Minnesota · Cross-country skiing

Northwest Passage

0.7 mi
round trip
1,755 ft
climb
1,528 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Aug–Sep
best months

Is Northwest Passage open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Superior National Forest. It doesn't name Northwest Passage, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Superior National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Northwest Passage is a cross-country ski route in the Kawishiwi Ranger District of Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota, managed by the Forest Service. The route is an out-and-back of about 1.5 miles, with a low point of 1,412 feet and a high of 1,528 feet, and it is rated hard. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ely, at a similar elevation, show January highs around 15°F with lows near -7°F, while March runs about 36°F by day and 10°F at night. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the route's high point, so temperatures on the higher ground run a little cooler. The Slim Portage ski route and the Slim Lake Entry Point trail both lie about 0.1 mile away. Old Road and High Road, two other cross-country ski routes, are each about a mile off.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors