12 inches of fresh powdery snow covered a picnic table at Hyland Hills Ski Area in Bloomington on Thursday morning as crews prepped for what looked to a be a big day on the slopes.
Hyland Hills opened at 9:30 a.m. but there were eager skiers ready to go well before then.
"We should be having some great conditions if kids want to finish their eLearning and come on out we'll be here all day," said Hyland Hills Operations Supervisor, Andrew Berns. "Or if you're working from home and want to take some runs, it should be a great day to come out and enjoy a very rare Minnesota foot of powder day."
The snow is somewhat rare, according to Berns, who said they'll typically see a foot of powdery snow once a year, or even once every two years.
Related
"Every ski area loves a big powder dump like this," he said. "We usually get three to five inches of wet, heavy snow."
It's not all fun and games as there is quite a bit of work that needs to be done before skiers arrive at Hyland Hills.
Much of that work includes snow removal.
"We've got two or three parking lots and a lot of concrete we need to clear. It's really everybody who can get behind a shovel or snow blower. It's an all hands on deck situation."
And when it comes to enjoying this type of snow, Berns added that the clock is ticking due to the temperature.
"It'll be fun before it sets up and gets cold again," he said. "It's really a different style of skiing compared to skiing the groomed trails we typically have. It's really a different skill and one people might not be used to. It'll be good to experience some of what they get out west or the resorts when you get up in the mountains here in the Twin Cities."