Andrew Weibrecht is serious about alpine skiing. The Lake Placid native has earned two Olympic medals in the Super G event — the bronze in 2010 in Vancouver and the silver in 2014 in Sochi — as well as placing high in a number of World Cup events. This year he'll once again represent the U.S. on the world stage as he skis in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeonchang, South Korea.

I recently spoke with Andrew by email to learn a little more about what it was like to grow up learning to ski in Lake Placid and what it’s like to ski here now.

I've heard it from people who know: snowmobiling in the heart of the Adirondacks is amazing.

It's the little things, like the pleasant, uncrowded, Department of Motor Vehicles... It's also the big things, like the over 750 miles of groomed snowmobile trails. Whether you like tight turns or wide open spaces, there's a thrill for every sledder.

The other day my mother and I decided to go up to the Groomed Cross-Country Ski Trails after work to enjoy a late afternoon ski. We had just gotten some fresh snow, and the temperatures were in the high-20s/low-30s -- it was the making for a great afternoon outside! We headed up around 4:30, just as the sun was starting to set. We were prepared with headlamps in case we stayed longer than expected and it got dark out. I love skiing at this time of day, I think of it as a way to wind down after work, and it is also great exercise! 

CATS, or Champlain Area Trails, clearly states their mission on the website, which is simple and beautiful - saving land, making trails.

Here, in Elizabethtown, a quick 30-minute scenic drive from the Adirondack Coast or Lake Placid, you'll find the The Blueberry Hill Trail system. This is a lovely wooded network of interconnected trails, for every member of your family, year round.