Mid-Season Adventures In Ely, Minnesota

With the snowmobiling season in full swing we trailered north toward the Canadian border to find ourselves in the mining communities of Tower and Ely, Minnesota, for most of last week.

Decisions, decisions…

Guided by helpful and knowledgeable members of both the Ely Igloo and Vermillion Pegnuins snowmobile clubs, we easily put on a beautifully scenic 350 miles of riding on the David Dill Arrowhead and Taconite state trails as well as cruising across well-marked lakes such as Lake Vermillion and many, many more! Aboard a 2020 Yamaha SRViper and a 2020 Polaris 850 Indy XC, the riding was smooth the entire trip – no doubt due in large part to the grooming efforts of the aforementioned clubs.

Both sleds are fun trail cruisers that remain ready to rack-up big chunks of miles with ease. The Polaris is more agile, light and playful with the ability to pull a wheelie with relative ease. But while the Yamaha was less playful of the two, it made up for it with luxuries such as a heated seat, larger windshield and standard plug-in (enabling my partner to utilize his heated visor for a comfortable ride). Being a two- versus four-stroke comparison it’s not apples-to-apples, and naturally the heavier Yamaha ended the trip with slightly less MPG average – although both would easily ride 100 miles on a tank before needing a stop to fill up.

Staying at the Grand Lodge Ely and the Fortune Bay Resort and Casino, we were spoiled with amenities such as onsite dining (and room service), hot tubs to ease sore muscles and even a little luck at the slots to end the trip strong.

A more in-depth detailed story of the trails and area will be featured in an issue of Snow Goer magazine next season, so make sure your subscriptions are updated!

Where have you been riding so far? Let everyone know in the comments below!

Editor’s Note: Every Snow Goer issue includes in-depth sled reports and comparisons, aftermarket gear and accessories reviews, riding destination articles, do-it-yourself repair information, snowmobile technology and more. Subscribe to Snow Goer now to receive print and/or digital issues.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *