Outdoor Fun
Summer 2012
GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY AT OKEMO
LUDLOW, Vt. – “Hey, you kids, why don’t you go outside and play?” It’s a question most children have heard more than once during a summer vacation. And Okemo Mountain Resort has the solution for those summertime doldrums. The Jackson Gore Inn offers a variety of outdoor adventure onsite and serves as the ideal hub from which to launch summertime exploration of the Green Mountain state.
Okemo’s newest addition to its summer lineup of family fun is the Okemo Adventure Zone. It includes The Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster, a scenic and exhilarating ride through alpine forests and along the contours of the mountain. Families can enjoy a tour-hour guided zipline canopy tour. There is an 18-hole miniature golf course, a nine-hole disc golf course, trampoline bungee jumping, plus a snack bar and game arcade at its popular Jackson Gore location.
Visitors can explore the hiking trail network at Jackson Gore or enjoy views of the Black River Valley while hiking the grassy ski trails on the mountain. Complimentary trail network maps are available at The Spring House Pool and Fitness Center. The 4.5-mile (mostly paved) Mountain Road is a popular route to the summit of Okemo and is open to vehicles as well during the summer. There’s even an historic fire tower at the top.
Jackson Gore is a fun place to take a bike ride and hybrid bikes are available for rent at The Spring House Pool and Fitness Center. These bikes are fun to ride on paved roads, dirt roads, single track and off trail. Take a spin on Okemo’s pump track at Jackson Gore. Bank turns, rollers and berms invite riders to master tight corners and challenging terrain while maintaining, or increasing, speed.
Jackson Gore’s Ice House transforms from a skating rink in winter to a warm-weather sports pavilion. Two tennis courts, basketball and a jogging track around the perimeter, are all under cover for shady summertime play. There’s also volleyball, tetherball and playground equipment next to The Spring House, for those who prefer to play in the sunshine.
As one of the newest additions to the Jackson Gore location, The Spring House Pool and Fitness Center is Okemo’s hub for relaxation and rejuvenation. The two-level, 18,000 square-foot facility features a recreational swimming pool with lap lanes for designated swim times, a five-person hot tub, and a children’s pool with a whimsical frog slide and numerous splash and fountain features. In addition to all that aquatic action, The Spring House offers a racquetball court, a fitness-class studio, weights and cardio equipment, a sauna, and locker rooms that include a unique family locker room area. For the ultimate indulgence, massage and spa services are available just steps away, inside the Jackson Gore Inn.
For kids who want to make new friends in a supervised, structured program, there’s Camp Gokemo. Camp Gokemo operates as a day care for the younger set and a day camp for older children, tweens and teens. The day care portion of the program is designed for children 6 months to 5 years of age and offers a warm, interactive state-licensed facility bustling with activities and fun. Children participate in arts and crafts, outdoor play, singing, games and more.
The day camp portion of the program is designed for children ages 5 to 13 and takes advantage of all the beauty and adventure that Vermont’s mountain environment can deliver. Days are filled with themed activities, organized games and sports, swimming and crafts. Operating six days a week (closed Sundays), Camp Gokemo includes snacks and lunch. Advance registration is recommended for the daily program, and required for week-long and seasonal campers. Call (802) 228-1466 for more information.
Of course there’s a course … a golf course, that is. Okemo Valley Golf Club is located a few hundred yards away from Jackson Gore. This 18-hole championship layout is a par 70, heathland-style course. The new four-hole family fun course, offers beginners and future players all the superb attributes of OVGC (including the spectacular views) – with none of the pressures of championship course play. Available throughout the season on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, OVGC’s Family Fore four-hole course comprises holes that are 60 to 100 yards each, for a condensed, fun round of golf at an affordable hourly rate. Call (802) 228-1396 for details.
More information about Okemo Mountain Resort may be obtained by calling (802) 228-1600 or by visiting www.okemo.com,
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PHOTOS: https://okemo.imagerelay.com/sb/9596fc74-65e3-11e0-b0e0-12313b07d511
Contact: Bonnie MacPherson, director of public relations
Okemo Mountain Resort | 77 Okemo Ridge Road | Ludlow, VT 05149
802-228-1947 | pr@okemo.com
