Just a quickie reminder to 'save the date' for the upcoming Banff Film Festival, coming to South Portland on Wednesday, February 14th.

Yes folks, that's Valentine's Day.

So take this heads up and plan appropriately with your SO. Card, dinner, flowers, chocolates, all that good stuff. Just make sure it's all wrapped up by 7:30pm so you don't miss the show.

On tap are six wild films featuring rock climbing, skiing, base jumping, bicycle touring, and mountain culture and environment.

It's an annual "not-to-be-missed" evening for all who love the outdoors!

Is it any wonder that so many skiers, myself included, simply love Lange?

Oh, and their ski boots aren't bad either...

The new Messalonskee Stream Trail begins just a stone's throw from downtown Oakland, at a bulldozed parking lot surrounded by chain link fence. Not much to look at you might say.

But just minutes down the trail, past the old Central Maine Power facility and defunct Cascade Woolen Mill, the trail takes you into a deep dark forest of towering hemlocks, as the civilized world melts quickly away.

Trailhead in downtown Oakland.
All photos by Carey Kish

A week ago Saturday, Peter Garrett of Winslow, Executive Director of Kennebec-Messalonskee Trails and a most enthusiastic urban trails advocate, led a small but hearty group of hikers on a six-mile snowshoe tour of this the group's latest trail project.

Trip leader Peter Garrett leads the way.

The trail led along the ridge above a deep gorge before winding down to meet the stream, which had now opened up to lake-width.

The forest changed back and forth from hardwoods to softwoods as we snowshoed happily along, occasionally crossing well-constructed log bridges spanning the ravines.

On the snowshoes for the first time since ???

Crossing one of several nicely constructed wooden bridges en route.

The wind was fierce and the temps low, but it was good to be outside, as always, exploring new terrain.

Garrett stopped occasionally to huddle the group and explain some tidbit of local history or a fact or two about the land, how it was acquired, the building of the trail.

Finally, we rounded a peninsula and could peer down the stream-turned-lake, wind full-on in our faces, a beautiful winter view before us.

View from the Peninsula Loop near the far end of the trail.

On up the hill we turned down a power line and followed it to a dam at the head of Rice Rips, the turnaround point of our day’s outing.

Away from the dam and out of the wind we shared Thermos’ of hot tea and cocoa while Garrett regaled us with plans by the Kennebec-Messalonskee Trails group to build a 25-mile network of trails linking the communities of Winslow, Waterville, Oakland, Benton and Fairfield.

Atop the dam at Rice Rips.

With this new addition to the system, KMT has completed 8 miles of multiple-use trails.

I’m forever amazed at the number of trails projects that are going on around Maine, many of them in urban areas where they are sorely needed as close-to-home outlets for health, fitness, recreation and community.

Cheers to Garrett and KMT for their fine work to date and good luck as you forge ahead with your ambitious plans.

Check out the KMT trails system and come on up to take a look-see... You’ll like what you find!

Heading back through the hemlock forest.

If you're a resident of or visitor to the Greater Portland area then you are some lucky when it comes to urban trails.

We've got the best of the best here.

That's because Portland Trails, its staff, its wealth of volunteers, its trail friends and supporters, and its affiliated trail groups are the model for conservation, cooperation, and communication.

"It's all about building community," Portland Trails Executive Director Nan Cumming has told me so often.

Indeed it is. And how successful they have been!

Note above that I mentioned "Greater Portland" and not just Portland.

That's right. Portland Trails' efforts have gone so well that the organization is moving ahead with bigger plans to build and connect trails beyond the core city of Portland.

That means more work to be done, more relations to be developed in Westbrook, Falmouth, South Portland and maybe beyond.

An aggressive plan, but one that is undoubtedly within reach of this organization.

All of this good news was on display Tuesday evening at the Portland Trails 15th Annual Meeting held at the Space Gallery in downtown Portland.

Nan Cumming, Portland Trails executive Director, addresses PTs annual meeting Tuesday evening.
Photo by Carey Kish

Looking ahead, much of the focus will be on the Presumpscot River corridor, acocording to John Osborn, PT trails committee chair. The river is a key passageway through the area and the hope is to create a connected greenway along much of its length.

Other tasks include: Connecting the newly acquired Brickyard Point in Falmouth with Maine Audubon's Gilsland Farm Sanctuary; more greenspace out by the old Portland city landfill; the hope of extending trails in the Fore River Sanctuary to open space associated with a new industrial park in Portland; and an extension of the tranquil Stroudwater Trail farther into Westbrook is in the works.

