December 8, 2007 (McLean, VA) – With temperatures dipping and snow falling in many parts of the country, organizers of Winter Trails are gearing up for the annual event that offers children and adults new to snow sports an opportunity to try snowshoeing and/or cross country skiing FREE at participating venues throughout the U.S. National Winter Trails Day is Saturday, January 12, 2008 with Estes Park, CO, hosting their own event on February 16, 2008.

The Winter Trails web site lists all locations and provides practical information to help people prepare for these activities – www.wintertrails.org. Event activities will vary for each venue but equipment and instruction are provided at each location. Organizers urge interested participants to contact their local venue to get details before going. Winter Trails is organized by SnowSports Industries America (SIA) through a partnership with the Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA) and the American Hiking Society (AHS).

“Snowshoeing and cross country skiing are great aerobic activities that are fun and can be enjoyed by all members of a family or group of friends,” said Mary Jo Tarallo, director of Education for SIA. “We have had youngsters as young as two years old and mature adults as young as 70 at Winter Trails events.”

A new learning tool to help younger children understand the basics of snowshoeing and cross country skiing is located at www.winterfeelsgood.com. Interactive learning modules featuring “Snow Monsters” characters demonstrate how to dress for these snow activities and how to prepare.

Presenters of Winter Trails include Alpina, Atlas Snowshoes, Atomic, Columbia, Exel, Fischer, Grabber, Kahtoola, Karhu, Mountain Safety Research (MSR), Nature Valley, PEPSICO, Redfeather, Rossignol, Salomon, Sorel, SWIX, Tubbs, Turtle Fur, Whitewoods, W.L. Gore and Associates, and Yukon Charlie’s with media partners Cross Country Skier magazine, OnTheSnow.com, SkiTrax Magazine, Snowshoemagazine.com, and XCSkiresorts.com.