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Winterfest has become region’s largest winter event

Spectators at Saturday’s Polar Bear Plunge, part of the 2013 Warren County Winterfest, might say I got lucky with the weather.

I definitely wouldn’t argue.

Temperatures were in the mid-40’s when it came time for me to take the plunge with members of Grizzly Gary’s Camo Bikini Plunge Team and the Northwest Savings Bank rock stars, but I wasn’t disappointed.

Despite the lack of snow, it seemed as though spectators were just as excited to watch the plunge as they would have been any other year.

As 2 p.m. rolled around, participants gathered at the top of the hill just above Chapman Dam beach and waited for their group to be called down to the waterfront; a wait that seemed like hours.

With the wind occasionally whipping through the open field, the group I was in trotted down to the beach where we stood waiting to be the first to spring into the icy waters.

With Grizzly Gary as the emcee, we stood at the water’s edge waiting for the count down to begin.

My thoughts ran wild.

10… 9…

I’m already freezing, how am I going to do this?

8… 7…

Is my headcam turned on?

6… 5…

I was living in Florida four months ago.

4… 3…

Oh hey, there’s Major Starnes in his hip waders. Why didn’t I get a pair of those?

2… 1…

Oh, yeah, they wouldn’t do me any good anyway. I have to go under the wa….

GO!

Needless to say, I kept my promise to dive under the water for all those who so graciously donated to the Salvation Army just to watch me plunge.

I was under the water in about five steps.

Whether or not it was by choice or because my legs gave out due to the cold, I’ll never tell.

What I will tell you is this: the people who say the Polar Bear Plunge is invigorating definitely weren’t lying. I could feel every inch of my body as I splashed through the water past the Glade VFD Technical Rescue Team members towards John Beard who was standing at the furthest point in the water video-taping like a madman.

The Warren County School District administrative team led by Brandon Hufnagel kept their promise as well, bravely going where no central office administrator would prefer to go.

When all was said and done, several waves of participants took their turns running into the frigid waters. Some ran arms waving in the air into water up to their waist while others ran out to touch the ice at the end of the hole carved out by the Glade VFD Technical Rescue Team.

As I dried off and watched the rest of the plungers hustle back up the hill, I couldn’t help but think that this was definitely a great way to start off the year.

(Footage of Winterfest is now available on individual articles as well as on Brian’s blog. You can find his blog at www.timesobserver.com/page/blogs.detail/display/352/2013-Warren-County-Winterfest-Videos.html )

Winterfest has become region’s largest winter event

There’s snow on the ground, ice on the water and the weather forecast looks promising as Winterfest approaches.

Warren County Winterfest is slated for Jan. 18-20 at Chapman Dam State Park and preparation is well underway. It is, according to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the largest winter event in the Pennsylvania Wilds region.

“Things are looking good,” Chapman Park Manager Jim McCorkle said on Thursday. “We’ve got ice on the lake. We had a few brave souls who went out and tested it doing some ice fishing. The sled riding hill is in good shape. We had a lot of people come out over the holidays, so it’s packed down pretty nice. If the weather forecast holds out, it should shape up nice.”

McCorkle said park staff has been preparing the new ice skating pond and plowing areas usually out of use for the winter in anticipation of the event.

Meanwhile, according to Walt Atwood, the Winterfest Executive Committee is hard at work as well.

“We’re doing all of the logistical stuff now,” Atwood said. “The major development, as far as bringing the event to the public, is revising the Winterfest website.”

According to Atwood, the site www.warrencountywinterfest.com has been updated with activity forms and registration information, event details, a new map to help visitors find Chapman State Park and another map with a schedule outlining when and where to find activities.

The site also features individual pages dedicated to some of the activities planned at Winterfest, but those pages don’t cover everything.

“There are actually more activities at Winterfest than there are web pages,” Atwood said.

Winterfest will open Friday morning, Jan. 18, with the Jim Lobdell Memorial Sled Dog Races. The mid-distance race stretching 32 miles, will start at 8:45 a.m. Other sled dog races will run throughout Saturday and Sunday.

Other events scheduled throughout the weekend include a cardboard box derby, sled riding races, toboggan races, inner tube races, open sledding, a quadrathon, trail exploration, snowshoeing, snow sculpting, ice fishing, snowmobile demonstration rides, a geo-meet and geocaching game, the Pat Shine Memorial polar plunge with assistance from the Glade Water Rescue, and outhouse racing, and, new in 2013, horse-drawn trolley rides.

If you’re looking to learn, Winterfest will feature a cross-country ski clinic, a geocaching seminar, learn to skate sessions and a demonstration by the Warren Champions on Ice at the skating pond, an ice safety demonstration and Tales of the Tundra Siberian Husky Rescue.

Refreshments and event information will be available throughout the day on either side of Chapman Lake.

Both McCorkle and Atwood said they would welcome anyone who would like to volunteer to help at the event, or in preparation for it.

“If anyone is interested in volunteering here, call the park,” McCorkle said. “Thanks to all the volunteers who have helped put together Winterfest and make sure everyone can come out and have a good time. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it.”

According to Atwood, the executive committee will be holding an open meeting for potential volunteers at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie on Pennsylvania Avenue in Warren at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 4. Those who want to help can also call Sharon Miller at 726-1947.

“We could use more volunteers,” Atwood said. “We would be happy to make use of anything they can offer.”

Winterfest information is also available on Facebook by searching for Warren County Winterfest.

“There are some things that are changing, but the schedule of events is mostly done,” Atwood said.

Mostly, according to Atwood, planners are staying positive due to weather.

“It’s really great to see that we have snow outside,” Atwood said. “That’s very encouraging.”

Winterfest has become region’s largest winter event

Just past the park office to the left something new lies waiting.

Nestled behind the Environmental Learning Center at Chapman State Park, a new ice skating pond is rounding out winter recreation opportunities at the park.

The pond, said Park Manager Jim McCorkle, provides a venue for activities not entirely suitable for Chapman Lake.

McCorkle said work began last year on the site and included installation of lighting, which allows the pond to remain open until 9 p.m.

While the pond is open to the public when weather permits, the site can expect heavy usage in late January, specifically on Jan. 19 and 20 during Warren County Winterfest.

According to the Winterfest website, the 2013 event has big plans for the little pond, including:

Open skating from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and from noon until 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Learn to skate lessons from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Sunday.

A skating demonstration by the Warren Champions on Ice at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Starting at $3.50/week.

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