The Minnesota Thread - Snowboarding Forum

C.B. · 09-19-2011, 10:53 PM

I don't know about the rest of you but the snow showers we got last week got me amped to ride.

This will be my first season up-north so I'm pretty exited for the new(hopefully improved) riding opportunities that will bring.

What are all of your plans for the season?

atrus · 09-20-2011, 02:34 PM

I'll be taking advantage of my season pass to Welch Village (SE MN) and spending friday mornings there and any other chance the wife will let me disappear for half a day.

With any luck, organizing another trip to Lutsen, 1st time there this past march for my bachelor party, amazing.

Any good hills nearby but outside of MN? I keep checking out Montana and such, but that's a haul and an expense, but I'd love to find some "real" mountains.

optical · 09-20-2011, 02:55 PM

Snow showers! we just got all the damn wind and high 30's in temps last week here in alexandria minnesota, This year will be my first time going to lutson hoping to make multiple trips there. For now i am stuck with andes tower hills i got my season pass for 130 bucks so cant complain lol and im only 12 minites from there

atrus · 09-20-2011, 04:04 PM

Snow and high winds??! Where the hell was I? Last week I was in Iowa = suck, the week before I was backpacking on the Superior Hiking Trail near Two Harbors and it was over 80degrees = another suck. Definately got no snow where I've been.
Just looked at the trail map for Andes Tower Hills... You will wet yourself at Lutsen. Not as big as I'd imagined, and too many front face black diamonds on which I am completely worthless and have yet to figure out the point of for snowboarders (perhaps none), but Mystery Mountain is a load of fun for the long woodsy runs, and running from Eagle mountain, under the bridge down to the bottom was the fantastic. then spent an entire day covering every square inch I could muster on Moose.
Welch had a season pass deal for $100 so I jumped on it last season and this season, got one for my son too!

CMSbored · 09-20-2011, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by optical

Snow showers! we just got all the damn wind and high 30's in temps last week here in alexandria minnesota, This year will be my first time going to lutson hoping to make multiple trips there. For now i am stuck with andes tower hills i got my season pass for 130 bucks so cant complain lol and im only 12 minites from there

Ha, Some of my family lives in Hoffman. I thought about going to Andes Tower while i was up there last year. Is it really that bad? I mean i dont expect it to be like here in the rockies but is it worth the cheap money to get my fix if im up there?

C.B. · 09-20-2011, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atrus

Any good hills nearby but outside of MN? I keep checking out Montana and such, but that's a haul and an expense, but I'd love to find some "real" mountains.

Idk if you have heard of mt.Bohemia in the U.P. never been there but have heard good things. I'm going to be heading there with a couple buddies over winter break.

Apparently its 900 ft of vertical, and they don't do any grooming or snowmaking, but they get like 300 inches of snow in the yoop so they can get away with it. I looked at a trail map and it looks like its all tight blacks and glades. I'm pretty excited about it.

anyways i'll be purchasing passes at giants ridge and mt.itasca this season, possibly spirit since i could get it for $99 with a giants ridge pass

604 · 09-20-2011, 04:18 PM

Minnesota doesn't often get credit for having good snowboarding, but honestly I've had some of the best times riding the natural terrain in Lutsen and hitting the park at Spirit. Not to mention if you buy your season's pass at Lutsen before September 30 it's only $229!?! That's madness. Hope you guy's have a great season, and Papa Charlie's is the best.

atrus · 09-20-2011, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.B.

Idk if you have heard of mt.Bohemia in the U.P. never been there but have heard good things. I'm going to be heading there with a couple buddies over winter break.

Apparently its 900 ft of vertical, and they don't do any grooming or snowmaking, but they get like 300 inches of snow in the yoop so they can get away with it. I looked at a trail map and it looks like its all tight blacks and glades. I'm pretty excited about it.

Well, you enjoy that! Too rich for my blood. Just got into snowboarding a few years ago, learned by falling, and still haven't mastered getting more than 1 inch of air without crashing(exaggeration, but not by much) as for the black diamonds - I have still yet to hit the back bowl at Welch at full speed without putting on the breaks...maybe this year. I enjoy my cruisers, like moose mt. at Lutsen, but would love longer runs, less people and more powder. Perhaps I'll have to cough up the $$ for a trip out west.

optical · 09-21-2011, 03:29 AM

Ya Andes has maybe 15 runs or so and the only goals i hope to accomplish will be to ride goofy as close to as good as i ride regular and i have always had troubles with backspin's so that is my goal. Im not quite sure if you any of you have heard of snowball fest that is held at lutsen in the January time but i defiantly plan on getting up there around then.

kimchijajonshim · 09-21-2011, 03:51 AM

...where have you been riding that Minnesota is a potential upgrade?

I've ridden Welch, Afton, Buck, Wild (but only early season, so doesn't quite count), and Spirit. Welch and Afton are garbage. I'd tolerate them better if they had better lifts, but spending 20 minutes to get back up for 30 second runs wears on a guy. Buck I like since it's small, easy to get to the top, easy to get back to the bottom, and the park set-ups are better. Afton and Welch have truly garbage parks. Spirit is actually a lot of fun, only issue I have with that place is that the lifts are still stupid slow, but the runs are a bit longer and generaly steeper. Parks are fun too.

