Winter Patrol Activities

Click HERE for Winter Event Patrol schedule.

    Although the Backcountry Trail Patrol is normally thought of as a mountain bike patrol, we are much more than what our Training Officer, Mike Randall, called "a mountain bike patroller who gets bored in the winter." The roots of the Backcountry Patrol go back to 1992, when the same park rangers who would start the bike patrol three years later, were given responsibility for the volunteer ski patrol in the Anoka County Parks. The rangers and volunteers were sent to training with the Hennepin (now Three Rivers) Parks volunteer patrol and the National Ski Patrol at Wild River State Park, and what would become the Backcountry Trail Patrol was born. In 2000 the group started doing patrol as volunteers at Lake Maria State Park and Sand Dunes State Forest. As time progressed and the patrol grew, we developed our own training programs and added training in trail care, grooming and area operations, as well as snowshoe patrol and winter camping. We also started winter safety education and outreach programs including our annual Backcountry Winter Workshop and the Junior Snow Ranger program. In 2001, when other Nordic ski patrol resources in the region were too busy to cover all of the numerous winter events in the Twin Cities area, medical and event directors for skiing races who knew us from the Twin Cities Marathon and Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival,  started contacting the bike patrol to see if we could help out. We responded enthusiastically, and became the official ski patrol at several races, including the City of Lakes Loppet Urban Ski Marathon.

    So as the biking season comes to an end (other then "winter biking"-see below) and the winter season starts blowing around the corners, the Backcountry Trail Patrol is preparing for an active and hopefully snowy winter at Sand Dunes State Forest, Lake Maria State Park and even some activity in the Chequamegon National Forest! Watch for our red anoraks on the trails and at the City of Lakes Loppet, 24 Hours of Telemark, North End Ski Classic and Twin Cities Snowshoe Shuffle. Better yet, join us! Contact any patrol member or E-mail Backcountry@nospamtrailpatrol.org (Remove the "nospam" for emailing us.) for more information.

A new program for young people, available now region-wide through the 

E-mail Backcountry@nospamtrailpatrol.org (Remove the "nospam" for emailing us.) for more information.

2008 Backcountry Winter Workshop and Rendezvous

will be held as part of the Lake Maria State Park Family Fun Day on January 19th, 2008

The 2007 Events were supported by:

Two independent volunteer backcountry ski organizations in California

Thanks to both for the help they have given to our winter patrol program!

Patroller Equipment List moved to "Equipment" page.

Craig  Zimmer            Blue Trail Loop, Sand Dunes State Forest            Tommy Rodengen

Sand Dunes State Forest

From SkinnySki.com, Oct. 30, 2003

Revised November 27, 2007

Often overlooked among the multitude of cross country ski trails near the Twin Cities area, Sand Dunes State Forest near Zimmerman is an undiscovered gem for skiers and snowshoers looking for the quietness of a rural setting, and serenity of the forest trail system that sees infrequent use, and often has snow when other trails do not.

In 2002, the Minnesota DNR shifted management of state forest recreation areas to the state parks. The Bob Dunn Recreation Area at Sand Dunes is now managed by Lake Maria State Park in nearby Monticello, which has a long-standing reputation for excellent trails and skiing. Over the past two summers the forest recreation staff and volunteers have worked on extending that reputation to the trails at Sand Dunes. New, easier to follow trail markers have been installed, along with new maps at major trail intersections, and over two kilometers of trail that had not been groomed in recent years will return to the system when the snow falls. In 2005-2006, a newly designated Snowshoe and winter hiking trail will add more available trails to the rec area. 

Over the years the Sand Dunes trails have had numerous types of marking systems and signs, and remnants of each type used in the past could still be found at one place or another on the trails. Rangers also realized that some signs pointed in the wrong direction, or were unreadable, while others has been damaged or shot at by vandals. Over the past two seasons rangers, volunteers and the Sherburne County STS Crew have removed all the old, non-conforming signs and markers (except where blaze removal might damage a tree) and installed all wood, matching sign posts and carsonite trail markers. Trail surfaces in sandy areas have been smoothed out, and the 1.4 mile long loop road through the Lake Ann Campground will be marked and groomed for skiing, returning that section to the other five loops in the trail system. This will bring the total groomed trail distance to 7.7 km (4.6 miles) which will be groomed for classical skiing only. Skiers who are interested in trying out winter camping may use any of the 40 sites in the campground without charge, but are requested to practice "Leave No Trace" camping ethics, and pack out whatever they pack in for camping.

5th Annual Moon and Candlelight Ski Night

The 5th Annual Sand Dunes Candlelight Ski/Snowshoe Night will be held on February 16th, at the North Trailhead, located at the intersection of Sherburne County Rd. 4 and 168th St., approximately 5 miles west of Zimmerman, MN. There will be a bonfire and refreshments, hosted by the Backcountry Trail Patrol Association. Skiers of all abilities are welcomed, and there will be patrollers and rangers on the trail to assist participants if needed.

