The Peru Gazette

By Adele Douglas

They can be cold and miserable but our winters do provide some fun and unique opportunities for outdoor activities. My idea of a great day is an outing with friends and/or family, near home, that doesn’t take more than a few hours, then heading home (often with a stop at Rulf’s for treats and coffee) to enjoy a book, content that I got my healthy outdoor exercise out of the way. Some of our recent outings have included skating at the outdoor rinks in Keeseville and Cliff Haven, (I see that Peru’s pond is being well used this year as well); sledding at Peru’s Little Ausable Park and Macomb Reservation State Park (both bring you onto the ice); and walking the dog (hooked up to a sled pulling daughter Emily) at Ausable Point State Park and Macomb. Last time we were at Macomb some hearty soul was out snow blowing a skating rink on Davis pond. We’ve also been cross-country skiing at Ausable Chasm’s newly re-opened cross-country ski trails (834-7454). They have new ski equipment to rent ($10) and charge $5 for the use of the trails, maps of the three loops are provided. The Outer Loop (7 km) wasn’t groomed when we went but had tracks laid down by an earlier skier and was easy to ski, mostly flat and attractive. You check in and pay at the main welcome center then drive to park closer to the entrance of the campground, where the trails begin. I hope they consider plowing and allowing parking in the campground next year as the set-up now requires you to cross two roads and ski through an open field before reaching the trailhead, to me a very awkward way to start, and especially unpleasant on windy days. Downhill skiing at Beartown and a little further a field at Whiteface with the Town of Peru Ski Club, has rounded out our typical winter activities to date.

But for something a little different last Saturday night we went tubing. At its annual Taste of the North Country event the Chamber of Commerce President bid for and won an evening at Beartown Ski Area. Staff and board members and their families were invited and about 30 people showed up, not bad for an evening that promised a low of –3 degrees. People enjoyed the facilities in a number of ways. One group pretty much stayed in the cozy lodge near the fireplace playing games around the big wooden table, another took advantage of the T-bar and went skiing and snow boarding and a third climbed up and tubed down the hill. Hill Manager Eric Pabst and staff had another fire roaring outside near the stream, it was very picturesque and much appreciated in between runs. Back in the lodge everyone enjoyed the hot cocoa and food, catered by Dino’s Gourmet Pizza and Pasta restaurant. The last run was at 9 pm and then everyone went home happy. Beartown (561-3938) can be rented out for three hours of evening tubing for $250 or, if you add skiing and snowboarding, for $350, providing another close to home opportunity to enjoy and survive the winter.

I’d love to hear about more local places for fun outdoor winter activities, especially cross country skiing, please send in a comment with your favorites.