Do you want to build a snowman? Or toss a frying pan really far? At WinterFest, you can do both.
Frigid temperatures, icy terrain, and stubborn snowfall keep many people indoors until spring begins to show its bright face. Because of this, you might be missing out on one of Mother Nature’s best-kept secrets: Winter is actually super fun. Whether you’re a lifelong winter enthusiast or a prospective convert, bundle up, because there’s a place for you at Coopers Rock Foundation’s annual WinterFest.
Coopers Rock Foundation board member and trailwork coordinator Adam Polinski has lived in Morgantown for more than 40 years, so you can trust him to know all of the best spots. And considering there’s quite possibly no greater cheerleader for Coopers Rock State Forest, it’s safe to say the forest is pretty awesome.
WinterFest was founded in hopes of bridging the gap between spring wildflower walks, summertime outdoor concerts, and leaf-peeping escapades—basically, to demonstrate the overlooked wonders of wintertime. One of those wonders has a special place in Polinski’s heart: cross country skiing. But even if you don’t share his love of thrill-seeking, there’s plenty for you to enjoy at WinterFest.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on February 7 at Coopers Rock’s Pavilion No. 1, WinterFest will celebrate the season no matter how wintry the weather may be—thanks to Polinski’s dual snow and no-snow itineraries.
If a false spring rears its deceitful head and February 7 turns out to be snowless, you’ll be able to hike through a rock maze, try out disc golf, take a few whacks at a snowman-shaped piñata with a hockey stick, learn how to identify and measure some trees, and participate in or observe the women’s frying pan toss contest.
Frying pan toss? When Polinski was devising a plan for WinterFest, he looked to other wintertime festivals for inspiration. For more than a century, Saranac Lake, New York, has hosted a Ladies Fry Pan Toss, where women toss a cast iron frying pan underhand as far as they can. Rather than ask why, Polinski decided to start the tradition here in Morgantown. The current record is a whopping 66 feet—22 yards!
“Whoever wins gets to take home a customized, painted frying pan trophy to hang on their wall for eternal fame and glory,” says Polinski.
If Old Man Winter graces Bruceton Mills with snowflakes aplenty—at least 6 inches, for skiing purposes, and we look to be in pretty good shape for that this year—you can enjoy all of the aforementioned activities as well as some snow-dependent ones. Try out cross country skiing, take a ride down the sledding hill, and build some snowmen in the snowman zone. If you’ve already got some skiing skills under your belt or you’re a fast learner, wrap up the day with a group ski in search of the missing “skisquatch.”
There’s not actually a hairy beast on skis tromping through Coopers Rock. In the 1970s, trail beautification efforts included new trail blazes. One such blaze was in the form of a blue silhouette of a skier, and 50 years later, these dapper skiers have become stretched and warped with the trees’ growth. Inspired, Polinski has dubbed these victims of the passage of time “skisquatches.”
Although the weather has been temperamental, Polinski has his fingers crossed for a picture-perfect winter day. He used to teach cross country skiing at the West Virginia University Outdoor Rec Center, and he says watching someone experience something new is what makes WinterFest so great.
“There are a few faculty members of the university who have taken it upon themselves to bring large contingents of international students, and that’s really cool,” he says. “It could be someone’s first real experience with snow, and that’s pretty neat to witness.”
WinterFest isn’t just about celebrating winter—it’s also about supporting what makes Coopers Rock so great. Contribute to the Coopers Rock Foundation donation jar in between sled rides and disc golf sessions, and you’ll be supporting improvements to the state forest’s Rhododendron Campground.
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