News & Stories

Spring snow? Ski to Work!

Dan Luoma skied over 8 miles on his trek from North Minneapolis to Roseville.
Dan Luoma skied over 8 miles on his trek from North Minneapolis to Roseville.

While the winter white weighs heavy on the hearts of many Minnesotans– Twin Cities skiers have rebounded with playful delight. “Maybe one last ‘last ski’ of the season,” skier Xena Huff teased her friend as her eyes lit up at the possibility of yet another snowfall. While she admits some of her skiing buddies are “over-it”, Huff is a part of a die hard cohort that continues to take Mother Natures gifts and glide on. “Nothing is groomed – so you feel completely liberated on the landscape. You can ski anywhere.”

Anywhere? How about through the streets to work? That was the challenge proposed by Major R.T. Rybak last Thursday when he declared an official “Ski to Work Day.” With the wet heavy snow predicted to fall from Thursday evening late into the night, streets would presumably be well covered for creative skiing commutes to the workplace. At the suggestion of the Loppet Foundation, the commuters would be rewarded with complimentary entries to the UCare Tri-Loppet, an off road triathlon event involving canoeing, trail running and mountain biking on the lakes and trails of Minneapolis that takes place in the summer.

Marin Byrne crossed 35W on her way to the office.
Marin Byrne crossed 35W on her way to the office.

Over 30 skiers, young and old, participated in the challenge. Seven year olds were escorted by their parents to school, high schoolers at Hopkins and Irondale skied with their textbooks on their backs, and adults mapped out their own urban ventures to the workplace storing their skis in offices and cubicles much to the surprise and delight of co-workers – “did you really SKI to work?”

Visit the Loppet’s facebook page to view photos from the day.