Birches Resort Winter Adventures
The Birches Resort in Rockwood, Maine, offers a the full range of wintersport.
Dec 9, 2006
A few years back, I found myself in this idyllic spot alongside a lake where I could go alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or ice fishing.
The place? The Birches Resort on the shores of Maine’s Moosehead Lake.
A 30-year old, family owned, wilderness resort, The Birches surprised me. After all, it’s way up there where most people would think freezing is more likely than adventuring. But, the place offers a bit of anything winter can toss at you.
Great North Woods Snowmobile Excursions: all-day, guided, snowmobile excursions on the Moosehead Trail into the backcountry and along frozen rivers, with a stop at a wilderness Yurt for a hot lunch on trails separate from snowmobile trails.
Nordic Skiing: 40 miles of groomed trails present the full variety of terrain and Nordic options. Ski yurt to yurt with a hot lunch stop.
Overnight Yurt to Yurt Ski: Stay for dinner and overnight at a yurt, which are equipped with a wood stove, gaslights, a Coleman stove, bunk beds, table and benches. Want your gear transported? Okay.
Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding: You’ll find it at nearby Squaw Mountain, a real locals’ hill with old-fashioned New England trails and glades.
Ice Fishing: Okay, I’ve always wondered what those guys do in those little shacks. They really do fish! I tried it, but no luck. Not enough patience, I guess.
Scenic Plane Rides: For those who want to see it all the easy way, you can go aloft for half an hour for spectacular views. But, first the lake’s gotta freeze into an airstrip!
Accommodations: On the rustic side, but plenty comfortable, there are main lodge rooms and hand-hewn log cabins. Larger, modern vacation homes are also available for rent. For those who must—those secluded, heated, wilderness Yurts offer a chance to rough it a bit.
I overnighted in a cabin. It was plenty comfortable with a wood stove that turned the Maine winter into something summer-like.
Then, come morning, I stepped outside to test the weather and somehow locked myself out. It was too early—and too cold—to go for help. I poked a hole in a window screen and managed to open the window enough to shimmy through. I offered to pay for the screen repair, but these guys didn’t even flinch.
Now, that’s hospitality.
