Video: Dangerous High-Speed Ice Skating on Ski Trails
OutdoorHub Reporters 03.28.17
Sometimes Mother Nature works her magic and provides adventure seekers with unique opportunities.
Case in point: Duluth, Minnesota, is on the shore of Lake Superior in the northeast part of the state, and the big body of water impacts the local weather 365/24/7. Oftentimes this means large amounts of snow. Of course, spring eventually comes – even to Duluth – and with the warm temps, the snow melts. But sometimes you get a weird spring, and a massive thaw (2 or 3 days in the 50s or even low 60s) is followed by days of sub-freezing conditions. When this occurs, you get ice.
The weather folks and traffic reporters on TV even have a name for it: re-freeze. On a paved road, it can make for dangerous driving conditions. Picture a bunch of snow melting quickly on a paved road, leaving behind large puddles, which then freeze solid during a cold night. The result is an ice rink in the middle of the road. Not good for morning commuters.
However, as the video below shows, creative thrill seekers can find a way to make re-freeze into an incredible adventure. But this re-freeze isn’t on a paved road, it’s on mountain bike and cross-country ski trails in the surrounding forests and hills around Duluth. Obviously, all this ice made it impossible for bikers and skiers to use the woodland trails, but then someone had the great idea: “Why not ice skates?”
As you can see, these guys were smart enough to wear helmets, and because MN is “The State of Hockey,” it’s no surprise that they have serious skills. Watch and enjoy!
P.S. Red Bull has a competition similar to what you just saw above; it’s called Crashed Ice. Check out a recent competition on a manmade course in St. Paul, MN, below.
