Northern Minn. ski resorts ready for busy weekend

Ski resorts in northeastern Minnesota are preparing for one of their busiest weekends of the year, but the threat of rain is a small worry.

The New Year's weekend is a popular time to go north to ski. At Golden Eagle Lodge, owner Dan Baumann said he's usually full, but he's had a few cancellations this year.

The forecast for nearby Grand Marais calls for a 70 percent chance of light snow and light freezing rain on Thursday, but it's tricky to predict the weather further inland, Baumann said.

"Where we sit we're in the back of the Sawtooth Mountain Range, we're at the Laurentian Divide highlands, so we've got everything going for us for staying cold and snowy," he said.

Baumann said the trails are packed with 6-8 inches of base, with nearly 18 inches of snow in the woods.

At Bearskin Lodge on the Gunflint Trail, employee Andy McDonnell said there's plenty of snow to work with.

"We probably have about 2 feet of snow, maybe a little less, and the total I saw for yearly snowfall so far has been 30-35 inches, so it would take a lot to really ruin our trails," he said.