Sledders Rip Through Trails in the Heart of Snowmobile Season

Families face the cold for the chance to shred through the North Shore's trails.

FINLAND, Minn.- Temperatures are dropping and snow is finally piling in some areas up the North Shore.

“We traveled five hours to come up here. It was a long time, but it was worth it,” snowmobiler Amy Clemmensen said.

Families from all around the state are making the haul up the North Shore to Finland.

The snowmobiling season kicked off in December. Facing freezing temps are worth it for those who haven’t seen as much snow fall where they’re from in recent years.

“It’s a lot colder up here… And we haven’t gotten a lot of snow down there in two years,” Clemmensen said.

For many, sledding is more than just  recreation. Riders prefer going in groups and making stops to warm up at restaurants like ‘Our Place,” one of three coffee, cocoa and food joints in town.

“I’ve been here about five years now, and over the  years we’ve found people come up and call me by name ‘cuase they’ve been here every year, couples times. I get to know faces, but hell, i can’t remember 9000 names,” Owner Robert Buus said.

Buus and his wife own and operate the restaurant from 7 in the morning until 8 every night, serving hundreds who stop in from a long day of sledding.

“It can get very very hectic at times… You get this place full, and everybody’s running, everybody’s working,” Buus said.

After stopping for meals, sledding continues into the night with safety first on rider’s minds.

“Make sure you’re paying attention, stay on the right side when you’re going around the corner and make sure you’re hugging it so that you don’t hit another person if they’re coming around,” Clemmensen said.