Local residents invited to glide through winter, get fit

This year is off to a great start for local cross-country skiing enthusiasts.
The Reservoir Gate area has been particularly busy. Folks have been enjoying the new Crooked Tree Trail and its sister Twisted Creek Trail.
The former meanders in a circuit starting across from the Reservoir gate while the Twisted Creek follows Ogden Mill Brook, then rises toward the main ski-doo trail before descending Pinball Hill back to the Reservoir Gate parking area.
Part of the town of Sackville's 2005 Green Space Plan to utilize the Reservoir lands for walking and skiing, these trails have been developed by members of the Tantramar Outdoor Club (http://tantramaroutdoorclub.com) in conjunction with Sackville's parks and recreation department.
Each loop is about three kilometres long. The Crooked Tree Trail has lots of gentle hills making it suitable for families as well as the more experienced.
The track is groomed for the town by local resident and contractor Brett Beale, with the new groomer making skiing much easier and pleasant.
The more southerly Twisted Creek Trail is "broken" by skiers and features some fairly challenging descents. making it much more suitable for experienced skiers or those who enjoy thrills and tumbles!
Users are reminded that in the presence of snow, the trails are for skiing only, but in the off-season, these are lovely walking trails. As well vehicles of any kind are unwelcome in any season.
The Blue Trail system, which extends from the town's Crooked Tree Trail over private woodlots, goes all the way to the Woodhurst Road but is not marked or trackset and has some pretty fun, but for some very challenging, hills.
The town, at the suggestion of the parks advisory committee, is not ploughing the circular road in the park. Instead it is being groomed flat by the town's new groomer for walking, snowshoeing, and skate skiing, as well as a classical track which is a great spot for beginner skiers.
Beech Hill Park (located on teh outskirts of Sackville) has become a spectacular winter wonderland with lots of people, including many from Nova Scotia, getting out to exercise and enjoy the spectacular scenery and panoramic views across the Tantramar Marshes.
Finally, I notice the skidoo trails have been groomed. This can make for great skate skiing, especially in the morning when there are few machines out. We generally avoid them in the afternoons and at night and definitely don't take kids along.
So if you find winter long, get skiing. You'll be surprised how pleasant and woefully short it really is.