photo courtesy of sunburst

Sunburst Winter Sports Park

Snowshoeing + Cross-Country Skiing Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

If you want to feel like youre floating on snow, strap on a pair of snowshoes or
cross-country skis and get hiking.

cross-country ski photo by schwa021/flickr;

Where to go?
Peninsula State Park in Door County, Wisconsin

Boyne ski photo by rachel kramer

Trek the 16 miles of groomed ski trails and the 6 miles of ungroomed snowshoe

Winter
trails, which get an average of 50-60 inches of snow per season. dnr.wi.gov

Cascade Lodge in Lutsen, Minnesota

Along the shores of Lake Superior and surrounded by state and national forests,
Cascade Lodge offers close to 36 miles of machine-groomed trails and a seemingly
endless amount of snowshoe trails. Snowshoes are available for full- and half-day
rentals. cascadelodgemn.com

Wonderland
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Ontonagon, Michigan
87 miles of designated cross-country ski trails and a 60,000-acre park offer sweeping
hilltop views of Lake Superior. Visit frozen waterfalls, thick forested areas and even
b y k at e b u s h

embark on a lantern-lit snowshoe adventure. porcupinemountains.com

Skiing + Snowboarding
Theres nothing like carving your own frosty path and maybe catching some air on
a ramp or two. Whether you ski or snowboard, these resorts are a winter lovers
dream.

dogsled photo by everydamnnameisinuse/flickr

Where to go?

put on your W
inter stimulates all the senses: Freshly fallen snow Bristol Mountain Resort in Canandaigua, New York
crunching under boots; the smell of crisp air; eye- Considered the premier ski resort in the Finger Lakes region, Bristol Mountain offers
a 1,200-foot vertical drop, two high-speed quads and 34 trails spread out over 138
catching frozen landscapes. Bountiful snow, propelled by
skiable acres. bristolmountain.com

snow pants and

lake effect, is a unique gift the Great Lakes region affords.
Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs, Michigan
We are lucky enough to experience all four seasons, and Visitors will find 55 groomed downhill runs including the states longest a 552-
one of the most refreshing is winter. It might be tempting to foot vertical drop, 435 skiable acres and four terrain parks. All skill levels are welcome.

get outdoors!
curl up in a warm blanket next to your fireplace, but its also boyne.com

a perfect time to get outside and explore the wonderful, Blue Mountain Resort in Blue Mountains, Ontario
frozen terrain in Great Lakes states. Boyne Highlands Resort Located on the shores of Georgian Bay, Blue Mountain is the largest mountain resort in
Ontario. It features 42 runs, 364 skiable acres and two terrain parks. bluemountain.ca

dogsledding Winterdance Dogsled Tours

Ice Climbing Tiffany Falls
What could be more relaxing than winding through snow-covered pines with
If youve ever dreamed of climbing Mt. Everest, get a taste of the mountain life with
mans best friend? Whether youre racing or just taking in the scenery, hop
ice climbing.
aboard a sled, gather your dog team and shout, Hike!

ice climbing photo by florin chelarau

Where to go?
Where to go? Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, Michigan
Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge in Ely, Minnesota
The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is home to one of largest concentrations of
Known as the Sled Dog Capital of the World, Ely, Minnesota is right next to
climbable ice in the country. Its also host to the nations oldest ice climbing festival:
the stunning Boundary Waters Wilderness. Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge has
Michigan Ice Fest. Michiganicefest.com
been around for nearly 30 years and specializes in helping beginners learn
how to dogsled on lodge-to-lodge trips. They also offer three-night, parent- Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois
child and private trips. DOGSLEDDING.COM Scale the frozen caves and waterfalls of this beloved state park. In order to climb
French, Wildcat, LaSalle and Tonty canyons, you must contact the Park Office for
Winterdance Dogsled Tours in Haliburton Forest, Ontario
permission. starvedrockstatepark.org
With more than 5,000 acres of untouched, rugged wilderness and about 31 miles
of trails bypassing seven stunning lakes, Winterdance offers 2-hour, half-day, Tiffany Falls in Hamilton, Ontario
full-day, moonlit and multi-day sledding trips. Winterdance is Canadas only Just outside Toronto, these frozen Niagara Escarpment waterfalls are ripe for ice
Siberian husky kennel to have finished both Alaskas 1,000-mile Iditarod and climbing. To climb, you must be a member of the Alpine Club of Canada or attend an
Yukon Quest. WINTERDANCE.COM ice climbing class. ourtruenature.ca

