The recent big drop of snow over the last week has graced Lutsen Mountains with more than two feet of fluffy white stuff that has made skiing about as good as it can ever be anywhere you hope to ski. Whether you snowboard, downhill ski or cross country ski, Lutsen Mountains has the varied hills and terrain that keep athletes of all levels happy. Staff photo courtesy of Lutsen Mountains
A winter storm that brought rain and sleet to much of Minnesota and Wisconsin was all snow and smiles for winter enthusiasts on the North Shore.
In total, 24 inches fell in the higher elevations at Lutsen Mountains over Dec. 26 and Dec. 27, fueled in part by northeast winds over Lake Superior that created “Lake Effect” augmentation of the storm.
“The weather forecasters had this one on the money,” says Jim Vick, marketing director for Lutsen Mountains. “The hour it arrived, the rate of snowfall and the hour it moved out were remarkably accurate. The only thing missed is how the cluster of four mountains at Lutsen amplified the lake effect, exceeding their storm total forecast by six inches.”
The storm was well timed for the arrival of a holiday week crowd. Lutsen’s primary terrain was 80 percent open, due to exceptional snowmaking weather in November and early December. Yesterday’s snowfall adds to a three-foot-deep base and pushes additional terrain to completion.
The snowfall on Thursday, Dec. 27 alone allowed an additional 10 runs to be added to the open list with more to follow soon.
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