What to see and do during the winter

Don’t let the snow and cold keep you inside. The Reclaimed Flambeau Mine Nature Trails are open year round! Winter is a great time to take an exhilarating walk with the family. If there’s too much snow for a winter hike, give cross country skiing or snowshoeing a try.

Few sports burn as many calories as cross country skiing. A 155-pound person could burn more than 800 calories in an hour! Cross country skiing works all the major muscle groups, especially the heart. It is one of the best all-around aerobic sports. You can do it at just about any age and level of experience making it a terrific outdoor activity for the whole family. The Reclaimed Flambeau Mine Nature Trails are not groomed for cross country skiing, but you can set your own track. Wider skis (65mm or more) “surf” the snow and feel more stable underfoot, making them a good choice for skiers in the backcountry, on ungroomed trails, or for folks who like the extra stability. Across the Flambeau River, the Sisters Farms Trails are also on Flambeau Mining Company property. The Ladysmith Area Trails Association grooms the Sisters Farm Trails for cross country skiing.

Snowshoeing is another great way to experience the quiet and serenity of the snow-covered landscape. Snowshoes are highly maneuverable so, outdoor enthusiasts can go where cross country skiers cannot. It is a very inexpensive way to spend time with the entire family. Anyone can snowshoe. It is as simple as walking. Flambeau Mining Company recently donated snowshoes to Rusk County Tourism for loan to the public. Check with the Rusk County Visitors Center about borrowing snowshoes for a winter outing on the Reclaimed Flambeau Mine Nature Trails or other trails in the area. Call or email: 1-800-535-RUSK or info@ruskcounty.org

The Reclaimed Flambeau Mine is home to an abundance of wildlife. In the winter snow wildlife tracks are easy to spot along the trails. See how many animal tracks you can identify on one of your winter outings. A field guide such as the Peterson Field Guide: A Field Guide to Animal Tracks, by Olaus J. Murie might be helpful. There are also tips for identifying animal tracks to be found on the internet:

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/nature/track.htm

http://www.naturenorth.com/winter/tracks/track2.html

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dpae/pubs/tracks1.pdf

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