28 november/december 2016 | LAKELANDBOATING.COM LAKELANDBOATING.COM | november/december 2016 29

 ice boat photo courtesy of tiyc.net; ice skating photo courtesy of wiki
Ice Boating Luging + Bobsledding
Muskegon Winter Sports Complex

luge photo courtesy of muskegon winter sports complex;

If hurtling almost 100 mph across a frozen lake in gusty winter weather No, these sports arent just for the pros! If you have a need for speed and
sounds like fun, then ice boating might be your sport. Find a nearby ice are a fan of Cool Runnings, race down these Olympic-like courses.
yacht club to learn how to race an ice boat.
Where to go?
Where to go? Muskegon Winter Sports Complex in Muskegon, Michigan
Lake Geneva in Wisconsin This luge track is one of only four tracks that exist in the U.S. The 850-
Located in the Ice Belt, Lake Geneva has provided generations of foot track was designed by a three-time Olympian and consists of six
ice boaters with a perfectly smooth, icy track for racing; some even curves that boost you to speeds of up to 30 mph. msports.org
call this area the ice boat capital of the world. The lake has been host
Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex in Lake Placid, New York
to the Northwest Ice Yachting Association Regatta for many years.
Learn what it takes to be an Olympic slider at this combined bobsled
iceboat.org
and luge track that was home to the 1931 and 1980 Winter Olympics.
Maumee Bay in Toledo, Ohio Ride down the track with a professional driver. whiteface.com
The Toledo Ice Yacht Club has been around since 1919, sailing primarily
Lucy Hill in Negaunee, Michigan
on Maumee Bay. This popular ice boating location is host to the annual
Welcome to the only full-length, natural luge track in the U.S.! This
Toledo Ice Yacht Club Winterfest, which attracts hundreds of attendees. Nearby Sandusky
track is open to all ages to come out and try Naturbahn (natural)
Bay is also a popular ice boat destination. TIYC.NET
luging. The half-mile course features a 280-foot drop. upluge.org

Ice skating Rideau Canal Skateway Pokagon State Park

Tubing + Tobogganing
Lace up those skates and pretend like youre Tara Lapinski while gliding
Feel the thrill of being a kid again while riding a tube or toboggan down a steep, slippery slope.
across the ice on these unique outdoor rinks.

Where to go? Where to go?

Sunburst Winter Sports Park in Kewaskum, Wisconsin
Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa
Reach speeds up to 40 mph on one of Sunbursts 42, quarter-mile tubing lanes, each
Every winter, the Rideau Canal transforms into the worlds largest outdoor skating
with a 10-story drop. Sunburst, one of the worlds largest tubing parks, also features
rink. The nearly 5-mile long, naturally frozen skateway is about the size of 90
magic carpet lifts. skisunburst.com
Olympic-sized hockey rinks. rcs.ncc-ccn.ca

tobogganing photo by ben seese

Pokagon State Park in Angola, Indiana
Maggie Daley Park in Chicago, Illinois
Zoom through the forest on this refrigerated, quarter-mile-long toboggan run with a
The new skating ribbon in downtown Chicago offers a quarter-mile loop with
vertical drop of 90 feet. Youll hit speeds of 30-40 mph. Tip: Its best to get in line first
various changes in elevation a break from the traditionally flat rink. The ribbon
thing in the morning. in.gov/dnr
has capacity for 700 skaters to enjoy the Chicago skyline. maggiedaleypark.com
Mad River Mountain, Zanesfield, Ohio
Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, Ontario
Ohios largest tubing park features 10 rolling, 1,000-foot lanes no wonder Mad River
During the summer months this is a reflecting pool, but in the winter months
says that every day is a snow day! The Avalanche Tubing Park also offers two magic
its a famous Toronto attraction. Take in the city lights while perfecting your
carpet conveyer lifts, a snack bar and an outdoor firepit. Skimadriver.com
triple axel. toronto.ca

