Hi John, We’ve all seen how climate change has affected our winters in Wisconsin. While perhaps some shovel-averse people are fine with warmer, drier winters, Spooner Ski Team Head Coach Katie Eichten is not one of them. “We have to protect our winters,” Katie told me in our new video. “When we don’t have snow up here, you just go, ‘this is not how it’s meant to be.’”
I met Katie last month, when I brought my video camera up to Hayward to film the 2026 American Birkebeiner. The Birkie, as it’s fondly known, is the largest cross-country ski race in North America, bringing in more than 10,000 participants each year. |
“We have to protect our winters. When we don’t have snow up here, you just go, ‘this is not how it’s meant to be.'"
– Katie Eichten, Spooner Ski Team Head Coach
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In recent years, the Birkie has been forced to adapt to warming winters, even altering the course to make up for a lack of snow. Fortunately, this year there was enough natural snow for a full race, and the excitement was unmistakable.
In our new video, you’ll walk down Hayward’s packed Main Street, see hundreds of skiers crossing frozen lakes, and watch the Birkie champions cross the finish line. You’ll also hear from a great mix of skiers and community members about what the Birkie means to them, and why protecting Wisconsin’s winters matters so much.
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“I grew up in Wisconsin, and I remember winters when I was a kid. There was so much snow, and we just don’t see that now. Anyone who skis has a pretty strong sense for how climate change has affected the sport. It’s a real loss.”
– Jake Vander Zanden, Madison resident & skier
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I hope you enjoy watching the video half as much as I enjoyed making it. At Wisconsin Conservation Voters, we organize, we advocate, and we hold leaders accountable. We tell stories because while data shows the climate is changing, stories show us what we’re at risk of losing.
We made this video because the Birkie is more than a ski race. It’s a legendary piece of Wisconsin’s culture now facing the reality of warming winters. We wanted to capture that "meet you at the trailhead" energy that makes this event feel like home, even as the snow becomes less certain. I hope you enjoy watching this tribute to the Birkie and the people who love and support it each year. |
“Climate change has definitely affected the event, and the Birkie has done an amazing job trying to weatherproof it as much as they can, but it’s really hard to predict what it’s going to look like at the end of February every year.”
– Jess Scholz, Madison resident & skier
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When you’re done watching, head over to our interactive story map to: -
Locate your community and explore the issues impacting the places you love.
- Filter by issues like clean energy and clean water.
- Connect the dots between our outdoor traditions, our democracy, and our future.
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Find hidden Easter eggs tucked away in the map’s corners.
If you believe these stories matter, you can help us tell more of them.
Your support fuels: - The storytelling that connects people to places that matter to us.
- The organizing that protects our water, air, and climate.
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The voter engagement that makes sure Wisconsin’s future is decided by the people who cherish it.
- The work inside the Capitol where we’re fighting for the issues you care about most.
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The community of WCV members who understand the importance of joining together to create change.
When you donate to Wisconsin Conservation Voters, you’re investing in the stories that will help build a movement strong enough to protect this place for generations.
⛷️ Watch the Birkie video
📍 Explore the map
✅ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
🎁 Chip in to help us tell more Wisconsin stories |
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| Thanks for being a conservation voter, |
Nels Lindquist
Visual Storytelling manager Wisconsin Conservation Voters |
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Wisconsin Conservation Voters
133 S. Butler Street Suite 320
Madison, WI 53703
United States |
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