Girl from the North Country

Built on and around a pretty patch of bluff country overlooking the St. Croix River, the small town of Afton is known for its eponymous state park (“Bucket List,”) and downhill ski area. But its true claim to fame is an export named Jessie Diggins, who grew up in Afton, learned to cross-country ski on its challenging up-and-down trails, and went on to conquer the world as the most famous and decorated U.S. Nordic athlete of all time. 

Despite her global success and a career that required her to move out east for training, Diggins remains rooted in Minnesota, and not just because she still has family here. In 2018, after winning Olympic gold in South Korea, Diggins returned to downtown Afton for a celebration that was ostensibly for her but was really for the fans, who showed up in droves to meet their glitter-happy hero (and to see Afton unveil a street sign that read “Jessie Diggins Trail”—the new name for a stretch of the town’s main commercial node). My daughter and my wife—both skiers—attended this homecoming, and they still talk about how Diggins patiently chatted with anyone who approached her, graciously signed ski buffs and other gear, and even let the superfans feel the weight of her actual gold medal.

As you’ll read in this edition’s MCV Q&A, Diggins’ most memorable recent homecoming came in February 2024, when she and the rest of the top cross-country skiers from around the globe raced in the Loppet Cup in Minneapolis—the first World Cup Nordic race held in the United States since 2001. No matter that Diggins didn’t win either of her Loppet Cup races. For one weekend in February, she was Minnesota’s Nordic ambassador, a smiling face set on showing her fellow competitors that our ski culture is world class.

Elsewhere in the Q&A Diggins proves she’s a thoughtful outdoorsperson, referencing her work with a climate change nonprofit and recalling a childhood filled with hiking, camping, fishing, and canoeing around Minnesota. As she tells MCV contributor Ryan Rodgers, “It’s always been about feeling connected with the outdoors and sharing it with the people you love.”

Last Call for 2025 Minnesota Fish Art Contest Entries
Hosted by Minnesota Conservation Volunteer in partnership with the nonprofit Wildlife Forever, the annual Fish Art Contest teaches K–12 students about aquatic conservation by inviting them to research a fish of their choice, then submit a drawing of their finned friend to be judged by a panel of experts.

Last year, nearly 300 Minnesota students entered the contest, competing for 12 places divided among four age categories. This year, we hope to up that number to 400 entrants. Help us hit our goal by encouraging students in your life to try their hand at the competition, which closes for entries on February 28. Visit mndnr.gov/mcvmagazine/fish-art-contest.html for all the details.