Making Tracks

The official name of this lodge—Maplelag Destination Cross-Country Ski Resort and Conference Center—is far too formal for the humble lodge. Plus, Maplelag really says it all. It’s a combination of Maple, clearly a reference to the sugar maple forests surrounding the lodge, and the Norwegian term lag, which loosely translates to group or gathering.

Sitting in the lodge, guests are surrounded by the murmur of polite conversation and collections of metal lunch boxes, handmade snowshoes, and old railroad depot signs that adorn the walls. Slowly, the guests begin to stir—Clang! Clang! Clang! The unmistakable beckoning of the dinner bell fills the giant hall. Guests respond by strolling into the dining room, where massive wooden tables display a sumptuous offering of filling fare.

Suppertime at Maplelag definitively portrays the character and personality of this award-winning cross-country ski resort located twenty miles northeast of Detroit Lakes. New guests are directed to find a seat predetermined by nametags placed by the staff—a nice touch that requires guests to leave their comfort zone and converse with those outside their traveling party. The main building is more of a community center than a lodge, and the guests are more like the members of a huge, extended family returning each year for a Maplelag reunion.

After a short round of introductions, another de-fining aspect of Maplelag’s charm is soon revealed. A high percentage of guests are repeat visitors, some of them marking a dozen or more visits a year. They first came in parties of single skiers out for a fun-filled skiing weekend. They enjoyed it so much they return every year, bringing growing families with them each succeeding season. Some even met their spouse during a previous trip to Maplelag.

But step outside the comfy lodgings at Maplelag and discover why the resort really shines. The resort features more than sixty kilometers of well-groomed, double-track trails that loop and interconnect through 660 acres of land dotted with maple trees and kettle lakes. Advanced skiers and beginners alike will find trails well suited to their experience levels. Beginners are encouraged by the short, flat loop called Mother Hen, while advanced skiers test their skills on Kamikaze Hill, an ominous mound along the four-kilometer-long Skater’s Waltz run. Trails vary from one to six kilometers in length, with a few longer exceptions, and routes pass beaver dams and remote lakes, traveling over country that is shared with deer, moose, and even an elusive pack of wolves. All intersections are clearly marked, enabling skiers to combine routes through a seemingly endless but nonthreatening maze of trails.

The resort staff also offers services, including  personalized instruction, daily trail grooming, and a full rental and repair shop. These little touches put Maplelag in the running as a first-class cross-country resort—the lodge was even voted as the number one cross-country ski lodge in a poll sponsored by Fischer cross-country skis.

It’s not hard to see why Maplelag has so many returning guests. Since 1974, when owners Jim and Mary Richards bought the fifty-six acres of property on Little Sugarbush Lake, the lodge has faithfully focused on the modest needs and casual comforts of its guests. Those first years were spent turning maple sap into a lucrative syrup business that produced more than 400 gallons in one season. Soon the Richardses were entertaining lodgers over the weekends. Guests would bring their own food and sleeping bags, and this seedling of a lodging business took root.

You can’t talk about Maplelag without mentioning the family behind the operation. Jim Richards’s broad interests are ever present throughout the museumlike collections. Mary Richards has been by Jim’s side since those first drops of maple sap started to flow. Her personalized touches can be seen throughout the lodge—especially in the kitchen. Son Jay, who excelled in cross-country skiing while attending Concordia College, now develops and maintains the ski trails at Maplelag and also gets involved in many of the events.

The family atmosphere just lends to the casual feeling that still prevails at the lodge. Guests continue to bring their own sleeping bags (although they can rent linens and towels) and sleep in fairly modest but comfy lodgings that range from simple cabinlike quarters with wide bunk beds to refurbished railroad caboose suites. The individual accommodations, like the lodge, call for guests to collect in a group, as there are no TVs, phones, or video games in the rooms. Instead, guests are encouraged to ice skate, snowshoe, read in the lodge, or participate in the variety show held every Saturday night. The family also aims to provide the comforts of home to all guests. If the Scandinavian–inspired foods, which often include imported lingonberries, flat breads, and cheeses, don’t fill you up, head to the snack station where there are bottomless cookie jars next to the endless spout of steaming coffee, tea, cider, and hot chocolate.

You are your own pacemaker at Maplelag. There are few distractions here. The main lodge offers a quiet haven to read or reflect. It’s like a big family living room and you are surrounded by relatives who seldom visit. If you need more quiet—but don’t want the solitude of your room—you can venture up to the library. The entire second floor of the lodge is one huge reading room. A wide, thickly padded bench runs along the perimeter of the hall with wall-mounted reading lights installed every few yards, creating individual reading stations for guest. Standing like sentries along the central core of the library are columns made of pine burls that were harvested near a thermal area of Yellowstone Park. It’s just another touch of class at Maplelag.

Tom Watson is a freelance writer who lives in Owatonna and often writes about the outdoors.

Pricing and Special Weekends So what is the price tag for this northwoods retreat? Just ask anyone who’s been coming here for the past nine years—the rates are the same today as they were before the turn of the century. Prices include all meals, snacks, and beverages, as well as use of the sauna, hot tub, and steam room. Trail fees are also included. The average weekend rates vary from $225 to $322 for adults; $199 for teens fifteen to seventeen; $139 for ages eight to fourteen; and $109 for youngsters four through seven. A long weekend package is about 20 to 30 percent higher, while midweek rates drop about 20 to 30 percent. There is a family discount and kids under three are always free. If you want to rent bed linens and towels instead of bringing your own, the lodge charges $15 per person or $22 per couple for bedding and $7 per person for towel service. Maplelag can host approximately 200 guests at a time. There are also rates for summer conferences and events as well. You can get current rates for all combinations of lodging options at the lodge’s website. Jim Richards also gives returning guests first crack at booking the same weekend the following year—and there are some who have kept their spots for decades. There are also special-event weekends throughout the year when the lodge hosts dances, dinners, and entertainment for its guests. Some highlights from the 2008 calendar include specials such as 20 percent off midweek rates, as well as Snow Moon and March Madness Specials. And the lodge will play host to events such as the Detroit Lakes Invitational cross-country ski meet, Martin Luther King extended weekend, the traditional technique Lotvola Cup on March 2, and the thirteenth annual MooseJaw 2008—featuring clog dancing, food, and merriment—from March 7 to 9.