Need to hit Trollhaugen and Hyland, those sound like decent local places to Twin Cities (but pricier). Never been to Lutsen... just haven't been able to justify the price of a weekend trip + gas when I can save up funds for Tahoe trips when I visit my folks back in California.

I've heard great things about Granite Peak in Wasau Wisconsin about 4 hours east. Allegedly one of the top 10 park setups in the country. About 7 hours drive from the Twin Cities is Mt. Bohemia in the UP of Michigan. That place rips. Atrus, based on the way you describe yourself, I would avoid Bohemia. As awesome (and cheap, $99 pass sale first weekend of December) as it is, you need to be comfortable on legit steeps (not Midwestern steeps) and confident in your riding to tackle it. I made two trips up there last year and it was unreal... got shit snow the second trip though. Still had fun, but it was suuuuper sketchy.

09-19-2011, 10:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
C.B. Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northern MN Posts: 303	The Minnesota Thread I don't know about the rest of you but the snow showers we got last week got me amped to ride. This will be my first season up-north so I'm pretty exited for the new(hopefully improved) riding opportunities that will bring. What are all of your plans for the season?

09-20-2011, 02:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
atrus Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Minneapolis, mn Posts: 25	Welch I'll be taking advantage of my season pass to Welch Village (SE MN) and spending friday mornings there and any other chance the wife will let me disappear for half a day. With any luck, organizing another trip to Lutsen, 1st time there this past march for my bachelor party, amazing. Any good hills nearby but outside of MN? I keep checking out Montana and such, but that's a haul and an expense, but I'd love to find some "real" mountains.

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09-20-2011, 02:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
optical Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 17	Snow showers! we just got all the damn wind and high 30's in temps last week here in alexandria minnesota, This year will be my first time going to lutson hoping to make multiple trips there. For now i am stuck with andes tower hills i got my season pass for 130 bucks so cant complain lol and im only 12 minites from there

09-20-2011, 04:04 PM	#4 (permalink)
atrus Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Minneapolis, mn Posts: 25	Snow and high winds??! Where the hell was I? Last week I was in Iowa = suck, the week before I was backpacking on the Superior Hiking Trail near Two Harbors and it was over 80degrees = another suck. Definately got no snow where I've been. Just looked at the trail map for Andes Tower Hills... You will wet yourself at Lutsen. Not as big as I'd imagined, and too many front face black diamonds on which I am completely worthless and have yet to figure out the point of for snowboarders (perhaps none), but Mystery Mountain is a load of fun for the long woodsy runs, and running from Eagle mountain, under the bridge down to the bottom was the fantastic. then spent an entire day covering every square inch I could muster on Moose. Welch had a season pass deal for $100 so I jumped on it last season and this season, got one for my son too!

09-20-2011, 04:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
604 Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Seymour Posts: 67	Minnesota doesn't often get credit for having good snowboarding, but honestly I've had some of the best times riding the natural terrain in Lutsen and hitting the park at Spirit. Not to mention if you buy your season's pass at Lutsen before September 30 it's only $229!?! That's madness. Hope you guy's have a great season, and Papa Charlie's is the best.

09-21-2011, 03:29 AM	#9 (permalink)
optical Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 17	Ya Andes has maybe 15 runs or so and the only goals i hope to accomplish will be to ride goofy as close to as good as i ride regular and i have always had troubles with backspin's so that is my goal. Im not quite sure if you any of you have heard of snowball fest that is held at lutsen in the January time but i defiantly plan on getting up there around then.

09-21-2011, 03:51 AM	#10 (permalink)
kimchijajonshim Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 191	...where have you been riding that Minnesota is a potential upgrade? I've ridden Welch, Afton, Buck, Wild (but only early season, so doesn't quite count), and Spirit. Welch and Afton are garbage. I'd tolerate them better if they had better lifts, but spending 20 minutes to get back up for 30 second runs wears on a guy. Buck I like since it's small, easy to get to the top, easy to get back to the bottom, and the park set-ups are better. Afton and Welch have truly garbage parks. Spirit is actually a lot of fun, only issue I have with that place is that the lifts are still stupid slow, but the runs are a bit longer and generaly steeper. Parks are fun too. Need to hit Trollhaugen and Hyland, those sound like decent local places to Twin Cities (but pricier). Never been to Lutsen... just haven't been able to justify the price of a weekend trip + gas when I can save up funds for Tahoe trips when I visit my folks back in California. I've heard great things about Granite Peak in Wasau Wisconsin about 4 hours east. Allegedly one of the top 10 park setups in the country. About 7 hours drive from the Twin Cities is Mt. Bohemia in the UP of Michigan. That place rips. Atrus, based on the way you describe yourself, I would avoid Bohemia. As awesome (and cheap, $99 pass sale first weekend of December) as it is, you need to be comfortable on legit steeps (not Midwestern steeps) and confident in your riding to tackle it. I made two trips up there last year and it was unreal... got shit snow the second trip though. Still had fun, but it was suuuuper sketchy.