Last week for Janet’s birthday, we took a drive north to do some skiing, snowshoeing, and relaxing at a wonderful place called The Lodge at Glendorn. I have posted about this place before but it is worth repeating what a wonderful experience it is to go there.

Janet kept checking the weather and we realized that we would be heading through Kane and Marienville in single digit temperatures. They don’t call those places the ” Icebox of Pennsylvania” for nothing. Those folks are really frozen in this winter, like many winters up north in Pa. The snow is deep, the roads are slick ( plowed and scraped but very little cinders) and literally no place to pull over in the Allegheny National Forest because of the deep snow and frozen conditions.

But my wife is a tough one when it comes to doing things and as long as she is warm, she is game for winter conditions. Good thing because she is married to me, a true lover of winter. After following two oversized loads through the Allegheny National Forest which added another hour of driving, we approached the gates of Glendorn and entered into a magical forest ( no pun intended) filled with lights and snow. Glendorn is so welcoming and the people who are lucky enough to work there could not be nicer. I figured if I was going to drag my wife out in the frozen tundra conditions, she should have some niceties too and Glendorn does not disappoint.

Janet always comments about how I pack it in, but I don’t want to miss anything. Especially on her birthday. We had lunch after we arrived, and immediately went snowshoeing. After about an hour on the trails at Glendorn, I took her to the Forest Spa for a massage and I headed back out on the trails for another hour and a half. There are so many trails and the peaceful atmosphere of the north country in winter is truly something to be treasured.

The next day, we headed to Holimont which ,for those of you who have not skied it, should be on your list. A private ski club on the weekends, it is open to the public during the week and is impeccably groomed. The atmosphere of the place is so warming and the people there are really friendly. They love their club and welcome visitors like us. Yes, it was brisk, but Janet was prepared and skied very well in very cold conditions. As we headed back to Glendorn, we remarked that if Holimont and Ellicottville were just a little closer, we would be going there all the time. Ellicottville is a great town and a real gem in Western New York. The nice thing is that it is only a 40 minute drive from Glendorn.

After a wonderful breakfast overlooking the property on our last day, we headed south back to reality. We took in the remote winter atmosphere of the National Forest and were amazed at the amount of snow that had fallen since we had arrived two days before. This winter has been a real “old fashioned” winter for sure. When you venture to the Laurel Highlands or up north to the “Iceboxes of Pa” you can really soak in the harshness and natural beauty of winter the way it should be. I love winter, I love fireplaces, I love snowy trails, I love great ski conditions. I am probably one of the only ones around my neighborhood who actually gets a little depressed when winter comes to a close. But when you tally up your ski days, and take in some great atmosphere, you can look back with very fond memories. No wonder I talk about skiing and winter all summer long. Some of my mountain bike friends, who do not ski, can’t get over it. But a trip to the North Country would explain it to all of them.

We are headed west at the end of March to ski and that will most likely end our 2025 campaign. But this winter locally has been spectacular. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have fun in the winter in these parts. Simply not true. It has been truly amazing. And we are hoping that the rodent was accurate in his predictions. More winter to come. Thanks for reading.

” I lift up mine eyes to the mountains” Psalm 121 1-4.

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