Letter from the Editor: November 2024 – Cincinnati Magazine

WOver the past eight winters, we’ve had nine decent snowfalls in Cincinnati. I know because I am the point of contact for the snow removal service in our street; we live on what is officially a private avenue, so the city doesn’t plow it. A landscaping company clears our street as soon as five centimeters of snow has fallen. I went back and counted how many times I’ve paid them since 2016.

For me, a winter without much snow is quite bleak, especially in January and February. Too many mud puddles and gray skies. And I worry about the snow removal industry. Will those people join the long list of outdated jobs, such as one-hour telephone operators and photo developers? My grandpa drove a snow plow here in Cincinnati! Haha, can you believe people actually did that for a living?

Okay, an eight-year stretch with paltry amounts of snow isn’t the end of the world. It’s not like Cincinnati is starting to look like Arizona or anything. It just means we have to be more resourceful in finding ways to cope with the cold weather – which we did this month in the ‘How to Love Winter’ section.

The perfect example of our collective ingenuity can be found on a big hill outside of Lawrenceburg, where the Perfect family battles the elements to go skiing and snow tubing 30 minutes from downtown Cincinnati. I’d almost say they’re “tilting windmills in a quixotic chase,” but the reality is that Perfect North is a functioning ski area for most of the winter. Find out how he makes his own snow on page 46.
We also highlight events, shows, food and beverage options, outdoor adventures and tailgating gear that you can only enjoy in the winter. And we’ve got a guide to igloo dining and busting some freeze myths.

I know many of you hate snow because of the chaos it causes in our daily routines. My opinion: that’s actually a feature, not a bug. And some might say I’m tempting Mother Nature to unleash one of the worst winter seasons in history. Cursed! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.