Minneapolis ski scene

[Nando]

Lake X was Dave Saucier’s alias for what has finally been renamed Burns Lake (it’s in Burns Township)- he wasn’t going to publish the real name of the lake. It then became known as Lake Saucier. There’s an ex-skier that still owns some of the property Dave owned. They skied there for a few years but had vandalism problems with locals. We ended up with the fantastic jump Dave had there. The River Rats ski club bought it and somehow let it float over Lock and Dam 1 on the Mississippi. Sadly, I don’t think anyone has skied at Lake Saucier for years. It was a great site.

[6balls]

Stretching memory but I think I skied a "challenge the pro's" event the day before the tour on Keller Lake, which is near Crystal Lake. Not sure if either run courses anymore. Got my but kicked that day--a guy named Sam (maybe Hanna) won the event and skied in the pro event the next day. I still have my tourney bib--Michelob Dry.

[thager]

Loved skiing at Lake X as a kid! Great site with good conditions. Met and watched many ski stars there. George Athans and the Duvals come to mind. Then there's the crazy canadians who bought full wetsuits to wear under three piece suits to avoid the tariffs. In July! What a hoot!

[TomH]

Keller is so inundated with milfoil these days, there's really only a small corridor to ski, and don't think they ever had a permanent course on there (but used to host tourneys back in the day - as did Island Lake a little north of there). I do believe there's a course on Kohlman though (under a few bridges from Keller). Otherwise, in the NE metro, there's permanent courses on Owasso and Bald Eagle, sometimes on Otter, and the guys on White Bear move a couple floaters around every few weeks.

[swbca]

Lake Saucier (Lake X) Had a lot fun tournaments. This was 1976. Slalom water was soft like in Florida. Ran PB 4@35off 36 downwind this day. It never happened again. This is Jim Rothman, Dave Benzel and me. Maybe someone else can identify the guy in RED. I believe Tom Myslajek, the great trick skier was on the PA system that day, always had everyone laughing with his dry humor.

[Mastercrafter]

Cool pic, and I love that boat. I owned a 1976 Skier for a week, 2 years ago.

[The_MS]

My guess is that there is a course on Medicine lake in the arm. Problem is that it is on the bottom and needs to be raised.

[Bhinrichs]

Hey all, GREAT input!! I'm newer to the ski community than a lot of you. But I sincerely appreciate your advice. And I'm excited to see that MN might have more of a ski scene than I anticipated. (Here I was thinking that I had to go down to FL to find skiers, and you're proving my thought wrong) I'm looking forward to meeting some of you out on the water!

 

@skibrain I always see the same course when I'm driving north for the weekend. I've been told that Rice is private. It's almost like they put the course out in plain sight, just to make everyone a little jealous! But then again, maybe there is a way to ski it. @Lars I'm going to shoot you a PM.

 

@TomH I'd totally forgotten, but I'd heard about Bald Eagle having a course, I'll check that out. And great feedback on Owasso, Otter and White Bear.

 

@The_MS if there is a course, then it's sunk very, very deep in the Arm. So deep that nobody can find it! Haha

[bananaron]

@Bhinrichs How about the 2 private man made lakes in New Germany that I think were called trophy lakes.The last I heard the bank owned what was left.However several people did own some of the lots and at one time Mark Overbye was trying to get it back to selling the remaining lots.I know the owner of the malibu store did own some lots and did have a malibu for the association. I actually looked at them when the developer first opened them up for sale.Not sure what the status is now.

[6balls]

@bananaron trophy lakes in New Germany is basically a ski club with the price of ownership having to have been a land owner. A number of people bought land and into the LLC which of course went nowhere as the market crashed circa '08.

 

They never did get power/septic/water out there, so not buildable w/out it. Mark Overbye tried to get it at firesale from the bank and sell what were pretty damned cheap lots, but couldn't fill out the project and I think gave up. My brother Jim owned a 1/4 lot out there just for the ski rights/use of the boats etc. Skis SWEET.

 

Malibu dealer occasionally runs boats there after/during service work. This was the status when Jim could no longer ski--so that is about 4 years ago things may have changed. Pulled Jim through 39 off there one magical day after he back to backed 38. I had run 38 as well so big brother had to show he was still big brother! Some good memories there with Jim and Mitch. Some pretty nice people were regulars there. Rick Trennary skied there some (has a home on another TLE site in Glenwood last I knew), Jim Rose, Jack Kinne, Lisa (can't remember last name), Tony (can't remember last name).

 

There is a TLE site north of St. Paul as well that is developed--Center City.

 

 

[BrennanKMN]

Not much has changed in the past 4 years. There are a few new owners, but the lot prices are still asking $50k.

 

Not being buildable and from what I've heard very unlikely to change, it is a hard sell. I looked at them a year or so back, but couldn't sink that money into land that I couldn't even put storage on.

