Gunflint Lake Update

Laying a snowmo track for the dogs on Gunflint Lake to bring up the slush

Campers Island, the halfway spot on the run

Looking Southwest from Camper's Island

Looking Northeast from Camper's Island

Our first Gunflint Lake Experience is scheduled for tomorrow. The ice was confirmed safe two days ago. Fifteen inches in most places was the determination. The snow is relatively deep in some spots which continues to make the slush a bit of an issue. Slush forms on the lake when there is a lot of snow weighting down the surface of the ice. Pressure cracks then form in the ice and the water seeps out. Since snow acts as an insulator, this water doesn't freeze if it stays below the surface of the snow. A deep freeze will penetrate the surface of the snow and freeze the slush unless the snow levels continue to increase. Otherwise, the best way to create a frozen surface on which the dogs can run more easily is to run a snowmobile track across the slush which will bring it to the surface, causing it to freeze over night. This is what was done today in preparation for our runs tomorrow.