Nordic ‘Nordic skating’

[Slim]

Not that wide open ice, but still fun. Hoping for a better season than last year. All the rain we had didn’t just screw with the skiing, but made the ice total crap as well.

Lake Morey Skate Trail In Vermont Is The Longest Of Its Kind In America

This 4.5 ice trail is perfect for long distance ice skating combined with scenic views.

www.onlyinyourstate.com

That is so cool. We have always wondered why, with the popularity of ice skating, as well as running, biking and XC skiing, more cities in MN don’t plow a lane looping around a lake like that.

@Tom K. Skating Glacier, that would be a amazing! Is it still good? Ca; you go back and skate?
We skated Moose Lake, by Ely. But lots of skating was happening on the Gunflint trail. Seagull and Clearwater Lakes were the biggest draws.

 

[Tom K.]

@Tom K. Skating Glacier, that would be a amazing! Is it still good? Ca; you go back and skate?
We skated Moose Lake, by Ely. But lots of skating was happening on the Gunflint trail. Seagull and Clearwater Lakes were the biggest draws.

The park service will quit plowing the road that far soon. Probably this week, with the forecast snow. Of course, snow will also kill the skating, so that's probably it for this year. We are new to this exact area, but understand that driving to this trailhead and hiking to the lake in December is not a given every year. The trail was pretty icy, but fun, as long as you had traction devices of some kind. Weather was sub-optimal for photos, but here is one on a sunny winter day:

I know Moose Lake well. A friend of my Dad's -- Don Beland -- owned an outfitting business on that lake, so it was the jumping off point for many a youthful camping/fishing trip. I was the camper. Never did get bit by the fishing bug.

 

[wooglin]

That is so cool. We have always wondered why, with the popularity of ice skating, as well as running, biking and XC skiing, more cities in MN don’t plow a lane looping around a lake like that.

Not sure its the town so much as the "resort", which is really centered around a golf course. In winter, this and hockey tournaments (mostly hockey) are what bring in the bookings. But yes, seems like a pretty simple and fun thing for town to do.

 

[tch]

I know Moose Lake well. A friend of my Dad's -- Don Beland -- owned an outfitting business on that lake, so it was the jumping off point for many a youthful camping/fishing trip. I was the camper. Never did get bit by the fishing bug.

Yah...I know Moose Lake well also. Worked at Minnesota Outward Bound for three long summer seasons and travelled all over the BWCA and Quetico. I never stayed through the winter, though; I often thought it would be magical. Skating surprises me; I thought the lakes were covered in snow almost from the time of freeze-up.

 

[Tom K.]

Yah...I know Moose Lake well also. Worked at Minnesota Outward Bound for three long summer seasons and travelled all over the BWCA and Quetico. I never stayed through the winter, though; I often thought it would be magical. Skating surprises me; I thought the lakes were covered in snow almost from the time of freeze-up.

Yes, it was typical for snow to cover the ice very quickly after the initial freeze-over.

Which -- I heard from others -- made it pretty easy to snowmobile across Birch Lake to the Roaring Stoney Resort and sneak an underage beer.

 

[wooglin]

Looks like we might get another skating trail nearby. Fun.

Upper Valley pair creates skating group for Mascoma Lake

ENFIELD — Joan Holcombe and Mary Reynolds both grew up skating on frozen bodies of water, and they can envision a similar scenario on Mascoma Lake. A lot of other people apparently see that, too.Holcombe and Reynolds admit they’ve been taken aback by...

www.vnews.com

 

[scott43]

Maintaining a lake rink actually can be a lot of work. Cracks, heaves, snow and sinking. Bumps. When I was a kid we lived on the prevailing on-shore wind side of the lake and the ice sheet would push up against the shore and break up.

 

[AaronFM]

Looks like we might get another skating trail nearby. Fun.

Upper Valley pair creates skating group for Mascoma Lake

ENFIELD — Joan Holcombe and Mary Reynolds both grew up skating on frozen bodies of water, and they can envision a similar scenario on Mascoma Lake. A lot of other people apparently see that, too.Holcombe and Reynolds admit they’ve been taken aback by...

www.vnews.com

One I can visit without having to quarantine!
Grew up on Lake Morey and have some memories of skating some long laps there in my hockey skates.

 

[Slim]

Maintaining a lake rink actually can be a lot of work. Cracks, heaves, snow and sinking. Bumps. When I was a kid we lived on the prevailing on-shore wind side of the lake and the ice sheet would push up against the shore and break up.

That is true. However, I think what makes this a bit easier is two things:
1: it’s not a rink, it’s a trail, so you can reroute as needed, and don’t need a super wide stretch of good ice. You can also plan to stay away from know bad ice areas like Lee sides.
2 - a trail can have way more cracks and ridges than a hockey rink, it doesn’t have to be perfect.

 

[AaronFM]

Made it up to Mascoma Lake today for a 4.25 mi loop on my hockey skates. Had a great time, the central loop was plowed in good shape. The island loop was wind blown and drifty, and had been used by 4-wheelers and snowmobiles so was in rough shape. Extra bonus points because we did it with my dad who we had not seen since Nov.

@Slim I heard from some coworkers in MSP that there is Nordic skating on Lake Harriet. Seems to be moving south and gaining popularity.