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Photos: Behold, The First Snow On The 606

By Kate Shepherd in News on Nov 23, 2015 2:59PM


One of the strongest storms Chicago's ever seen in November rolled through town over the weekend, bringing with it a blast of cold air, freezing rain, and yes, in some places, snow. And that means it was also the first snow for the Bloomingdale Trail, now that the West Side rail line is officially an elevated network of public parks known as The 606.

The Chicago Park District is still trying to figure out how to allow visitors to do winter sports like cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing on The 606—but so far those activities aren't officially allowed. Reps say the Park District may organize some winter programs around those sports on the trail—for those days when the snow is powdery and perfect for those activities—with gear for visitors to borrow, but the details are still being hammered out.

The Park District's policy is to remove the snow and clear the trail for bikers, runners, walkers and others, unless there's an "inclement amount," of snow, Park District spokeswoman Michele Lemons told us last week. But they'll only clear a path down the middle of the trail, in order to protect the blue rubber sidings from wear and tear, so expect the trail to be a little more narrow in the winter.