Winter Skills Workshop – Massawepie Camp – February 1-5, 2026
This was the first Winter Skills Workshop we’ve held for a number of years. These workshops combine hiking, snowshoeing, winter camping and Nordic backcountry skiing into one multi-day outing. While this was an AMC program, all leaders were Level 3 four-season approved for both AMC and ADK. Special thanks to Gregg Homeyer for stepping in to lead the ski group after the ski leader and one of the hiking leaders were unable to attend due to illness.
The program was held in the Massawepie Scout Camp facility, run by the Rochester, NY Scouts Council. The lodge is a rustic affair with a wood stove for heat but a large, commercial-grade kitchen with electricity and gas burners and three bathrooms. Glamping!
Here’s the group enjoying a demonstration of the ski pulks (sleds you pull across the snow, while either snowshoeing or skiing). The lodge is in the background.
It was below 0 degrees outside when the group arrived, so we set to work firing up the woodstove. Split wood was ready to go for us in the storeroom. We had closed cell foam pads at the ready, too. It took a few hours, but we got the indoor temperature up above freezing. We were able to get it pretty warm after a full day of burning wood.
The paddlers stepped in to take command of the kitchen, and they were takin’ care of business!
After dinner, the leaders worked out plans for each day’s activities. There was one ski outing and one showshoe outing each day.
For Day One, the skiers toured all the way around Lake Massawepie. The snowshoers went part-way around the lake, being careful to make a separate track off to the side of the skiers’ tracks. That was wonderfully considerate and really appreciated by the skiers.
For Day Two, the skiers drove north to the St Regis Pond area to ski the Fish Pond Truck Trail. That’s a classic Adirondack ski tour. It’s an ungroomed ‘cross country’ ski trail designated by the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (the “D.E.C.”).
The snowshoeing group climbed the Mt Arab trail to the fire tower on its summit, following the DEC designated foot trail. It’s a short hike, one mile to the fire tower, but excellent experience for novice winter snowshoe hikers.
Mt Arab is one of the Tupper Triad Mountains. Reaching the fire tower is the highlight.
In the afternoon, the group reconvened for a workshop on the proper use of an ice ax for self-arrest, to save yourself if you find yourself falling uncontrollably on steep, icy terrain. That’s one of the basic required skills for mountaineering.
On Day Three, the ski group drove just west of Cranberry Lake to ski the Peavine Swamp Ski Trail. That’s another DEC ski trail. This trail takes skiers through a beautiful old-growth forest with huge old hemlock and red spruce trees. One of the hemlock trees was measured at 42 inches diameter at breast height before it succumbed to old age several years ago.
The snowshoe group bagged a second Tupper Triad Peak, Coney Mountain, to the east of Tupper Lake. Coney has an official DEC foot trail to its summit.
Coney’s summit is bare and wide-open, with a spectacular view.
Later in the day, the snowshoers took a short hike around the beautiful Massawepie property.
We had 10 participants and 3 leaders (Robert Coia, Gregg Homeyer, and David Mong). Thanks to everyone who participated. It was a memorable experience, and a great trip!
