- Stay Connected
Winter abounds with exciting opportunities for sporting adventure
Carolyn Kossow, XI
Mary Travers, X
Sports Editor
There are a huge variety of hobbies worth exploring in the greater Princeton area during winter, and while many involve snow, not all do, so take advantage of the cold weather and get outside!
My personal favorite activity is skating on Lake Carnegie, right off of Washington road, in downtown Princeton. When the white flag is flying on top of the boathouse, it alerts the community that the ice is safe to skate on. In fact, it means the ice is about six inches thick.
While you’re cautioned to “go at your own risk,” hundreds of Princetonians partake every year. If you’re a hockey player, jump into one of the many pick-up games that are constantly in progress. If you just want to go for a casual skate, lace up and enjoy the bumpy fun of pond skating. It’s a wonderful, new way to experience Princeton!
I have never actually gone skiing myself, but the community consensus is that it’s a blast. I looked to sophomore Nick Jaeckel for some insight on the subject. He has been going to the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York to ski since kindergarten. “It’s a love-hate relationship,” said Jaeckel. “The love comes from the crisp feeling you get when you’re immersed in nature and … having a clean run.”
The flip side of that, according to Jaeckel, is that “you have to get all the stuff on and ski boots are really hard to get on.” He advised visitors to “go for a whole day. It’s a must, you have to get the gist of everything, especially if you only do it once a year.”
Aside from skiing, sledding is one of the most timeless outdoor winter activities. It’s up for debate as to what the best sledding location in Princeton is though. Freshman Sophie Jensen frequents Springdale Golf Course, while sophomores Mimi Matthews and Emma Quigley prefer the quieter experience that Greenway Meadows provides. For many, like sophomore Emily Goldman and junior Eliza Burwell, the experience is all about staying close to home and enjoying a hot cup of cocoa afterwards.
Once the snow gets to a certain height, sledding becomes problematic and hardcore outdoorsy people set aside their toboggans and take on the challenge of building forts and igloos. Building plans differ from person to person. Some believe strongly in the traditional block making, while others, like me gravitate toward the simpler method of piling snow up as high as possible.
Whatever your winter activity of choice is, if it’s skating, skiing, sledding, or just enjoying a book by the fire, make sure to also bundle up and enjoy the time with your family!
Posted by Spokesman Editors
on December 21, 2011. Filed under Sports.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
You must be logged in to post a comment Login