Temperatures have dropped and that means one traditional Adirondack activity is kicking off – ice skating! Dig out your skates, scarves, gloves, and layers because it’s time to glide your way through the Adirondacks this winter.
I’ve been skating since I was 7 years old and there is no other winter activity that I enjoy more. Lacing up my skates on the bank of a lake or pond and then carving around it gives me a sense of freedom. I mean, come on, a lake or pond to yourself surrounded by snow-covered evergreen trees and towering mountains? Uhhh, yes, please!
The beauty of living in the Adirondacks is that you get to experience these pristine lakes as soon as they freeze over. Have you ever been the first person to skate on a frozen lake or pond? The first grooves you make in the ice feel so pure. It’s like the feeling you get when you’re the first to summit a mountain or a rock climbing route. Not nearly as extreme, I know, but there is still beauty in it and a sense of exhilaration.
It’s hard to pick that perfect spot to lace up in the Adirondacks. Do you glide along in Tupper Lake, Malone, Wilmington, or Saranac Lake? Or do you make fresh grooves on Lake Placid, Lake Champlain, Schroon Lake, or in the Heart of the Adirondacks? After all, there are over 3,000 lakes, rivers, and ponds in the Adirondacks to pick from. To make your decision a little easier, let me point you in the direction of some must-visit spots.
*Note – before skating on any lake, river, or pond, make sure the ice thickness is safe enough to skate on and ice skating is allowed on the lake. Ice is never the same thickness throughout, but the general rule is foot activities require at least 4.5 inches in thickness.
