Anyone bike up here?

[bikingbruise]

I have a cabin off of hwy 46, North of Deer River, North of Winnie, just South of Squaw lake.

I've hiked for years the cutfoot souix, simpson creek, ski trail system.

The simpson creek I remember being in a prettly low area, lots of bugs, so we did not go there too much.

Cutfoot Souix, has the beach off of Winnebegosh that I've swam, picniced.

I bought my first mtbike this year and have not really looked at these same trails for biking.

This summer over the fourth I biked the ski trail. The bugs were insane. It really kept me moving. I did not stop for ANYTHING. The flies found two spots to get me; inside my helmet vents and my ass above the seat. The wind would not blow the bastards off.

I'm probably going up there w/e of Oct 30 if anyone has any ideas.

[fisherbikefreak]

Wow, biking in the Squaw Lake area brings back many memories for me. A good friend of mine used to live in the area. Anyways, I don't know of any real mtb trails in the area. You might want to check out the Lost Forty. If I remember correctly, that was the closest thing to a trail near Squaw Lake.

There's also a few gravel pits in the area. These were always good for a session. Hell if I can remember clear enough to provide directions.

We used to put many miles on in that area. We'd ride from Kelliher, to Northome, to Squaw Lake (have lunch) then head for Blackduck and back to my house in Kelliher. It would end up being about 120 - 150 miles. And that was on our 20" BMX bikes. Crazy kids.

[whitt_travis]

Simpson is your best bet... There's not much else besides wide open cross country ski trails.

Simpson has pretty good singletrack, and the bugs now should be gone for the season.

[bikingbruise]

that anyone would know the area to reply to this post. Small world. I'll probably do Simpson since it is listed and Travis is reccomending it as the best option.

I'm sorta itching to try to do the Farley Tower climb, just to see if I can do it. It's hard to even walk, so biking may not work that well.

I did the ski/hike trail off of 46. To the East it was really overgrown (at times I had to guess where the trail was). To the West, past the wayside rest, it rolls pretty fast, has some bumps from mostly roots. That section I practically grew up on.

150 miles. That's got to leave a few raw spots.

[TML]

150 miles. That's got to leave a few raw spots.

That's what I was thinking. . .

[fisherbikefreak]

It wasn't easy on the sit bones! At that age, if we were awake we were riding. Our bodies are tough when we're young.

Brett, you're in an area where if you can't find trails you should build one. That way you can make it what you want. Do you own any land? Get out the tools and build to your heart's desire.

[BridgeR]

Crazy someone else has actually been in the area and knows where that is. I have a bunch of land up there, but none of it has much elevation change to justify a good bike trail. Mostly just have some 4-wheeler trails through the woods.

[TrailPatrol]

Brett,
How 'bout joining the Backcountry Trail Patrol? We've been riding, patrolling and taking care of Simpson, Cutfoot and Trout Lake trails for about six years now, are registered USFS volunteers, and we are the National Mountain Bike Patrol in the Chippewa region. We have asked for an IMBA Trail Care Crew trail building school jointly for the Chippewa and Superior National Forests in the spring. We have members who live up there permanently, seasonally, and those of us who "commute" a few time each summer

We were up there on July 4th weekend. (It was also the USFS Centennial at the Historic Ranger Station area -- I wondered whose tracks those were. ;) )Check out our website, www.trailpatrol.org (http://www.trailpatrol.org) for more info. We're getting ready to head into winter (ski/snowshoe) mode here pretty quick, but there is still some good riding left until there is good skiing. :crazy2: BTW: If you head into the woods after Nov. 4, wear blaze orange shorts and no antlers on your helmet. (That goes state-wide, gang!)

Seriously, check out the website and let me know. We're always looking for new members.

Ride safe,
:banana:
Hans Erdman, WEMT
Patrol Director
Backcountry Trail Patrol- MN
www.trailpatrol.org (http://www.trailpatrol.org)

"In the incomparable splendor of backcountry trails through the forests of the
north, I have ridden with bears, watched the eagles soar, and glimpsed the gray
wolf watching me ride." H. Erdman, Journal entry, May, 2005.

[fisherbikefreak]

You'd be surprised what you can build on flat land with wood obstacles. It probably costs a bundle, but you can build a technical trail with structures built out of 2"x4" planks. You can pick planks up cheap at local saw mills. Many of them have rough cut lumber that is affordable. Your trail still wouldn't have a lot of sustained climbs. But at least you could add the fun factor into the trails. Check out Ray's Indoor mountain bike park for examples of what you can build (www.raysmtb.com (http://www.raysmtb.com)).

[fatbaldpop1]

Go across the bridge a couple miles north of Gosh Damn Place. Park in the USFS/Simpson Creek lot on the left. Head out on Cutfoot system (east across 46, S of whatever the E-W paved road is there), bring a map and it will wander around, going north over the E-W paved road and finally bringing you back over 46...you will have had a great X-C ride at this point (and probably gotten lost a few times..no biggie you will always bump into a forest rd or a paved road or some other road like element at some point). You will go through several micro forests on the way. It is pretty cool.

Once across 46 the next couple of miles are great, especially the climb to the Fire Tower (Take a shot down the steep trail to your right going down...it is fun and fast, though it leads nowhere you want to go....so you get to climb back up). Then head down the trail and you will be fired up about the next couple of miles. Ultimately you will hit the Simpson Creek trails over by Winnie and you can do those. these trails are best ridden in the fall after frost and it is reasonably dry. I tend to wear a lot of orange so only the people who want to shoot me take aim.
I think it ends up being 30-40 miles if you do it all. try it when frozen and there is less than 2" of snow. If you don't like that...well, you might end up with some cold parts but just head over to a bar stool at Gosh Damn Place and they have all one needs...

