Adirondacks Winter Wonders: Ski and Snowshoe in New York's Adirondack Mountains

The Trip

Escape everyday life to surround yourself in the stunning scenery of New York State’s “forever wild” Adirondack Park. 

Experience winter wonders at the classic Garnet Hill Lodge, famous for fun in the snow. Enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing with great guides and instruction at a pace that’s right for you. Both first-timers and experienced skiers are welcome! You can learn the basics or improve your technique as you glide on groomed trails through scenic snowy woodlands. After invigorating days outdoors, relax by the fireplace and enjoy the company of new friends, delicious meals, and stimulating evening programs and entertainment with local experts and musicians.

Garnet Hill Lodge is known as one of the best Nordic ski centers in the country. It features extensive cross-country skiing trails, first-class grooming, and excellent instruction. One of just a few classic Adirondack lodges that remain today, it overlooks a beautiful, pristine lake and has more than 30 miles of beautifully groomed cross-country ski trails and countless backcountry and snowshoe routes. There are plenty of choices to suit all levels of skill and energy, from complete novices to seasoned winter sports enthusiasts. You can learn and improve cross-country ski and snowshoe techniques

About the Adirondacks

Adirondack Park was created in 1892 by the State of New York amid concerns about protecting the water and timber resources of the region. At six million acres, it is larger than Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Canyon and the Great Smoky Mountains National Parks combined. The park contains the largest protected wilderness area east of the Mississippi and is the largest National Historic Landmark.

Nearly half of the park belongs to the people of the State of New York and is constitutionally protected as a "forever wild" forest preserve. The remaining half is private land, with nearly 130,000 year-round residents living in the small towns and rural areas within the park.

Note: the schedule may be adjusted to suit weather conditions.

Our itinerary below is tentative and subject to change depending on weather, pacing, the group, safety, and other conditions. Participants need to be flexible and adapt as circumstances change. To get the most out of the outing, be ready for the unexpected! For the safety and enjoyment of all, participants are expected to stay together during group activities and notify the trip leader or guide of any issue or if opting out of a planned program. Good humor and a positive attitude make for a convivial, supportive atmosphere. The leaders reserve the right to make changes as necessary, both before and during the trip. Please be aware Sierra Club specifically empowers the leader to exclude individuals from a trip activity in the interest of everyone’s safety and health.

The trip leader will send more detailed directions, parking instructions, itinerary, packing suggestions, and other information to confirmed participants prior to the trip.

Daily Schedule Overview (approximate times)

7:30 a.m. Buffet breakfast, pack your lunch.

8:30 a.m. Assemble for skiing or snowshoeing. Take lodge van to Outdoor Center, or walk or ski there (5 min).

Morning: Guided instruction, routes vary according to conditions and levels.

~12 to 1:00 p.m. Lunch indoors at Outdoor Center or Sugar House – What you pack at breakfast time plus complimentary hot soup. BYO containers and spoon to avoid using disposables.

Afternoon: Continue skiing or snowshoeing. 

3-3:30 p.m. Return to lodge (by van, or ski or walk)

5:15-5:45 p.m. Group meeting to preview next day’s activities

6:00 p.m. Buffet supper, cash bar

7:00 p.m. Presentation on topics related to Adirondacks, conservation, local history, guided moonlight snowshoeing under the stars (one night), musical performance (last night).

Following evening activity or presentation: Relax by the fire or take advantage of the games room

Daily Details

Daily: You may opt for guided snowshoe-ing on different routes or cross-country skiing on groomed trails. More experienced skiers may go on more challenging terrain or backcountry routes.  

Moonlight snowshoe tour: After dinner, weather permitting, we will go on a peace-ful, magical moonlight snowshoe tour. With very little light pollution, the setting is perfect for stargazing. 

Day 1: Check in at approximately 4:00 p.m. On the afternoon of our arrival day, we’ll settle in, unpack, and unwind from our travels. We’ll enjoy a welcome dinner, get acquainted, and have an orientation to the week’s program.

Days 2–5: Buffet breakfast in the dining room, a hearty self-serve buffet, with hot and cold selections such as pancakes, French toast, bacon or sausage, home fries, hot and cold cereal, fruit, pastries, coffee, tea, and juice.

In the morning, we’ll be fitted with equip-ment, if renting, and divide into groups by level. Novices and beginners will learn the basics, while experienced skiers will have guided instruction on groomed trails.

Prepare your own packed lunch from a se-lection of breads, nut butter and fruit jam, hummus, sliced meats and cheeses, fruit, snack bars, cookies or chips. To help min-imize waste, please provide your own re-usable beverage containers, lunch kit and utensils you may need. 

After breakfast, we head out for our day’s activities. We can ski or walk to the Nordic Center (a few hundred yards) or hop on the lodge van to take us there. At the Cen-ter, we will gear up and split into groups based on our levels of skill and energy. We’ll spend the day cross-country skiing or snowshoeing with expert guides providing instruction suited to our levels of skill and experience.

