By Brandon Kieper, Antigo Daily Journal

Mother Nature made us wait, and then dropped the Polar Vortex on top, but that did not deter local snow enthusiasts from flocking to the opening of Kettlebowl this past weekend.

Kettlebowl board member Sarah Bostwick said the hill sold more than 100 tickets, despite the frigid temps both on a snowy Saturday and blindingly bright Sunday.

“Several families visited for the first time, and of course many more friends and family we see every season came back,” Bostwick said. “We tested out our new COVID-19 precautions, and will be making adjustments to streamline our process to ensure our guests have fun while staying safe.”

The weekend also featured two ski helmet giveaways.

Kettlebowl plans to open Saturdays and Sundays for the rest of the ski and snowboard season, weather permitting. Updates will be posted to the Kettlebowl Facebook page.

Equipment rentals are available at the hill through Antigo Ski. Children’s rentals are $15, adults $20.

“The overall feedback we received from our guests was that they were happy and excited for us to finally be open, even with the colder temperatures,” Bostwick said.