The winter of 2018-19 seems to be picking up right where last season left off, with unusually early snow accumulations across the region. Resorts have opened, with more terrain than expected, and ski areas that rely entirely on natural snow are feeling it this Snowvember.
With my alpine setup not quite ready, I headed up to Lapland Lake Nordic Center, who set a new record on this year opening on November 14th, their earliest ever. With three trails totaling ~4-6 km of beginner and intermediate terrain, it was looking like a great day to get back in the swing of things. I arrived to see only a few other cars in the lot, which I took as another good sign.