If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Weekend trip report -- Minocqua Winter Park and Nordic Center
Only 2% of Minocqua's customers come from the Twin Cities, which is too
bad. Granted, the trip doesn't pass ski shops, run alongside a big lake or venture on ice-covered back roads with letters for names. Rather, it's 4-4.25 hours of 80% four-lane divided highway to reach some of the very nicest trails, best grooming, and friendliest and well-stocked of ski centers in the midwest. Taking up the road-thing and late season motel rates, I arrived Sat to find high winds and falling temps had turned the morning's wonderland into hard pack full of pine needles in places. It was still very skatable (nothing like the hard ice one encounters in the Twin Cities or on the Birkie trail). Used my racing skates newly reground by Zach and they were as fast as the conditions, and didn't get damaged. After a little dusting and colder temps overnight, Sunday was clear, lower 20s, courduroy and cleaned-up. Truly a late winter wonderland. Lots of people out (both days), including national/world masters champ Wayne Fish, I think, who was out with Lee Borowski. I took a skate lesson from Dan Clausen (of the 1988 video and PSIA National Demo team), who is arguably as fine an instructor as the midwest has to offer. After that (and a little late given the sun), Llona from the ski shop led several of us out crust skating on the large swamp area for a couple of hours. "It's good practice for skating light," she reminded us, conveniently neglecting that she was the least hefty by 50-60 lbs. It was a lot of fun, tho my very stiff Pelts were not the ski of choice. Minocqua's spring celebration is next week, with free beer Saturday and Sunday. If the snow holds through the coming warm-up, there should be some good skiing left. Gene Goldenfeld |
Ads |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Park City Nordic | FrontRunner | Nordic Skiing | 1 | March 16th 04 12:32 PM |
Park City Nordic | Dean Slyter | Nordic Skiing | 0 | March 16th 04 03:44 AM |
Trip report - Craftsbury, Vermont - 7 Dec 2003 | Lew Lasher | Nordic Skiing | 0 | December 7th 03 09:46 PM |