Every Thursday during winter, classmates and I would pile into a school bus in the late afternoon to make the trip from Farmington to Welch Village, in Welch, Minn.
I never got really good at downhill skiing — I am too timid to let 'er rip — but I liked the creaking sound of snow under my skis, the sprays of powder I raised on the turns and the way the snow sparkled under the lights. I marveled at daring friends rushing down steep slopes. And there was always hot chocolate at the lodge. Skiing felt like a natural part of being a Minnesotan, the logical result of youthful exuberance meeting snowy winter nights.
Fortunately for those who feel the same way, there are lots of down-home places in our state to play in the snow.
Unlike ski resorts in much of the rest of the country, Minnesota's are relatively inexpensive, aren't bogged down with froufrou boutiques and exude a friendly vibe that welcomes skiers no matter their skill level or the quality of their gear. These places focus on the important stuff: lifts, runs and trails.
Welch Village remains among them. It includes nine lifts and 60 runs, a skiing kingdom compared with my day, though it always felt large enough to me.
Anyone who wants a family ski weekend that doesn't break the bank can find plenty of places in the region, whether they seek vertical drops or cross-country trails through a forest.
It's Minnesota, after all, and skiing is practically a birthright.
Downhill slopes
Detroit Mountain
Since 2014, this Detroit Lakes spot has spit-shined its image with friendly staff, expanding snow-making capacity, and a growing number of acres (now 350) and runs (now 21). The terrain park gets changed up to keep regulars challenged, and a tubing hill sends people soaring, minus the skis.