Whew!

The big news of the evening, following suit with all of the aforementioned trail work plans, was the change in Portland Trails mission statement.

According to a PT news release: With the construction of an additional mile of trail at Thompson’s Point last summer, the group met that 30-mile target. “It’s a great accomplishment,” said Roger Berle, Portland Trails’ board president, “but we’ve got plenty more trails to build.” Members assembled at the meeting endorsed the new mission statement which will now read, “To create and maintain a 50-mile network of multi-use trails within greater Portland.”

20 additional miles of trail... wow! You go PT!

Following the good news re Portland Trails, attention shifted to Dick Anderson, founder of the International Appalachian Trail.

Dick Anderson, IAT founder (left) and Dave Littel, former PT president and current Maine DEP commisioner (right) at PTs annual meeting.
Photo by Carey Kish

Through his delightful and informative slide program, "A Walk on The International Appalachian Trail: Katahdin to St. Anthony, Newfoundland," Anderson encouraged the audience to "think beyond borders" as the IAT has done so successfully.

"The basic idea originally," said Anderson, "was to use the mountains as a focal point to get Canada and Maine to work together on a common project."

Well, nearly 13 years after its inception, the IAT has extended all the way to the tip of the Appalachian Mountains at Belle Isle, Newfoundland. A model of international cooperation and goodwill.

But Anderson and his group aren't done yet. Owing to some surprising geology and a spirited determination, the IAT not only has plans to extend across Atlantic Canada to the tip of Nova Scotia, but to Europe and North Africa!

Stay tuned!

Needless to say it was a very entertaining and inspiring evening.

Both of these outstanding trail groups--Portland Trails and the IAT/SIA--need your support, both in terms of time and $$$. A check will do, but elbow grease may be better. Contact them to ask how you can help.

It can't be a fun time to be a member of LURC, Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission, right now.

There's some tough sledding to be had for these folks, what with the Redington Wind Turbine Project up for final review, and the whole Plum Creek development and conservation plan coming fast on its heels.

The people at LURC are just ordinary Joes like you and me, but they've got to make some big decisions on some highly publicized and controversial projects affecting the unorganized townships under their charge.

By the time all is said and done these folks are gonna need a good dose of valium and maybe a stiff drink of two just to see straight.

I don't envy them a'tall. Nope.

Speaking of those decisions, I hope they rule against the Redington wind power project.

It took me a long time and a bit o'changing my mind, but I finally came to the opinion that the summits of our western mountains just aren't the proper place for 300-foot wind towers and their associated access roads and transmission lines.

I must say I'm perplexed by the comment made at the hearing by the attorney for Maine Mountain Power Jeff Thaler that "this is not a remote, pristine part of the state."

Uh, Mr. Thaler, have you been to the proposed Stratton-Carrabassett area?

Yes, there's industrial forestry and a ski resort and villages where people live and work, but really, 'remote' and 'pristine' practically define the area's character, perceived if not entirely real.

So, no wind towers in sight of our Appalachian Trail please.

But I have a good sense that the project will pass LURC muster anyway.

Then there's Plum Creek development and conservation plan for the Moosehead Lake region (pass the valium and shot glasses for the LURCers please).

Plum Creek has pulled their latest plan iteration and is re-tooling one final time before presenting to LURC for review and approval.

And I hope they get it.

Provided they are crafty enough the concentrate their proposed development, which seems to be the biggest sticking point. With that and the more than 400,000 some acres in an impressively wide arc of contiguous multiple-use lands stretching from Greenville nearly to Canada in conservation easement, it's a winner in my view.

We'll see.

Good luck to the folks at LURC who are doing the best job they can. A tough, thankless one at that.

The Cohos Trail will soon be no more.

Billed as "the longest single foot trail venture in New Hampshire's history," the Cohos Trail Association will soon disband and most or all of its 162-mile trail system will be closed.

Morning view from the Panorama Lean-to, Cohos Trail NH.
Photo courtesy Cohos Trail Association.

The reason?

Money. Or the lack thereof.

Cohos Trail founder and chief advocate Kim Nilsen says the group doesn't have enough money to properly maintain this extensive wilderness trail.

How sad!

Never heard of the Cohos Trail, you say?

Maybe that's part of the problem.

This incredible hiking route is right next door to us Mainers and yet I'm betting that few know about it.

