Hwy 72 between Red Lake and Baudette

Looks like the weather will not be on my side for a Friday drive to LOTW. Winter Storm Watch and current forecast is for Friday Wind gusts of up to 60MPH and Blizzard Conditions for NW MN. Plan currently is to leave from south Metro area early on Friday morning (around 6am) and be at Arnesen’s no later than 4:00PM. That should be an extra 4hrs and we will have some brief stops to make.

I’ve been on that road enough to know that it’s pretty wide open and really nothing but sparse bog for about 40 miles. Anybody ever take that route in treacherous conditions? I’m really hoping it gets some extra plow attention as it’s really the only major road in that area. Do they ever shut it down?

I’m not towing anything, have 4WD, good tires and am not opposed to driving in bad conditions, but just trying to think of plan B scenarios, places to stop-off and wait out the storm if it gets to be a worst-case scenario and road is impassable.

we just drove that road home on monday………it was a really snow covered from wadena all the way up!!!!!!

someone mentioned to take 64 from motley but i have no idea if thats a better route other then he said it was a bit shorter!!!!!

good luck!!!!!!

Been on that route a few times in some very poor conditions. Ive never heard of it being closed and they have no way of blocking it off, but they could certainly pull plows and like you say there are miles of nothing so getting stranded somewhere is a high risk. If the winds are what they are forecasting that is going to be nasty.

glenn57 wrote:

someone mentioned to take 64 from motley but i have no idea if thats a better route other then he said it was a bit shorter!!!!!

64 is a pretty decent road, but there are areas where there is absolutely no chance to pass should you get behind a slow poke. I used to take it all the time going to Bemidji. If Im going to LOW from my house that is the route I take. If you are farther East or coming from the cities it may make more sense to go through Garrison, Aitkin and then up the East side of Winni to later catch up to 72 by Northome.

With a forecast like that you can expect that stretch of road to be ugly. Visibility will be very bad. With a 4×4 and good tires I wouldn’t be too concerned. Just make sure you’re prepared for the worst case scenario. Warm clothes, food, water, and phone.
You’re already making the right decisions by allowing yourself extra hours to make the trip.
Just take your time and don’t get in a hurry and I think you’ll be fine.

One of the years we went up it was really bad, not towing and good tires like you mentioned and I had no problems, others around me not so much. We called a guy in that spun a 360 in front of me and ended up in the trees. Did not chance stopping on a 2 lane that slippery. Saw others in the ditch as well. Take your time, leave early or don’t care what time you get there and you should be fine. Pack prepared to have to wait it out with food and beverage. Good luck, wish I was going with.

Im heading up there this Friday as well and not happy to see this forecast. Last week it was looking to be a lot better but man can the weather forecast change quick. Probably not likely but I hope the wind forecast goes down.

KP wrote:

Im heading up there this Friday as well and not happy to see this forecast. Last week it was looking to be a lot better but man can the weather forecast change quick. Probably not likely but I hope the wind forecast goes down.

that is EXACTLY what happened to us last weekend. buddy and i watched the forecast pretty hard, we knew we’d have one night of some cold air…but it turned out to be 3 nites.

the thursday nite and friday morning was the warmest, but the snow and wind they wouldnt let us out on the lake till friday, the nwhen we did get out the wind made it miserable to set up. 3 mornings we had -22, -32 and -22 air temps. had we known that we would of stayed home!

It can drift pretty bad. I had to drive that whole stretch mostly on the wrong side of the road once because of the snow fingers drifting in on my side everywhere.

Is taking 35 to 33 to 53 to International Falls and 11 west to Baudette a option?

Dutchboy wrote:

Is taking 35 to 33 to 53 to International Falls and 11 west to Baudette a option?

That would be a considerably longer route, but might be a great idea.

I’ve made that drive a number of times in terrible conditions, and it’s not fun. Slow and steady wins the race. One time in particular it took 12 hours to get to Nevis (3-4 hour drive usually), and we stopped at the cabin. Next day took over 6 hours to get to Baudette, but we made it…just for the roads to be closed on the lake. Watched the US-Canada TJ Oshie hockey game in the bar, tried to get out in the afternoon and pulled a couple resort trucks out, and they returned the favor before we all tucked tail and went back in. Same story the next day, and then had an 8+ hour drive home as conditions slowly improved.

Since you are going to Arnesen’s I’d still make the trip, and if need be stop in Bemidji or Blackduck for the night, but if you can get to Arnesen’s their track machines will get you fishin!

