MARQUETTE, MI (AP)-- A lack of snow in the typically snowy Upper Peninsula has forced the rare cancelation of a cross-country ski race.
Northern Michigan University announced Wednesday it had to call off the NMU Wildcat Open scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. The Wildcats now will start their season at the USSA Regional Opener Dec. 19-20 in Houghton.
NMU head ski coach Sten Fjeldheim says it's only the third time since 1986 the university had to cancel a competition during the second week of December. He added it's a "huge contrast" to last year, when the area had "outstanding snow" starting in November.
Fjeldheim says there is usually enough snow to hold the competition, but this year there's "no snow to even shovel on the trail."
