Join the Great Mountain Forest Winter Wellness Walk on January 4

After the rush of the holiday season, Great Mountain Forest (GMF) invites you to step into the peaceful embrace of winter with its special forest immersion program, The Art of Wintering, held on Sunday, January 4, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Hosted at the GMF Shelter at 90 Golf Drive, this New Years’ inspired outdoor experience honors winter’s natural rhythms. The program begins with a reflective walk to Tobey Pond perfect for quiet introspection and listening to what winter has to say.

 

Participants will learn that winter isn’t just a season—it’s an invitation. “This is your chance to slow down, and recharge,” says Mike Zarfos, Executive Director of GMF. “Inspiring people to celebrate nature year-round is at the heart of everything we do.”

Program highlights also include a fire meditation session, a guided inquiry into what it means to “winter well,” and a forest-inspired tea with wholesome snacks. This transformative session is part of Great Mountain Forests' Mindful Forest Immersion Series, cultivating deeper connections between people and the natural world.

 

Wrap yourself in layers of warmth and curiosity, and come prepared for gentle walking, soulful reflection, and recalibration in nature’s winter embrace. For more details and to register, visit the official Great Mountain Forest website: greatmountainforest.org/events

About Great Mountain Forest

Great Mountain Forest (GMF) is a leader in forest stewardship. For more than a century, we have been demonstrating how sustainable management can protect biodiversity and support ecosystems. By serving as a hub for education and research, we are spreading the benefits of sustainable management so that communities across New England derive educational, economic, and recreational and health benefits from their forests—now and well into the future. GMF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit encompassing 6,200 acres of contiguous forestland in Norfolk, Canaan, and Falls Village.

Salisbury Winter Sports Association’s Annual Ski and Skate Sale – December 6th

With its 100th anniversary just around the corner, the Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA) is gearing up for a milestone year of celebrations and community events—starting with the return of a beloved local tradition: the Annual SWSA Ski Swap and Sale. For decades, the Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA) has paved the way for winter sports in the Litchfield Hills. From ski jumping to Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and snowboarding, opportunity abounds in northwest Connecticut. If you are looking to resell your equipment or upgrade on a budget, head to the annual SWSA Ski Swap and Sale on Saturday, December 6^th at the Lakeville Hose Company at 4 Brook Street from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., pick–up and payment from 11 a.m. to 12 noon.

SWSA, a 91 year old tradition in Salisbury, is an all volunteer, non profit organization dedicated teaching young athletes the skills needed to enjoy the exhilaration of Nordic ski jumping, cross-country, and Alpine skiing that instills a life-long sense of accomplishment and confidence. As part of their mission, SWSA offers a series of training classes, competitive events, and a winter jump camp overseen by a former SWSA jumper and member of the US Junior National Team. They also host the annual Jumpfest Competition and the U.S. Eastern Ski Jumping Championships that will be held this year on February 6-8, 2026

Whether you want to upgrade, sell, or start a new hobby, you will find everything you need to outfit your family’s winter sports needs at this sale. For bargain hunters, there will be used skates starting at $2, skis and snowboards starting around $50, and ski boots for $10 and up. In addition to used equipment, you will find a large selection of new winter sports equipment and clothes, including ski hats, parkas, gloves, goggles, and socks, as well as snow shoes, and downhill and cross country ski boots and binders at discounted prices.

 

If you have equipment to sell, drop off your items at the Lakeville Hose Company on Friday, December 5, between the hours of 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Used equipment that will be accepted includes downhill and cross-country skis, boots, and poles, ice skates, hockey equipment (no sticks), snowboards, and snowshoes. Clothing is not accepted. On Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon, participants can pick up unsold equipment and money from things that sold - the good news is that SWSA doesn’t take a commission! Any equipment not picked up will become the property of SWSA. Proceeds from the sale will benefit several SWSA ski programs offered to young athletes. For additional information https://jumpfest.org.

ABOUT SALISBURY WINTER SPORTS ASSOCIATION

The mission of the Salisbury Winter Sports Association is to acquaint the public with Nordic ski-jumping, cross–country and Alpine skiing, and to teach the skills necessary for their enjoyment. One way of fulfilling this mission is to host the annual Jumpfest Competition on Satre Hill to sustain ski jumping in Salisbury, Connecticut, and the Eastern United States.