Black Widow

Black Widow is a short, back-loaded cross-country ski route in northern Minnesota, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. It is an out-and-back of about 0.6 miles, with a total climb of about 200 feet, and it starts and ends near 1,440 feet. The route is rated hard, and the steepest stretch comes early, around 0.2 miles in, with a grade of about 6 percent. Winter is the natural season for this ski route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show January highs around 19°F with lows near -1°F, while March runs about 39°F by day and 15°F at night. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the route, so temperatures on the trail run slightly cooler. Several other ski routes lie within a short distance. Mag View and Main Street are each about 0.1 mile away, and Otter Slide is about 0.2 mile off. For an overnight stay, Pokegama Dam Campground is about 6.4 miles away.