Winter Carnival at Lake George Regional Park

Day of winter games


BY DOUG HARLOW
Staff Writer


There was the popular rough-and-tumble box-sled races Saturday, six kinds of homemade chili, marshmallows to roast, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing and an ice-fishing derby that attracted hundreds of anglers from all over the region.

But mostly the 17th annual Winter Carnival at Lake George Regional Park was fun, everyone said.

And cold.

Colder than predicted.

"It's been a great turnout this year, I think we had perfect conditions as far as the sled-box derby -- there was enough snow," said park director Jeff McCabe. "The ice, it's thicker than it has been in years. We have at least 250 people who signed up for the ice-fishing derby today -- there's probably 500 people out there fishing today."

McCabe said people came out on the ice and snow for the warmth of family fun -- and the food.

"We have a chili cook-off today," he said. "There's some folks who came out today to use our groomed cross-country trails, as well as to go snow-shoeing, and some kids are tying out some kick sleds for the first time."

In the chili cook-off, pots and cast-iron Dutch ovens steamed and bubbled over open fires.

"We have six entries, which is perfect for the amount of space we have in these chili cookers -- barbecues that are made out of a half of the interior of a hot-water heater," organizer Iver Lofving said.

The cook-off winner was Shawn Bixby from Skowhegan Regional Vocational School. Jim Veilleux took second place, with Lofving and Empire Grill sharing third place.

In the box-sled derby, in which ordinary cardboard boxes are transformed into painted, downhill racers, 40 children entered to win the top spot in four categories.

The best looking sled award went to Isaac Curtis for "Red Thunder." The most creative sled was made by Ella Siren, 5, of Skowhegan, riding "Red Baron," with the longest slide going to Evan Wallace, 9, of Cornville.

The best crash of the box-sled derby went to 6-year-old Olivia Shrader of Canaan, who tumbled four times and came up in tears, but a winner.

Dave Daigneault, Skowhegan Police Department's community-resource officer, cub master for Cub Scout Pack 403 and organizer of Saturday's box-sled derby, said little Olivia's winning crash was a real smash.

"She did about four tumbles -- face first -- before she come out and started crying," Daigneault said. "It was quite a crash. She won a trophy."

The annual winter carnival is put on every year through volunteer efforts of the Skowhegan/Canaan community and through the park's leadership team.

And not all of the volunteers are adults, said Josh Ring, 12, of Canaan.

"I'm helping with the food, and I'm helping with the sleds," Josh said. "This is my first year. It's cold."

Out on the lake, scores of ice huts, snowmobiles and pickups dotted the snowy landscape as far as the eye could see.

Young and old set their traps and waited.

Jim MacMichael, a former Lake George intern under lake ranger Bob Hubbard, said the turnout for the ice-fishing derby was up by about 40 people this year.

He said the ice is thick -- between 11/2 to 21/2 feet thick. He said a third of the entrants were children.

MacMichael said the fishing was slow on Saturday.

Derby first-place winners and cash-prize recipients in the fishing derby were: Kristin Cooley, longest yellow perch; Barry Henderson, longest white perch; Jackson Lord, longest trout; Debbie Holt, longest smallmouth bass; and Zack Tondreau, longest pickerel.

Hubbard, the park's ranger for 16 years, said there was a reason Saturday for the slow going of catching fish.

"There is a lot of activity," he said. "You've got snowmobiles, you've got ice augers, you've probably got 1,500 (ice-fishing) holes out here, you've got trucks going across the ice -- it's got to do something to the fish.

"They're hiding."

Doug Harlow -- 474-9534, ext. 342

dharlow@centralmaine.com