Snowy Double Feature Delights Those On The Slopes
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Skiers and snowboarders at Buck Hill in Burnsville were reveling in the late February snow and sun Friday.
"It's really a great day to be here. The powder is soft. If you fall, it's not going to hurt you," said skier Leann Laudahl.
A few inches of fresh powder brought out skiers and snowboarders of all ages and abilities.
"Me, I'm a beginner [laughs], so I started out on the bunny hill and I'm slowly making my way up," said skier Calvin Johnson. "I've had a few bumps and bruises [laughs]! Nothing you can't recover from."
A busy chair lift made for busy hills, and it was quite a contrast from a year ago. February temperatures at times have reached 60 degrees -- turning powder into slush.
"Last year it was thunderstorming at this time, so this is much better to have 10 to 12 inches of fresh snow versus last year's thunderstorm [which] wasn't terribly popular," said Buck Hill co-owner Don McClure.
Business was down last winter, but has recovered this ski-and-snowboard season. For McClure, that pretty much sums up life on the slopes.
"Like they say in Minnesota, if you don't like the weather, wait a minute," he said.
McClure also said this was essentially the perfect day for skiing and snowboarding. It wasn't too cold, and at 32 degrees, the powder didn't turn slushy.
"I woke up, saw a lot more snow, I was really excited, got out of class, came straight here," said skier Drew Agard.
With more snow possibly Saturday, they are expecting a big weekend out there.