With the loads of fruitcakes and reindeer-shaped cookies you ingested this past holiday season, you're probably feeling a bit dazed and a tad chubbier than you were before Thanksgiving. Now that those holiday sugar-highs have finally worn off, it's time to pry your rump off the couch and get into the great outdoors. Luckily, Western New York's large snowfall, diverse terrain, and variety of landscapes create the perfect conditions for most winter sports, especially cross-country skiing.
More than just a chance to get your rear in gear, cross-country skiing offers opportunities to explore public parks, top-of-the-line ski resorts, dense forests, and untouched winter scenery. For those interested in meeting other skiers, the Rochester Cross Country Ski Foundation (xcrochester.com) and the Rochester Nordic Ski Club (rochesternordic.org) offer memberships and various ski programs.
Before you strap on your skis and head to the nearest park, keep in mind that not all parks are created equal and venturing outside your comfort zone is part of the cross-country skiing experience. This guide gives the rundown on a number of popular parks and resorts within an approximately one-hour radius from downtown Rochester. Keep in mind that, unlike downhill skiing, cross-country offers plenty of freedom and exploration. After learning the basics, you'll have the tools to blaze your own path and maybe work off some of that Christmas ham you've been storing in your fanny.
Bristol Mountain
5662 State Route 64, Canandaigua | 374-6000, bristolmountain.com
Distance: Approximately 50 minutes from downtown Rochester
Tentative Operating Schedule: Daily 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Ski Rental: $16, includes poles and boots
Tickets: $50/season pass (ages 8 and older); $10/trail ticket (ages 8 and older); Free for ages 7 and younger with adult purchase.
Snow Conditions: 234-5000 or 374-1100
This year Bristol Mountain offers a reason to mount its peaks without risking your neck: the new Summit Nordic Center and its two cross-country ski paths. The Red Loop is a 1.2K trail with snowmaking (artificial snow when the weather doesn't provide) and lighting for nighttime skiing. In contrast, the 1.8K Blue Loop is an advanced trail without snowmaking or lights.
For beginning skiers, Bristol Mountain offers one-hour classes ($22) and one- or two-hour private lessons ($60/$100). A package that includes trail ticket, ski rental, and one-hour class costs $35. Other lesson packages include the option to add a friend to private lessons and "Get Nordic" skiing sessions, which include trail tickets and lessons for $89.
The Nordic Center is scheduled to stay open through March 9. Visitors can enter the Summit Nordic Center through South Hill Road. Lodging options are available at The Inn on the Lake, The Lodge at Bristol Harbour, and various area bed & breakfasts.
Cumming Nature Center
6472 Gulick Road, Naples | 271-4320, rmsc.org
Distance: Approximately 50 minutes south of downtown Rochester
Hours of Operation: Saturdays-Sundays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; trails close at 4:30 p.m.
Ski Rental: $12
Tickets: Free with a suggested donation of $3/person or $10/family
Snow Conditions: 374-6160 Friday through Sunday
With its affordable admission (can't beat free!) and woodland paths, the 900-acre Cumming Nature Center is the perfect park for a spur-of-the-moment weekend ski trip. The center - run by the Rochester Museum and Science Center - opens its cross-country ski trails to the public in late December, and is open through mid-March. The 15 miles of trails vary in levels of difficulty and run through pine forests and past frozen ponds. Stay tuned to the weather station because the Cumming Nature Center doesn't use artificial snow.
It's a good idea to bring a lunch and defrost your toes in the Visitors Center, where restrooms and snacks are available. The cross-country ski trails will be patrolled by volunteers from the Genesee Valley Nordic Ski Patrol in case you take a spill.
Upcoming events include a Moonlight Ski (February 16, 5:45 p.m., $10, 375-6160) and Hot Dog Days (February 16-17, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.), a hot dog, chili, cider, and cookie sale to benefit the Nordic Ski Patrol volunteers.
Bristol Harbour
5410 Seneca Point Road, Canandaigua | 396-2200, bristolharbour.com
Distance: Approximately 1 hour southeast of downtown Rochester
Hours of Operation: Daylight hours
Ski Rental: Included in $10 day pass
Tickets: $10/one-day, overnight rates vary
Bristol Harbour offers a more elegant cross-country skiing experience. The trails, which span the club's golf course, range from beginner to advanced and do not use artificial snow.
The real luxury, however, comes from the accommodation and skiing packages. The Ski and Stay Package includes an overnight at the Inn at Bristol Harbour and cross-country skis for the day. The Ski and Stay costs $94 for weekday guests, $119 for Fridays and Saturdays. Live music is also performed on-premises on Friday nights.
Letchworth State Park
Along the Genesee River, Castile | 493-3600, nysparks.state.ny.us/parks
Distance: Approximately 75 minutes south of downtown Rochester
Hours of Operation: Daily 6 a.m.-11 p.m.
Season: January-mid February, weekends when there is good snowfall
Ski Rental: None
Tickets: $6 for vehicles entering through the Castile Gate 9 a.m.-3 p.m. If you walk or ski into the park, admission is free.
