Superior

Lake Superior’s North Shore was also pretty snowless. It only had the remains of snow that fell before the late December thaws and rains. Once again we hiked trails virtually devoid of other people. It was clear to us while we were up at both places that there were far fewer snow tourists of any kind. 

Climate change that produces significantly less snow results in snowfall droughts that are affecting our Driftless areas as well as traditional high snowfall areas of the northern regions of those states as well as regions going further north into the Arctic. It is sobering to see the changes in real time as we chased snow this year.

Thankfully for the businesses, significant snow finally fell again the day after we came home in the areas we visited up north. My fingers are crossed that the temps stay below freezing to help their snow cover last.

Despite the lack of snow on our quest, we were glad we could support our northern neighbors by getting out hiking on the trails and spending money in the communities. It is one way to help them during these snowfall drought times. And even a snowless winter landscape up north has great beauty, tons of adventure and natural delights to discover.

Now we'll see what the rest of our winter has in store in these warming climate times.

Lake Superior always fascinates

Get in Gear - Deep Cold

-13F Afterglow Lake WI
Image - Michele Besant

Ok, then. After our December winter thaw, here comes some bodacious cold weather. MN meteorologist Paul Douglas wrote in his December 31, 2024 MN Strib column:

"Our mild, melty December will give way to a rude reckoning in January, with a series of character-building cold fronts. Highs will be stuck in the teens by late this week, and next week will bring a few crisp single-digit high days and maybe three or four nights below zero.

That’s not even close to record-setting, but compared to December it will feel like a cold slap across the face. Next week may be the coldest week of the winter. A lack of snow cover will keep us 5-10 degrees “warmer” than if we had snow on the ground, reflecting much of the sun’s energy back into space. Little consolation for snow lovers."

I looked in the mirror, said, "buckle up buttercup" and got ready to break out my really serious cold weather gear for icy days ahead.

Besides some of the inner and outer clothes layers I mentioned a few weeks ago in a cold weather gear recommendations post, I have a couple of other go-to gear items that help me tremendously during frigid hikes. 

Note: colored, bold text has links to specific gear brands mentioned

Warm Skin Lotion
This MN-made lotion creates a great barrier on any exposed skin during cold weather. I use it on my face to protect me from wind and sharp cold. On their website, the folks at Warm Skin write: "Warm Skin® All Weather Guard – Barrier Cream for Skin, Great Cold Weather Protection. Warm Skin is protection for exposed skin, it adds another layer of insulation to your normal protective attire for the prevailing conditions." Some folks use vaseline but this product, with more natural ingredients, is my go-to.

Handwarmers

A few years back, I was a photographer for many of the twice-weekly winter hikes for a hiking club I was in. So I spent some time mitten/gloveless on the trails in low temps. Ever since, my hands have been more sensitive to sharp cold, no matter how good my mittens are. I use two things to help keep my hands warmer:

• Lambs Wool Padding - available in pharmacies and wildly inexpensive, a wad of lamb's wool stuffed in the tip of my mittens keeps my fingertips pretty toasty. The advantage of this padding - all natural, re-usable and a great insulator. and the price is right.
• HotHands commercial handwarmers. These air-activated packets can last up to 10 hours. On really cold days when I will be out for quite awhile, I break them out. That warmth on my fingertips is golden. I use them sparingly because they are "one and dones." I hate to add more to the waste stream.

I also wanted to see what other hikers were recommending for suiting/gearing up against the deep freeze on the Women Who Hike MN Facebook page.  Here are some of their great gear suggestions:

• Rhiana H. - I try to have no exposed skin and wear ski goggles. It helps me so much to not have cold air hitting my eyes!

• Kelly G. - Gauntlet style gloves/taller boots when able. Keeping the area/blood vessels warm above the wrists/ankles improves warmth of the extremities vs shorter gear.

• Tanya H. - Wool wherever possible - scarf, hat, mittens, wristwarmers under the mittens, socks, base layer. Then several light layers over the base layers. For short hikes I do minimal layers with a good coat and ski/snow pants.

• Ellen H. - 32 Degrees makes a good, warm headband that covers your ears. Neck gator, Smartwool Merino wool base layer & socks, Duluth Trading Post Flexipedition fleece lined pants (I find these stretch a fair amount so buy down if between sizes), love my Oboz mid hiking boots and HotFingers gloves. Quality gear isn't cheap but if you take care of it, it lasts a LONG time!!

• Kat L. - I'll have to look into WarmSkin lotion. I make my own beeswax-based skin balm that goes on thick and helps prevent chapped lips, cheeks and nose from wind and cold. It's not warm, tho!

Thanks to the above women for sharing. 

Any other gear we should think about having? Throw your thoughts in the comments section.

And meanwhile, see you on the trails!

-9F view on the North Shore

All images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters