Ideas for Outdoor Adventures
by Mimi Frantz
Published: February 2010
Spring may never come. If you live in upstate New York, this may well be your current perspective. But, brace yourself, here in the north we are about halfway through the snowy season. If you just can’t get enough of winter, this may be good news. However, at this time of the year, if you are a mom or a dad pining to see grass in the backyard so that your kids can just head out to play – away from the computer games and TV screens – it’s time to get creative.
Winter may be a little more work with kids, but if you know where to look, the outdoor fun is truly endless. Especially now, as we are getting into longer days and warmer temperatures, two months may not be enough time to enjoy a sampling of all of the activities available in the region.
Festivals
February is winter carnival month and many Capital Region and Adirondack towns go all-out to celebrate the magic of winter with festivals, games, parades and family activities. Every weekend in February, Lake George celebrates winter with balloon rides, snowmobiling, bonfires with marshmallows, a petting zoo and more. Saranac Lake will debut it famed “ice palace” as part of the Winter Carnival with a fireworks ceremony Feb. 6, and hour-long gala parade on Feb. 13. You can also visit the ice castle through Feb. 14 at no charge and it is magically lit in the evening hours. For more information on winter carnivals close to you:
Saranac Lake (Feb. 5-14) – saranaclakewintercarnival.com
Lake George (Feb. 6-28) – lakegeorgewintercarnival.com
Indian Lake (Feb. 12-14) – indian-lake.com
Long Lake and Raquette Lake (Feb. 13-14) – longlake-ny.com
Inlet Frozen Fire & Lights Fest (Feb. 20) - inletny.com
Camps and Adventures
During President’s Week and school vacations, some destinations are offering full-day outdoor activity camps for children. Or for a family weekend getaway with plenty of adventure, spend some time connecting with nature through winter programs, where participants will tube, snowshoe, cross-country ski and ice fish.
With a little nature and a lot of Olympic spirit, the ORDA’s Gold Medal Games Family Edition (whitefacelakeplacid.com) in Lake Placid features three-day “competition” on Feb. 15-18 and 22-25. Action-packed team-building sports with skiing/snowboarding at Whiteface, bobsledding and biathlon at the Olympic Sports Complex, hockey shot/slapshot and curling at the Olympic Center, and speedskating on the Olympic Speedskating Oval. Events kickoff with a torch run, opening ceremonies and cauldron lighting, and it also includes ski jumping tour and Olympic Museum access.
Ndakinna Education Center, Greenfield Center – Winter Wilderness Adventure/ Storytelling Camp (age 6-8), Feb. 16-17 and Winter Wilderness Adventure Camp (age 9-12), Feb. 16-18 (ndcenter.org)
Willard Mountain, Easton – Holiday Week Camp, Feb. 16-20 (willardmountain.com)
Pineridge Cross-Country Ski Area, East Poestenkill – Learn-to-Ski Week, Feb. 16-19 (pineridgexc.com)
Pok-O-MacCready Outdoor Education Center, Willsboro – Winter Break Camp, Feb. 15-19 and Winter Family Weekend, Feb. 19-22 (pmoec.org)
Adirondack Mountain Club, Lake Placid – Winter Family Weekend, Feb. 19-21 (adk.org)
Sledding
Some of you may know the nearby hot spots for sledding: a neighbor’s backyard, the golf course, or even one of your own. But if your yard isn’t ideal, there may be some ways of constructing a course. One creative dad/lad team shoveled snow from the last storm into a large pile at the top of a subtle hill. Dad topped the pile with a sheet of plywood and covered it with more snow. This made “starting gate” for the sledding run; about four feet ahead, he piled more snow and set it overnight with water to make a jump.
If your kids are bored with the sledding routine, try a different sled like an inflatable snow tube or a saucer from the grocery store to make it feel new again. Or for a greater investment in the sport, there are some truly high-performance sleds that will bump up your game, such as the Mad River Rocket or the Hammerhead Sled. Remember also, sometimes a thin cover of snow is all you need to get down a hill, especially when temps are cooler – even frozen grass works.
Tobogganing
At the Lake Placid Toboggan Chute (northelba.org), you climb a 30-foot high ski jumping tower that was built in the 1960s, which sends your toboggan down a chute to a thrilling slide hundreds of feet across the frozen surface of Mirror Lake.
Snow Tubing
These ski areas offer snow tubing fun for all ages: Gore Mountain, North Creek (goremountain.com); West Mountain, Glens Falls (skiwestmountain.com); Oak Mountain, Speculator (oakmountainski.com); Willard Mountain, Easton (willardmountain.com); Mt. Pisgah, Saranac Lake (saranaclake.com).
Bobsledding and Skeleton
ORDA offers bobsled and skeleton rides on the combined track at the Olympic Sports Complex (whitefacelakeplacid.com) in Lake Placid. There is a 48-inch height minimum to bobsled and age 13 and up requirement for skeleton.
Alpine and Nordic Skiing
Downhill skiing is a very popular winter activity and if you have an interest in the sport you likely to know the regional ski scene. If you’re new to skiing, many resorts offer terrific learn-to-ski or ride programs.
Ski jumping may not seem like your everyday afterschool sport, but in Lake Placid the NY Ski Education Foundation offers “Learn To Fly” Wednesdays on Feb. 10, 17 and 24 from 3- 5:30pm. This program is open to ages six or older with either downhill or cross-country equipment to try their hand with elite coaches and training drills on smaller hills at the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex. Drop-ins and one-time attendees are welcome (nysef.org).
Cross-country skiing is one of the best winter workouts – you don’t need to wear as many insulating layers because you’ll soon be working up a sweat. The Capital Region and Adirondacks offer great cross-country centers, with lessons and rentals available to make first-time experiences hassle-free. If you are a classic skier, try skate technique lessons and rentals for an entirely different experience. Most cross-country ski areas offer snowshoe trails.
Olympic Sports Complex, Lake Placid (www.whitefacelakeplacid.com)
Dewey Mountain, Saranac Lake (deweyskicenter.com)
Cascade, Lake Placid (cascadeski.com)
Lapland Lake, Northville (laplandlake.com)
Pineridge, East Poestenkill (pineridgexc.com)
Osceola Tug Hill, Camden (www.uxcski.com)
Ice Skating
Skating on frozen ponds is a timeless winter classic, reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting. If you live near a frozen lake or pond, you just need a pair of skates – or maybe a shovel, depending on the snow load. One of the obvious things to look for is that the surface is safely frozen – aside from that, the smoother the surface, the better the experience.
As for equipment, the quality of the ice skates can make or break your chances for success. Skates should be form-fitting and supportive enough that you can’t bend the ankle support from side-to-side. If you don’t have skates of your own, your local skating center will likely have rentals available for public skating sessions. Another option is a learn-to-skate program that may also have skate rentals, and some programs even offer lessons for parents at the same time as the kids.
The amazing thing about the Capital Region and Adirondacks is that we are surrounded by nature and beauty, and there are truly endless ways to get outside to enjoy it. Despite the plethora of information mentioned in this piece, it is just the “tip of the iceberg” of the programs and opportunities. For even more ideas, see the Calendar of Events.
Mimi Frantz (mim@juniperevents.org) lives in Lake Placid with her husband and three young, active boys. She runs an event planning business, Juniper Events, and enjoys whatever outdoor activity time allows.
