Kicksledding catches on

Winter traveling might be a lot more fun if we all traveled by "spark," a.k.a. kicksled.

According to Greg Wilcox of Country Ways in Minneapolis, traditional kicksleds, with metal skate-like blades, were used in Scandinavian countries for travel on frozen rivers and fjords. These days, people generally use them for recreation, and Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan has them on hand as a fun winter toy.

"We describe them as a miniature dogsled that you use as a skateboard," said Katie Pata, Dakota County Parks Operations Coordinator. "They are a hoot on the ice. Last year was a great snow winter. Before that it was just cold. We didn't have a lot of snow. You can use them on the ice, and they are a lot of fun."

Pata said visitors sometimes buy firewood at the visitor center and kicksled out to an A-frame shelter in the woods to have a winter picnic by a fire.

The sled's operator generally stands on the runners and kicks the ground to scoot around, and the sleds can tote a person or cargo. When ice conditions are good, Pata said, she likes to strap on skates and push the kicksled on the lake.

"There are a lot of different ways you can play with it besides sledding down hills and being pulled on the trail," she said.

"Don't dress too warm," advised Cheryl Drivdahl of Northfield, who spent a Saturday afternoon pushing her grandson Conur, 1, around on a spark.

"It's so easy," said her husband, Ken, who pushed grandson Joshua, 4. However, packed snow makes for easier sparking. "It's a little hard in the soft snow," he said.

Pata said it is prime time out at Lebanon Hills. "Winter is what we do best here," she said. "If you've got family coming into town, this is a great place to bring them to entertain them. It's a fun place if you have some kids that are itchy."

Pata said people love snowshoeing and winter hiking, and cross-country skiing is always popular. "That's our bread and butter," she said. "We have some of the best skiing in the metro. We are lucky to have the mileage that we do."

"It's a real gem for cross country skiing," said Beth Landahl, manager of park operations and education at Lebanon Hills. She particularly likes skiing through a restored oak savanna near Star Pond.

"It's beautiful, open," she said. "It's kind of a rolling landscape."

"It's absolutely beautiful," agreed Karen Grosland of Woodbury, who relaxed in front of the fire in the visitor center with members of the North Star Ski Touring Club. She likes the way the trees cut the wind and says they always keep the trails groomed.

"It's very beautiful, and it's very, very fun," said skier Kathy Hawkins of Moundsview. She likes the windswept areas near Wheaton Pond. "You can get a really good kick and glide," she said.

"Kids naturally like the winter," said her daughter Belinda Manolis of Roseville, who was skiing with her two kids. "For them, it's a lot of fun. They like that feeling of being out in the woods and exploring."

"We're so lucky," said Hawkins, who also likes skiing in any of the Three Rivers park areas. "We've probably got more wonderful ski trails than any place in the world. It's my favorite activity to do. It really does feel like you're dancing when you're doing it well. It really makes you look forward to the winter."

Liz Rolfsmeier is a Minneapolis freelance writer.