[MDB1056]

Back in the 70’s there was a skiing family named Hagan that were all very strong in the MN ski scene. Always used to ski against Gary Hagan in boys slalom , and he was always better than me ! Next gen of Hagans may still be active

[swbca]

@MDB1056 The Hagans were a big part of Minnesota ski scene for a long time, tournament officials, drivers, promo-boats and 2 generations of skiers. No one in the family is water skiing now. Modest, pragmatic people . . . . they drove Honda Accords until they wore out; at the same time bought a twin engine plane so Gary could work towards becoming a commercial pilot. Gary flew one of the major airlines but may have retired by now. Gary was everyone's first choice for boat driver in the tournaments. And, he was good skier . . I was practicing with him in 1980 when he was getting fairly consistent at 35off 36mph.

 

@BrennanKMN It looks like Trophy Lakes still has lots for sale for building a home. I was there this summer and there are currently two homes on the lake that look like 500-600k homes to me. There are no temporary or mobile structures on the lake suggesting there are covenants about how the lots are used. There are usually 3 or 4 tournaments there per summer. It would probably be sold out if wasn't about an hour drive north from the Minneapolis area.

 

This shows a recent sale last October.

[BrennanKMN]

@swbca

I am referring to Trophy Lakes in New Germany, not Center City.

 

It is a little confusing that there are 3 Trophy Lakes in MN. Pine Island, Center City and New Germany.

[6balls]

Yes there are some homes on Center City. One used to be Brad Bennett's and I think Eddie (spacing his last name) was there. I know a number of years ago Brad's was for sale--was a beautiful place. Those guys used to hit the MN tourneys together.

@Gjohnson you still own part of a lot there? Does Karen Moon?

 

 

There are nice homes on TLE Pine Island, TLE Glenwood, and TLE Center city, no homes New Germany. So there are actually 4 @BrennanKMN in MN. I've skied New Germany a bunch, a number of tourneys at both Glenwood and Pine Island. New Germany has magical water--skis super nice.

[skibrain]

I’ve skied the course on Kohlman. I was a guest for a morning. Short setup and a windy day. I think there are some early a.m. regulars on Lotus in Eden Prairie. No contacts for you.

[swbca]

@Nando Just got an update on Lake X. It not a new status, but I just inquired out of curiously. Tom Myslajek bought the 40 acres from Dave Saucier after it was no longer being used for tournaments. Tom was one of the best Trick Skiers to come out of Minnesota with some National metals and a great guy.

Its now a private park for Tom's family. He cuts the grass occasionally where the tournament site was located. Apparently frequent vandalism was a cause of the site being retired for tournaments.

[Nando]

@swbca- saw Tom a few years ago and apparently the vandalism was pretty crazy, but it was a long time ago and whoever it was is undoubtably long gone. He and his brothers (and Phil “Mudcat” Richmond) skied there for a couple of years but the locals really trashed anything left at the lake. There are now some houses pretty close but the lake still looks like it did. Do you know if he ever skis there?

[Nando]

@swbca- saw Tom a few years ago and apparently the vandalism was pretty crazy, but it was a long time ago and whoever it was is undoubtably long gone. He and his brothers (and Phil “Mudcat” Richmond) skied there for a couple of years but the locals really trashed anything left at the lake. There are now some houses pretty close but the lake still looks like it did. Do you know if he ever skis there?

[pc]

Bald Eagle Lake, located near White Bear Lake, has had a permanent course in the same location (on the west shore) since 1954. It’s anchored and surveyed. A group of skiers regularly chase balls, mostly in the mornings.

[pc]

Bald Eagle Lake, located near White Bear Lake, has had a permanent course in the same location (on the west shore) since 1954. It’s anchored and surveyed. A group of skiers regularly chase balls, mostly in the mornings.

[PUoldmaid]

Looking to revive some MN skiing. Likely moving back to the great state of Waterskiing. Have to fly out of MSP every other week. Where should I go? Have kids in B1/G1

[PUoldmaid]

Looking to revive some MN skiing. Likely moving back to the great state of Waterskiing. Have to fly out of MSP every other week. Where should I go? Have kids in B1/G1

[WDKinley]

I was asked this once so I thought I'd ask the group... Is there anyone doing jump in MN?

[WDKinley]

I was asked this once so I thought I'd ask the group... Is there anyone doing jump in MN?

[Nando]

@pc- if anyone can identify the guy in the red vest in Steve’s photo, it’s you. I thought it might be Jim Arndt, but I never saw him wear a wetsuit...

[Nando]

@pc- if anyone can identify the guy in the red vest in Steve’s photo, it’s you. I thought it might be Jim Arndt, but I never saw him wear a wetsuit...

[swbca]

@Nando Someone told me its Mike Toffle - not sure I have the spelling correct.@pc As you noted, the course on Bald Eagle goes back about 65 years. It was built and maintained by Tom Chapin and his kids Paul and Evy Chapin. They are all life-time tournament skiers with the kids starting before 10 years old. They all have national titles including Paul's 1st in a Mens trick event, and just placed 6th in the Over-35 World Tournament in slalom in the 65-70 group with 3 at 38 off.

They don't have much trouble with their course after being a community fixture for so many years.

Paul free-skied with us on Baylake near Brainerd last month a week before the world tournament.(from video with 8 year old Samsung Galaxy phone on SkiDoc)

[6balls]

Geez nicely stacked.

[Nando]

KLP once told me that PC had the best technique of anyone he could think of. If anyone does, it’s probably his sister.