The Cohos Trail traverses the length of New Hampshire's Coos County (the trail takes its name form the original spelling). It begins at Crawford Notch and the Dry River Trail, peaks out atop Mount Eisenhower, and then runs north to the Canadian border at Pittsburg through some of the most remote and rugged backcountry in New England.

Wilderness shoreline, Second Connecticut Lake, Cohos Trail NH.
Photo courtesy Cohos Trail Association.

"The Cohos Trail is not a walk in the park. The Cohos Trail is not a trail for those in T-shirts and sneakers or dress shoes. It is an isolated, remote trail system that winds in some places for dozens and dozens of miles without ever encountering a town," so says the CTAs website.

Was the CT too much for the average Joe hiker? Taken in small day or weekend sections I find that hard to believe.

Inadequate marketing? Maybe, but the group has a terrific and very detailed website, plus maps and a guidebook to boot.

Poor money management? Who knows.

A lack of dedicated volunteers? Always a possibility. With all due respect, you know that the 80/20 rule or even the 90/10 all too often applies when it comes to true get-it-done volunteers.

Whatever the reason(s), the Cohos Trail is going away after only a decade in existence. And that can't make any of us in the hiking community happy.

I've only been on one part of the route--up to Mount Martha--and now wish I'd gotten to more. Ironically, in the interest of saving money on travel this year, I was seriously considering a thru-hike of the Cohos Trail this coming summer. And closed or not, maybe I still will!

The new Baldhead Lean-to, Cohos Trail NH.
Photo courtesy Cohos Trail Association.

So, my trail friends, I must ask: What can we do to save the Cohos Trail?

Money appears to be the immediate issue. But I haven't yet spoken to Nilsen to ascertain whether donations would even be accepted at this point. Perhaps, I'll try him and see what he says.

In the meantime, your ideas and comments on the Cohos Trail are welcome, whether or not you've hiked parts of it (or all of it) or not. Do you want to see the Cohos Trail remain open to the public? What to do?

Fresh off a fine snowshoe hike on the Messalonskee Stream Trail in Oakland Saturday, I arrived home to find the annual Backpacker magazine Gear Guide issue in my mailbox.

That meant, of course, that not a damn thing truly productive was going to get done that night.

And so it went. For hours and hours.

144 pages of pure heaven. A cornucopia of sheer delight for this gearhead and thousands of others, too, I'm sure.

The trend continues far down the lightweight to featherweight trail... Packs, sleeping bags, boots, tents, stoves. In fact, on the final page there's a great chart detailing how to save an easy 11 pounds of packweight through some doable upgrades in gear.

There's reviews, notes, tips. Information to be digested, pondered, calculated.

How much more gear do I need? How much can I spend? How soon can I retire? What trails and travels should be next?

Such were the thoughts rolling through my backpacker-head Saturday evening, magazine in one hand, glass of cold beer in the other.

So much gear, so little time...

I know it's Friday and you've got skiing or whatever on the brain for the weekend... But, if you're making plans for next week be sure to block out Tuesday night, January 23rd for the Portland Trails Annual Meeting.

The festivities will begin with refreshments at 5PM and include a review of the past year's accomplishments as well as a look ahead to what's planned for 2007.

Picturesque Jewell Falls in the Fore River Sanctuary, part of the Portland Trails system.
Photo by Carey Kish

Next up, Dick Anderson, founder and tireless ambassador of the International Appalachian Trail will present "A Walk on the International Appalachian Trail: Katahdin to St. Anthony, Newfoundland."

Dick Anderson, founder of the IAT.
Photo by Wilfred E. Richard, courtesy of Portland Trails

Dick and his dedicated group of IAT volunteers has been working diligently to solidify the trail route and extend the trail to new locales in Canada and beyond. You can be sure he'll have lots to say about the project and many fine photos to boot.

So join up with like-minded enthusiasts in the trail community and get a earful and eyeful of what's happening with your local Portland Trails and internationally with the IAT.

Along Portland Trails' Stroudwater River Trail.
Photo by Carey Kish

The PT event is free and open to the public, but reservations are requested. Do so by contacting Isabel at 775-2411 or isabel@trails.org.

Oh, those halcyon days of summer!

T-shirts, shorts, Tevas... Remember them?

Remember when?
Photo by Carey Kish

Ha! Gotcha!

The deep freeze of January is on here in Maine. From 1 degree in Portland to a balmy -16F up in Caribou. Ouch. And how about that -77F (with wind chill factored in) on Mount Washington. Brutal.

