Jay Richards

The ski season is in full swing. The winter has not brought a lot of the white stuff but somehow we are making it work with only 6-7" of total snowfall for the season. The warm days have transitioned the snow to a granular state which allows for a higher melting point during the spikes in temps. The low angle of the sun, short days and glazing of the trails at dusk with falling temps is keeping the snow on the trails. Another key factor is the frost is deep in the ground and with the thin base, the base keeps refrigerated from the cold temps below, much like ice in hockey arenas that can have ice even in the hottest days of summer.

Last weekend we had the Rochester team come up for a ski camp. The team is 140 members strong which is amazing. There were just over 130 here with coaches and chaperones. That is more ski club members than FM/DL/FF etc. combined! The coaches and leaders doing a fantastic job keeping kids interested and motivated. Their trip to Maplelag was the first time on snow.

Early December I needed some snow to help fill in some low spots on the rink in our back yard but we had none so I loaded up snow from behind the arena to make slush and fill in. Since than, I have been loading up pickup loads to fill on thin and bare spots at the start area exposed to the sun and wind and also on Kamikaze hill on the skaters waltz trail. A couple nights, Jon and one of his team mates, Cooper, helped unload. Having Kamikaze covered, we could ski the full loop.

Jeff Robertson is one of the directors of the MNMBS and helps out as a coach with the Rochester team.
Getting a fresh load from the boni. The snow that hasn't been sitting as long is easier to shovel. The comments of people passing by have been good. Making snow men, building up for fish houses, snow ball fight, beer cooler..yep, sure.

With lack of snow causing most races to move to Mt Itasca, decided it was time to do the DL Invite. Once we set the date, went to work building up the thin areas in anticipation of the mid 40's the day before the race. Instead of hauling more loads, I got a hold of a excavator guy I knew. He had a 40 yard box and stopped by the arena and filled it up and dumped it at the trail head.
I spread some of it near the trail head and than used the remaining to cover a long section that was thin on Skaters Waltz. I loaded in to the pick up than drove out to the section via some other trails and the REA line.

Also had some help from Lars and Jack Ellefson who skied along skaters, covering dark spots.
When I started sliding I saw the writing on the wall. There was nothing I could do to pull back and prevent the bucket from hitting the rear window. It wasn't snow. I knew to be aware of that, and filled in middle but the wet ice provided no traction.
Steve and this years foreign staff members helping spread on a thin area from a pick up load.

Ended up covering this sun exposed hill all way around the corner. Temp started dropping Monday afternoon earlier than expected so got out to groom it out right away before it set up like cement and do final grooming touch ups and all systems go for Tuesdays race.




I was committed to do everything possible to pull off the DL Invite for Jake's Sr year. The morning of the race I skied the 5km doing touch up work with the shovel and by race time, everything was full covered. After living in Essex, MT in Glacier Park where 425 inches fell the last year we lived there, I learned to appreciate the shovel and the health benefits. I will never own a snowblower for as long as I live. Video recap of the race above.





Jr High race was on the lake which worked out great and was nice the older skiers came down and cheered them on. We closed the trails after the girls Varsity/JV race so the trails wouldn't get skied out. There is no sport like Nordic. Brainerd kids checking out a beaver lodge.


Buses and Maplelag aren't the best mix but it works and always something interesting that happens.
Current snow depth map on Jan. 6.
Look at the topo of MN and interesting comparisons between elevation and snow. We are located in the dark brown, just below the blue (probably Strawberry mountain) in wnw part of state.
Wednesday the temp dropped 47 degrees. Snow froze down hard and base is bomb proof. Lars getting some hill work in.