Winter Play!

Winter Play

A series exploring how Minnesotans play outside in the winter.

'The most Midwestern thing ever': Last winter's snow is still around at Trollhaugen ski area
After piling up all of the snow at the end of last winter’s ski season, Trollhaugen ski area’s “snow scientists” kept it protected from summer temperatures as high as 98 degrees. That snow pile is still holding strong — and it’s ready to be uncovered.
These Minnesotans farm ice — and it’s drawing climbers from across the U.S.
Ice farming is the art and science of making climbing ice on cliffs. Minnesota has three city-owned parks with volunteer-run ice farming systems for climbing, more than any other state in the country.
Winter Play: Behind the scenes, capturing the moment
When 10 different reporters set out to try new-to-them winter activities, how do you begin to plan visual coverage for their stories? If you’re the photographer assigned to the project, you might just find yourself trying a new activity or two. 
Winter Play: How polar explorer Ann Bancroft finds magic in the winter
Polar explorer Ann Bancroft might be winter’s biggest champion. But Bancroft, who’s set records traveling to the North and South Poles, and crossing Antarctica, says the key to surviving our coldest months is to tap into your inner child. 
Winter Play: Melting the stress of frigid cold at a Minnesota bath house
As winter cold bites deep, MPR News is celebrating the best of the season through a new series called Winter Play. Our staff across the state set out to try a new-to-them winter pastime. MPR News producer Samantha Matsumoto and reporter Simone Cazares visited Watershed Spa in northeast Minneapolis to take a much-needed break from winter. 
Winter Play: Let's go ride a kite!
For our Winter Play series, where MPR News staff try winter activities new to them, Bemidji bureau reporter Mathew Holding Eagle III drove further — and maybe flew further — than anyone else as he tried winter kiteboarding.
Winter Play: The anticipation, anguish and magic of ice dipping
As MPR News staff fanned out across the state to experience cold weather activities they had never tried for the Winter Play series, Regina Medina and Elizabeth Shockman took a transformative plunge in Lake Harriet.
Winter Play: We tried Minnesota birrrd-watching
It’s cold. But the birds here don’t mind. Why not try your hand at joining them? As part of the Winter Play series MPR News’ Amy Felegy took to a snowy, wooded path in northwestern Minnesota to give you the scoop on winter birding for the first time.
Winter Play: Ice fishing — learning family tradition hook, line and sinker
Our staff across the state set out to try a new-to-them winter pastime. MPR News’ southwest Minnesota reporter Hannah Yang spent her first day ice fishing with her father-in-law and husband in Faribault, Minn.
Winter Play: Ice climbing on the North Shore
As part of MPR News’ Winter Play series, reporter Dan Kraker tried ice climbing for the first time on a cliff north of Two Harbors, an experience he found challenging, rewarding and — when it was over, at least — fun.