How long are we going to be locked down by the cold? Hard tellin'.

This is a crazy winter. Just like last year.

Global warming, you say? Yeah, right.

I just returned from California where temps hit a chilly 17F (unheard of and mondo cold for southern Californians) and it snowed 4 inches in the desert. Half the citrus crop killed just north in the San Joaquin Valley. Who would've guessed?

Anyway, at least our ski areas can make some snow and that ain't a bad thing. They need it. We downhill skiers need it.

But snowshoers and snowmobilers and cross-country skiers need it, too. So a little (or a lot) of that natural stuff sure would be a bonus.

Whaddaya say Ma Nature? If we've got to suffer with the cold can we at least get some real snow to go along with it? Please?!

Ahhh, the good old red-eye. Now that's the way to travel. Real adventurous like.

A little under nine hours from coast to coast in the dark of night. The majority of that time spent slumped over in the seat, passed out cold from exhaustion, drool seeping down the chin.

Palm Springs CA --> Las Vegas --> Philadelphia --> to that most excellent and beautiful arc over the Casco Bay islands and the final approach up the Fore River past the pretty skyline of downtown Portland.

Home sweet home again. Where else can you find a "welcome home" sign on a jetway that has a big red lobster next to it? No suh mistah. Not no ware but hee-yah.

So, I see we've added a little snow cover in a week's time. Any reports on the ski conditions from you downhillers? How about from the hiking trail? Other fun outdoors stuff?

You tell me, and then maybe I'll tell you about a wild week in the great outdoors of California, from the Sierras to Death Valley to Joshua Tree and lots in-between.

Deal?

OK, let's talk!

Meanwhile I think I need a nap...

All photos by Carey Kish
Yucking it up with Cowboy Bob in the old mining town of Randsburg CA.

Geothermal hot spring (and campsite) near Mammoth Lakes CA.

Snowstorm, Mammoth Mountain CA.

The Sierra crest, Yosemite National Park CA.

On the road to Eureka Dunes (and camp), Death Valley National Park CA.

At Badwater, 282 feet below sea level, Death Valley National Park CA.

Hiking through a Joshua Tree forest, Joshua Tree National Park CA.

Time to head west again. To the high desert of southern California. Another winter visit to the warm sun and blue skies of Yucca Valley and longtime bud and former Mainah Tim.

Got an evening flight out of Portland tonight and should be touching down on the other side of the continent right about the time (1:30 am PST) that you're still snuggled under the quilt with a few more hours of sleep ahead of you.

The climbing gear is packed. So are the hiking and camping goods. Ski clothes are stowed (I'll rent equipment out there). Golf shoes and a dozen balls too (my buddy's got a spare set of clubs).

And the traveling library, of course: The Best American Travel Writing 2006, edited by Tim Cahill; Wandering Home by Bill McKibben; Temple Stream by Bill Roorbach; and Writing About Your Life by William Zinsser. That should suffice for eight-plus hours each way on the plane(s) as well as the odd moment or two of downtime.

The R&R plan for the quick six-day jaunt goes roughly like this:

A round of golf at Roadrunner Dunes in Twenty Nine Palms. Several forays into Joshua Tree National Park for hiking the wide open trails and ridges, and climbing on the sunny granite faces at Echo Rock behind Hidden Valley. A road trip north through the Mojave Desert and up the eastern escarpment of the Sierra Nevada Mountains for some fine alpine skiing at Mammoth Mountain (they've got a ton of snow apparently), topped off with a good soak in the local hot springs.

In-between all this will no doubt be moments of pure peace and quiet at Tim's cabin homestead atop a desert hill, cup of coffee or cold beer in hand, overlooking miles of glorious nothingness.

Be good. And I'll see you in a week (provided there's no loose rivets on the plane and the wings don't fall off or something).

In the meantime I sure hope you all will get on the horn to the snow gods. Tell 'em we need SNOW here!!!

Photo by Carey Kish
Evening among the Joshua trees in the high desert, Joshua Tree National Park, California.

Photo by CMK
Cholla cactus garden beneath the Pinto Mountains, Joshua Tree National Park, California.

Photo by CMK
My climbing, hiking, skiing, golfing, mad-cap buddy Tim holding a California-size pine cone.

Photo courtesy Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, California.
Sprawling Mammoth Mountain, a dormant volcano in the heart of the Sierras.