I’m heading up Friday also. Forecast doesn’t even look that bad to me… last time up there the roads were slick coming home all the way till about deer river. Just slow down and you’ll be fine

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Drive slow. Use 4×4. Done that many times in windy white out conditions. Never fun but doable.

This is great stuff, thanks all. I’m taking 169 all the way to Grand Rapids and don’t anticipate that to be bad. It’s the Red Lake to Baudette stretch that concerns me. My Weatherbug app is what notified me of the Winter Storm Watch and the wind forecast – and that’s coming from the NWS,

I’m very familiar with the I35 route and heading up through the range and Intl Falls. I may actually do that. 53 has much more forested protection from the wind and at least if HWY 11 gets nasty to Baudette, there’s many more places to stop and it’s easier to get help. We will have all our food, water and warm clothing in the vehicle so we’ll be prepared if something bad does happen. I’ll have my two boys, 11 and 13, in the Vehicle. They’re my main concern.

We’ll see what the forecast is upon departure and make a call on the route. The Winter Storm Watch area is really more to the west (Warroad is about the eastern edge) but sounds like the winds will be gusty across the whole NW part of the state. Thanks again, all – great advice/input here!

I should be right behind you. I have a appointment in Virginia at 8 am Friday, should take about 4 hours. Plan for the worse and take your time, you will be fine. If you want my cell number send a PM. Like I said, I should be behind you.

THANKS DUTCHY!
Very nice of you, I may take you up on that, just in-case. But really hope not to make your acquaintance – at least this weekend!

Call in sick Thursday and leave then.

buck-slayer wrote:

Call in sick Thursday and leave then.

Nope! Oldest has his last district Hockey Game of the season ’til about 9:00 Thurs night. Car will be packed before we go to sleep and will be up early and on the road, kids can fall back asleep in the car.

buck-slayer wrote:

Call in sick Thursday and leave then.

You are my kind of fishing partner

After looking at a updated forecast for baudette I think I’m gonna cancel this weekends trip. There talking 3-6” of snow Friday and wind gusts over 40mph. If that happens I don’t think many ice roads will even be open until late Saturday when they can get things plowed out

Coletrain27 wrote:

After looking at a updated forecast for baudette I think I’m gonna cancel this weekends trip. There talking 3-6” of snow Friday and wind gusts over 40mph. If that happens I don’t think many ice roads will even be open until late Saturday when they can get things plowed out

That will shut everything down up there. That will make a awful nasty mess

“That will shut everything down up there. That will make a awful nasty mess”

Yea that’s what I’m thinking. Been through it before up there and isn’t fun. Drive 7+ hours and find out you can’t go on the ice. Guess I’ll have to fish around home this weekend

well if its any consolation i just seen on facebook, highbanks resort on winnie is already posting that there lake roads wont be open friday!!!!!!

glenn57 wrote:

well if its any consolation i just seen on facebook, highbanks resort on winnie is already posting that there lake roads wont be open friday!!!!!!

I saw that too. I think a lot of others will follow also. Highbanks already had flooding issues on there landing last weekend now with more snow will be worse

ThunderLund78 wrote:

This is great stuff, thanks all. I’m taking 169 all the way to Grand Rapids and don’t anticipate that to be bad. It’s the Red Lake to Baudette stretch that concerns me.

I have done this drive many times in bad weather towing a wheelhouse. 4WD and 30 mph will get you there. In my opinion, 46 from deer river to northhome will be the worst stretch, dread it every time. Aitkin to Grand Rapids can also suck. 72 from Red to Baudette usually ends up being the easiest part of the drive.

Not worth it for saugers looks pretty nasty

Coletrain27 wrote:

After looking at a updated forecast for baudette I think I’m gonna cancel this weekends trip. There talking 3-6” of snow Friday and wind gusts over 40mph. If that happens I don’t think many ice roads will even be open until late Saturday when they can get things plowed out

Look at the bright side if you can get up there and then get snowed in = extra days of fishing

Go and have fun, be smart, be prepared, way too many times I have let the weather people forecast scare me off, only to be wrong and I could have gone. They try and succeed to grandstand and scare. Look at the grocery stores, you would swear the end of the world was coming. Don’t cancel unless you have to, enjoy LOW

OK so another question, as this is my first sleeper trip on LOTW – Arenesen’s has some pretty impressive track vehicles, but when conditions get really bad (IE 45 MPH wind and snow), do they ever pause operation? Sounds like we’ll be getting there during the heart of the storm.

I assume those of you who say you’re cancelling this weekend are doing a DIY trip with a wheelhouse and your lake access depends on plowed ice roads from a resort, correct?