It’s been a strange year. In a place where we sometimes have enough base to groom before
Thanksgiving, we didn’t even have snow on the ground for Christmas. As of the beginning of
February we had about half the snow we did this time last year, but that doesn’t tell the whole
story. The warm temperatures have left us very little base. Riding Copper Harbor trails at the
end of December is fun, but also somehow seems a bit wrong. It just doesn’t feel like the
Keweenaw this winter. On the bright side, trails will dry out fast this spring. The riding, running,
and hiking season will come early. The most committed of us will be putting our roller skis back
into service sooner than normal; but there won’t be any skiing shaded, snow-covered hillsides in
late May this year. For now we should all take advantage of what cold and snow we do have
and get out to enjoy it. One thing is for sure, when we have to blow snow 12 times in a week,
shovel four times in 24 hrs, or plow an entire yard to avoid running out of place to put the snow,
we should embrace it, realize these are the winters of the Keweenaw that we love, and make
sure to find some time to enjoy it.
-A Stymied Skier