New York Land Ski Snowshoe and Snowmobile at St. Lawrence County Winter Festival
While people are still busy buying New
York land for sale, existing North Country and Adirondack
land owners are busy using their land and practicing right now for upcoming winter events. New York land recreation will be a big component of the 2010
Tri-Town Winter Carnival, an Adirondack North Country land festival with a
“Medieval Times” theme. The February 18-21, 2010 festival is being held for the 37th time and has been hosted by the towns of Brasher, Stockholm, and Lawrence
in St. Lawrence County since 1966.
Residents in neighboring
St. Lawrence County communities such as Massena, Canton,
Potsdam, Norfolk,
Waddington, Ogdensburg, Lisbon,
and Gouverneur are expected to come. Some Malone, Franklin
County residents may pop in, as may folks from Canada hailing
from Cornwall, Ontario
after a short drive across the St. Lawrence River.
CROSS COUNTRY SKIING AND SNOWSHOEING
One of the main events is the 4th Annual Cross Country Ski
and Snowshoe Poker Run in Brasher
State Forest.
According to organizer Mark Helmer, the Brasher State Forest trails are “the
best kept secret and hidden jewel
around here,” with ample flat, lightly traveled winter recreation trails and
roads throughout the more than 22,000 acres of state forest land in the
Brasher/Bombay State Forests. The Brasher
State Forest
trails are mostly enjoyed by those
who live nearby or by those who have bought New York land for sale near state land.
“We’re not an official club,” he says, “but there’s a group of us that are
regular skiers” in the Brasher
State Forest.
Attribution: Photo by Mark Helmer
Starting on Saturday, February 20, at 8:30am, the group will
travel through several miles of looping trails over the course of 1.5 hours and
end at the starting point. As a poker run, the participants will stop at a
number of checkpoints, picking up a poker card at each point. The participants
holding the best poker hands at the end of the run will win prizes. Prizes will
be awarded at 1 pm.
Attribution: Photo by Mark Helmer
The skiing and snowshoeing event will commence near the Brasher Falls
DEC offices on Vice Rd
in Brasher State Forest.
SNOWMOBILE RACES
Additional outdoor New
York land recreation events being held are the annual
snowmobile races. They will take place on the St. Regis River near the
Dishaw family farm in Helena.
In winter, the river is wide enough and moves slow enough to freeze over with a
fairly flat surface, making it ideal for snowmobile racing.
Attribution: Photo by Kim and Ed Russell
On Saturday, 20 different oval races will be held for the
Northern NY Vintage Snowsled Racers circuit. The oval races in Helena are one of the circuit’s 11 winter
stops this year, with snowmobile racers from around the northeast
participating. In addition to earning circuit points, the top 3 finishers in
each race class will receive a trophy.
Attribution: Photo by Kim and Ed Russell
On Sunday, in the same location, snowmobile drag races will
be held. Roughly 60-80 competitors are anticipated, based upon last year’s
attendance. However, last year’s attendance was lowered by a competing drag
race being held on the same weekend. This year the scheduling error was
corrected, boosting anticipated attendance. Winners will receive cash prizes.
BRASHER TRAIL SYSTEM
In general, the Brasher area has over 100 miles of groomed
snowmobile trails. Trails are groomed using a county-owned Tucker Sno-Cat, a
trail grooming machine with a six figure price tag. Trails are groomed at least
once a week during winter. A Bombadier grooming machine is used for the trails
near Helena.
“Brasher has some of the best snowmobile trails, though I
don’t like to say it too much” says race organizer Ed Russell. With an average
of an eight week snowmobile season, Brasher gets a “three to four foot snow
base” on average, though “some years it’s less and some years it’s a lot more
than that.” In good years, he says “I’ve rode well into April.”
MORE INFORMATION
The winter carnival is also planning a leisurely snowmobile
poker run on the tri-town trails, though the snowmobile poker run plans have
yet to be finalized.
There are a lot more events at the 2010 Tri-Town Winter
Carnival.
If you're a winter recreation outdoors enthusiast, learn more about our New York riverfront land for sale off of the Brasher State Forest groomed winter trail system.
