SUMMERSTOWN, Ontario – In spite of last week’s rain and mild weather, the base on the trails at Summerstown Forest was not wiped out and annual Family Day activities are going ahead.
The same can’t be said for the popular Summerstown Forest Dion Snowshoe Race, which was slated for Saturday. While the snowshoe trails are holding up well for walking, running on them at full speed presents risks of injuries and the real possibility of equipment breakage said Friends of the Summerstown Trails.
Bur Family Day should be wall-to-wall fun. There is still enough snow on the trails to have a great outing.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., participants will be able to rent skis and snowshoe equipment free of charge. A fun snowshoe race for kids, guided tours, and free food will also be offered, including hot chocolate and marshmallows around a bonfire.
Participation was down last year due to the intense cold days that were experienced in February, but still more than 175 participants came out to the trails, many of them trying out cross-country skiing or snowshoeing for the first time.
New this year will be the skate skiing equipment that the Friends obtained thanks to a grant from Mountain Equipment Co-op; young and old alike will be able to try this fast and exciting version of cross-country skiing.
The trails are situated on Summerstown Road, 1.6 km north of exit 804 of the 401.
For the complete schedule of activities, please visit www.summerstowntrails.com.
