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Bayfield Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Bureau
42 South Broad Street
P.O. Box 138
Bayfield, WI 54814

bayfield.org

 

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Kelley Linehan
Phone: (800) 447-4094
Email: [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 27, 2013

 

Early snowfall makes for best season start in years

Bayfield's winter recreation businesses have fantastic December opening

The Bayfield area has received a spectacular holiday gift from Mother Nature this year - over 63 inches of snowfall to date - making it the best winter season kickoff in years. Pete Kulenkamp, Mt. Ashwabay Recreation Area operation team member, reports, "The early snow made for the best opening weekend we've had in at least a decade. It took us two weeks to get caught up with the snow on the cross-country trails, and our volunteers are still grooming daily, sometimes twice a day, to try and get them from "good" to "excellent" condition." 63 inches of snowfall puts Mt. Ashwabay over half of the way to its annual average of 110 inches. "And we're still in December!" says Kulenkamp.

Winter Recreation in BayfieldThe solid base of snow supplies endless opportunity for visitors seeking winter recreation in the pristine country of the Bayfield peninsula, while enjoying the exceptional lodging, dining, and shopping options that the historic harbor town of Bayfield offers. (photo caption right: The Bayfield area is home to more than 100 miles of snowshoe trails.)

Bayfield and the Apostle Islands are known for being a challenging and picturesque location for winter recreation in Wisconsin's Northwoods. The famous Apostle Islands sea caves become magical sparkling cathedrals of ice, dubbed the "Ices Caves," a memorable sight for those who are fortunate enough to hike out and glimpse them while conditions are accessible. A fun way to view the ice out at Mawikwe Bay is to visit the Sea Caves Watch website at wavesatseacaves.cee.wisc.edu. Once Lake Superior freezes deep enough to plow, the "Ice Road" allows visitors to drive, hike or ski back and forth to Madeline Island. Latest reports indicate that the Madeline Island Ferry Line plans to make regular trips through at least Monday, December 30 and will have an official update regarding ferry operation on Sunday, December 29, after 1pm. There is a significant amount of ice in between Bayfield and Madeline Island and the cool temperatures are causing the ice cover to firm up very quickly.

In addition to these striking winter features, there is plenty of the fluffy white stuff to accomodate dog sledding, winter hiking, snowshoeing on more than 100 miles of snowshoe trails (there are nearly 400,000 acres of public lands in Bayfield County), 130 miles of groomed cross country ski trails, snowboarding and alpine skiing at Mt. Ashwabay Recreation Area, and hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails.

www.mtashwabay.org"Early season snowmobiling is the best it's been for years in the Bayfield area. The trails are groomed and the miles of forest roads have up to 2 feet of snow on them." says Gary Dalzell, avid snowmobiler and owner of Woodside Cottages. "Because the Bafield area is still a well kept secret with many fire roads and forest trails, we see fewer riders than more populated areas further south. And it's some of the best riding you will find anywhere." Ice fishing on Lake Superior's Chequamegon Bay near Ashland is also reported to be excellent right now. (photo caption left: Mt. Ashwabay offers downhill skiing and snowboarding, and groomed cross-country ski trails)

Visitors are encouraged to check area reports before heading out and can view detailed condition reports on bayfield.org, under the Winter Recreation Report, which is compiled weekly by the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Bureau. The report includes current conditions for Mt. Ashwabay Ski and Recreation Area, Pikes Creek and Jerry Jay Jolly Trails, Mt. Valhalla Winter Sports Area/Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, area snowshoe trails, Madeline Island Ice Road Access, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Ice Cave access, Bayfield County snowmobile trails, and Bayfield's sled dog trails. Area trail maps are also available for viewing and downloading.

www.wolfsongadventures.comWith cold temperatures and plenty more precipitation predicted for the lake-effect snow belts of Northwestern Wisconsin, now is the perfect time to make a visit to the Bayfield area for a good dose of winter recreation fun. (photo caption right: John Thiel of Wolfsong Adventures in Mushing has been running dog sled trips for nearly a month now).

For more information about activities and events near Bayfield and the Apostle Islands, visitors can request a free 66-page 2014 Bayfield visitor guide at bayfield.org.

 

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PO Box 138 | 42 S Broad Street | Bayfield, WI 54814
Phone: (715) 779-3335 | Toll: (800) 447-4094 | Fax: (715) 779-5080 | EMAIL