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 A Great Lakes Seaway Trail original: Ice climbing “Play It Again Salmon” ascent at Salmon River Falls. Photo by Jim Lawyer (www.jimlawyer.com), copyright protected. |
Ready to climb sheer faces of vertical ice this winter, go back in time for a leisurely ski through a frosty pioneer village or a sleigh ride past venerable Victorian architecture, or jump into the shocking St. Lawrence River in February for a good cause?
These experiences, along with Olympian-owned ski slopes and cool places for sleigh riding, snowmobiling, skiing, snowshoeing are just some of the ways you can enjoy winter along the Great Lakes Seaway Trail.
Photograph Spectacular Ice Dunes
Waves surging inland from Lake Erie, the Niagara River, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River form spectacular ice dunes all along the Great Lakes Seaway Trail’s shoreline. Presque Isle State Park along Seaway Trail Pennsylvania in Erie is perfect for photographing the dunes and hearty souls ice boating on Presque Isle Bay, or rent cross-country skis or snowshoes to explore 11 miles of natural and groomed trails. The Bay also offers outdoor skating and fishing, but know how to check the ice thickness for safety before stepping out. Check the Winter Report at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/winter/winterb.aspx?park=6200 or call (814) 833-7424.
 A weekend sleigh ride at Chautauqua Institution – Photo: Chautauqua Institution |
Sleigh Riding and Hot Tubbing
“Lake Effect” snows create Great Lakes Seaway Trail winter playgrounds when cold winds cross the warm freshwaters of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Horse-drawn sleigh (or wagon) rides through Chautauqua Institution’s Victorian-era National Historic Landmark landscape in Chautauqua, NY, start at 1 pm and run about every half-hour weekends through January to February 28. Purchase same-day tickets after 12 noon at the Institution bookstore. For more details: www.ciweb.org
 Suzette A. Paduano brings Tails of the Tundra Siberian Husky rescued dog Team to Jamestown Audubon’s Snowflake Festival. Photo: Jamestown Audubon Nature Center |
Snowflake Festival at Jamestown's Audobon Center
Tails of the Tundra Siberian Husky dog sled demonstrations, sleigh rides, snowshoeing, winter camping and cooking will be outside at Jamestown’s Audubon Center’s Snowflake Festival on Saturday, February 6, 2010, with live bird, hand-quilting, Master Gardener demos and bluebird box building indoors. A $5 pre-event sale coupon book includes chances for a handmade Swedish afghan and one week of summer day camp for a child of your choice. For details: 716-569-2345 and http://snowflakefestival.wordpress.com/.
Hit the Slopes, Trails, and Hot Tub
Where can you find 27 slopes and trails for crisp wintry downhill and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing followed by a warm, relaxing dip in an outdoor hot tub? Peek’n Peak Resort & Spa, 1405 Old Road, Clymer, NY, 716-355-4141, http://www.pknpk.com.
 Winter Camp at Fort Niagara. Photo: Wayne Peters, Old Fort Niagara |
Send Your Kids to 18th Century Winter Camp
Need your kids to burn energy on their mid-winter break? Send them to camp on the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. Old Fort Niagara offers three day-long programs for kids to learn how to light a campfire with flint and steel, write with a quill pen, cook a colonial-style meal, snowshoe and race with fur traders. The 8:30am to 4:30pm program includes an 18th-century puppet show and building a model of the historic fort at the mouth of the Niagara River on Lake Ontario. Registration is $40 and limited to first 20 children/day. Call 716-745-7611 for details.
Hockey for Heroes in Buffalo
Travel the Great Lakes Seaway Trail to exciting Buffalo Sabres’ National Hockey League action! Military service members from Western NY can apply for “Tickets for Troops” to see a game courtesy of Sabres’ defensemen Chris Butler. Find application online at http://sabres.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=501129. Not military, call 888-GO-SABRES for tickets.
 Great Lakes Seaway Trail snowmobile trails take you past historic architectural sites such as this Erie Canal Culvert |
Gateway to Snow-Cruising and Snow Strolling through Historic Landscapes
Snow-cruising aboard a snowmobile is a refreshing way to experience the byway’s beautiful wintry landscape and its historic architecture. For example, 8 miles west of Albion, NY, ride the only road that passes under the Erie Canal. Culvert Road is a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not highlight. Check out Trailwide snowmobiling and winter trail resources at www.seawaytrail.com/snowmobile.html.
