Event Description

Loppet Ski Club Winter Session

The Loppet Ski Club’s Winter Session begins the week of Monday, November 1, 2021, and runs through Monday, February 7, 2022. We do expect to have more flexibility with our programming than last year. The week-to-week schedule may change based on snow and weather conditions and of course other factors beyond our control. 

COVID precautions: All of our groups will plan for an outdoor meeting location. For groups that ski at The Trailhead, we will monitor developments and may make use of The Trailhead facilities when safe and available. At this point, face masks are required indoors at The Trailhead. We continue to monitor developments with best-practice COVID-19 guidelines to provide safe training opportunities for all.

Overall approach: 

• Beginners. Most sessions will make a beginner lesson available on snow at the beginning of the season.
• Experienced skiers. All our groups will have some skill development, but we will make a point this year of also having a training component available for those who want it.

Trail Pass – Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Ski Trail Passes are required whenever using trails at Minneapolis Parks (including at Theodore Wirth Park). This pass is not included in the registration for Loppet Ski Club. Some groups may also use Three Rivers Park District trails. We will communicate at that time the season and day pass costs for those trails.

Winter Group Offerings

Winter Groups will run from November – February. All groups will meet starting the week of November 1 for 2-4 weeks of dryland training. Wear running shoes and layers, and please bring ski poles and headlamps if you have them. The emphasis will be on skill development, ski fitness, balance, agility, strength, and flexibility. Monday and Wednesday evening groups will meet in front of The Trailhead for dryland, while Tuesday and Saturday morning groups will meet at Wirth Beach for dryland. We will get on snow as soon as weather allows.

All groups will be lead by knowledgeable volunteer coaches. Coaches will make the determination of specific meeting/ski locations as early as possible each week and let the group know via text, email, and/or the Loppet Ski Club Facebook page.

Due to popular demand of the Loppet Ski Club, we ask that you only choose one group offering and then participate in our new Open Ski Times if you are looking for additional group skiing.

Classic Groups

• Monday evening group (6:30pm – 8:30pm): Meet at the snowmaking loop at Theodore Wirth Park.
• Tuesday morning group (9am – 11am): Meet at the snowmaking loop at Theodore Wirth Park.
• Saturday morning (9am – 11am) OR Saturday afternoon (1pm – 3pm): Meet SATURDAY MORNINGS at natural snow trails around the metro area (ex: Wirth Beach, Columbia Golf Course, Chain of Lakes, Baker Park Reserve, Hyland Lake Park Reserve). If natural snow is not available around the cities, the group will meet SATURDAY AFTERNOONS at the snowmaking loop at Theodore Wirth Park.

Skate (Freestyle) Groups

• Tuesday morning group (9am – 11am): Meet at the snowmaking loop at Theodore Wirth Park.
• Wednesday evening group (6:30pm – 8:30pm): Meet at the snowmaking loop at Theodore Wirth Park.
• Saturday morning (9am – 11am) OR Saturday afternoon (1pm – 3pm): Meet SATURDAY MORNINGS at natural snow trails around the metro area (ex: Wirth Beach, Columbia Golf Course, Chain of Lakes, Baker Park Reserve, Hyland Lake Park Reserve). If natural snow is not available around the cities, the group will meet SATURDAY AFTERNOONS at the snowmaking loop at Theodore Wirth Park.

Combi (Both Classic and Skate) Groups

• Tuesday morning group (9am – 11am): Meet at the snowmaking loop at Theodore Wirth Park.
• Saturday morning (9am – 11am) OR Saturday afternoon (1pm – 3pm): Meet SATURDAY MORNINGS at natural snow trails around the metro area (ex: Wirth Beach, Columbia Golf Course, Chain of Lakes, Baker Park Reserve, Hyland Lake Park Reserve). If natural snow is not available around the cities, the group will meet SATURDAY AFTERNOONS at the snowmaking loop at Theodore Wirth Park.

Open Ski Times

We have always encouraged Loppet Ski Club members to ski together outside formal group meetings, but we were unable to do that last year due to the pandemic. New this year and beginning in December (or once the snow flies), Loppet Ski Club members who are registered for any 2021-22 Winter Group are encouraged to also meet at any/all of the locations of the scheduled sessions listed above during those practice times, in addition to the official group they registered for. The understanding is that “open” skiers would not be a part of the other coached sessions, but it would provide a specific time and place for those people to possibly meet other Loppet Ski Club “open” skiers who are looking for others to ski with in their free time.