A last blast of winter 2012-13 from Peek’n Peak’s terrain park:

Until next year… from Peek’n Peak on Vimeo.

Herb Stevens, the Skiing Weatherman, advises that conditions at Peek’n Peak and Swain should be “fantastic” this weekend, and that Holiday Valley conditions will be “superb.” Saturday is the Boarding for Breast Cancer Board-a-thon at Holiday Valley as well.

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:

Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel will host more than 200 of the top snowmobile racers from North America and nearly a dozen countries worldwide for the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series Feb. 22-24.

The casino in Salamanca, N.Y., said crews will turn 1 million gallons of water into snow over a football-field-sized plot of land at Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel to create tracks with wicked twists and turns, as well as ramps that will send vehicles flying dozens of feet into the air. The weekend is one eight nationally televised events on CBS Sports Network.

Tickets are on sale at the Logo Shop inside Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel and online at www.isocracing.com. Ticket prices are $25 for Feb. 22, $25 for Feb. 23, $15 for Feb. 24, or $30 for an all-weekend pass. Admission is free for children 6 and younger.

Bleachers set up around the track can accommodate thousands of fans, and bright lights will illuminate the track during evening hours Feb. 22-23, when the main events are scheduled to take place and to be recorded for television replay March 10 and March 17.

Some 50 practice, qualifying, and final races will take place each of the three days, including 22 races Friday and Saturday nights. Amateur racing takes place in the afternoons, culminating in a major race Sunday. As many as 15 vehicles will be on the track during a race, and individual races are broken down by age, gender, and snowmobile type.

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 Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association makes it a point to assist needy families through its Snow Angel Fund, which specifically benefits children with medical or physical challenges.

PSSA board president Elizabeth Krug was in Erie recently to present a check for $500 to Aza Burgos at the Presque Isle Snowmobile Club clubhouse.

The fund is maintained by year-round donations from many of PSSA’s more than 2,500 members.

The Snow Angel Charity was put to use to help Pennsylvania charities and children at the holidays. Twenty executive and regional directors of the PSSA distributed $200 each, or a total of $4,000.

Applications for assistance up to $500 for children under the age of 18 can be submitted to the regional director in the area of the child’s residence or to PSSA at 908 North Second St., Harrisburg, PA 17102. Eligible families may apply for Snow Angel donations through a letter of application including the child’s name and a description of the special needs, circumstances or conditions that prevent the parents or guardians from satisfying these needs. Requests are then forwarded to the Snow Angels Charity Committee for consideration.

The director for Region 1, which includes Erie, Crawford and Warren counties, is Lisa Vallimont, who can be reached at lv0510@aol.com or (814) 825-8112.

For information, or to contact regional directors, visit www.pasnow.org or call 1-888-411-PSSA.

Get ready for snowmobiling season with this in-depth look at the activity from this month’s Lake Erie Lifestyle magazine.

Here’s a windshield view of two trails in western Pennsylvania:

As if you needed another reminder that winter’s not so far away …

Get prepared for snowmobiling this winter with safety courses this weekend in Erie and Mercer counties, and later in November in New York state.

• The Tri-County Snowblazers will put on a seminar Nov. 5 at 9 a.m. at the Corry Higher Education Council. Lunch will be served. For information, call (814) 664-9405.
• Another course will take place in Corry Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., put on by the Tri-County Snow Blazers and the Erie Crawford Snowmobile Alliance. Advance reservation notification is requested to Chuck Thompson at (814) 664-8831.
• The Pymatuning Trail Blazers will host a course Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. athe their clubhouse in Jamestown, Pa. Call Ginny Eaton at (724) 927-2162.
• The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office and Cherry Creek Sno-Goers also will offer a safety course Nov. 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cassadaga Fire Hall, 22 Miller Place, Cassadaga, N.Y. Pack a lunch or bring a donation for pizza. Class size is limited to 50 and there is no advance registration. For information, call Sgt. J.L. VanZile Jr. at (716) 753-4929.

Back from vacation and rarin’ to go. So, too, are the snowmobilers around northwestern Pennsylvania who are eagerly awaiting the first big snowfalls of the season. For now, rev up these three links:

1. Presque Isle Snowmobile Club. The first stop for all things snowmobiling in our corner of the state.

2. Allegheny National Forest trails map. Trails tentatively are scheduled to open Dec. 17, with grooming Mondays and Thursdays throughout the season.

3. Pennsylvania State Snowmobling Association Region 1 clubs. Find a club or event near you.