"The single track of Cuyuna is the wow factor. And on snow, it's amazing. There's probably not much else like it. ... You have to take the safe route (regarding conditions) no matter what, and not a lot of people understand that. That matters. Everyone is like, 'ice, that'll be fun.' That is always our first concern: the culture of safety. Everything has to be decided through that lens, whether it's mountain biking or winter mountain biking. You still have to make sure your people are safe."

Aaron Hautala, president of the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Biking crew, on the Cuyana Lakes Whiteout winter mountain bike races Friday through Sunday. Unseasonably warm weather has affected the events. The Whiteout course will be either the singletrack or a Sagamore Unit course. Go to cuyunalakeswhiteout.com for updates.

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