I ride it every year at Thanksgiving time. Last year a friend and mine got caught in an intense snow squall, which proceeded to bring on 20' of visibility, then night and very slow and difficult riding....It was a fall day when we started and winter when we ended. Sure enough, once we got to Gosh Damn Place they were hanging the X-mas stuff...still had beer and nachos to warm us up, though.

You can always head over to Suomi Hills off of 38. those are wide, but boy are they have hills...

[TrailPatrol]

Brett, you're in an area where if you can't find trails you should build one. That way you can make it what you want.

It's in the IMBA book; get approval before building trails on public land. Approval from the US Forest Service generally takes at least a year before you can even turn the first shovel. (I know you were referring to Brett's own land, but we have done a lot of work up in the Simpson/Cutfoot system to get to the point where the USFS is listening to our ideas. We don't want anything to hurt that.)

Actually, there is singletrack in Simpson Creek. You just have to know where to look. Also, we have approval to build some more south of the Farley Hills firetower, to get around what the horsies have chewed up with their hoofies.:eyeroll: There are pictures of the Simpson singletrack in my gallery here on the MORC website. There is also singletrack at Trout Lake.

Evidently John has done some clean-up of the lists, because everything about riding in the Chippewa was deleted. Yes, there are people who ride there. Yes, it has grown in popularity some. There used to be a lot more information here. There is still good info on the "Trail Conditions/Descriptions" pages. (http://www.morcmtb.org/trailreviews/northeast/simpsoncreek.shtml) You won't see a lot of people up there, but you will see more than maybe 2 or 3 years ago.

Simpson Creek, Cutfoot Sioux, Suomi Hills and Trout Lake are all open for hunting, so be careful, all Fall, but particularly Nov. 5-20 :shocked:

Ride safe,
:banana:
Hans

[bikingbruise]

Several people who know the exact spot in the frickin woods that I have gone since I was a kid. Lots to respond to...

Sean, I do have land up there, 40 acres but it is very flat. I have thought about doing sometrail building but it comes down to time vs reward issue. I usually only go up at most 3 times a year; Memorial, the 4th, and in the fall to close up.

Matt, you say you have land, where abouts? My cabin is off of Wausota Road (last posted road before Squaw Lake). West of 46, on Round lake. Sorta by Chipawaw Resort. (boy I thought I knew how to spell these Indian names).

I'll definely try to figure out the path that Will gave directions to. I need to dig up one of the maps that my Dad gave me when we hunted the area to see how they fit together.

I'm going up with a few friends for the w/e of the 30th. Lots of beer, some biking, hiking, all guy movies, wood fire, bring up my .22 and 9mm to shoot a few holes in defenseless cans, fried chicken and pizza, close the cabin. No wife, no kids. Ahh. This is my favorite trip of the year.

[fatbaldpop1]

Doesn't Adam Sandler play a character who loves fried chicken as well? Maybe he will be up there as well.

I am heading up with 4 kids tomorrow am. I doubt i will get over to CutFoot or Simpson. If you do, let me know conditions please. I will stick to ATV trails over in Blueberry Hills this weekend next to ski hills (ATV dudes, stay off of the ski trails..bad karma (and illegal)). Those are actually great to ride as well. the rocks and ravines and dips combined with roots and hills make it an area where you better have your A-game, especially on a 1x1.

On a related note, none of the enduro trails in Itasca are marked, but there have to be 1000 miles plus of those floating around. No idea of legality or how they were created, but I did ride Sugar Hills once and some how or another ended up down by Quadna...long ride back....I guess that would be an "Epic."


BTW, very few grouse last weekend. I hope pheasant is better.

[BridgeR]

We have about 240 acres just north of Squaw Lake off of Dunbar Lake Rd. Mostly flat and definitely some low-lying areas... great for deer hunting, not sure how good it would be for biking.

[whitt_travis]

Stop in at Itasca trail sports in Grand Rapids, there's a couple doods building singletrack on their private property, I don't know what it's like since I"m in Bemidji, but I think they ride on thursday nights.

Sugar hills is a mess, been there, done that, and wouldn't do it again... The best part is bombing the ski trail.

Simpson is hands down the best trailsystem till Duluth. Paul bunyan forest Enduro track is usually pretty messy also. Not much for a dedicated trail system in this area that's close to civilization, no offense Hans! I just can't drive an hour to ride! haha.

I might start looking for an area to build. Sucks not having anything.

[bikingbruise]

I'll let you guys know what I think afterward. I think it is supposed to be nice on Saturday.

I'm bringing two newbies up with me and THEIR bikes. I can only haul 2, so I will use some of the other cabin bikes that are up there and leave my new one at home :cryin: . That way they can keep up by slowing me down.

[fatbaldpop1]

I rode all of CutFoot and most of Simpson on Friday. The day was sick it was so nice. Very slow b/c of softness and leaves. The word of the day was Pheasant, especially the first 5-6 miles of CutFoot S of 35 and east of 48...


I am actually looking forward to the freeze so the trail will speed up...

[whitt_travis]

I might make a trip after a good freeze, we'll see.

[bikingbruise]

my planning, I never made it more than 3 miles from my cabin. On Sat, I waited around for my guests to get moving. I scouted out a ride for them, just down a 4 wheeler path by Round Lake. I got them to ride on Sunday. One turned around after about 1.5 miles. The other kept going but I really had to slow down.

I was laughing allmost the whole time because of the bike I was riding. A 15 speed, hybrid road, with NO suspesion, non disc brakes:mad: :mad: I can't believe how hard it is to ride even the simplist of trails without a decent bike. Going over 4" logs had me concerned.

The weather on Sat was picture perfect. Enjoy what's left of the season.