This weekend is the City of the Lakes Loppet weekend! As you know if you live here and are a winter lover, this is a very dismal and depressing winter! No snow, warm temps, about the only thing you can do is downhill skiing or occasionally, when we have a few cold days, ice skate. I believe the weather people have said that this is the warmest winter ever here which is not good for our winter events. Minnesotans are outdoors people at every time of the year and this is ruining our winter events calendar. The St. Paul Winter Carnival had to cancel many events because of the weather and now the Loppet is in the spotlight.
The Loppet Weekend February 4th and 5th this year. They have been busy making snow in an effort to keep the race going. They have had to modify a few events because of the poor conditions but the event is going on. Reports from skiers today are that the trails are melting and icy. Even if you aren’t a cross country skier, there is winter golf, snow tubing and snow sculpting to enjoy, not to mention the food and drink vendors.
One of the favorite events is skijoring where skiers race with their dogs out front pulling them along. Classically this is an event for sled dogs but here in our Loppet event you can enter with any dog from your Basset Hound to your Great Dane. The idea is to get out and have fun!
Saturday events start at 8 am and continue through 10 pm, Sunday events start at 9 am and go until mid-afternoon. The heart of the weekend takes place at Theodore Wirth Park. Click here for the full schedule of events!