Winter Outdoor Fun
Did you know, studies have shown that going outside and being active for even 20 minutes per day helps increase endorphins and reduce blood pressure. While there aren’t as many activities this year due to COVID-19, there is still plenty to do in Minnesota – even in January! We’ve compiled a quick list to help you get out and get moving. Snowshoeing. Head over to Lebanon Hills over in Eagan and, for only $7/hour, you can explore the trails above the snow using snowshoes! This is great for those that like to hike and go on walks but don’t like getting their socks wet from snow. Ice sports. The Minneapolis Parks Department is still hosting skating, hockey, pond hockey, and broomball on their ice rinks. While the numbers of lakes this year are reduced and there is a limit on how many people can be in a warming room at once, you can still lace up your skates and get your blood pumping. Hiking to frozen waterfalls. While Minnehaha Falls is pretty in the summer, it is are absolutely stunning in the winter. Hiking to the frozen falls and then following the trails by the water is a great weekend activity.
Snow Removal and Trigger Depths
We have already had some snowfalls this winter, meaning most of us are already back in the swing of driving in the snow. Understanding your HOAs contract for snow removal is key to knowing when you can expect your lot and drives to be cleared. A trigger depth is the minimum amount of accumulation a snow-removal company requires before they will plow the streets. The average trigger depth is between 1-2”, and most contracts say this much snow needs to fall in a single event. A “single event” policy means that the minimum trigger depth must be reached during one snowfall; if you reach the trigger depth in 2-3 snowfalls, they will not plow. Most snow-removal contracts also specify the timing of snow removal, as well as “open-ups” for heavy snowfalls. Timing is the amount of time the company has after snowfall ends to finish clearing the roads; in most contracts this is between 6 and 12 hours depending on how much snow accumulation there is. Open-ups are single passes plows make through the roads when it is still snowing but accumulation has already hit high levels, which makes it easier for people to get in and out of the HOA community, especially if there is an emergency.