This week’s snow doesn’t do much for our ability (or desire) to get around in northwestern Pennsylvania, but it has created lots of reasons you should consider getting out when it’s safe to do so.

Peek’n Peak has 27 trails and five lifts open as of this morning.

Mount Pleasant of Edinboro has a 6-inch to 16-inch base and is getting snow and making snow.

Wilderness Lodge is gearing up for a great weekend of cross country skiing.

Snowshoe hikes are on for Saturday at Erie Bluffs State Park and Pymatuning State Park and weekdays and snowy Saturdays at Jennings Environmental Education Center in Slippery Rock.

Snowmobile club members from the the McKean Snowriders and Presque Isle Snowmobile Club among others will be looking to get out on the trails.

Ice isn’t safe enough yet for ice fishing, but it won’t be long at this temperature. Here’s a look at some essential ice-fishing gear for the season ahead:

Erie’s Kent Kessler was named snowmobiler of the year during the Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association‘s spring membership meeting April 14 in Harrisburg.

Kessler was recognized for special contributions to the sport of snowmobiling: “Kessler is very active in the snowmobile community, belonging to the Wales Sno-Drifters Snowmobile Club, Erie-Crawford Snowmobile Alliance, Cherry Creek Snogoers as well as the New York State Snowmobile Association and PSSA. Kessler has also served in varying leadership capacities in the sport. Kessler is dedicated to the trails and was instrumental in completing the Allegheny National Forest Loop initiative when he served as the chairman of the ANF Trail Committee. Kent has also outfitted each trail segment of the Wales Sno-Drifters with a GPS track, property boundaries, trail signage of special trail conditions or restrictions and up-to-date property owner listing.”

The association also honored Janice Dennis, McKean Township supervisor, as forester/government official of the year for performance, cooperation and service in fostering safety and positive conditions for responsible snowmobiling.

Janice Dennis, McKean Township supervisor and Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association forester/government official of the year. JANET B. KUMMERER/Erie Times-News file photo

The McKean Snowriders wrote, “Jan is truly an outstanding and cooperative government official to the snowmobiling community. Jan and McKean Township have been very supportive of snowmobiling, approving an additional 6.5 miles of snowmobile roads and three new roads, allowing a new trail to be developed on McKean Township property and working with clubs to find an alternative to a bridge closure that impacted the trail system. They have also worked with neighboring townships to enable snowmobile roads, raised the blade when plowing snowmobile designated roads and providing the McKean Snowriders with information on who to contact to expand their trail system onto resident’s private property. They have also assisted the McKean Snowriders by providing a letter of support to the McKean Snowriders in support for their groomer grant write-up.”

The McKean Snow Riders Snowmobile Club will use a $115,000 grant to purchase a trail groomer and drag for their portion of recreational trails in Erie County.

The grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources comes through the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund, the Environmental Stewardship Fund and federal sources.

The Snow Riders’ trail system is comprised of many segments of private property and connecting dual-use snowmobile roads that interconnect five townships and link to two other clubs’ trails in Erie County.

Erie County ranks first in Pennsylvania with more than 2,300 registered snowmobiles.