Photo courtesy Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, California.
Looking forward to some sun and snow at Mammoth.

The sun cast an orange glow over the hardwood forest and a chill wind blew through the Ellis River valley as a friend and I shouldered day packs and struck off to Rumford Whitecap Mountain early yesterday morning.

It didn't take but a half mile of uphill trudging to warm us up. Off with the headband. Off with the gloves. Unzip the jacket.

The trail was snowfree and running fast with water, stream-like.

This is January, right?

Hardly, say the weather conditions around me on this day.

Patches of ice finally appeared higher up necessitating some tiptoeing around through the trailside brush.

Then whole sheets of ice covering the footway and it was time to strap on Stabilicers to boots.

Icy trail high on Rumford Whitecap Mountain yesterday.

No more detouring now. With good grips on the soles and trekking poles clenched firmly in hand it was straight up the trail, laughing at the now less than treacherous ice.

Wide views opened up as the trees thinned, first behind to the west then to the south.

Huge islands of blueberries grow here on this spot in summer, their leaves turned a firey red in autumn when I last made this trek. But today just gray rock, bare branches and delicate ice patterns in little pools frozen over.

White stripes of man-made winter were visible on the flanks of the Sunday River Ski Resort. But mostly the terrain below and beyond was brown, splotched here and there with dark coniferous green.

Plenty of brown in this odd January scene from the alpine ridge of Rumford Whitecap. That's Sunday River Ski Area is the distance.

At the summit cairn above the trees and on top of the world for a few precious moments a cold wind blew, but nothing approaching a full-on winter cold.

Steam rolled up into the air in white columns from the paper mill in Rumford. The Androscoggin River snaked its broad way through the valley. And in between lay the jumble of the Oxford Hills and its now many familiar peaks.

Turning into the wind I could trace the course of the Appalachian Trail and its serrated route curving northward from the Mahoosucs and bent on Katahdin miles away.

Back at the trailhead and famished from the exertion we wolfed down sandwiches and chips and cookies, even though it was barely 10:30 am.

Then out onto Route 2 we barreled along to Sunday River, skis on the overhead rack rattling in the wind.

An open parking space at Barker Lodge and we were in.

Patches of blue shone through the gray and sun dappled the artificially white slopes as the quad chair whisked us upward.

Riding the Barker Quad: Brown to the right, white to the left.

Despite an uncooperative Mother Nature, Sunday River has clearly done its level best to open up sufficient terrain for the oppressed skier population. But on this day there would be no run down White Heat on White Cap Peak, as not a flake of snow lay on its headwall.

Caution: Snow, ice and rocks below! We need some natural snow!!

Nonetheless, as a season passholder and confident that winter will eventually make things right by us, a couple of runs down nearby Sunday Punch and Monday Mourning--with some snow here, some ice there, a rock (oops!) underfoot--were enough to satisfy...

And get us into the car just in time for the Patriots vs. Jets game blaring from the radio on WBLM, the ribbon of sunny Route 26 stretching ahead.

All good (excepting the outcome of the game for this weary Jets fan).

And you? Your weekend?

Seeing as how it's Friday afternoon, and I'm setting here just a waiting on the weekend clock to start ticking...

... I wanted to be sure you knew that beer labeled with butts and other body parts will, after all, be allowed into Maine.

It's a clear indication that yes, our state government can, on occasion, render effective decisions.

Well, cheers to that!

Given all this good news I'm very inclined to run over to RSVP on Forest Ave. and see if I can find a rack of this formerly nastily labeled brew.

And then maybe enjoy a couple this evening at the homestead whilst I pack up the gear for some hiking and skiing this weekend.

Now how's that for a plan?

What've you got going for outdoors fun on this first very mild weekend of the new year? And further, what's on your beer labels? Eh???

I'm still unpacking duffle bags from the long weekend of skiing and reveling, so please forgive for not getting around to this sooner.

It was another fun New Year's at Sugarloaf, for sure!

Despite the lack of natural snow Sugarloaf has done a masterful job of snowmaking and getting trails open. By Sunday some 25 trails were open and conditions were excellent.

The sun was out and helped mitigate a chill wind, and we happily schussed multiple runs on Whiffletree, Narrow Gauge, Hayburner, King's Landing, Tote and goodness knows what else.

Fun skiing ruled the day and we carried on until late afternoon when wobbly legs could take no more. And the clarion call of The Bag could be ignored no longer.

