COME SKI ABOUT ME

A SKI TRIP TO MINNESOTA—FULL OF WINTER FESTIVITY AND SMALL-TOWN MAGIC—BECOMES AN ANNUAL TRADITION FOR A GROUP OF SOUTHERNERS.

- WRITER JULIA SAYERS GOKHALE PHOTOGRAPHER ACKERMAN + GRUBER

When I first moved to Iowa four years ago, my husband and I were looking for the closest decent place to ski.

As Epic Pass holders, we landed on Afton Alps, just 30 minutes southeast of St. Paul. We wondered, could we convince our southern ski buds to come up to Minnesota that year? And we did, unknowingly launching a tradition where our Alabama friends brave temperatures of sometimes 9 degrees below zero to ski with us newly minted Midwesterners. Though Afton Alps can never replace our out-West ski trips, it suits our group of mixed experience levels perfectly: This is where our friend skied his first black diamond, where my husband found his footing again after tearing his MCL in Utah, and the only place where I can say I've skied every run.

The tiny Minnesota towns near the resort don't offer much to do, so we always stay about 20 minutes north along the St. Croix River in Stillwater, where frosty bluffs rise behind charming brick storefronts downtown. That first year, we lucked into the World Snow Sculpting Championship, and now we time our trip to it. The 13-day festival draws teams from all over the world to craft gigantic frozen sculptures, on display downtown. (Afton Alps provides the snowmaking equipment and makes the snow onsite.) Adjacent activities include candlelight walks, fat-tire bike rides, DJs, parties, and belly-warming treats.