Volunteers from the Backcountry Trail Patrol will be patrolling the Sand Dunes trails on a regular basis, as the snow conditions permit, to provide first aid, information and assistance if needed, throughout the winter. They are currently seeking ski patrol volunteers (see the "Patrol" page on this web site). In addition, in 2004 the patrol  assumed responsibility for the grooming and maintenance of the Sand Dunes ski trails. The DNR has provided a heavy-duty snowmobile and groomer, which patrol members have been trained to use for trail grooming. 

Skiers who skiing on the Sand Dunes State Forest Ski Trails are reminded that they must have a valid Great Minnesota Ski Pass to ski on these trails. Hiking and pet walking are not allowed on the groomed ski trails. Daily passes may be purchased at the nearby Orrock Store. Snowshoers may go any place in the forest except on groomed ski trails, but a new trail for snowshoers will be added to the Sand Dunes map this year.  Snowmobiles, horses, hunting and shooting are also illegal in the recreation area and on the ski trails.

Further information can be found at www.wintersnowtrails.org , or by calling the Lake Maria State Park office at 763 878-2325 Trail conditions will be posted to www.skinnyski.com on a regular basis, and updated as needed.

Testing "Winter Bikes" 

Could these bikes from Alaska expand the northern bike patrol season to year-round?

The concept of riding bikes in the winter is neither new, nor is it limited to Minnesota. Most of us considered people who ride bikes after the snow falls, to have a little "frostbite of the brain". That is, until we tried it ourselves. Then, biking in winter adds a whole new definition to "hot!"

In recent years, here in Minnesota, we have had a hard time living up to our reputation as "the icebox of the nation." When we have snow, it warms up and goes away. When it is really cold, we rarely have snow to go with it. It's very frustrating if you are into activities such as snowshoeing, cross-country and backcountry skiing and winter camping, as I am. Whether you attribute this to "global warming" or "climatic cycles", it all comes down to poor skiing and snowshoeing conditions, particularly in the area of Minnesota south of Lake Mille Lacs. This year, has been no different, with good snow and cold in December, a record warm January and cold but dry February. As a result, the snow we have at Sand Dunes State Forest, while plentiful in the woods, is thin and very icy on the ski trails.

I can honestly say that, in the past eight years or so since this phenomena has become apparent, in some years I have ridden either my "police-type" mountain bike or my road bike every month of the year. When the snow wasn't skiable, it was the only way to get out and get some exercise. But all the riding was on paved trails or roads. A number of my biking friends either commute or ride recreationally in the winter, and some of them even race with studded MTB tires and cold weather clothing, but I preferred to stick to my skis and sometimes my snowshoes when there was snow on the ground, and to ride my bike when it wasn't. (I even rode my bike around my neighborhood looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve one year when we had a brown Christmas.)

Meanwhile, up in Alaska, a curious development was taking place in the field of mountain biking; A race, called the "Iditabike" (which has now morphed into a multi-sport event called the "Iditarod Trail Invitational") was first run in 1986 on the famous Iditarod Sled Dog Race Trail from Anchorage to Nome. In order to have bikes that could travel over the snow in the brutally harsh conditions of the Alaskan winter, these riders did some radical modifications to their bikes, which resulted in what is now referred to as the "adventure" or "winter" mountain bike.

I finally had a chance to ride one of these bikes late in February,  and I felt like Will Smith when he took off in the alien space ship in "Independence Day;" "I have got to get me one of these!" I have found my snowmobile! For comparisons sake, I rode my own Trek 4600 on the snowmobile trail at Martin-Island-Linwood Lakes Regional Park (West of Wyoming, MN) before John Evingson got there with his bikes. With the 2.0 WTB WeirWolves on my Trek 4600, I had no problem going forward or even turning, but I hit an ice patch, and that was all she wrote; I went down.

When John got there with the Winter Bikes (Evingson front fork on Surly Pugsley frame, although he also makes frames himself.) we went back out on the snowmobile trail, and there is simply no comparison! I rode over the same icy spot, twice, with no problem. The wide tires float over the ice and snow on the snowmobile trails, and even work in the (slightly) softer stuff alongside the trail. We came back in and went out on Linwood Lake itself. (The ice fishermen must have thought we were crazy...but then again, the feeling is mutual!)  What a great ride. 

The key component of the Winter Bikes are, of course, the 29 inch tall, 3.7 inch wide, relatively low pressure Surly Endomorph tires which are designed for use on snow and sand. There are several tires available in the 3-inch-plus category. The Endomorph is the widest by a half an inch or more. The extra size of these tires makes up for the fact that the front forks do not have suspension, and gave me a smooth ride even over snowmobile-produced corduroy on the trail. Of course at tire that wide requires a special frame and fork to fit them, which is where Evingson, Surly, and a couple of other manufacturers and custom frame builders come in. Most of the custom builders are, not surprisingly, located in Alaska.

The Winter Bike has the potential of greatly expanding our patrol activities in the winter season, but more than that it is just a lot of fun to ride. Now, I just need to figure out how to put skis on a BoB trailer!--Hans Erdman