Wintertime Fun - Inside or Out

Those of us who reside in the chilly Midwest have learned how to cope with Old Man Winter: We hop a plane to sunny Fort Lauderdale. 

As restorative as a vacation to the sandy beaches of Florida may be, the truth is, we still have months of cold weather to contend with. When it comes to dealing with the season, locals generally fall into one of two camps: those who embrace the climate and those who don’t. Fortunately for both groups, Ohio is blessed with enjoyable activities that take advantage of – or wholly ignore – the seasonal conditions.

If you want to ski, snowboard or snow tube, you need snow – no surprise there. And to find the heaviest snowfalls in the state, one needs to travel to Northeast Ohio. Compared with Columbus and Cincinnati, Cleveland gets more than double the average annual snowfall. The absolute epicenter of flurries is located in an area fittingly called the Snowbelt, a swath of land that lies south and east of Lake Erie. This is where outdoor enthusiasts will find Alpine Valley Ski Resort.

Boasting an average of 120 inches of the fluffy white stuff per year, Alpine Valley absolutely buries the competition – and it is always the first resort in Ohio to open. Thanks to the state’s longest permanent half pipe, the resort is super popular with snowboarders. The park’s 11 trails, ranging from bunny slopes to double black diamonds, attract downhill skiers of all skill levels. For the total cream puffs, there is a tubing park with multiple runs. Rookies are in good hands here thanks to a top-notch ski school and rental program.

Cold, icy conditions are no friend to rock climbers, who bare-knuckle their way up precarious peaks, bluffs and buttes. When forced off their mounts due to inclimate weather, many perfect their holds indoors at climbing gyms. Dayton’s fabulous Urban Krag, located in the charming Oregon District, boasts the biggest climbing wall in all of Ohio. There is more than 8,000 square feet of textured vertical terrain, with walls soaring to nearly six stories. The most striking feature of the Krag, however, is its building. Housed in a Civil War-era church that was spared from demolition, the climbing gym is one of only two in the world with such spiritual digs. First-timers will need to go through belay certification, and more advanced instruction is available for intermediate climbers.

All summer long, Lake Erie teems with anglers hoping to catch their daily bag of tasty walleye and yellow perch. Come late fall, though, most stow their boats and rods until the following spring. Those folks are wussies. The most fanatical of fishermen don’t let a little thing like a frozen lake get in the way of their fun, and neither should you. Once Lake Erie freezes over, typically by early January, ice fishing guides begin their annual season of charters. Clients are whisked to the site via snowmobiles, ATVs or airboats, where heated shanties are erected and fishing holes drilled. Most of the guides operate in the western basin of the lake, departing from cities such as Marblehead, Port Clinton and Put-in-Bay. To join the fun, you’ll need a valid Ohio fishing license and a reputable guide. Consider calling Capt. Pat Chrysler, Papa John Charters, or Capt. Bud Gehring .

Granted, ice fishing can be a tad brutal on a body. For an outdoor adventure that is a little less outdoorsy, head south to Akron and climb aboard the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. One of the longest scenic railroads in the nation, this charmer chugs right through the middle of majestic Cuyahoga Valley National Park, hugging the banks of the Cuyahoga River and the remnants of the Ohio & Erie Canal. The trains run all winter long, shuttling nature-peepers between the cities of Independence and Canton, with frequent stops along the way. Riders are free to hop on and off, or to kick back with an audio tour that recounts the history of the region, its people, the canal, and the park. Also popular are the special seasonal expeditions. Throughout winter there are beer tastings, wine and appetizer tastings, and the ever-popular Polar Express for families with starry-eyed kiddies.

Rain, sleet, snow and mud can really suck the life out of a wintertime motorcycle ride. But those very same conditions can actually improve a romp on an All-Terrain Vehicle. And now, thanks to Hocking Hills Nature Trails, riders new to the sport can join in on the messy fun. Recently opened, this ATV rental and training facility in Southeast Ohio starts riders off with an individualized training session, where instructors guide novices through an obstacle course. Once cleared, students are free to hit the trails for as long as they wish. Open year round, the 60-acre park features winding, one-directional trails for riders of all ability. What’s more, Ohio ATV World, the rental arm of the organization, is the only outfitter and guide permitted to operate in Wayne National Forest. This means that riders can rent an ATV and hit the 110 miles of dedicated forest trails. For folks looking for something new to do in the beautiful Hocking Hills region, this is it. (Wayne’s trails are open from mid-April through mid-December.)

There is no place in the world like Ray’s MTB Park. Open only from mid-October through April, this indoor BMX and mountain bike park was designed to provide a suitable wintertime replacement for alfresco trail riding. It has far surpassed that goal. Expanding by the year, the sprawling industrial complex now features over 100,000 square feet of tracks, skinnies, bumps and bridges. All told there are roughly 10 miles of trails spread throughout multiple warehouse spaces. Some take riders around steeped embankments, over logs and rocks, and high into the rafters. There are half-pipes, moving ramps, and squishy foam pits for jumps. Natural light floods the space, and friendly staffers make the whole blessed experience a joy for riders of all ages and skill levels. Ray's MTB offers rental bikes for those riders who come sans wheels.