Winter?

I did not ski the Birkie this year. My knee’s been yapping at me too much, so I thought it best to let it mend up for a bit. No skate skiing, some classic, lower distances.

Anyway the weather’s been absolutely crap for skiing. Basically nothing in much of Minnesota into January. We did have a really freaky few days of thunderstorms around the New Year. If it had been snow, we’d be in grand shape. So skiing was zero-to-poor all winter and even worse for classic skiing.

They tried to do a full-on Birkie on Saturday. But warm temps early in the week (50s!) shot a big hole in their plans. They shortened the race. Then they decided they’d better rebrand it as a “tour” rather than a timed race ~ conditions were simply too sketchy. A good year to miss.

Here’s the best trail report I saw this year, from my favorite classic-skiing haunt.

• Feb 11 - Korkki Nordic (Duluth):
  Conditions: Worse than bad. Zero to one to two inches of snow depending where you measure with no snow in the 10 day forecast.
  The Erik Judeen ski race scheduled for February 18th is cancelled. This is the fourth time in the past seven years we have had to cancel due to lack of snow. This is also the worst year for snowfall in the past 25 years that I have been involved with the Charlie Banks ski trails. I have worn out two pair of Sorel Packs dancing to the Finnish snow God Heikki Lunta. Apparently he went fishing with Charlie. I wish those guys would catch their limit so Heikki could get back on the job. Anyone that doesn't believe in climate change are invited to come and see me.
  (Mark Helmer)

Then, of course, a foot of snow Saturday night. More than we’d received all winter. Gotta be flexible these recent winters.