After the last event of the year- the Midwest Junior Championships -  we are assembling a crew of the Loppet’s finest to put away hard fencing, roll up banners, collect v-board, etc… (could include a ride on a snowmobile). 

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Why do I need a trails pass?  Because we’ve learned that in Minnesota snow does not always fall form the sky. The MPRB works hard to keep trails skiable, safe and well groomed. Trail pass fees go directly to supporting winter recreation programs in Minneapolis Parks continuing to make a better skiing experience for all.

Purchase you pass online here: MPRB Cross Country Ski Trails Pass

Ski Ambassadors will be out on the trails this winter helping skiers find their way, answering questions on the trail, and checking trail pass use.

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Cynthia Osterling and Kristina Sicora collect logs.

Frost bedazzled the eyes as volunteers pulled into the Wirth parking lot on Saturday morning. Over 100 volunteers arrived under the slowly breaking dawn for the Loppet Foundation’s annual Trails Day; an event to prepare the ski trails in Theodore Wirth Park for winter.

Volunteers brought shovels and wheel barrows and were dispatched by the Loppet’s Chief of Course Craig Rudd to one of the many projects in the trails. Projects included reseeding the trails, grading the hills, laying erosion mat, hauling and chopping logs for fire wood and clearing debris and branches from the trails.

Quinn Bailey on the Anwatin Ski Team.

“I love to go back and ski on the trails I’ve worked on,” said Audrey Sheffield who skis the Luminary Loppet every year. Wayne and Kristina Sicoria and their son Luke volunteered together on the log splitting crew. “It feels good to work outside in the fresh air and get a good workout,” said Kristina.

The event, which was co-sponsored by REI, drew both Loppet and REI members together as well as youth in the Loppet’s FAST KIDS program. The Loppet Games – an afternoon of adventure competitions that wrapped up the FAST KIDS fall season kicked off with 1 ½ hours of trails work to teach youth the important role they play as stewards in the park. FAST KIDS coach Kim Rudd supervised the groups on the trails and overheard, “I hope we can do this every year… I love trails work!”

“This is really a model relationship,” said REI Outreach Specialist Mikaela Kramer. “We love working with the Loppet…We can really pool our resources to do a lot of awesome projects in the community.”

Eleven year old Ryan Matson posed for a shot after a day of work helping stack firewood.

The groups returned under blue autumn skies for pizza and snacks provided from REI. Steve Matson and his son Ryan were the last volunteers to return from the trails. Steve said his son did not want to leave until the wood splitting was done. “He gave up the Red Barn Cyclocross Race to come here today,” said Steve who skis with his son in the Minnesota Youth Ski League. “I think he is really anxious for the ski season… his eyes lit up with the chance to do some trails work.”

With the groundwork laid, the Loppet is ready to shout from the mountain tops, “LET IT SNOW!”.

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*Location Change!  Meet at 8:30 am at the Main Chalet in Theodore Wirth Park!*

John Daniels from Bachman’s will be giving instructions on how best to plant the trees, and the group will be joined by Bachman’s horticultural experts to assist throughout the morning. Everyone is welcome to come. Please bring shovels, gloves and wheel barrows.  Register now.

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Anwatin skier Liam Wulfman and his father David digging deep in the Bog.

Anyone who has wandered onto the Wirth trails this year has probably noticed a few bald spots in the park’s mighty green canopy.

It was one year ago that a spring tornado tore through Wirth Park. The storm downed over a thousand trees and ripped apart North Minneapolis homes. Ironically, the Nordic Ski Foundation had been out just weeks before planting young saplings on old ski trails, which escaped the storm unharmed. The Nordic Ski Foundation followed up this tree planting with another volunteer day to help North Minneapolis residents remove debris from their neighborhoods.

Ursula and Mila Beitz show their strength on the trails.

Last Tuesday, under threatening skies, volunteers from the Nordic Ski Foundation scurried into the forest on another tree planting mission. The Foundation planted 55 maples and birch. The idea is to provide a non-buckthorn understory to the park, beautify the space, and, at the same time, shut down old trails that are no longer used.  

Filling out the forest…

“It is funny to see the trails without snow,” said Anwatin skier Liam Wulfman who came to the planting with his father. The two of them were joined by seventeen others who enjoyed exercising their shoveling muscles which were severely underutilized this particular winter.

The team retreated back to the Loppet office before the storm hit for pizza and beverages. “Will shovel for Surly,” remarked volunteer Chris Davis.  Don’t worry if you missed this one, it will happen again….

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