Minocqua, Wisconsin SnowMobiling Ice Caves Apostle Island Ice Caves

Pack a thermos of hot chocolate, hit these snowmobile trails, rev up the engine and Youre guaranteed spectacular photography that you can show off by
hold on tight. exploring these frozen, icicle-laden caves.
Where to go? Where to go?
Minocqua, Wisconsin Apostle Island Ice Caves in Bayfield, Wisconsin

snowmobile photo courtesy of wisconsin DNR

This northern Wisconsin region offers 1,600 miles of trails that pass frozen glacial Cross frozen Lake Superior by foot to access these stunning ice
lakes and wind through 233,000 acres of public forestland. Try the popular Bearskin sea caves and rock formations. The National Park Service considers
State Trail, which stretches 18 miles. minocqua.org these caves a fairyland of needle-like icicles. Crawl inside a sea
cave and look up to see the ice stalactites, or look below to see the

ice caves photo by the cut/flickr

Brainerd Lakes, Minnesota
1,200 miles of interconnected trails that pass by more than 500 frozen lakes make clear bottom of Lake Superior. nps.gov/apis
this region a premier snowmobile destination. Hop on the Paul Bunyan Trail Eben Ice Caves in Deerton, Michigan
Minnesotas longest paved state trail at 115 miles. brainerd.com/winter/snowmobile These lesser-known ice caves are part of the 4,722-acre Rock
Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan River Canyon Wilderness area in the Upper Peninsulas Hiawatha
The Keweenaw Peninsula affords 200 miles of maintained snowmobile trails, National Forest. In cold months, the Rock River Canyon transforms
including the Bill Nicholls trail a former abandoned railroad. Houghton and into 60-foot-tall ice curtains, which visitors can walk behind. An
Hancock are considered the hub of this snowmobile destination. keweenaw.info important tip: Wear cleats! wilderness.net

30 november/december 2016 | LAKELANDBOATING.COM LAKELANDBOATING.COM | november/december 2016 31

 ice fishing
Bundle up in your warmest winter apparel, drill a hole in the ice, cast a
line and then wait patiently for fish to bite.

Where to go?
Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin
Who needs a fishing pole when you can use a spear instead! Lake
Winnebago is known for its winter spearing season, where anglers can
catch sturgeon weighing in at more than 100 pounds. Ice fishing for

ice fishing photo by lorne chapman

walleye, perch and white bass is also popular on this 138,000-acre lake.
visitoshkosh.com

Lake Simcoe, Ontario

Many consider this lake to be the Ice Fishing Capital of North America,
and more people fish this large, inland lake in the winter than at any other
time of the year. The prized fish to catch are yellow perch, whitefish and
Lake Simcoe, Ontario lake trout. During some particularly icy winters, youll find thousands of
ice huts spread out on the 280-square-mile lake. fishinglakesimcoe.ca

Winter Golfing
The bunker and pond are no longer your biggest obstacles during
a round of golf snow is!

Where to go?

ice golf photo courtesy U.P. Ice Golf Scramble

U.P. Ice Golf Scramble in St. Ignace, Michigan
Lake Huron transforms into an 18-hole golf course during the
annual U.P. Ice Golf Scramble. Grab your 9-iron, golf sled, brightly
painted balls and try to putt on ice. Its harder than you think!
stignace.com

Chilly Open on Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota

Since 1984, golfers head to Lake Minnetonka in Wayzata for this
unique, frozen golf event known as The Premier Winter Golf
Event of the Twin Cities. Hundreds attend the event, played
on three 9-hole courses carved into the ice. Bring golf clubs,
hockey sticks or even tennis rackets and attempt a hole-in-one.
U.P. Ice Golf Scramble
wayzatachillyopen.com

Fat biking in Michigan

Fat Biking
Dont get offended when you hear the word fat bike. Instead, hop
onto one of these thick-wheeled, off-road bicycles that can handle
any terrain and start peddling.

Where to go?
Noquemanon Trail Network in Marquette, Michigan
Marquette has the reputation of being the fat tire/snow bike capital
of the world, and for good reason. The 15-mile winter singletrack
fat bike photo by joshua duggan

developed specifically for fat biking features forested terrain and

is believed to be the first of its kind. noquetrails.org

CAMBA Trail System in Chequamegon, Wisconsin

Weave through the beautiful Chequamegon National Forest on this
off-road bike trail system known as the singletrack Mecca of the
Midwest, which spans 300 miles and nearly a million acres. Most trails
are rideable from May through November. cambatrails.org

32 november/december 2016 | LAKELANDBOATING.COM