Article: Cross-country lodge pampers its snow

Cross-country lodge pampers its snow

By BETH GAUPER Knight Ridder Newspapers

Wednesday, February 5, 2003

Every winter, skiers start a pilgrimage to western Minnesota.

They look out their car windows at the dry yellow fields, the frozen bare furrows, and wonder: Will there be snow?

At Maplelag, there almost always is.

Rising slightly at a point where prairie meets the eastern hardwood forest and northern pine forest, its trees catch the first snow from the west. Once under a canopy of maples, it comes under the custody of Jay Richards, who combs, cossets and grooms it as if it were the pelt of a prize poodle.

"We have to take care of it and baby it," says Richards, the son of Maplelag ...

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