Dubbed the "Grand Canyon of the East," this park is known for its magnificent waterfalls and miles of hiking trails. For cross-country skiers, Letchworth goes back to the basics. The park does not use artificial snow and grooms the trails only after a major snowfall. Side trails are kept as untouched as possible and skiers are encouraged to blaze their own path through the Letchworth forest. All told Letchworth features 15 miles of trails, including four 1.5-mile loops, and 9 miles of side trails. The trails originate from Trailside Lodge, about 1.5 miles from the Castile Entrance. The lodge provides restrooms, snacks, outside grills, and picnic benches.
Letchworth offers beginner and advanced cross-country ski lessons, called "nature ski hikes," during the weekends through mid-February. Novice Nature Ski Hikes begin at 1 p.m., and take participants for a 1-mile spin (about an hour) on level terrain. Intermediate Nature Ski Hikes begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sundays and take skiers on a 1.5-mile trip (about 90 minutes) through more advanced terrain. Both lessons begin at Trailside Lodge with a safety and ski maneuver tutorial and are free and open to the public.
Although it's a bad idea (and against the rules) to pitch your tent in the middle of the winter, Letchworth Park offers a number of lodging options. Several houses and cottages are available inside the park, including The Stone House, The Chalet House, and Caroline's Cottage. Depending on the lodge, you can stay with up to eight people. For more information on rooms and rent call 493-2622.
Upcoming events include a Full Moon Ski Hike (January 19, 6 p.m.) and Adventure Ski programs (January 27 and February 3, 10 a.m.), which feature more difficult trails that involve turns, stops, and hills. If there is not enough snowfall, the Adventure Ski outings become hikes. Bring a lunch.
Harriet Hollister Spencer State Park
South of Honeoye Lake on County Road 37 | 335-8111
Distance: Approximately 50 minutes from downtown Rochester
Hours of operation: Trails are open as long as there is daylight
Ski Rental: none
Tickets: Free admission
Harriet Hollister Park is known its mysteriously large snow accumulation. It often acquires a heavy buildup when no other park in the area does. The high snowfall is due to the park's elevation, and its popularity comes from its carefully maintained 13 ski trails, ranging from the basic Green Circle to advanced Black Diamond.
Admission to the trails is free, and Harriet Hollister offers the basics: an outhouse for bathroom stops, including a box of trail maps for directionally challenged skiers. The park is especially popular with high school skiers, and it's not unusual to see the park overtaken by teenage skiers after school.
Byrncliff Resort and Conference Center
2357 Humphrey Road, Varysburg | 535-7300, byrncliff.com
Distance: about 75 minutes west of downtown Rochester
Hours of operation: Monday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Tickets: $7 Monday-Friday, $10 Saturday-Sunday,; season pass $100-$140
Ski Rental: $8-$10
The 400-acre Bryncliff Resort and Conference Center is located between Rochester and Buffalo. The 12 miles of trails (five miles lit for nighttime skiing) are maintained by a Pisten Bully groomer and no artificial snow is used. The paths are hilly and cut through the vast 400-acre resort.
The resort has a number of Ski and Stay packages, ranging $60.50-$88.50 depending on day of the week and ski rental. Ski lessons are held on Saturdays and Sundays and include a trail pass. Lessons cost $15/child, $30/adult, $50/couple.
Upcoming events include Moonlight Ski Parties (February 3, March 3), which begin with a hot buffet at 6 p.m. and include a guided ski tour to the R&R Rest Area, where party-goers have until 10 p.m. to ski the lit trails. Parties cost $22-$30 with rental equipment. Call 535-7300 for reservations.
Mendon Ponds
South of I-90 in the towns of Pittsford and Mendon | 753-7275, monroecounty.gov/parks
Hours of operation: Monday-Thursday 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday-Sunday 7 a.m.-11 p.m. (winter hours)
Tickets: Free
Ski Rental: None
Distance: 10 miles southeast of Rochester.
Mendon Ponds is the largest Monroe County park and the most popular for cross-country skiing. Its unique glacial features make it a historic landmark and a destination for skiers. The hiking paths open for the winter season for skiing and snowshoeing. Mendon Ponds, along with other county parks, has trail maps available on its website. Print one before heading out, so you can plan your journey.
Mendon Ponds has six lodges available for rent. The lodges provide wood-burning stoves and electricity, perfect for a toasty break from skiing. The park also has two sledding hills, which can provide entertainment for your speed-junky friends while you explore Mendon's forested trails.
While all Monroe County Parks have the same winter hours and basic set-up, they all have unique scenery, histories, and trails. Other Monroe County parks with cross-country skiing include Durand Eastman Park, with steep wooded slopes that provide a challenge for cross-country skiers; Genesee Valley Park, which contains the Genesee Valley Greenway along the Erie Canal; and Powder Mills Park, which provides both cross-country and downhill skiing; and Webster Park, with a sledding hill in addition to its ski trails.
Upcoming events at Mendon Ponds include the Winter Fest (January 20, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.), with free beginner cross-country ski lessons, cross-country ski and snowshoe races, wild bird presentations, snacks, and sled races. The events are free and open to the public.