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Cross Country Skiing and
Snowshoeing at Lapland Lake
139 Lapland Lake Road, Northville, NY 12134
Lapland
Lake XC Ski & Vacation Center (518-863-4974,
www.laplandlake.com)
in Northville, New York features a touch of Finland from the food,
and the two resident reindeer, to the Finnish woodburning sauna and
children's games. There are 50 km of trails, 38 km snowcat groomed
for classic and skating with 2.6 km of lighted cross country ski trails (out and back)
and 12 km of snowshoe trails. Owner Olavi Hirvonen, former US Olympian and his family have operated Lapland Lake for more than 34 years. Lessons and xc ski and snowshoe equipment rentals are available. Ice skates, tubes, kicksleds and pulk sleds are for rent, too. Lapland Lake was the winner of the Best in the Mid Atlantic in the Best XC Ski Resort Poll for 2002 and 2003 (the only two years that the poll was conducted).
Known
for the courteous staff, this year-round family resort features a two-story
warming lodge, restaurant and cottages. The cottages known as "tupas"
have fully equipped kitchens, living room, up to 4 bedrooms, electric
heat, woodstove, and a bath with a shower. Enjoy a massage, sauna, and
dinner in the Tuulen Tupa Grill.
Napa Kikku is great entertainment for kids at Lapland Lake on the weekends, where they play on a sled attached to a long pole to run circles on a frozen pond. Finn-tastic Saturday evenings are scheduled on selected Saturdays from 4:30 - 9 PM go to lakeside campfire on illuminated night trails. XC Skiing, ice skating, or tubing are free to people holding a same day facility use pass or enjoying dinner. For the 2010-11 season, trails on the east side of the system have been redesigned and widened. The wider trails will accommodate the new snowcat, put into service last year to offer an improved experience for both skate and classic skiers.
Soup-er
Seniors Ski & Snowshoe Days are on non-holiday Thursdays beginning
in January. Skiers and snowshoers that are aged 65 or older are invited
to a free cup of homemade soup.The discounted facility use fee is $18
including weekends and holidays for seniors (this is unusually generous
to extend such a program to weekends/holidays).
Directions from NYC and Albany (only 60 miles from Albany): NY State Thruway I-90 to Exit 27 Amsterdam. Route 30 north for 27 miles (3.2 miles north of Northville). Left on Benson Road (County Road 6) for 5.2 miles to Storer Road, right for 3/4 miles and bear right. CCSAA member.