On Saturday, February 15th, the Friends of Rydell and Glacial Ridge Refuges Association will be hosting a Candlelight Ski and Owl Prowl at Rydell National Wildlife Refuge near Erskine, MN from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

The Refuge’s Golden Pond and Church Lake trails will be groomed and lighted for this event. Visitors will be able to ski, snowshoe, or walk the trails during this event. There will be several pairs of adult and child size skis as well as snowshoes available for visitors to use free of charge on a first come, first served basis. Visitors are also welcome to bring their own skis or snowshoes.Although luminaries will be lit along the trails, we recommend visitors bring a headlamp if they have one.

Along one of the groomed and lighted trails, an owl calling station will be set up where the calls of several owl species (e.g., saw whet, barred, great horned) will be projected into the woods to try and generate a response from a resident owlor two.

There will also be an owl education station and a black bear education table set up in different gazebos along the trails. The Visitor Center will be open throughout the event for warming up, and snacks and warm beverages will be provided courtesy of the Friends group.

If on February 15th trail conditions lack snow and the trails are not too icy, the event will be changed to a hike. If forecasted temperatures are below zero or wind chills in the double-digits below zero or the trails are too icy, the event will be canceled and potentially rescheduled for a later date.

If you have questions or want more information, contact FRGRRA Vice President Larissa Fitzgerald at (571) 499-3880 or lafitzgerald10@gmail.com.