1/12/2022

Ice Skating on Lake Morey

Picture this. It’s February, the dead of winter. The days are short, the snow is deep, and the thermometer is reading around 0 degrees at daybreak with an expected high of 20-degrees by midday. These temperatures are perfect for ice skating. Any warmer and the ice will begin to melt by mid-day on the most southern facing ice, creating slushy puddles that are difficult to skate through. But If you time it just right, the wind begins to calm down, the winter sun starts to cast colorful pastel shadows of red orange and pink on the south western horizon, and you have the perfect opportunity to skate at Lake Morey Resort, in Northern Vermont. Most of the people skating on the lake are calling it a day. The lake, with 4.5 miles of groomed skating, is yours. Now is the time to get out on the ice for an amazing experience.

I like to meet my daughter at Lake Morey, on days like this. It’s about the halfway point from her home in Burlington, Vermont and mine in Newbury, New Hampshire. We look forward to our late afternoon skating excursions together when conditions are just right, it's always the perfect way to get into the winter season.

Casual conversation prevails as we carefully lace our skates, making sure we get them on as tight as possible. We are anticipating the workout that is ahead of us, hoping to get 3 laps in or about 13.5 miles. Our journey starts, and we quickly get into a rhythm with our skates. The only sound is the dull gruff dragging of the sharp skate blade cutting into the ice and propelling us at an effortless 6 to 8 mph.

Lake Morey Resort has something very special to offer. A natural skating trail that is claimed to be the longest track in the United States, 4.5 miles in length on natural ice. They keep the track groomed daily with either a Zamboni, power broom or a plow depending on weather conditions. Skating is open to the public all winter long, weather conditions permitting. Its free of charge and skates can be rented at the pro shop if needed, making access not only easy but very convenient for all.

Lake Morey Resort also maintains several regulation hockey rinks. They are plowed and cleaned almost daily and host multiple pond hockey tournaments throughout the winter from teams throughout New England and as far south as New York and New Jersey. Organized pond hockey is quickly becoming a very popular sport in the northeast.

The Golf Course

Jeff, Mark and Jennifer Avery are the third generation to operate this full-service resort, which includes an impeccably maintained 18-hole Par 70 golf course. I have had the pleasure of working out agronomic solutions on the Lake Morey Country Club with Jeff for the past 25 years. Jeff is a firm believer in POLYON® technology and a top-quality controlled-release fertilizer is essential as the proximity of the golf course to the lake requires special attention. The State of Vermont closely regulates all fertilizer and chemical applications as to not contaminate the lake or any other wildlife centers in the area.

If you ever find yourself in the Green Mountains of Vermont, take a moment for a rewarding few laps around the lake, or if it’s in the summer or fall, enjoy a round of golf while taking in all the beauty that the state of Vermont and this resort has to offer.