MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — Love it or hate it, we could see even more snow later this week.
Our latest winter storm currently puts the Twin Cities' 2022-23 snowfall total at 80.3 inches and #8 in the record books.
It may be the middle of March, but the ski season is still going strong at Theodore Wirth Regional Park. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board partnered with The Loppet Foundation to bring winter fun to the area.
"It's been really busy. I think it's a trend over the last few winters, especially with skiing," said Danny Walsh, manager of The Trailhead.
The Loppet Foundation will continue equipment rentals through March 19 at The Trailhead. Walsh said the trails will stay open until the snow melts.
"We've got a snowmaking loop which we have from November until now. The rest of the skiing is just natural snow trails. It's just completely dependent on the weather ... that's just something that the ski community embraces, I think. You hope that it snows and then if it does, it's a great winter. If not, cross your fingers for next year," Walsh said.
Juniors Anna Wood and Averie Zealley are on the Mound Westonka Nordic ski team. Their season wrapped up last month.
"We got to start early. We didn't have to do dryland training which was fun. So we were on the snow right away and we've gotten plenty of snow for races and stuff so it's fun," Zealley said.
Walsh said their busiest time of year at the Trailhead is December through mid-January but they still have a steady stream of snow lovers.
"There's definitely a tiring aspect. I'm still scraping off my car in the morning but it's just, it's really fun to have enough snow to do all the things you want to do with it," Walsh said.
For snow removal companies, it has also been a busy winter.
Billy Jallah, CEO of the Brooklyn Park-based Midwest Snow Removal Service, said, "The winter's been pretty... brutal."
It's his third year in business. Jallah said they cleared snow for 35 clients. Oftentimes, it's just Jallah and one other person working.
Besides being a top 10 year for snow, it is currently the second wettest meteorological Twin Cities winter on record — dating back to 1880.
"The biggest challenge that I have faced is the wet snow. Those ones are hard to deal with. Even the snow blower has a difficult time blowing it up," Jallah said.
But whether you're over the snow or not, Jallah said, while laughing, "I love it now because it makes me money."
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