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The details
By Diane Daniel, 01/28/99
It's a good idea to rent snowshoes and try them out before buying. The shoes cost $85-$300; most rentals are $15 and under for the day. Make sure you wear layers of non-cotton clothing and waterproof hiking boots. And it helps to cover your legs with gaiters to keep the snow out of your boots. If you're not an experienced hiker, go with a group as trails markings are often obscured by snow.
Now that you're dressed, here's where to go:
MASSACHUSETTS
The Arcadian Shop 91 Pittsfield Road, Lenox. Private tours off the beaten track; rentals. 800-239-3391. [Get directions].
American Youth Hostels/Eastern New England Council 1105 Comm. Ave., Boston, organizes trips. 617-779-0900, ext. 5, or www.tiac.net/users/hienec/. [Get directions].
Appalachian Mountain Club 5 Joy St., Boston. Occasional trips with local chapter and regular tours from Pinkham Notch, N.H., and Mt. Greylock centers. Boston chapter: 617-523-0636 or world.std.com/~amcbos; Pinkham: 603-466-2727; Greylock: 413-743-1591. Northeast website: www.outdoors.org. [Get directions].
Eastern Mountain Sports stores (Boston, Dedham, Hingham) rent snowshoes and organize outings. Hingham store is sponsoring a trip to Mount Cardigan, N.H., on Feb. 27. 781-741-8808. [Directions for Boston and Hingham locations].
Friends of the Blue Hills 1894 Canton Ave., Milton, 02186. Next tour Feb. 7. 781-326-0079 or www.motjuste.com/bluehill/
Lincoln Guide Service 152 Lincoln Road, Lincoln. 781-259-1111. Snowshoe rentals, maps of nearby hiking trails. [Get directions].
Northfield Mountain Northfield. 3 miles of wooded snowshoe-only trails, full moon tours. 413-659-3713. [Get directions].
Notchview Reservation (Trustees of Reservations property), Windsor. 27 miles of trails. 413-684-0148. [Get directions].
Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Lenox. Family, nature, and moonlight walks. 413-637-0320. [Get directions].
Wachusett Village Inn, Westminster. Tours. 800-342-1905. [Get directions].
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Gunstock Ski Area Gilford, N.H. Regular day and moonlight walks. 1-800-486-7862 or www.gunstock.com
Norsk Cross-Country Ski Center New London, N.H. Nature tours, 5 miles of trails. 800-426-6775 or www.skinorsk.com
MAINE
Sunday River Bethel, Maine. Guided and moonlight tours, snowshoe-only trails. 207-824-3000 or www.sundayriver.com
VERMONT
Green Mountain Expeditions Whitingham, Vt. Snowshoe-only center. Daily tours, occasional moonlight. 802-368-7147.
Okemo Valley Nordic Center Ludlow. Wooded trails, guided and moonlight tours. 802-228-8871.
Stratton Mountain Daily walking tours and weekend moonlight tours from the Country Club Nordic Center; backcountry tours from Summit Adventure Center. 800-787-2886 www.stratton.com
Wilderness Trails Nordic Ski Center Quechee. Snowshoe trails, tours. Full-moon bonfire tours Jan. 31 and March 1. 802-295-7620.
Resource
Tubbs Snowshoe Co., based in Stowe, Vt., has an informative Web site, www.tubbssnowshoes.com, which includes a link to Tubbs TrailNet, a service that lists trails nationwide.
Special events
Feb. 6: Tubb's Outback Snowshoe Tour, Wachusett Village Inn, Westminster. Demos, games, tours. 800-342-1905. [Get directions].
Feb. 13: Winter Trails '99, Weston Ski Touring Center, 200 Park Road, Weston. Demos and tours. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 781-891-6575 or [email protected]. [Get directions].
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