Skiing, luge, eagles and ice games: Yep, winter has a pulse.

Joseph Dits, South Bend Tribune
·8 min read
With a snow-packed trail bridge in the background, the creek passes through Love Creek County Park in Berrien Center on Jan. 29, 2023.
With a snow-packed trail bridge in the background, the creek passes through Love Creek County Park in Berrien Center on Jan. 29, 2023.

Winter sports have a chance. Almost all of the area cross-country ski trails, tubing hills and snowmobile came back to life over the weekend. The forecast for freezing temperatures through this weekend bears hope for keeping the snow we have on the ground.

But Groundhog Day on Feb. 2 makes us wonder if we'll see a solid month of true winter.

The National Weather Service’s climate prediction maps show that the next week and a half could have 40% to 50% chances of both above normal temperatures and above normal precipitation (snow if it’s cold enough, rain if it isn’t). But the 30-day outlook shows us at “equal chances” of above or below normal temperatures.

Best bet: Let's play while we’ve got the right conditions.

Love Creek County Park in Berrien Center maintained a good, basic base for skiing and really good fat biking this past weekend. Sarett Nature Center in Benton Harbor and Elkhart County Parks also had packed and skiable trails. St. Patrick’s and the neighboring Madeline Bertrand county parks in South Bend/Niles await more snow to reopen their ski trails. None of them could set tracks.

A fat bike trail, foreground, heads to the right as a ski trail forges ahead, both of them groomed, on Jan. 29, 2023, at Love Creek County Park in Berrien Center.
A fat bike trail, foreground, heads to the right as a ski trail forges ahead, both of them groomed, on Jan. 29, 2023, at Love Creek County Park in Berrien Center.

Tubing has hung on at George Wilson Park in Mishawaka and Ferrettie-Baugo Creek County Park in Osceola.

Swiss Valley Ski & Snowboard Area in Jones closed Monday to make snow and build up its base and terrain while temperatures allowed.

Check Facebook pages for local snowmobile trails conditions. Some of the new snow packed down to poor conditions.

January 2023:Where to buy cross-country skis. And a new snowmobile trailhead.

Bittersweet's new lift

Over the weekend, Bittersweet Ski Area near Kalamazoo finally opened its newly built high-speed lift, called Snow Flyer, a four-seater (quad) lift that takes skiers to the peak of its highest hill. Construction finished up as the winter season began, and then the resort had to wait for final inspections.

With new snow, Saturday was busy as the mountain camera showed a steady line of skiers and boarders waiting to ride Snow Flyer from the launch site directly in front of the main lodge. It's near where the former Snowberry lift was. The Sweet Express lift has moved to the right as you're looking up the slope.

Until now, skiers have often found less waiting on some of the smaller lifts at Bittersweet (it depends on the slopes that you prefer). Another tip to avoid the crowds: Come on weekdays. The resort also has three “magic carpet” conveyor belts for beginners.

Find Bittersweet at skibittersweet.com or 269-694-2820. 

The 850-foot luge run at Muskegon Winter Sports Complex relies on naturally frozen ice and is seen in a prior winter.
The 850-foot luge run at Muskegon Winter Sports Complex relies on naturally frozen ice and is seen in a prior winter.

Muskegon luge

The Muskegon Winter Sports Complex was building up its luge run — one of just four in the U.S. — over the weekend, so that the luge itself could open this week for the first time this winter.

That meant packing snow onto the wooden shoot, watering it and letting it set up and freeze. The complex also was building its natural ice rink and path, packing it with snow and watering it. The luge and ice rink could be open by now.

The cross-country ski and snowshoe trails were a go over the weekend. Realize that the luge is popular, so reservations are best. Check on conditions at msports.org or 877-879-5843.

Winter sport nuts

∎ Glow tubing: George Wilson Park in Mishawaka will offer night tubing from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 3 with a deejay playing music at the top of the hill and free LED or glow items when you pay for admission. Cost is $4 for admission, $3 for tube rental. The park is at 2605 Clover Road, Mishawaka.

∎ Full Moon Night Ski: Meet at the One Room School House at Bonneyville Mill County Park, 53373 County Road 131, in Bristol at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 for skiing along a .75-mile trail with some dim lighting, if there’s enough snow. Headlights might help, if you have them. This event is free, but you'll need to bring your own ski equipment.

∎ Sweetheart Ski: If snow is sufficient, St. Patrick’s County Park in South Bend will host skiing by luminaries out to the Manion Cabin, where there will be a fire and treats, from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 10. Cost is $5 per person, plus $10 for ski rentals if needed. Register by Feb. 8 at 574-654-3155.

Skaters carve the ice at South Bend's Howard Park ice trail and pond last winter. Lessons at the park will start soon.
Skaters carve the ice at South Bend's Howard Park ice trail and pond last winter. Lessons at the park will start soon.

