Summer hiking is a cakewalk in the woods. The kids are eager, your legs are in shape, and the sun is warm. But then summer and fall fade and the cold winter months loom on the horizon.

For winter sports you need a little more motivation to break away from your cozy home. But you don't have to burrow into the winter months. Bundle up the kids, spare the dog those longing stares out the window, and get back into the woods.

Take a hike in the snow! Get out your cross-country skis or try snowshoeing. All you need, besides the gumption to leave that warm fire, is some warm layers, a little bit of equipment, and a good trail map. And it doesn't have to be a rugged outdoor adventure - you can just as readily take a family outing or a quick afternoon jaunt.

Go North To The Great Outdoors!

Head north to Vermont and New Hampshire. Many of the same areas you hike in the summer are great in the winter, too. If you can, get yourself a map designed specifically for winter use, whether for backcountry and cross-country skiing or for snowshoeing.

If you use a hiking trail map, keep in mind that it was designed with summer trail usage in mind. Follow these tips for a more enjoyable adventure:

Tips For Enjoying Winter Adventures Call ahead to see if the trailhead is plowed and open for winter parking. Don't drive all that way just to discover that the town doesn't plow that road in winter. Study the contour lines and elevation information on the map. An intermediate hiking trail can be more challenging to traverse on skis or snowshoes. When using a hiking map for winter sports, allow yourself more time to complete the trip then you would on bare ground. In general, add an additional 15 minutes for every mile hiked.

Try These Activities

You can do just about everything you did in summer (except maybe swimming). To get you started, here are a few suggestions:

Pack a picnic, but take a hot drink in a thermos and substitute insulated pads for your usual picnic blanket. By the time you've gone a couple miles you'll be plenty warm enough (and hungry enough!) to sit outside.

Take a day trip to a cross-country touring center where the trails are groomed. If you haven't tried diagonal or skate skiing yet, take a lesson. The groomed trails allow you to move fast and get a great aerobic workout.

Go camping if you have a 4-season tent, or stay at a Bed and Breakfast. Many B&B; owners can point you towards good trails in their area.

Rent a pair of snowshoes. The new high-tech ones are light and easy to maneuver.

Try a nearby park, use your local recreation path, or just go out your backdoor. Break your own trail!

Suggested Vermont Tour: Mt. Abraham & Mt. Ellen Vermont New Hampshire Hiking Trails Map & Guide. Tour #12 (Difficult) Abraham via Battell Trail, 5.8 miles 5 hours, elevation gain 2500 feet. This summit offers panoramic views of the White Mountains, the Adirondacks and Killington Peak. Road side parking.

How do I get the kids and resident couch potatoes out in the snow?

	Tips: Winter Camping When you go on an overnight camping trip, ALWAYS leave a trip itinerary with a family member or trusted friend. Let them know where you're going, who's participating, and when you expect to return.

Make it short, make it sweet, and make it fun. Kids as well as adults love to be involved in the planning, so have them help pick a destination on the map and plan a route that is within their limits. Bring plenty of food and water and make frequent stops along the way. Whether snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, be sure to buy or rent equipment that fits. Nobody has fun if their feet hurt.

Vermont Cross Country Skiing Source: Northern Vermont Adventure Skiing Map and Guide. We love four cross country areas near our Vermont home: Mt. Mansfield Ski Touring, Trapp Family Touring Center, Edson Hill and Top Notch. All four have beginner trails that are excellent for children, like the easy Timber Lane trail at Mt. Mansfield Ski Touring Center.

Suggested Vermont Tour: Mt. Mansfield Source: Northern Vermont Hiking Trails Map and Guide. Tour #16 (Difficult) Taft Lodge via Long Trail, 3.5 miles, 2 hours 30 minutes, elevation gain 2050 feet. It's a fairly short trip (1.5 miles) to the lodge and Profanity Trail, but the road is not plowed in the winter, so you will need to ski or snowshoe about 0.5 mile to the hiking trailhead. The four skiers/snowshoes in the picture went on to the summit of Mt. Mansfield, the highest peak in Vermont.

Special thanks to Angela Faeth of Map Adventures Topographic Maps & Guides for providing this information.