Superior National Forest Update: December 18

Hi.  I’m Steve Robertsen, education specialist, with the National Forest Update - information on conditions affecting travel and recreation on the Tofte and Gunflint Districts of the Forest. For mid-December, here’s what’s going on in the Forest.
You can’t help but have noticed our unusual weather for December.  This is shaping up to be our warmest on record, following the warmest fall on record.  The rain and temperatures seem more like Seattle than northern Minnesota.  There is no doubt that climate change is happening, and the Forest Service has nationally acknowledged it as one of the main challenges facing forests in the future.  While it is a challenge, forests are also one of our best weapons in the fight against greenhouse gases.  A lot of carbon dioxide is taken out of the air every year as trees photosynthesize, and that carbon is made into plant tissue and leaves.  Forests act as huge carbon sinks, so the Superior is doing its part to help reduce carbon dioxide.
On a more local scale, that warm weather, rain, and slushy snow has created some truly terrible driving conditions.  In the warm periods, gravel roads have been soft and slippery.  In the cold periods, they have been ice covered and slippery.  Either way, driving this year on Forest roads requires slowing down, and paying attention.  If you’ve got a four wheel drive vehicle, remember that four wheel drive does not equal eight wheel brakes, and while you might be able to get moving fast, you won’t slow down any better than other cars.
As unplowed back roads become snow covered, their use shifts to snowmobiles.  This time of year can see both snowmobiles and cars trying to use the same roadway, so both users need to watch out for each other.  Also in the mix are logging trucks.  Portions of Old Greenwood Road, Greenwood Road, and Firebox Road on the Gunflint District are snowmobile trails, but log hauling will be taking place on segments of these trails as well.  A good rule of thumb in the winter is that if a back road is plowed, chances are good it is being used for timber hauling.
Elsewhere on the Gunflint, log hauling is taking place on FR144 (Old Greenwood), Shoe Lake Road, Greenwood Road, Firebox Road, Bally Creek Road, Caribou Trail, Ball Club Road, and the Grade.  On the Tofte District, people can expect logging traffic on FR 369 and FR 380 from Sawbill Landing to Isabella; on FR 348 and FR 170 from the Whitefish Lake area to Lake County 7; and on FR 1238 and FR 170 from the Plouff Creek area to the Ball Club Road. 
To find out conditions on snowmobile trails, and ski trails as well, visit the Superior’s webpage.  There are links there to our cooperators who groom ski trails, and to the DNR site which has state park ski trail and grant in aid snowmobile trail conditions.  The DNR site also has a map of statewide snow depth.  Our site serves as a one-stop-shop to access all these different reporters of trail conditions.
Speaking of shopping, check out our District offices for nature-related books and other items which make great last minute gifts.  Doesn’t every house in the north woods need a stuffed Smokey the Bear?  You can also still pick up permits for Christmas trees and other holiday greenery if you’ve really been procrastinating. 
Have a great weekend, and until next time, this has been Steve Robertsen with the Superior National Forest Update.