Explore Genesee Country Village On Skis or Snowshoes
Ancient glaciers helped create a 19th century dolostone wall and extinct waterfall at the Nature Center at Genesee Country Village. On Saturdays and Sundays, for $5-10 rent skis and snowshoes, some small enough for 3-year-olds, to explore 6 miles of trails through chickadee- and deer-filled meadows and woodlands. Enjoy self-guided “snow strolling” 12 noon-4pm past the 40-plus historic buildings representing American pioneer life from 1795 to 1920. Call ahead to 585-538-6822 x262 to confirm conditions are right. Find more details online at www.gcv.org.
Bavaria on the Byway
Check out Bavarian Ski Day on January 24, 2010 at Brantling Ski Slopes where now-retired Olympian downhiller Diane Roffe–Steinrotter once trained. The special event features music, traditional Bavarian food and drink: sausage, sauerkraut, German potatoes, German beer and wine. Lift, lesson and rental package is available for $33-$46. You can also snowboard here, 4051 Fish Farm Road, Sodus, NY, 315-331-2365, www.brantling.com.
Outdoor Fun Galore
What’s your winter recreation pleasure? Fair Haven Beach State Park on Lake Ontario on Route 104A has it all – from cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice fishing and winter birdwatching opportunities along trails and 1500 feet of beach. This historic park dates to the 1930s when the Civilian Conservation Corps built cabins and pavilions here. Call 315-947-5205 or check www.nysparks.state.ny.us/parks for details.
 A frosty Salmon River Falls. Photo: Oswego County Tourism |
Ice Climbing at Salmon River Falls
Play It Again, Salmon; Mate, Spawn & Die; Shale We Climb – all names of ascents, some as high as 100 feet - for ice climbers at Salmon River Falls Natural Area in Altmar, NY. When crisp winter temperatures set, the frozen falls become a mecca for ice climbers. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation manages the area and requires that climbers observe strict safety precautions and register daily to climb. Call 315-298-7467 for ice conditions – generally best in February-March. Find more details and photos at http://www.visitoswegocounty.com/tn/MoreFun/IceClimbing.aspx.
Click here for NYSDEC-required Daily Registration Form for Climbing Salmon River Falls.
Click here for the Ice Climbing Map for Salmon River Falls.
 The Friends of River Hospital Polar Bear Dip. Photo: Friends of River Hospital |
Are You Crazy? Polar Bear Dipping in the St. Lawrence River
Ready to jump into freezing water for a good cause? The 20th annual Friends of River Hospital Polar Bear Dip is February 27, 2010. Hearty, and harnessed, souls from all over the U.S. will plunge into the St. Lawrence River through a hole cut in the ice off the Rum Runner’s Dock at Bonnie Castle Resort at Alexandria Bay, NY. Minimum entry is $100; funds raised purchase equipment for the hospital. Prizes are awarded for Best Costume, Best Dipping Technique, and Most Money Raised. The Bay’s resort hotels offer preferred or reduced rates. The celebration includes a Feburary 21st Snolf (snow golf) Tournament, and has raised more than $50,000 in a single year. More info: 315-482-5421, kvpeters@ridgeviewtel.us.
 February 1812 Battle of Ogdensburg reenactment. Photo: Tim Cryderman |
War of 1812 Reenactment
On February 20-21, 2010, the British Crown forces will slip across the St. Lawrence River to attack the Americans at Ogdensburg in a recreated battle of the War of 1812. Reenactors bring to life Forsythe’s Rifles Regiment at the future site of the recreation of historic Fort de la Presentation. Watch for details as the event approaches.
 Family snowshoeing fun at Robert Moses State Park. Photo: NYS Parks |
Ski and Snowshoe Robert Moses State Park
To reach Robert Moses State Park at Massena, NY, drive underneath the Eisenhower Lock that allows six-story-tall freighters to travel the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The Park’s Nature Center offers cross-country ski and snowshoe rental for exploring 25 km of tranquil trails along the St. Lawrence River. Park entry is free. Call 315-764-5630 or check http://www.rmspnaturecenter.org for dates for moonlight skiing, family snowshoe hikes, and indoor “snowy meadow” painting and carving classes.