rwmaron Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 First I've heard of this and I live only ninety miles away! New Six-Passenger, High-Speed Detachable Chairlift Lutsen Mountains is pleased to announce the addition of a new high-speed 6-place chairlift this winter. The new detachable Caribou Express will replace the Caribou Chair on Moose Mountain, tripling the lift capacity and reducing the ten-minute ride to a quick 3.5 minutes. The new Caribou Express is strategically located where it takes full advantage of our 800 feet of skiable vertical and can access 95% of the terrain on Moose Mountain, effectively serving more than half the total skiable acreage. Towers are being flow into place tomorrow by helicopter with the lift on schedule to open in early December as snowmaking permits. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khoward Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Anything to promote winter sports is good for all. You might be training me on Epic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruincounselor Posted September 22, 2013 Report Share Posted September 22, 2013 Wow. I need to make the effort to get up there this winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted December 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 A little Christmas present for the North shore - from today's Duluth News Tribune: "Lutsen Mountains outlines plans....to replace gondola.....we are thrilled to announce the purchase of a new $7 million dollar gondola,,,,,the new gondola should be up and running to the next ski season". Hints at a possible expansion too. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNSurfer Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 That would be a substantial expansion. My only wish would be they do some earth-moving and fix Moose Return. This has always been an issue, and will be even more-so if they add 400 acres to Moose. The High Speed was a massive improvement. We did nearly 27,000 vertical in one day! New gondola looks pretty sweet. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 Heading to Lutsen Friday, March 27. Cooler temps and a little fresh snow, should be good. Then off to Indianhead Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 28, 2015 Report Share Posted March 28, 2015 "Ice-base" with "surface groom"...the new terminology to describe normal Minnesota conditions describes the conditions at Lutsen today. Surface groom consisted of coarse granular (ice pellets) with a mix of bergy bits (ice cubes). Not too bad, but you had to use your best technique and an ice board. The sun softened the ice base later in the day. Beautiful day overlooking lake Superior, one of Lutsen's best features. Got some nice pics...using the MEcam... Off to Indianhead tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmetroland Posted March 28, 2015 Report Share Posted March 28, 2015 Beautiful day overlooking lake Superior, one of Lutsen's best features. And the name that's almost too much fun to say in dat dere Iron Ranger accent... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 29, 2015 Report Share Posted March 29, 2015 And the name that's almost too much fun to say in dat dere Iron Ranger accent... Pronounced Loot$en, home of the most expensive lift ticket in the mid-west ( I was fortunate to have a comp pass). The new Spirit mt season pass will now get you $30 off a Lutsen ticket and 3 half price tickets per year. Lutsen reminds me of the old New England ski areas with a lot of narrow, steep (and often icy) trails--a real skier's hill. Even though the Moose Mt expansion has nice wide carving slopes, the grooming is often sketchy. If I had continued alpine skiing when I moved to the mid-west, this would be the only place I wouldn't be bored to death...but...it would be great for snowboarding on the rare pow day. Dem der Iron rainchers are found at the more affordable Giant's Ridge (not as much fun to say). Lake Superior (the inland sea). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmetroland Posted March 31, 2015 Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 Yes, as in lutefisk. I haven't ridden Lutsen in over 20 years, back when they allowed snowboarders to access only certain parts of the resort. But you're right; it's a magical view of Superior! The pictures are great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) March 2016 Time for the annual spring visit to Lutsen. I've heard the conditions have been really good. Planning to be up there on Monday. Easter egg hunt anyone? Edited March 23, 2016 by bigwavedave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 Ken and I drove up to Lutsen yesterday, Monday. Rode from 9:30 to about 3:30. Intermittent overcast most of the morning became mostly sunny. Snow was firm in the morning and softened up later. Decent coverage, though had to watch for the occasional brown spot. No lift lines and little traffic. Started on Bridge run which had hard frozen sections , so we moved over to Ullr for a more consistent groomed surface while things softened up elsewhere. We then rode the new gondo over to Moose where the snow was way softer and already mushed up into piles by skiers, so hard on the knees, but we powered through. Made a note to remember that Moose faces south and can soften up sooner! We saw evidence of a few new trails being cut on the SW end of Moose and what looked like lift towers stacked on the ground. Back over to Bridge run in the early afternoon for some great carving and finished up on Ullr with some fine surfy carving. Ken, being unfamiliar with the trails, usually had me lead the way, and said that there was a lot of rubber necking above on the chairs as we went by. We were aliens in a skier dominated world. Tracks in the firm early morning groom... ...and the last soft surfy turns of the day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobD Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 I was up there skiing Wed/Thurs last week. Conditions were perfect for carving. With the new high speed six pack on Moose, you can get a lot of runs in. I'm thinking about a Mon/Tues trip next week. Temps look great, and ski and stay for two nights is $140. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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