Comfortably ensconced in The Bag the lovely Sue served us up cold Pick Pole Pale Ales ($2.50 happy hour prices) as we watched the end of the Patriots game that included a madcap touchdown pass by none other than old-timer Vinnie Testaverde. Awesome.

A mondo pasta dinner at Hotel du Phil in Stratton followed. Then we were back to the mountain to check out the fun activities in the King Pine Room, packed with kids and parents having a boatload of fun making messes and playing games. What a fabulous way to entertain the youngsters on New Years Eve!

Nearing 9:30PM the crowd poured out onto the Landing in front of the base lodge for a fabulous fireworks display that lit up the night. Kudos to the pyro-guys for a great show!

There was plenty going on for the big night for those with the energy to pull it off, with bands at the Widowmaker, The Bag and down the access road at The Rack.

Our group chose to get closer to our home-away-from-home base and so rang in 2007 at the Stratton Plaza amongst a most eclectic and happy crowd of revelers.

New Years Day arrived with plenty of freezing rain and horrible road conditions. So, rather than ski, we instead chose to lounge about reading the paper, slurping down pots of coffee, watching marathon episodes of the Deadliest Catch on cable and then proceeding on to one bowl game after another. Oh, and we figured in a big homecooked breakfast too. All good.

A slow and easy drive home down scenic Route 27 late in the afternoon concluded the big weekend.

Thanks to the good folks to Sugarloaf for the fine skiing and entertainment. My New Year's resolution: More of Mother Nature's white stuff for you!

So there you have it. Happy New Year all. May it be everything your heart desires...

Tell us about your New Years celebrations, your resolutions, your outdoors plans. Whatcha got in mind?

Skis and boards on the Beach at Sugarloaf.

Cruising down Whiffletree.

Riding Double Runner into the bright sun.

Despite the holiday weekend, the line at the Super Quad moved along pretty well.

Afternoon view from the top of the Super Quad.

Gotta love the view of Bigelow Mountain from the base lodge area.

The Widowmaker was geared up bigtime for the night's festivities.

The King Pine Room held a wonderful event of fun and games for kids early on New Years Eve.

Fireworks on the Landing on New Year's Eve.

Happy 2007 everyone!

Don't be setting around on your hands tonight, or tomorrow night for that matter, wondering what to do with yourself.

Like to see some unbelievable slides of rafting the big rivers of the western United States with seasoned Maine River Guide Scott Phair?

Then you ought to check out tonight's Maine Outdoor Adventure Club meeting in Portland. The evening's adventures begin at 7PM.

Open night for you tomorrow too, you say?

Then get on over to Maine Audubon in Falmouth and the Traveler's Club for slides of trekking across the spectacular landscape of Iceland with Portland adventurer Sandie Sabaka. The hikin' starts at 7PM.

There. Now don't be whining to me.

Get on out at night this week and get some ideas for some crazy adventuring of your own. And do it amongst some like-minded outdoorsy folks.

See's you there...

It seems to happen every year about this time.

The tally for this past holiday weekend: One death and two near misses.

Traffic accidents?

No.

Overly eager outdoor enthusiasts--this time a cross-country skier, a snowmobiler and a walker--out on thin lake ice way too early in the season and paying a huge price.

It doesn't have to happen.

So stay off the damn ice until it's safe, OK?

And how will you know that?

Well, employing the powers of that lumpy weight on your shoulders would be a good start.

Then check out what the Maine Warden Service has to say: "Thick and blue, tried and true. Thin and crispy, way to risky."

The MWS has got a whole page of 'do's and don't's' when it comes to recreating on the ice of Maine's lakes, ponds and rivers. Look it over good before you head out.

And when you get there, if conditions aren't right, don't go out!

Personally, after enough close calls over time, I'm half scared to death about going out on the ice. So I venture out on my skis or snowshoes only after good long cold spell (i.e. a deep freeze), and even then I'm leery.

But then I'm not an ice fisherman or a snowmobiler looking to take heavy machinery out there. You folks have got to be good and sure.

Check out this video on saving yourself after falling through the ice. It'll scare the poop out of you, but'll give you some real good instruction on what to do if it does happen.

And I know there's a tool that ice-bound travelers can wear around the neck on a lanyard--an ice hook of sorts. I've known of it to be used to help you get a grip on the solid ice to pull yourself out to safety.

But I can't find it. Maybe somebody out there can and let us know.

Bottom line: Please be careful. We don't want to be reading about you in the obits. Got it?!