Waterbury Center, Vermont, January, 2014 – With the shorter winter days and the mercury plunging, it’s all too easy to stay indoors, grab a blanket, and snuggle into couch potato heaven. But then you would be missing the magnificent display of nature in winter.
Don’t fall into hibernation. Dress in warm layers and come out for The Green Mountain Club’s 18thAnnual Winter Trails Festival on Saturday, February 1st at the GMC Visitor Center in Waterbury Center, Vermont. It’s a perfect opportunity to experience Vermont’s trails in winter. “The festival is a day of adventure and excitement for the whole family”, says GMC representative Pete Antos-Ketcham. “It meets the needs of the beginner and the seasoned winter hiker alike. A pair of snowshoes, skis, or spikes is the perfect vehicle for total winter freedom on the trails. They will help get you to places you can’t necessarily access in the summer where you can enjoy the serenity of snow-blanketed fields and woods.”
The fun starts early, at 8:30 AM, and continues throughout the day at GMC’s Headquarters. There will be equipment demos, guided adventures, educational workshops, nature walks, dog sledding demos, outdoor gear displays, and food. Kids will enjoy snowflake making, face painting, and a story walk and scavenger hunt. From 3 PM to 5 PM there will be an indoor party featuring food and live Celtic music with Dave Day and Friends. The Winter Trails Festival is primarily an outdoor activity, so dress warmly!
Festival participants will quickly find that winter trail travel comes as naturally as walking. In just a few short steps you’ll understand why winter hiking is one of the fastest-growing cold weather sports.
Special thanks to our local sponsors: Burton Snowboards, CC Outdoor Store, Long Trail Brewing, Jay Peak Resort, Trapp Family Lodge, Three Tomatoes Trattoria, City Market, The Waterwheel Foundation, Vermont Smoke and Cure, ArborTrek Canopy Adventures, Thread Rolling Inc., The Red Clover Inn Restaurant and Tavern, Two Knobby Tires, Bieg and Associates, Inc., and The Alchemist Brewery.
Learn more at www.greenmountainclub.org or contact Pete Antos-Ketcham at 802-241-8217 or pantosketcham@greenmountainclub.org.
Established in 1910 to build the Long Trail, the Green Mountain Club is a private, nonprofit organization with more than 10,000 members. Vermont’s historic Long Trail was the first long-distance hiking trail in the United States and the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail. Beyond its trail maintenance work, the GMC publishes guidebooks and maps for hiking in Vermont, and runs outdoor skills and conservationworkshops. Every year, more than 1000 volunteers work so that future generations may enjoy the Long Trail, Appalachian Trail, and Northeast Kingdom trails. Fourteen GMC sections maintain portions of the trail system and lead a four-season schedule of outdoor recreation activities.
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