ERSKINE, Minn. – The Friends of Rydell and Glacial Ridge Refuges Association will host the Fifth Annual Candlelight Ski and Owl Prowl event from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at Rydell National Wildlife Refuge, 17788 349th St. SE, Erskine. The timing of the event will coincide with the breeding season of several local owl species, and hopefully good snow conditions, clear skies, and moderate temperatures.
The Rydell Visitor Center will be open throughout the event, and the refuge’s Golden Pond and Church Lake trails will be groomed and lit.
Visitors can ski, snowshoe or even just walk the trails during the event. Even though luminaries will be distributed along the two trails, it is recommended that visitors bring a headlamp, if they have one. Along one of the groomed and lit trails, an owl calling station will be set up, where the calls of several owl species – including saw-whet, barred and great horned – will be projected into the woods to try and generate a response from a resident owl. There also will be an owl education station set up inside the Visitor Center, where visitors can learn more about owls that call the refuge home.
Several pairs of adult and child-size skis, as well as snowshoes, will be available for visitors to use at no charge on a first-come, first-served basis. When warming up in the Visitor Center, participants will be able to enjoy snacks and refreshments, courtesy of the Friends of Rydell and Glacial Ridge Refuges Association.
If forecasted temperatures for March 4 are below zero or wind chills in the double-digits below zero, the event will be canceled and potentially rescheduled at a later date.
ADVERTISEMENT
For more information, contact Gregg Knutsen, refuge manager, at (218) 686-4329 or gregg_knutsen@fws.gov.
The Trust Project