Lunch: We’ll generally return indoors to the Nordic Center to warm up and eat the lunches we’ve packed for ourselves. On some days, those on backcountry excur-sions may eat their lunches on the trail.  Complimentary hot soup is offered daily at lunchtime, so bring a reusable thermos or bowl, too.

Afternoon: We’ll continue skiing or snow-shoeing with guided instruction.

Although you may not want to miss a mo-ment outdoors, you always have the option of staying in at the lodge to relax by the fire or curl up with a good book.

Day 5: Whatever your level, you will have improved your technique and can choose to ski or snowshoe the last full day on an easier or more challenging route. Return to the lodge for our last night’s dinner (plat-ed, preselected from a menu) with new friends and share what we’ve learned and enjoyed during our time together. After dinner we will enjoy a performance from a local musician. Prepare your song requests and be ready to sing along!

Day 6: Optional: Early morning yoga Check out by 11:00 a.m. After breakfast, we’ll have a chance to continue practicing our cross-country skiing skills or snow-shoeing. You may enjoy your packed lunch in the lodge or take it with you on the road. Once checked out, you may store luggage in the main lobby and are wel-come to enjoy the lodge trails on your own.

Getting There

The lodge is located about 250 miles north of New York City, a five-hour drive. The closest airport, train and bus stations are in Albany and Rensselaer, NY, less than 100 miles from the lodge.

Directions to Garnet Hill Lodge

Approximate driving times from: 

• Albany NY: 90 minutes 
• Boston: 4.5-5 hours 
• New York City: 4.5 hours 
• Philadelphia: 6 hours 
• Washington, D.C.: 8 hours

Transportation options:

• Closest airport: Albany International Airport in Albany, New York 
• Train service to Amtrak’s Albany/Rensselaer Station in Rensselaer, New York 
• Greyhound Bus service from New York City

Once you arrive, you will not need a car to participate in the scheduled program.

Shuttle service to lodge: By request, the lodge can provide a shuttle to and from the airport or Amtrak station. Participants will make arrangements for the shuttle and pay the fee to the lodge directly 

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

The classic Garnet Hill Lodge overlooks Thirteenth Lake near North River, New York. Located in the Central Adirondacks, the lodge is reminiscent of an Adirondack Great Camp. The original structure, built in 1936, offers a casual, friendly atmosphere. The current owners purchased the inn and 350 acres in 2015 and have invested in renovating and remodeling to combine the rustic charm of the historic lodge with comfortable, modern amenities. A huge stone fireplace with inviting seating areas entices guests to relax and unwind after a day of skiing or snowshoeing. There are groomed trails and opportunities to explore backcountry trails, or you can just settle into a chair by the fire and enjoy good conversation or a book. A separate family room with a big screen TV, pool, and board games makes the main lodge the perfect place to relax after an active day outdoors. Wi-Fi is available throughout the main lodge building. Because of the mountainous terrain, cell service is limited.

Five nights' lodging in double occupancy rooms is included in the trip price. There is a surcharge of $425 for single rooms, subject to availability. 

Special youth price (ages 12 (minimum) to 17): $525 per person for up to two youth sharing a room with two adults. 

Please notify the trip leader as soon as possible regarding room arrangements or requests for singles, sharing with youth, or your willingness to share a room with another participant. All special arrangements are subject to availability.

We will enjoy freshly prepared, hearty country cuisine in the lodge restaurant. The trip cost includes five breakfasts, five lunches and five dinners. A hot and cold breakfast buffet is served daily. We will make our own lunches to take with us on the days’ outings. On the last day, we’ll have lunch in the lodge restaurant or pack it for the road. Dinner buffets will offer choices of entrée, including a vegetarian or vegan option. We will collect information in advance to accommodate special dietary requirements such as gluten-free, low sugar, or low salt.

A full pay-as-you go bar serving wine, beer, and mixed drinks is open in the lodge in the evening.

Complimentary coffee, tea, and hot cocoa are available at a self-serve station 24/7 in the main lodge room.

Trip Difficulty

The trip is intended to be an introduction to winter in the Adirondacks for all levels, beginner to more experienced skiers. Our expert guides will offer a choice of easier or more challenging activities each day. They will help you choose what’s right for you and provide great instruction in cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. 

Equipment and Clothing

The trip leader will send a recommended packing list to confirmed participants in advance of the trip. The trip price does not include ski rentals. You may use your own equipment or rent at the lodge’s Nordic Center.

Garnet Hill Lodge Nordic Center’s equipment rental costs (weekly rates), charged on site:

• Ski package of cross-country skis, boots, poles: $20 per day
• Snowshoes: complimentary

References

• Schneider, Paul, The Adirondacks: A History of America's First Wilderness.
• Garnet Hill Lodge: www.garnet-hill.com
• Adirondack Mountain Club resources: www.adk.org
• Visit The Adirondacks: https://visitadirondacks.com/about/adirondack-park
• Zero Waste: A beginner’s guide: https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/zero-waste-a-beginners-guide/

Conservation

We will learn about the conservation history and current issues in the Adirondack Park region and the organizations working to protect the area and preserve its ecological riches.