LACING UP AT PINEHURST. Eau Claire's outdoor rinks won't be ready until the mercury falls, the city says.

Hoping to lace up your skates to hit the outdoor ice? You may have to wait a little longer, at least here in the Chippewa Valley.

Eau Claire’s Parks, Recreation, and Forestry division says that “unseasonably warm weather conditions” are putting a hold on preparations at the city’s outdoor skating rinks.

“In order to begin flooding the rinks, four to six consecutive days of mid-20s or colder temperatures are needed,” the office said in a Dec. 12 media release. According to the National Weather Service, high temperatures in Eau Claire will be in the upper 30s and low 40s over the coming week.

But all is not lost: The Parks & Rec folks note that Hobbs Ice Area offers a variety of open skating times regardless of the weather outside. Check out their schedule and pricing information online here.

And while you’re waiting for the ice to freeze outdoors, Parks & Rec also notes that the Reindeer Roundup scavenger hunt will run through Sunday, Dec. 17. This family-friendly outdoor activity will send you on a hunt for missing reindeer (and Santa, too!) In various city parks. Get details on the Reindeer Roundup online right here.