Not too early to think skiing!

AMC guide points out animal tracks on a cross-country ski
expedition at Great Glen, near Wildcat Mountain in NH.

If the flakes last week got you in the skiing mood, the Massachusetts DCR (617-626-1250) offers a great site for places near and far to cross-country ski, and also offers resources for adjacent downhill ski areas.

Another great central site to search for ski opportunities is the Appalachian Mountain Club. Join the AMC for discounts on their White Mountain Lodges like Joe Dodge, near Great Glen (and Wildcat for the alpine skiers among us).

If you're not into skiing but your kids are, sign them up with the venerable (since 1969) Massachusetts Ski & Snowboard Club, which will bus them every weekend to a different ski area in New England, for quite affordable rates.

Get the Dispatches!

Cross-Country Skiing for Kids

Get your kids involved with a fun, healthy, inexpensive, safe and relatively cheap lifetime winter sport! There is an excellent cross-country instructional league based at the Weston Ski Track, called the Bill Koch League. They encourage parents to get in on the act, too! They welcome all abilities and will teach kids 7+ how to ski and even do a bit of fun racing. There are over 80 kids in the local program. The season has a wonderful grand finale ski festival in Gunstock, NH. In December, practices will start again at our usual home-base at the Weston Ski Track on Saturdays at 9:30. In years past, our first on-snow practice is generally in mid-Dec., due to excellent snow-making equipment at Weston. For more details, email Lauren Hefferon of the Arlington Outings Club.

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See the Compleat Day Tripper for Weston and other family-tested cross-country ski destinations!