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Pennsylvania and New York Outdoor Winter Activities


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This is for all the folks who like to be outdoors in the winter, in northern PA, and central to northern NY. Not limited to just the NY/PA area, the Pennsylvania sled dog club also hosts events in wisconsin, the new england area, and new jersey. The Pennsylvania sled dog club hosts several regional events all through the winter. The events all center around sled dogs, and sled dog races, but are a fun family event that helps to cure cabin fever. They have classes ranging from pro adult classes, to pee-wee children's classes. At most of the events, you normally don't have to bring your own dogs or sled, a lot of the teams sponsor different activities where you can learn how to handle a sled.

 

This is a quote from their site, http://www.pennsleddogclub.com/ , "Today the club has over 150 members from Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Delaware, Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, New Jersey and Alaska. Classes at club races range from the International Sled Dog Racing Association's Sanctioned classes right down to the Pee Wee classes. Sportsman classes for beginning and recreational mushers are also popular. We also feature pure bred classes. Many club members compete in weight pulls sanctioned by IWPA."

 

They are always looking for new members, so if anyone is interested, go to their site and check them out. I have two pre-teen daughters who compete in the pee-wee class, and they seem to enjoy themselves immensely. Another bonus to going to their events is that they go to some very beautiful out of the way places, and most of those places, like the tug hill region in upstate NY, also host several summer outdoor activities. So this is also a way to get info on what is available in the areas that the PDSC travels to, maybe this would help you plan some summer get away activities.

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Now this sounds like great winter fun...We live at the high desert east of the Sierra Range and Reno.  They do sled dog activities not that far from here in the Mammoth Lakes Area.  What a great way, like you share, to break up winter cabin fever!

 

We also like to snowshoe, one great hike locally is at the top of Carson Pass on Highway 88 over the Sierra Nevada Range.  You're well over 8,000 feet elevation, in deep powder at places, yet the activity keeps you toasty.  Hope Valley is another great snowshoe or cross-country ski area. 

 

I like to carry a backpack with sandwiches, always bringing hot chocolate for the smaller kids in the family.  You can cover ground fairly quickly, three or four miles is not a hardship hike.  Winnemucca Lake, accessible from Carson Pass, can be a good walk in decent winter weather. Fun and invigorating, you do need to acclimate if you're from a sea level area.  Everyone should stay hydrated.

 

As a winter sport, snowshoeing costs next to nothing:  Buy a pair of lightweight snowshoes and poles, new or used, or rent them locally, pack your lunch, fill some Thermos bottles with coffee, tea or hot chocolate.  Compare this to contemporary downhill skiing:  The cost of costumes, exorbitant lift ticket fees, local lodging rates through the roof, the lodge food and beverage charges, etc.  Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing is much more physical and very fun, plus the newer snowshoe designs make learning way easier—contemporary snowshoes are lightweight, yet you feel solid and can maneuver!

 

Try it, you can start with a foot of snow pack on your summer four-wheeling or camping roads.  The solitude and fresh air provide a real lift!  You can even do this in conjunction with dog sled activity...

 

Moses 

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Moses, you just put something we do normally around here in a whole new perspective. We use snowshoes sometimes just to get around in the woods of northern NY, because 5 to 8 foot of snow overnight isn't unheard of. The Syracuse, NY and Tug Hill and northern plains area are considered the snow-belt of NY, and there are times when snowshoes are the best and easiest way to get around, even in places like my in-laws backyard at times. The last 4 years running, Syracuse has averaged more snowfall annually than even Anchorage, Alaska. The last year that it was recorded, it averaged over 115 inches for Syracuse, and 114 inches for Anchorage, at least according to city-data.com. I mentioned what you said to my father in law, and he said that wouldn't be a bad idea, to go on a snowshoe hike, except he does it everytime he has to go to the barn in the winter anyway.

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Works for us...Sounds like less of a novelty for your father-in-law!  Syracuse gets more snow than the Flathead Valley in Montana most winters.  Folks need to wrap their minds around the difference between "Upstate" New York and New York City...

 

Moses

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Moses, i completely agree with you that people do need to realize there is a difference between NYC and Upstate. When we travel out of state and people ask where we are from, they always ask how can we live here because of all the problems in New York City. I just love the expression on people's faces when i tell them that my house is more than 5 hours from there, and where we do a lot of our outdoor activities are at least 7 hours from there. I just love the "i didn't realize NY was so big" comments.

 

I think we may have started something though with my father in law, because we do go tent camping in December for 4 days, usually in the Adirondacks, and now he is saying that we might look into a snowshoe hike this year, instead of just snowmobiling like we do every year.

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To get a leg up on the snowshoeing, get plenty of exercise in the Fall!  We'll motivate each other on this one, maybe keep score on how many times we do get out and the variety of outdoor "adventures" that can be had on snowshoes this coming winter...

 

I'm motivated just by this dialogue...Would like to meet your father-in-law, too!

 

Moses

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  • 4 months later...

Moses, i wanted to touch base some on this, now that my father in law and i have done a couple winter activities. We havent had as much snow as we normally get, so so far this year, we havent gotten the snowshoes out, nor have we even put fresh gas in the snowmobiles. We did do a 12 mile round trip hike in Happy Valley, outside of Mexico, N.Y., a few days ago, and although it was a bit cold, the trails were mainly mud, instead of hard packed snow like they usually are this time of year. One surprising aspect of the hike, was that we had noticed fresh bear tracks in the woods, so they havent even started to hibernate this year. Closer to home, it was the middle of rifle and shotgun season for deer, and a couple weeks ago, my neighbor has actually had bear very close to his tree stand a couple times this year. One even walked directly under his stand while he was sitting in it, which has led my father in law to believe we are going to have a cold, but mainly snow free winter, or we are going to get hit very hard sometime soon. Ill keep you posted on that as it happens. I got a few pictures of the lake at Happy Valley i wanted to share. A couple of these were taken a few days ago, and the rest were taken at different times of the year.

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Wow, you sure have a surprise in store for folks who think New York State is New York City! 

 

We've been in a very cold snap with an artic flow, limited snow, mostly cold and dry.  Like you folks, we need a deep snow pack, it can start any time soon!

 

Been busy with the XR650R project, getting HD video gear in order for up and coming field shoots, tested a GoPro Hero3 on several shoots (incredible for its size, great resolution, you can really use it with the LCD back), and just stepped up for 24MP DSLR higher end HD video equipment.  2014 should be a fast-paced year with several HD video shoots leading into the Moab Jeep Safari and other events...Trust you and I can share snowshoe trips at least a few times this winter! 

 

Happy Valley looks just that: Happy!

 

Moses

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People are slowly learning that upstate isn't anywhere near, or anything like NYC. One thing that is starting to help, is all the tourism in and around Oswego and Onondaga counties. In Oswego county, there is Harbor Fest in late July in Oswego, as well as salmon fishing in the salmon river (which this year drew a record number of fisherman from as far south as Texas and Florida, and as far north as upper central Canada), deer hunting, snowmobiling, dog sledding, and hiking, as well as ATV and OHV use in the Pulaski/Tug Hill area, and water and sporting events, as well as N.Y. states largest car show , the Syracuse Nationals (which had 86000 verified attendees this year, which is down a bit from previous years), in Syracuse, which is in Onondaga county.

 

Our weather seems to match yours. We havent had 6 inches total since the snow first fell 3 weeks ago, but we have had a few very cold days, and very bitter nights lately. For example, right now it is only 18 degrees out, and thursday night is is supposed to get down to 8.

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