Crowds give area slopes a big lift

David Joles, Star Tribune

Alex McInnis, 16, of Apple Valley got some air while snowboarding at Buck Hill, where fine weather and a wealth of snow made for crowded but fun skiing and snowboarding on Friday. Watching McInnis was friend Kenlan Jackson, 12, also of Apple Valley. For the second year in a row, local ski resorts are reporting a booming start to the season. The lines at Buck Hill were long, starting first thing Friday morning.

A little snow, a little sun and the day after New Year's meant bustling business at ski areas Friday.

By JAMES WALSH, Star Tribune

Last update: January 2, 2009 - 11:48 PM

Amy Inserra hopped off the chairlift at Buck Hill in Burnsville, set her snowboard onto the slope and promptly plopped onto her bottom.

"I am catching on though," said Inserra, a new snowboarder who got some on-the-slope training on Friday from friend Jeff Peterson. "He's teaching me a few tricks. You just have to find your right edge, I guess."

Inserra had plenty of company as she endured a day of pounding looking for that edge. Thousands of Twin Cities residents hit area ski slopes -- to take advantage of brilliant sunshine, not-so-bad temperatures and an intrinsically Minnesota desire to use winter to its full advantage. For the second year in a row, local ski resorts report a booming start to the season.

The lines at Buck Hill were long, starting first thing Friday morning, said Charles Stone, whose father founded the place. The $10 morning special helped that. But a gorgeous, albeit chilly, blue-sky day contributed.

"In spite of the cold, everybody's coming out," he said.

Chris Stoddard, spokesman for the Midwest Ski Areas Association, said the 2007-2008 ski season was among the strongest in recent memory. And, so far, he said 2008-09 is looking just as strong.

Summer Kelly, the marketing director at Trollhaugen in Dresser, Wis., said the days around Christmas and New Year's Day are traditionally busy. But the sunshine, low temps and recent snowfalls revved up the skiing public. At Welch Village in Welch, Minn., Friday also marked the opening of 10 new runs in the Back Bowl, said Stephanie Prink, communications manager. "The girls selling tickets are selling tickets as fast as they can," she said.

Afton Alps, near Hastings, and Wild Mountain, near Taylors Falls, also pulled big crowds. "I thought we were going to be a little light today because it was cold this morning," said Wild Mountain owner Dan Raedeke. "But they're coming out like crazy."

"One thing we're seeing this year is a lot of families coming out," he said. "With the economy the way it is, people are trying to stay close to home and do things as families."

Bud Roberts of Burnsville agreed. He and his daughter Cori, 8, and son Cooper, 5, were on the snow tube hill at Buck Hill. He said that he and about eight or nine other friends and family members planned on New Year's Eve to come out Friday if the weather cooperated.

"And it was perfect today," he said. "It can be zero degrees out, but if you're dressed fine, out here it's fine."

After her initial mishap, Inserra and Peterson came up the hill and hopped off the chairlift. Once again, she hit her backside. Inserra acknowledged that it might have been wise to wear a helmet. "And maybe some kneepads and something on my tush," she said, laughing.

James Walsh • 612-673-7428

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