Skiing at Boulder Lake is like a time warp to the early days of northeastern Minnesota. Large evergreens loom over the trails, and evidence of glaciers past can be seen at every curve.  At times the only sound heard is that of skis displacing the snow they cross, and the eerie quiet makes one reflect on the days when travel by skis was necessary for survival.

Climbing the ridges, skiers are reminded of those who make the forest their home. Tracks of snowshoe hare and deer are abundant, and the familiar sound of the chickadee echoes through the silence of the still trees.  Several trees tell the story of a pileated woodpecker hard at work, desperately searching for winter grub in the bark. Others look vulnerable to the elements because their bare branches open themselves to the wind.

At Boulder Lake, skiing is only a part of the experience.