Mornin' to everyone upset they lost their “extra refrigerator” (AKA the garage) to our warm temps. This is the Wiscampsin Weekly - the email that gets you in the know on the Wisconsin outdoors in 5 minutes or less. New reader? Subscribe here.

This week’s weekly:

• Wisconsin’s (Lack Of) Winter ❄️

• Birkie battles on ⛷️

• DNR appointment troubles ❌ 

  

Wisconsin’s (Lack Of) Winter

Hey folks, take a look out your window once quick. What do you see?

Brown (and it’s not all from your neighbor’s dog)!

Where there should be beautiful, sparkling snow for all of us ‘Scons to recreate on, instead, we have mud and all the yard work we didn’t get to last Fall.

We heard tell of the El Niño Winter, and goldarnit we’re fully experiencing it.

Where’s da snow?

• Snowfall is down 20-30 inches on average across the state

• Great Lakes ice coverage reaches record-low for February

• Up north businesses are hit hard by lack of snow activities

Snow sports? How about No sports

Snowshoeing, skiing, ice fishing, ice climbing, sledding—heck, even shoveling the driveway!

Most of the sports that have most (ok, some) of us looking forward to winter in Wisconsin have become nearly impossible.

The sturgeon spearers on Lake Winnebago are battling poor ice conditions. Their harvests are down 70% from 2022 and 2023.

The famous Birkie, which attracts nearly 40,000 racers and spectators, had to shorten its historic course from a 50k to a mere 10k loop.

Even the jolly Wausau Winter Fest had to cancel all snow/ice events this year!

Lake Michigan has just 2.7% ice coverage, as the Great Lakes as a whole experience their worst February on record for ice.

Winter economy on thin ice

As upsetting as it is to the folks who just want to get outdoors, it’s even tougher for the businesses that depend on winter sports to make ends meet.

Up nort’, businesses that thrive from ice fishing, skiing, and snowmobiling tourism are getting hit the hardest (think: gas stations, hotels, restaurants, gear shops, etc).

An estimated $6.5 million has been lost in the 7-county region alone from the lack of snow, causing businesses to ask the state for help.

As for the Birkie? A whopping $20 million on average is brought into the state from this one event alone. It’s safe to assume that their numbers won’t be anywhere near that high with this season’s conditions.

Snowmobiling is another sport that’s just not happening, as it takes frigid temps to freeze all the rivers, marshes, swamps, and lakes necessary to open the trails up north.

"We haven't had the trails open this year. My business is hurting hugely," said Jeff Katzer, owner of Rock's Rent All in Saint Germain.

The bleak winter conditions have spurred action on a federal level, as Wisconsin businesses can apply for federal disaster relief. 

How to get out ‘der the

As you do your Snow Dance and VooDoo magic in hopes of a dumping, be sure to keep an eye on our snow depth reports as well as general climate reports.

The DNR has also put together a list of activities you can partake in during our unseasonable winter, such as:

• Waterfalls and rapids worth seeing up north

• Best star gazing locations (*ahem* Newport State Park is now an International Dark Sky Place)

• Excellent birding opportunities

• Biking and hiking trails not normally accessible in winter

Whatever it takes to get out 'der!

Other great Wiscampsin reads…

How Lake Michigan's Thermocline Works

How to beat the winter woes and stay warm in Wisconsin's outdoors

Wisconsin's Winter Sports Capitol

Shop Wiscampsin

Wisconsin State Bird Art Print: “Very nicely made, great colors and design. It looks amazing in my home. Keep it up Wiscampsin ❤️” - Peggy

Wiscampsin Badgers Tee: “It’s the perfect t-shirt to show off my love for camping and Wisconsin at the same time :)” - Emily

Wiscampsin Recycled License Plate Frame: “Love it! Get out der! Makes my Mazda look even better” - Alex

Wiscampsin Mug: “Awesome mug, very lightweight, the mug doesn't get piping hot if you need to microwave your coffee either.” - Matthew

Wiscampsin Weekly Poll

Welp, 0% of readers said they have gone winter surfing in Wisconsin. (Can we blame you though?)

Nuts and Seeds 🌰 

⛷️ Birkie goes on: Somehow, the Birkie still happened despite snowfall being down 20-30 inches on average across the state. Luckily, race organizers long ago saw this coming, and invested ~$600,000 into snowmaking equipment for such occasions. Note: the race did get shortened from a 50k to a 10k.

❌ Trouble appointing DNR board: There’s a lot of stuff happening in State politics right now, including the appointment of DNR board members (you know, the folks who oversees environmental and wildlife policies). Most recently, the Republican-controlled Senate advanced 3 appointees, and rejected a former agency member appointed by Gov. Evers. Read about it here.

🧊 Cold for a cause! Some fearless ‘Scons took an icy plunge in Lake Monona on Saturday to raise funds for Special Olympics Wisconsin. The 25th Annual Polar Plunge series was attended by more than 885 participants! “Seeing the athletes here and seeing the excitement [is my favorite part]. Everybody is here cheering everybody on as they’re getting ready to take that dip into the cold water,” CEO Chad Hershner said. “So, the energy is just contagious.”

 Sponsored by our Wiscampsin Shop!

Looking to rep some new gear? Consider supporting your local Wiscampsin writers!

We’ve got a great stock of recycled coffee bean coffee mugs, license plate frames, our new shirts… Everything we make, we source as sustainably as possible to keep our green spaces all the greener.

*And as always, 1% of profits will go to the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks.

Thanks for supporting the Wiscampsin Weekly!

Check out the Wiscampsin shop!

Want to sponsor the Wiscampsin Weekly?

Reply “Sponsor” and we will get back to you with the details!

Meme of the Week 😂

A review from the trail… Well shucks, appreciate it neighbor!