Winter at the Paul Smith's College VIC (28 December 2012). Photo courtesy of D. Kirche. Used by permission.

Empire State Winter Games Snowshoe Races
10 February 2013

Paul Smith’s College will host the snowshoe sprint races of the Empire State Winter Games at the Soccer Field in the morning; the 5K Cross Country Snowshoe Race will take place at the VIC starting at 2:00 PM. The 5K Cross Country Snowshoe Race will be a mass start, using the same course as the 2012 Jingle Bell Snowshoe Race. The course will be a back country undulating single woodland loop on a groomed surface. The course will be well marked with cones and pin flags. The start and finish will be near the VIC Main Lodge.

Race registration for the 5K is from 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM. The presentation of 5K snowshoe awards will take place in the VIC Main Lodge once the final competitor is finished. This should be at or near 3 PM. For more information, contact Jim Tucker at 518-327-6286.

The Empire State Winter Games are a multi-day Olympic-style sports event which will be held 7-10 February, 2013. The Empire State Games were created in 1977 as a state-funded event. The winter games took place in February in Lake Placid, using many of the same venues used during the 1980 Winter Olympics. New York State canceled the games in November 2010, in response to a budget crisis. Local officials took over the winter games, which bring in an estimated $1 million a year in consumer spending. The operating budget for the event comes from registration fees, sponsorships, and contributions from municipalities. About 1,000 athletes are expected to participate in the 2013 games.

References

Chris Knight, "State cancels Empire State Games, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, 17 November 2010. http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/521517/State-cancels-Empire-State-Games--update-.html

"Signs of weaning ourselves off the state," Adirondack Daily Enterprise, 20 November 2010. http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/521581/Signs-of-weaning--ourselves-off-the-state.html

Mike Lynch, "Countdown to Empire State Winter Games under way," Adirondack Daily Enterprise, 12 January 2013, http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/534818/Countdown-to-Empire-State-Winter-Games-under-way.html














Explore the VIC

The Paul Smiths VIC offers a wide variety of programs throughout the year to educate and inform Adirondack Park residents and visitors about the natural wonders of the Adirondack Mountains. You can help support these programs by joining the Friends of the VIC. More information on Friends of the VIC memberships

Explore the Trails

The VIC trails are free and open to the public, from dawn to dusk, spring through fall. In winter, the trails are open to cross-country skiers and snowshoers for a fee. Day or season passes may be purchased.