∎ How to skate? Are you still wobbly on ice skates? The next four-week round of skating lessons at South Bend’s Howard Park ice path will start Feb. 6, split into groups for ages 3-5, 6-17 and 18 and older. Cost is $40 per person. Find details and register at visithowardpark.com/ice-skating/learn-to-skate.

January 2022:How to ensure we don't lose snowmobile trails in Indiana and Michigan

Trekking and seeking

∎ Walking and talking big (critters): The Harbor Country Hikers will hear briefly about massive animals of the ice age at 2 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Hoadley Nature Trail in Three Oaks before starting a 1.15-mile hike around woods and wetland, taking about two hours. The trail is at Watkins Park, which is on U.S. 12 behind the Harding’s grocery store in town.

"Eagle Watch" tours near Salamonie Lake in Indiana could possibly see up to 40 to 50 eagles. This one was seen by the St. Joseph River in South Bend in 2017.
"Eagle Watch" tours near Salamonie Lake in Indiana could possibly see up to 40 to 50 eagles. This one was seen by the St. Joseph River in South Bend in 2017.

∎ Eagle Watch: Meet up and caravan to look for eagles with at least three well-known viewing spots from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4, 11 and 18 departing from the state-run Upper Wabash Interpretive Center near Salamonie Lake, about halfway between Logansport and Fort Wayne, Ind. Each of these annual tours averages seeing roughly 30 to 50 eagles. Naturalist Teresa Rody reports that the reservoirs are “uniquely wonderful for eagle watching because there is always water being released through the dam,” and that, she says, offers fishing for both local birds and others that have migrated south. Enjoy a campfire, hot dogs and S’mores at one of the stops for a free-will offering. Registration is required at 260-468-2127.

Heather Painter took this photo of a bald eagle in the area around Wabash, Ind., in a recent winter.
Heather Painter took this photo of a bald eagle in the area around Wabash, Ind., in a recent winter.

∎ Potato Creek hike: The Hoosier Hikers will host hikes of five or 10 kilometers Feb. 11 at Potato Creek State Park in North Liberty that will use the park’s paved bike trail. Registration will open at 10 a.m. near the nature center, and hikers can begin after that. You can participate for free or pay $3 for international Volkssport credit. For questions, contact Bob Buzolich at sonofbuzz@prodigy.net.

Let the games begin

∎ Ice Fest: Downtown St. Joseph will hold its annual Ice Fest from Feb. 3 to 5, with professional ice carvers competing from 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 3 along Pleasant Street, then a range of off-beat frosty games from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 4, including Frozen Fish Toss, Ice Tic-Tac-Toe, Ice Bowling, Hole in One Putt Putt Golf and Ice Skee Ball. The ice carvings will be up through Feb. 5. A weekend scavenger hunt will start at St. Joe Today Welcome Center, 301 State St. Find a full schedule at stjoetoday.com/icefest.

∎ Dowagiac Ice Time Festival: This 26th annual fest returns Feb. 4. Ice carving will start at 8 a.m. and go all day on Front Street. Kids will find Lil’ Chipper outdoor games from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Commercial Street. You can meet a sled dog from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Beckwith Park. An “ice fishing” game will go from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Vue132. Join a frozen fish toss competition at noon on Beeson Street. Or enjoy a chili crawl from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., a bonfire and S’mores from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Commercial Street and several other festivities around town. A shuttle will run to various activities. Find the full schedule at dowagiacchamber.com.

∎ Luau at Timber Ridge: Sliding with cardboard, wheelbarrows, Hawaiian shirts and an icy pool of water factor into the Winterfest Luau on Feb. 10-12 at Timber Ridge Ski Area near Kalamazoo. Ski with a torchlight parade on the slopes at 9:30 p.m. Feb. 10 and 11. And, on Feb. 11, join a tug of war at 1 p.m., beer corral and cornhole games from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., cookout from noon to 4 p.m., homemade cardboard sled race at 2:30 p.m. (competitors meet at 2 p.m.) and slush cup at 4 p.m. (depending on weather), where contestants must ski across a pool of water. On Feb. 12, attempt a wheelbarrow race at 1 p.m., penguin slide (for kids) at 2 p.m. and snow sculpting contest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Find Timber Ridge at timberridgeski.com or 269-694-9949.

Turkey Trot makeup

The annual Turkey Trot run at Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac that was canceled at Thanksgiving because of heavy snow has gained a lucky break. It's been rescheduled for March 11. Race director Ron Gunn renamed it Lucky Turkey (i.e., the turkey that got away), offering a 10K race at 10 a.m., then a 5K at 10:15 a.m. and a 1K fun run at 11:15 a.m.

Everyone who’d registered for the November 2022 race remains registered for this race. Awards will be given for the chip-timed races. New registrations received by March 5, at $25, will also receive a long sleeve T-shirt; registrations after that date are $30. Search for “Lucky Turkey” at RunSignUp.com.

There will be packet pickup at the college gym from 5 to 7 p.m. on the prior Friday and 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. on race day.

Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at SBTOutdoorAdventures or 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Where to find skiing luge eagle watch skating hiking and winter sports