Outdoor Traveler....

WINTER WANDERING:

TOP TEN OUTDOOR TRAVEL IDEAS FOR THIS WINTER

The air is brisk, the sky is bright blue, and you just can't stay inside. Zip up your jacket, put on your gloves and hat, and go winter wandering through the mid-Atlantic with us.

We've come up with ten ideas for winter wandering. This is not meant to be a complete list, but more a way of whetting your appetite for all the mid-Atlantic has to offer in the winter.

WINTER RESORTS

The region is packed with special resorts that are ideal during the winter months. Most people gravitate toward the mountains and for good reason. A few of our favorite winter resorts include: North Carolina's Ski Beech Mountain, West Virginia's Snowshoe, Virginia's Wintergreen, Maryland's Wisp, Pennsylvania's Poconos, New Jersey's Great Gorge, and Delaware's Shore.

But the mountains aren't the only place to head for great winter resorts. The region's beaches offer a quiet winter getaway as well. Check out our "Beachcombing" section for a few ideas.

STATE PARKS

"State park systems stay busy during the winter and the mid-Atlantic can keep outdoors lovers busy throughout the season," says Gary Waugh of the Virginia's Department of Conservation and Recreation. "It's an ideal time to visit many state parks in the region."

Winter activities in state parks tend to be well-organized, inexpensive, and fun. Possibilities in the region currently include cross-country skiing, hiking tours, mountaineering, ice boating, ice skating, ice fishing, sledding, snowmobiling, and many special programs and outings.

State park pursuers should call individual parks directly or check at the state parks office for activities and schedules. These winter wonderlands show how good the government can sometimes be to the great outdoors.

ICE SKATING

Ice is nice when you can glide across it. When winter temperatures stay consistently below freezing, mid-Atlantic bodies of water attract lots of ice skating bodies.

State parks in the region often feature lakes, ponds, and rinks ideal for ice skating. For instance, West Virginia's Canaan Valley State Park offers an outdoor, lighted ice rink located behind Canaan Lodge. Like many state parks, they offer rentals and several ice skating programs for the blade brigade.

D.C.-dwellers and those nearby often head for the historic C&O Canal Park. Beginning at Thomas Jefferson Street in Georgetown, the canal stretches more than 180 miles to Cumberland, Maryland. The area features a great pathway and abounds in wildlife, including beaver, fox, racoon, and a variety of waterfowl. Many sections of the frozen canal are open for ice skating in the winter.

SLEIGH RIDES

Sleigh bells ring throughout the region every winter. Many resorts and outfitters offer special outings when they get enough snow, while some feature "no-snow" sleigh rides.

The best bet for finding sleigh rides is at winter-oriented resorts (see above). When they get the required snow and conditions remain good, you can bet sleigh bells will be ringing this winter at many mountain resorts.

HIKING

Winter hiking means uncrowded trails, uncluttered vistas, and uncanny insight into a season many don't experience in hiking boots. With proper planning, winter hiking can be warm, dry, and beautiful.

You probably wouldn't want to hike the entire Appalachian Trail (304/535-6331) over the winter, but you can certainly hike some pretty portions of it. The "AT" is one of the world's great hiking trails, touching 14 states between Springer, Georgia and Katahdin, Maine. The trail includes North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, with many wonderful lower-elevation sections perfect for winter wandering.

MOUNTAINEERING

For hard rock roamers, winter mountaineering means all the right elements: the great outdoors, dizzying heights, physical and mental challenges, and major adrenalin rushes. The mountainous mid-Atlantic provides these elements in many places.

Wintertime is a great time to pursue perfection in mountaineering skills. Hotspots in the region include the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina; Great Falls, Carderock, and Rocks State Park in Maryland; Old Rag Mountain and Shenandoah National Park (great for ice climbing) in Virginia; and famed Seneca Rocks in West Virginia.

Good contacts for courses and outings include the parks systems, the Appalachian Mountain Club (215/328-2799), Passages to Adventure (800/634-3785) in West Virginia, the Nantahala Outdoor Center (704/488-2175) in North Carolina, and the Gendarme Shop (304/567-2600) at Seneca Rocks.

WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY

"The cold season offers all sorts of problems and opportunities for photographers," says Steve Shalutta, a renowned outdoors photographer based in the region. "The elements mean you must prepare yourself and your equipment to stay warm and dry."

From fall foliage to spring runoff, the winter season provides much for photographers to record on film. Proper exposure becomes more difficult during the winter, due to snowy conditions, changing light, and severe weather.

If you plan to shoot winter outdoors scenes or sports, get ready by reading photography books, looking at other pictures, finding good locations, and preparing yourself and your equipment for unusual conditions (and opportunities). Just remember, film is cheap!

BEACHCOMBING

Summertime isn't the only time to visit many popular mid-Atlantic beaches. The winter season brings smaller crowds, lower prices, and a great time for beachcombing.

The region is ripe for peaceful winter strolls in the sand. A few of our favorties include: North Carolina's Outer Banks, the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Maryland, the Delaware Shore, and the Jersey Shore and Cape May. We hope you find a peaceful beach and a few pretty shells.

SCUBA DIVING

You wouldn't think of the winter as prime scuba diving season in the mid-Atlantic, but it's the perfect time to start exploring the underwater world. Scuba diving is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and the mid-Atlantic states (and seas further afield) offer much to see.

Many people in the mid-Atlantic take scuba diving lessons during the winter and head to Florida or the Caribbean for their certification dives. Others complete the entire course locally, which is a combination of classroom time, practice in a pool, and four or more check-out dives. "The winter is an ideal time for outdoors enthusiasts to try diving," says Scott Jones, communications specialist with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), the largest certifying body in the world.

Contact PADI at 800/729-7234 or 714/540-7234) for certifying dive shops near you. Once you're certified, the region offers lots of great saltwater and freshwater scuba diving destinations (but wait until it's warmer!).

FIREPLACE SITTING

Many claim that the best part about outdoors winter activities is coming in from the cold and sitting by a warm fireplace. The mid-Atlantic has many fireplace meccas.

Most ski resorts offer great fireplaces in public areas, as well as rental cabins and condominiums. Bed-and-breakfasts in the region often have roaring fires in their bedrooms. Winter is also a perfect time to enjoy a blaze by the beach. Once you've been warmed by the fire, it's time to come up with another reason to head outside.

For further winter wandering ideas, buy a copy of Robert Shosteck's Weekender's Guide to the Four Seasons (Pelican Publishing Company, 1101 Monroe Street, Gretna, LA 70053, 800/843-1724 or 504/368-1175).