Winter Activities for Your Mental Health in VT

By Hanna Blankenship

Mental Health and the Holidays

For many of us, the holidays are a time of happiness, full of family, friends, good food, and activities. It is a season of peace and joy, often a break from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. For some of us, however, it can be a period of painful loneliness, recognizing grief and loss, anxiety, or depression. It is often a time of high emotion and demands and when family and other interpersonal conflicts often surface. Even people who love the holidays can experience sadness or increased stress.

How can I overcome negative emotions during the holiday season?

One of the best ways to combat these negative feelings is to get outside and participate in the activities and events offered in your community. Although we live in a beautiful state with lots of winter sports that can get you active and excited, many of us choose not to participate for various reasons. Some of these reasons include the belief that these activities are expensive, lack of inclusion, and historical and systematic racism. This holiday season, VHEI has created a directory of some organizations and events around the state that will help get you moving and promote a positive state of mind. These free and fee-paying activities are designed to help you get outside and have some fun. If any events you are hosting or know about aren’t on the list, please reach out so we can add them!

Directory:

Winter Outdoor Activities:

Ice Skating (Have to pay)
- Cairns Arena
- Lake Morey Resort Skate Trail
- Jay Peak Ice Haus
- Leddy (Gordon H. Paquette) Ice Arena
- Essex Skating Facility
- Mountain Top Resort
- Bolton Valley Resort
- Union Arena Community Center 
- Central Vermont Memorial Civic Center
- NorthShire Civic Center Riley Rink
- Memorial Sports Center 

Ice Skating (Free)
- Battery Park
- Calahan Park
- Lakeside Park
- Roosevelt Park
- Starr Farm Park

Sledding (Free)
- Calahan Park
- Ethan Allen Park
- Oakledge Park
- Old Manhattan Landfill
- Schmanska Park
- Smalley Park
- Mountain Top Resort

Cross Country Skiing/Snowshoeing (Free w/out equipment) (Have to pay w/ equipment)
- The Intervale
- Island Line Rail Trail
- Derway Island Park
- Smuggler’s Notch Road
- Blueberry Hill Outdoor Center
- Allen Brook Nature Trail
- Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski Are
- Mountain Top Resort
- Bolton Valley Resort
- Vermont Adventure Tours
- Sunrise Mountain Guides

Sleigh Riding (Have to pay)
- Mountain Top Resort
- Billings Farm & Museum
- Gentle Giants Sleigh and Carriage Rides
- Rainbow Edge Farm
- The Kindgom’s Horse Drawn Wagon and Sleigh Rides
- Lajoie Stables
- Kedron Valley Stables
- Third Branch Horse Logging

Dog sledding (Have to pay)
- Eden Dog Sledding
- Cobble Hill Kennel
- Vermont Ventures LLC
- October Siberians Sled Dog Adventures
- Umiak Outdoor Outfitters

Fat Biking (Have to pay)
- Stowe, VT
- Woodstock Inn & Resort
- Fat Bike Vermont
- Catamount Outdoor Family Center 

Snowmobiling (Have to pay)
- NEK Adventures
- Snowmobile Vermont
- Stratton Adventures
- Vermont Mountain Adventures

Ice Climbing (Have to pay)
- Adventure Spirit
- Vermont Adventure Tours
- Petra Cliffs
- Sunrise Mountain Guides

Ice Fishing (Have to pay)
- The Fly Rod Shop
- 3rd Alarm Charters
- Fish Hounds Outdoors
- RPM Outdoors

Events:

• Sled Dogs Live (Have to pay) (12/29)

• Holiday Face Painting (Free) (12/29)

• Guardians of the Great Outdoors Exhibit (Have to pay) (12-29 - 1/16)

• Highlight New Year’s Eve (Have to pay) (12/31)

• New Year's Eve: Virtual Vision Camp  (Have to pay)  (12/31)

• Burton Winter Jam (Free) (1/12)

• Torchlight Snowshoe (Have to pay) (1/13 - 2/24)

• BIPOC Winter Community Day (Free) (1/14)

• Adult Snowshoe Scavenger Hunt (Have to pay) (1/14)

• MLK Fireworks Snowshoe Tour (Have to pay) (1/14)

• Stowe VT’s LGBTQ Winter Pride Festival (Have to pay) (1/18 - 1/22)

• ACBC Fat Bike Roundup (Have to pay) (1/28)

• Vermont Winter Renaissance Fair (Have to pay) (2/4-2/5)