Let it snow

Chris Welsch, Star Tribune

The beauty of Lake Superior in Winter; Bluefin Bay makes a cozy base for seeing the shore, skiing or just hanging out by the fire.

From wilderness mushing to fireside lounging, these five escapes into Minnesota winter embody the crystalline beauty of the season.

By Chris Welsch, Star Tribune

Last update: December 13, 2007 - 5:17 PM

I entered the woods at dawn. The last stars winked out in the brightening blue, which was framed by a latticework of naked branches.

The January cold was such that my cross-country skis didn't so much slide as scratch across the snow-covered trail at Maplelag Resort in northwestern Minnesota. When I stopped moving, pure silence ensued. My breath rose in a cloud of steam, then dissipated as shimmering ice crystals.

Every sound stood out in sharp relief. I heard a rustling of feathers, then saw its source: a puffed-up whiskey jack had landed on a maple branch. A tree popped in the distance, its sap groaning in the vise made by subzero air. A perfect winter morning: bitter cold amended by profound beauty.

For the initiated, the wonders of Minnesota's winters need no introduction. For those who can't fathom putting wonder and winter in the same sentence, I extend my sympathy -- and an invitation. Inside today's Travel, you'll find five good reasons to give the season another chance.

Some of Minnesota's most unique and world-class travel experiences exist only in winter, and with December's timely cold snap and a blanket of fresh snow, the season is off to a good start. The best dog-mushing in the Lower 48 is here. Some of the prettiest cross-country ski trails in the country beckon, and so do some of the coziest firesides, for those who prefer to see it all from the warm side of a window.

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