Modern snowshoes are usually made from lightweight aluminum, titanium or an alloy with neoprene webbing in a bear paw shape. Heusinkveld thinks these shoes fit bill for most snowshoers because of their light, easy maneuverability and, as an added bonus, they lace up easily. Thiel, while admitting these modern innovations lend themselves to high-tech trail exercise, points out they’re more expensive than traditional shoes. He doesn’t recommend them for hiking in woods.

Thiel laments scarcity of traditional snowshoes, but he’s happy Sandhill will offer its first traditional snowshoe-making classes this year. Treehaven has offered classes for years. For a modest fee, an eager beaver can create a pair of traditional snowshoes from a kit over a weekend.

Both Treehaven and Sandhill offer a wide variety of classes at very reasonable prices. Visit their web sites or call for more information:

Sandhill – 715-884-2437; www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/wildlife/reclands/sandhill

Treehaven – 715-453-4106; www.uwsp.edu/cnr/treehaven ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wolf tracking in Wisconsin

Each winter, both Sandhill and Treehaven offer eager naturalists a chance to learn about and track wolves in their native Wisconsin habitat. While still on endangered species list in Wisconsin, wolf population has grown to 400 over years, making for an exciting repopulation success story.

Jim Halfpenny conducts Treehaven’s A Study of Wolves Weekends. Classes consist of learning about wolves, their habits, their interaction with man, and how to track them. Participants take opportunity to hunt for wolf tracks and trail them in Treehaven.

At Sandhill, wolf-tracking weekend class participants hear lectures on wolf ecology in morning, then follow tracks in afternoon, sometimes using Michigan snowshoes. The weekend ends with discussions of wolf status and management issues.

“It’s a life-changing event,” promises John Heusinkveld of Treehaven. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

City snowshoeing

Inside Appleton lies a hidden gem for winter enthusiasts: Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve. While it offers groomed cross-country ski trails for those in a hurry, executive director Mike Brandel urges snowshoe enthusiasts to take advantage of its 775 acres of hardwood bottomlands, white cedar forests, prairies and ponds.

“It’s very good for winter birding,” says Brandel, listing owls, woodpeckers, ruffed grouse, and even a few northern shrikes among its winter citizens. Deer also winter here.

Bubolz offers its own snowshoe-weaving class at end of January for anyone 12 and older. For more information, contact preserve at 920-731-6041 or http://my.athenet.net/~bubolz

For more on Where to go & What to do in Wisconsin, check out http://www.WisconsinGuide.com

Fun for adults, too If you tire of lodge theme and have another adult with you to watch kids, schedule a visit to Cameo Spa Salon. Tucked away on lower level of Great Wolf, this full-service spa is a completely different scene than rest of family-oriented hotel. Serene, with soothing scents of Aveda products wafting through air, consider this an escape from your escape.

Cameo offers several spa packages, or you can go à la carte. If winter has chilled you to bones, try a hot stone massage, which combines a relaxing massage with touch of smooth, hot river rock.

After a little time at spa, you’ll be ready for more excitement back at waterpark.

For more information Great Wolf Lodge is near intersection of Highway 12 and I-90/94 at entrance to Wisconsin Dells. For more information, call 800-559-9653 or visit www.greatwolflodge.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don’t miss Dells

Like a cruise ship, Great Wolf Lodge has everything you need for a weekend – or more – of family fun. But you’ll miss out on local color if you “stay on boat.”

Just a few miles down road is Lake Delton, where you can experience classic Dells. If you’ve had enough lodge food, consider dinner at House of Embers. You can’t miss their retro neon sign and décor will take you back in time.

But food is thoroughly up-to-date, created by brothers and Culinary Institute of America graduates Mark and Mike Obois. This is definitely fine dining, but they offer an extensive children’s menu, with everything from grilled cheese and fries to a kid-size portion of their signature hickory smoked barbequed ribs. If a sweet tooth runs in your family, don’t skip dessert. They’re outstanding, and an order of Bananas Foster is a show in itself.

For another local dining experience, try The Cheese Factory. This down-home diner serves a wide range of vegetarian fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

When it comes to attractions, Tommy Bartlett made Wisconsin Dells famous. Unfortunately, you won’t catch his renowned water ski show in dead of winter, but you can visit Tommy Bartlett Exploratory, which features 150 interactive exhibits and a display of Russian Space Station MIR. Circus World Museum is also open year-round, as is Rick Wilcox Theater, billed as Dells’ premier illusion show. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

More Wisconsin waterpark fun

*Green Bay: Tundra Lodge celebrated its first anniversary this fall. 877-886-3725 or www.tundralodge.com

*Sheboygan: on shores of Lake Michigan, Blue Harbor Resort brings indoor waterpark excitement to beach. 920-452-2900 or www.blueharborresort.com

*Wausau: all-suite Lodge at Cedar Creek opened in June 2004. 888-365-6343 or www.lodgeatcedarcreek.com

*Wisconsin Dells: Kalahari just added FlowRider, designed to simulate surfing. 877-253-5466 or www.kalahariresort.com

 For more on Where to go & What to do in Wisconsin, check out http://www.WisconsinGuide.com