The Ely Igloo Snowmobile Club was organized in 1960 and became the first club of its kind in the USA. The Ely Igloos were also one of the founding members of the International Snowmobile Association (ISA), which later became known as today’s Minnesota United Snowmobile Association (MnUSA).
Members of the club have developed trails in the Ely area, and each year in preparation for the upcoming snowmobile season, numerous club members volunteer their time to clear the trails of trees and branches.
An important mission of the Ely Igloo Snowmobile Club has been, from the very beginning, training of young snowmobile riders with a Snowmobile Safety Class taught each year. These classes teach boys and girls of at least 11 years of age about the proper etiquette of snowmobiling and the rules of the trail.
In recent years, the Ely Igloo Snowmobile Club has taken on the task of grooming the Ely area trails. The club receives funding from the state to maintain and groom the grant-in-aid Tomahawk Trail. Other local trails like the Bianchi Trail (off the Taconite Trail), the Ely/Winton Railroad Grade, and the 13 Corners Trail are also groomed by our club.
In addition, our club has taken on the task of staking and grooming numerous lake trails including Shagawa Lake/Fall Lake Trail, Burntside Lake Trail, Bass Lake Trail, White Iron Lake/Birch Lakes Trail, Little Long Lake Trail, Fall Lake/Cedar Lake Trail, Grassy Lake Trails and the Mud Lake Trail to Lake Vermilion.
Well Being Development is a 501(c)3 organization located in Ely, Minnesota. The Northern Lights Clubhouse is the main program of Well Being Development.
Well Being Development is also the fiscal agent of the Ely Behavioral Health Network and the Ely Community Wellness Fund.
Our Vision
All people achieve their potential and are respected as friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers
Our Mission
To inspire and foster activities that develop and enhance the mental well being of residents in and around Babbitt, Ely, Embarrass, Soudan, Tower, and Winton, Minnesota
Visit our website for more.
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 714
Ely, Minnesota 55731
Located in Ely, Minnesota, we are the Sigurd F. Olson legacy organization. Founded in 1998, Listening Point Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to keep Sig’s legacy and wilderness philosophy alive in the world today.
Listening Point Foundation works to create strong connections with our community and supporters near and far. Our volunteer tour guides take visitors from Ely out in all seasons to experience the coziness of the Olson family home, the historic Writing Shack, and the wonder and beauty of Listening Point. Here in Ely, we now offer annual scholarships to the local high school and community college, and enjoy welcoming teachers and student groups to guided tours that explore Sig’s national impact on wilderness preservation in Minnesota and across North America.
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. Box 180
Ely, Minnesota 55731
We engage young people ages 18-40 through project management and social entrepreneurship. We meet the second Tuesday of every month, 7pm Grand Ely Lodge.
Boundary Waters Connect fosters sustainable wilderness edge communities where you can live, work, and play; a program of Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness.
Boundary Waters Connect sponsors Tuesday Group, a gathering that takes place on Tuesdays at noon at the Grand Ely Lodge in Ely, Minnesota. We provide a space for people to be in the community and learn something new, featuring speakers and topics relevant to northeastern Minnesota. Presentations are available to view live via Zoom, and recordings will be posted on our YouTube channel.
Northern Tier is the Boy Scouts of America’s gateway to adventure in the Great Northwoods. In the summer, Scouts from Northern Tier’s three wilderness canoe bases explore millions of acres of pristine lakes, meandering rivers, dense forests and wetlands in Northern Minnesota, Northwest Ontario and Northeast Manitoba.
Come to Northern Tier for a whole new level of adventure, up north! From incredible canoe journeys to wild winter wilderness camping, Northern Tier promises the Scouting adventure of a lifetime in the Great North Woods of northern Minnesota and Canada.
Since 1976, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness has been the voice for clean water and wilderness.
Our vision for the future of this national treasure lies at the intersection of people, communities and wilderness.
Visit our website to discover more about this national treasure, from how to plan your next (or first) visit to how you can help preserve the wilderness for future generations.
The Spiritwood “Forget Me Not” Foundation is Fighting Alzheimer’s Disease Through The Arts as a Non-Profit 501(c)(3)
In 2004 I lost my dad to Alzheimer’s following a very ‘long goodbye.’ We formed the Spiritwood Foundation to help others on a similar journey. Our mission is to raise not only awareness regarding Alzheimer’s Disease, but also critical funds that support community organizations, programs, and facilities working with victims and families dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
The Foundation has many different fund-raising tools. One of them is a musical ‘happening’ we wrote called Remember When – The Songs Of the 60s and 70s. We perform this show in communities around the country involving local performers and musicians. Our Foundation then gifts the profits to the community for its specific Alzheimer’s needs.
P.O. Box 179
Ely, MN 55731
The Ely Nordic Ski Club is a 501(c3) non-profit organization run by volunteers.
We focus our efforts towards the Hidden Valley Recreation Area (HVRA) located on the east end of Ely, Minnesota. As a club, we are responsible for the building & maintaining the HVRA trail system for year round use as well as maintaining and managing the Hidden Valley Chalet/facilities. While open to the public, this trail system is most heavily used in the winter in particular by youth ski programs such as, the Minnesota Youth Ski League and the Ely Nordic Wolves ski team.
The Hidden Valley Recreation Area trails are for non-motorized use and are part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) Grant-In-Aid program. As such, you are required to have a the Minnesota Ski Pass when using the trails in the winter.
Your membership dues represent support for our thriving northern community which embraces life sports that enhance the health and well being of individuals and families. Our operating expenses depend on your membership dues. Please become a member of the Ely Nordic Ski Club!
Mailing Address
Ely Nordic Ski Club
PO Box 346
Ely, MN 55731
The purpose of Incredible Ely is to revitalize Ely’s downtown and support innovative growth in the Ely area by connecting businesses, people, knowledge, ideas, and resources. IE’s vision is a dynamic, innovative, and distinctive community with a diversified and seasonally-balanced economic base.
Explore our projects and join our beautification efforts while supporting innovative growth.
Like many rural communities, the Ely area has struggled to maintain a vibrant economy in the wake of the 2007-08 economic recession. Empty storefronts are a visible reminder of the challenges we face in attracting and retaining young people and ensuring that they have employment opportunities throughout the year – not just during the summer tourist season. Yet there are signs of an Ely renaissance — in the re-opening of Wintergreen Northern Wear, in the expansion of Steger Mukluks, with the opening of the Folk School, and especially in the property developments being undertaken by the Ely Economic Development Authority.
The Ely area has no shortage of talent, and it’s many volunteer organizations are enthusiastically adding to Ely’s offerings in the arts, recreation, and tourist attractions. Incredible Ely (IE) in conjunction with the City and the Chamber of Commerce is part of the community-wide effort to make the area a great place to live, work, and raise a family.