frozen minnehaha falls.

If you don’t live in Minneapolis / Saint Paul, you most likely think it’s freezing nine months of the year and that we all talk like Marge Gunderson from Fargo. That couldn’t be farther from the truth! It gets cold, yes – remember last winter’s 50 days below zero?! – and there are some don’tcha knows, but overall, it’s a progressive and beautiful state… a hidden gem! 

In this occasional series, I’ll show you around where I live, work, play and swimbikerun. First up: frozen Minnehaha Falls! 

The falls are smack in the middle of Minneapolis along Minnehaha Creek (one of my favorite places to run; it doesn’t feel like you’re in the city). They were in full-force roar this past summer, which made for a really cool ice formation this winter. We – along with what seemed like half the city – visited this past Sunday, a beautiful sunny winter day with temps in the low 40s. After trespassing walking down super slick steps (these are awesome for running when not covered in ice!), Nick and I climbed up ice and mud so we could walk behind the frozen falls. Even in my Sorels the terrain was a bit treacherous, and I nearly slid to the bottom several times. But, well worth it… behind the falls, a quiet trickle of water above, was a brilliant blue ice wall. It’s hard to believe you’re in the middle of Minnesota’s largest city!

All photos by Nick 🙂