Stadium Loops

Stadium Loops is a short cross-country ski route in Minnesota's Kawishiwi Ranger District of Superior National Forest, under 1 mile from Ely, with the land managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. It's rated moderate and runs 0.14 miles one way, or 0.28 miles as an out-and-back. The terrain is essentially flat. Skiers gain about 30 feet one way, and the round trip totals the same 31 feet of climbing and descending. Elevations stay between about 1,495 and 1,540 feet, with a start near 1,530 feet. The steepest pitch is only around a 3 percent grade, about 0.05 miles in, so the route works well as a quick warm-up or a link to longer skiing nearby. In the heart of ski season, typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ely run from January highs around 16°F and lows near -4°F to February highs around 22°F, so dress for serious cold. Pine Valley and Birch Highlands, two more ski areas, sit about 0.1 miles away, and the Hidden Valley Pine Valley hike is about 0.2 miles off. Fall Lake campground is roughly 6 miles away.