With Borders Closed, Minnesota’s Northwest Angle Residents Must Travel by Ice Road
The Canadian border has been closed for a while but that makes things very difficult for people trying to get to or from Minnesota's Northwest Angle. The only way there is by crossing the Canadian border. Since that's not possible, how are people supposed to get to and from the Northwest Angle? That's when residents decided to create an ice road over Lake of the Woods called the NW Angle Guest Ice Road. It's 22 miles on ice and 8 miles through forest to get to the Northwest Angle.
There are quite a few resorts in the Northwest Angle and because the border has been closed they haven't been able to host any visitors, it has really hurt business. Paul and Karen Colson are owners of "Jake’s Northwest Angle, the third-generation resort started by Paul’s grandfather" according to KARE 11. Paul said they had zero people at their resort.
Not only did residents want to be able to go to the rest of the US but they really wanted visitors to be able to come and spend money in their town. That's how the ice road idea started.
They have to plow the ice road almost constantly because there are "no trees, buildings, or hills to block the wind" on Lake of the Woods. KARE 11 says they opened up the ice road about two weeks ago and they've been getting visitors, which is great news for them!
In order to use the ice road you do need a pass. It's $145 for one roudtrip permit and $500 for a season pass. Sandy Baumgartner told KARE 11 that the $500 is totally worth it because their cabin is on the Northwest Angle. Now they're actually able to get there thanks to the ice road.