Archive for the ‘Winter Fun’ Category

Skijoring at Justin Trails Resort

February 28th, 2012 by justin trails

Amanda and Jason had a great time skijoring with Diego.  Skijoing is one of the fun winter activities to participate in at this Sparta Wisconsin lodging.

Diego is a very food driven dog who will work hard for treats.
One trip around the 1/3 mile Dog Loop and 60 pound Diego, Amanda and Jason were very successful.

Chris and Amanda brought Scout, a 55 pound female lab to learn to skijor.
Teaching the dog and skiers works best with three people.
A skier in front that the dog wants to follow or ski near, the dog followed by
the skier the dog is pulling and another skier to coordinate the dog and skiers.
We are happy to report that one trip around the Dog Loop and Amanda had a great
return ride.  The out ski is slightly uphill causing Scout to work harder than she was willing to work causing some barking.

Heidi and George remembered “Haw” and “Gee” and stayed in front of me today in our first skijor run this season.  It was great fun on the 3/4 mile Dog Loop we have groomed for skijoring or walking with your dog.  It is separate from the groomed trails for skate skiing and striding.

Winter Activites

March 3rd, 2011 by innkeeper

Azure blue skies of winter beckon a person outdoors: for playing in the snow, an aerobic workout walking up the tubing hill, screaming all the way to the bottom, skate, skiing to the tops of the hills to shush quickly down while training for the American Birkebeiner or learning to skijor with your own dog. Perhaps it’s giving the children an opportunity to try a gentle dog sled ride. Or play disc golf on snowshoes. There is plenty of space for all of these activities at Justin Trails Resort.

All ages welcome. No height or age requirement. Open to the public daily 10-5:00. Trail fee is $5/person. Children 5 and under are free. Ski rental is $10/day and snowshoe rental is $5/day. Tubes are included in the $5 /day pass. Both tubing hills are groomed. Winter trails are groomed for skate skiing and striding or Nordic skiing with a set track. Signs guide you along our trails. Daily snow conditions available at www.skinnyski.com.
It’s easy to bundle up, head right out the back door of your cabin or suite to play in the snow. The Lodge allows you to experience the warm comforts of indoor bathrooms, a snack shop with a gas fireplace with plenty of room to watch the tubers on the tubing hill.

Nordic Skiing
Don Justin grooms 15 km (10 mi.) of 10 to 15 feet wide trails that were created with a bulldozer in 1985. He grooms with a Ski-doo Skandic snowmobile and a Tidd Tech snow tenderizer and track setter for classic and freestyle Nordic skiing. The trails vary in difficulty, length and loop around to bring you back to the Lodge. Some provide great vistas of the surrounding valleys and hills of southwest Wisconsin also known as the Driftless region.

Snowshoe
Snowshoeing trails are footpaths through the woods that have been cleared of blackberries and bramble. We have thirty pairs of snowshoes for adults and children. Brands you may try before purchasing include Red Feather, MSR (Mountain Safety Research) high tech shoes, Little Bear are light weight plastic and traditional wood Wilcox and Williams. Take a night snowshoe hike with the white snow making lights unnecessary.

Snow tube
Snow tubing (carry a tube up the hill and slide down) is a thrill for folks of every age. Snowtubes have a hard plastic bottom. Snowtubing is available on two groomed hills, one 600 feet long and one 1200 feet. We provide a variety of tubes and sleds for your use. Delight yourself flying down the hill during the day or in the evening. The white snow makes lights unnecessary.

Skijor
Skijoring involves a person wearing a harness hitched to a harnessed dog and being pulled across the snow. Bring your own dog or coax George, our Siberian husky. Use the 2K dog trail that is groomed for either skijoriing or skiing with your dog off leash. Dogs are not permitted on the other trails.

Guided Llama trekking
No snow? The llamas, Dusty and Rusty will provide a fun walk to The Pond. We halter and attach a lead rope for you to walk the llamas. One of us will enjoy the trek with you.

Winter Activities nearby

February 17th, 2011 by innkeeper

Winter in western Wisconsin offers a wide variety of recreation, from quiet to very noisy, from singular to group activities. Choose your sport from: ice fishing (fishing from a portable house or shanty by cutting a hole in the ice and sending the bait through the hole) complete with an Ice Fishing Derby; snowtubing down a groomed track, snowshoe races with friends; nordic skiing at the Experimental Forest at Bangor, Wisconsin, moonlight skiing in one of the public parks/state forests; snowmobiling the hundreds of miles of trails groomed by snowmobile clubs; ice skating on city ponds; oval track and drag strip ice racing on Lake Neshonic at West Salem; snowmobile races on Lake Tomah and at Melrose, Wisconsin; watching the International Ski Jump Tournament near Westby, Wisconsin in mid-February; watching the eagles feed north of the Lock and Dam # 7 at Dresbach, Lock and Dam # 6 at Trempealeau or drive to Wabasha, MN to the eagle observation deck; cheering high school hockey players participating in tournaments and broom ball.

Winter also offers many indoor activities from plays and concerts at the theaters, theme events at museums, a wide range of shows at the La Crosse Center, and shopping in the area boutiques.

Snowtubing
Snowtubing and snowboarding are available at White Tail Ridge at Fort Mc Coy located on State Highway 21 a few miles east of Sparta, Wisconsin. A rope tow pulls tubers and snowboarders back up the hill. Phone 608-388-4498. Lodge with snacks.

Mt. La Crosse, south of La Crosse, a short distance off State Highway 35 welcomes snowboarders. 608-788-0044 or outside Wisconsin phone 1-800-426-3665. Chairlifts. Lodge with snacks and a separate lounge area.

Snowshoeing
Public lands with trails for snowshoeing and Nordic skiing include: Wildcat Mountain State Park at Ontario, Wisconsin; Black River State Forest, Black River Falls, Wisconsin; Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge north of Trempealeau, Wisconsin; Norskedalen at Coon Valley, Wisconsin. Some areas have a moonlight ski event in January and February. Check www.wistravel.com/crosscountryskiingsw.htm

Dog Sledding
Gary and Peggy Severson, Kale Rd, Sparta, WI have dog sled rides available by appointment.  608-486-4303.  They have sprint dogs and basket sleds with teams of 4-6 dogs.  Cost is s$40/ person for an hour of outdoor activity.