The Winter Adventure Guide
Have a Five-Dog Night
Photograph courtesy of mahoosuc
In a cool twist on camping, Mahoosuc Guide Service has turned the pleasures of dogsledding into overnight and weekend outings to pristine locations such as Maine’s North Woods and Umbagog Lake, near the New Hampshire border. Guides cook a campfire lunch and teach students how to work the dogs. Afterward, there’s the option to snowshoe or ski. Come nightfall, campers sleep in a fir-floored tent with canvas walls and a wood stove. Think silent night, unless the rare wolf happens to howl.
Packages start at $265 per person; 1513 Bear River Rd., Newry, ME, 207-824-2073, mahoosuc.com.
Sail Boston Harbor
Photograph by grant mathews
Hard-core Hub sailors know the best time to hit the harbor is in winter, when the prevailing winds blow at a steady 10 to 15 knots and recreational traffic is at a minimum. The Boston Sailing Center launches its fleet of J-24s every Saturday afternoon from November through March, when teams compete in the Frostbite Racing Series. If you’ve got sailing experience and want to try the sport for a day, pay $40 and the center will put you on a team. Just remember to wear warmer clothes than you think you’ll need, and to say, “Aye, aye, captain.”
The Riverboat at Lewis Wharf, Boston, 617-227-4198, bostonsailingcenter.com.
Quick Urban Adventures
When you don’t have time for a trek.
Downhill Skiing: Blue Hills Reservation | The longtime ski scene for Bostonians, Blue Hills has 60 acres of carvable terrain and four lifts serving all levels of runs, from the Green Monster bunny slope to the halfpipe-heavy freestyle terrain park. With day passes starting at $18, this one’s an easy out. 4001 Washington St., Canton, 781-828-5070, ski-bluehills.com.
Skating: Larz Anderson Park | College-sports fanatics can get a thrill from skating on the same rink where the BC Eagles sometimes practice. For the nonfanatical, there’s free parking, a heated pavilion, lessons for beginners, and the allure of an afternoon of fun for the price of a submarine sandwich. Tickets $7, skate rentals $5; 23 Newton St., Brookline, 617-739-7518, brooklinema.gov.
Sledding: Arnold Arboretum | Set your sights on the summit of Peters Hill, the arboretum’s tallest rise at 240 feet above street level. (Insider’s tip: Take the back entrance, off Mendum Street in Roslindale, for an easier trek to the top.) 2. Pause to admire the Boston skyline. 3. Whiz your way to the bottom. 125 Arborway, Jamaica Plain, 617-524-1718, arboretum.harvard.edu.
Cross-Country Skiing: Weston Ski Track | With nine miles of trails, this local favorite promises great al fresco exercise for all types of skiers (and snowshoers), just 15 minutes outside the city and accessible via the Green Line. Night owls will appreciate the two-kilometer loop, illuminated by a newly upgraded lighting system. Hit the track on Tuesday evenings for weekly races sponsored by the Cambridge Sports Union. 200 Park Rd., Weston, 781-891-6575, skiboston.com.