ADK Winterfest | For the whole family

For the first time ever, the Adirondack Mountain Club will be opening up its Heart Lake property outside Lake Placid for a mid-winter festival geared for the whole family! The very best part of the festival - it's almost all FREE!  WINTERFEST will take place on Saturday, January 11th at the Adirondack Loj property, 7 miles outside Lake Placid.  Crews at the Loj have been busy preparing a skating rink on the lake for weeks now. They even concocted their own, very imaginative, version of a Zamboni ice machine for the pond. Made from old skis, buckets and carpet scraps, it's a pretty ingenious invention that'll hopefully ensure some pretty darn smooth ice for the event. 

Ice making
ADK provided photo of ice making

Among the many events scheduled for the day are guided snowshoe and ski expeditions (there is a modest charge for the two guided outings - all the rest are free), skating, kids activities including a snow fort, Kid's Camp, self-guided ski and snowshoeing, beginner XC and Telemark ski clinics, outdoor equipment demos, and lots of great outdoor fun! 

Since we've been playing in the snow here in Lake Placid for over a hundred years, this is a perfect fit and the perfect venue.  Adirondack Loj was owned at one time by the Lake Placid Club, the founder of which brought the first skis to the Adirondacks in 1904. Melvil Dewey essentially invented winter recreation in America right here in Lake Placid, so what better venue for Winterfest than Adirondack Loj!  Following a day of outdoor fun, kick back and enjoy some live entertainment with Annie in the Water, a high energy, acoustic jam group,  from 4 - 8 pm, and stay on for a hearty Loj dinner (there is a charge for dining).

Lake Placid Loppet | America's citizen's race

In its 32nd year, the Lake Placid Loppet is one of the premier citizen races of its kind in the United States.  The Loppet itself is a grueling 50K (just over 31 miles) cross country ski race, looping around the 1980 Olympic Winter Games XC course at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. With challenging up- and downhills and spectacular woodland flats, the course is a member of the American Ski Marathon series and attracts racers from all over the country and a few foreign countries annually.  The event also offers the Kort Loppet, half the distance of the Loppet, for those who dont' have the stamina for a 50K race.  

Mass start of Lake Placid Loppet
Mass start at Lake Placid Loppet

For those who don't participate in the race themselves, spectating at the mass start and during the day is also a fun experience. The start area at the Olympic XC Stadium at Van Ho overflows with skiers in colorful suits and makes for some awesome photo ops. The Loppet begins promptly at 9 a.m. on race day, Saturday, March 8, followed at 9:15 by the Kort Loppet start. Stick around and watch some dramatic finishes as the racers begin to cross the finish line at around the two and a half hour mark.  

Whatever your winter interests for outdoor recreation, these are two of my favorites this winter in which you can participate.  If you're learning or already in shape to enter the Loppet, one of these events could be for you this winter. Hope to see you out there! Reserve a room and be assured of lodging while in Lake Placid.