Jay Richards

Since the last post on Dec. 23rd, it seems like one long day. The busiest 10 days is in the book. A great end to the month and start of the new year. Few events that stick out during that time frame are Christmas and the nice storm in to New Years dropping over a foot of snow making for some good times with snow and ski team bus management.


Christmas Eve we went over to Grandpa Rodney and Grandma Judy's house. Jake and I swung by Soaring Eagle for a lap on the skaters. Good times like always with a great meal, church service and the polishing of the aquavit. Not saying much since it took 18 years to do.

Christmas day back home and a absolute winter wonderland. Woke up to trees coated thick with frost over snow flocked trees no wind, and mid teens for temps. Jake had intervals on the plate and he wanted to do them up Suicide Hill so we went out to set a track and Jake set it exactly how he wanted, getting some groomer training. Time on the rink, sledding hill....turkey dinner at the lodge with the guests, perfect Christmas day.
Jon and Jens skating it up on Christmas morning.
Prepping the hill before Jake setting a track. No trees hit or getting stuck. Success.
New sledding device approved by Jack.
Our two foreign staff members this year are Angel from Chile and John from Peru. They have been doing a great job keeping on top of the shoveling and other resort chores. Jonell trying to convince me to buy a snowblower but I have this fanatic thing about shoveling and swear I will never purchase a snowblower. Of course they thought the cutting of the hole was crazy and had fun with that. When we got hit with the storm over New Years, Angel called it a snow tournament, meaning storm.
Jens skiing with Gavin Richards. Second cousins hitting it off like peas in a pod.
With the warmer temps, no new snow, and solid tracks, we backed off on the grooming the 26th,27th and 28th. Skate lanes were groomed at night which allowed for a couple quick morning skis. Ideal conditions with the fresh cord, moon setting while the sun was getting to kick off the day. The mildish temps had the feel of a early March day.
When the forecast for a one two punch of big time snow hit the news, I was cautious like always to put too much stock on the delivery. The forecasters nailed it pretty good. It wasn't so much the snow but the wind that came with it, shutting things down west of here. Charlie, above, our local plow guy does a fantastic job keeping the Maplelag driveway and lots open, coming at any hour of the night to get the job done. Amazingly, we had only 6 people cancellations but instead picked up about 90 extra people nights with people coming early, staying longer and the Eden Prairie ski team having to spend an extra night, crashing in the library of the lodge. The team was most polite and grateful and with almost 1000 hs kids coming to Mapleag in a season for training camps, have to say coaches Boonie and Pogo run a top notch program.
The EP bus got stranded in Pelican Rapids on their departure day. Able to make it up the next day but he didn't want to come down the Goat Ranch road, even though Charlie had cleared the path since the county probably wasn't going to get to it until later. We shuttled the kids and gear.
Maplelag bus stop. It wouldn't be normal without some good bus drama.
Maplelag guest Jim Frost helping out with the shuttling using his nice van.
Meanwhile in the lodge Grandpa Jim kept one of the kids occupied by a continuous flow from the cookie jar.
Pisten Bully seeing a lot of action past three days, busting through some serious drifts where the snow blew off the lakes, ponds, sloughs, and open areas.
Happy New Year!!