Do I need a reservation?

Reservations are recommended during peak winter weekends to guarantee sizing and equipment availability; walk-ins are accepted when inventory allows.

What ages do you outfit?

Red Raven carries youth and adult sizes; younger children may require parental supervision and signed waivers.

How long can I rent for?

Rentals range from roughly half‑day to multi‑day—check at booking for specific durations and pricing.

Where can I go with the rentals?

Staff will suggest nearby groomed loops, beginner trails around Crosby, and longer routes near Ironton and Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area.

Are trail conditions monitored?

Yes—staff provide current trail conditions and wind advisories, but conditions can change quickly with weather.

What happens if equipment is damaged or lost?

Renters are responsible for negligent damage or loss; report issues immediately to avoid additional fees.

Snowshoe and Ski Rentals at Red Raven Bike Café — Explore Cuyuna Lakes in Winter

On the edge of Crosby, Minnesota, Red Raven Bike Café converts winter into an invitation. Rent snowshoes or cross‑country skis here and step onto the groomed trails and frozen shorelines that ring the Cuyuna Lakes—clear, deep waters that fill former open‑pit iron mines and carve unusual cliffs and ridgelines into the landscape. This short, accessible winter outing suits families, beginners, and experienced explorers who want a low‑stress way to move through a unique post‑industrial lake country. The rental process at Red Raven Bike Café is straightforward: arrive downtown, check in for a fitting, and tap local staff for trail recommendations. The café supplies boots, bindings, poles, and a range of snowshoe sizes and skis sized for adults and children; rentals are available for half‑day or longer. What makes this offering special is the setting: Cuyuna’s trails thread between pine forests, exposed barrens of glacial cobble, and the steep-walled blue lakes that are a product of the Cuyuna Iron Range. Those geological features create visually striking, wind-sorted snowfields and quiet coves that feel miles from anywhere even though the shop sits in town. Expect approachable terrain on groomed and compacted routes for family outings and gentle climbs for fitness days. Staff can point you to beginner loops near Crosby or longer self-guided routes around Ironton and the broader Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area for a more solitary experience. The nearby lakes put a dramatic foreground to winter light and offer vantage points for birdwatching and tracking wildlife like snowshoe hare and white-tailed deer. Red Raven Bike Café also functions as a local resource: a warm place to sip coffee, borrow local trail maps, and get last‑minute tips on trail conditions and avalanche risk (negligible here, but wind slabs can form on exposed ridgelines). Rentals require responsible use and timely returns; youth participants may need guardian supervision and signed waivers. Bring layered clothing, insulated boots, water, and a small repair kit, and arrive early for fittings. Whether you want an afternoon outing that teaches kids the basics of winter travel or a multi‑day rental to explore remote loops and frozen lake edges, Red Raven’s equipment and local knowledge make the Cuyuna Lakes winter landscape accessible and memorable. It’s a compact, friendly operation that connects visitors directly to one of Minnesota’s most unusual post‑mining lake systems, turning cold weather into a place to learn, move, and look. Plan around daylight hours in winter; short, bright days reward early starts and reduce exposure. If you plan multi‑day rentals, stash maps and a portable charger and check municipal parking rules in Crosby. For photographers, cold air sharpens color and the lakes often freeze with clear ice near shore, creating mirrorlike reflections of open sky daily.

Snowshoe and Ski Rentals at Red Raven Bike Café — Explore Cuyuna Lakes in Winter

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