Skate the 4.5-Mile Outdoor Loop at Lake Morey Resort

"It's one of the activities in Vermont that people can [still] do, especially as an alternative to skiing."

Though the skating is free, the resort does rent out skates, helmets and more from a large ballroom by the shore. Mostly it rents Nordic skates, Howe said, which have longer blades that are flat instead of concave, so they don't cut into the ice as much. They're typically better for longer distances on rough outdoor ice, whereas hockey or figure skates offer better grip for stops and turns. Skate rentals are free for overnight guests.

Not everyone feels confident with their feet strapped to a metal blade, so the resort also stocks Kicksparks — sleds with handlebars and metal runners that originated as a means of transportation in Nordic countries. Users wear regular shoes and push themselves forward by kicking a foot back, balancing on the runners as they slide ahead. The contraption resembles a dogsled minus the dogs.

"It's an alternative for someone who maybe isn't comfortable on skates. [There's] less balance required," Howe said. "We'll have some people who maybe are disabled, and they'll use this instead."

For those who prefer an alternative kind of winter traverse, the resort's golf course will be open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and equipment for those activities is also available for rent. If sitting is more your thing, Howe said many people set up ice-fishing rigs on the lake, complete with chairs and warming huts.

The hotel itself is relatively unassuming, though it does offer a pool, a movie room and some truly psychedelic carpeting. The main attraction is undoubtedly the scenery, visible through wide windows surrounding the lounge. In some of the rooms overlooking the lake, the view from the windows doesn't even include the ground — just water, mountains and sky.

"It feels like a cruise ship," Howe said.

Skaters should be aware that pond ice can be fickle. While the skating trail is regularly cleared of snow, the quality of the surface is dependent on the weather, Howe explained. The resort has a Zamboni for hockey tournaments but doesn't use it to smooth the trail.

"A warming day, where people are not using the ice, and then a hard freeze at night makes beautiful, flat ice," Howe said. "But on a beautiful sunny, warm day, you have, typically, a lot of people using the ice. Multiple days of that can create rougher conditions."

So, though it may seem counterintuitive, pray for a cold snap if you're planning a skating trip.


Lake Morey Resort
1 Clubhouse Rd., Fairlee
802-333-4311