While the East Coast is enduring a snowstorm, Wisconsin is getting ready for winter festivities of its own. Lapham Peak and Rock County Ice Age Trail are among two of the many candlelight hikes going on this winter. These events allow for people to walk through snow guided by candles, and end with a bonfire with hot chocolate or cider. The Lapham Peak Hike will take place Saturday Jan. 30 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. and the Rock County Ice Age Trail Hike took place Jan. 23.
This is the first time the town of Milton has held an event like the Rock County Ice Age Trail. Volunteer chapter coordinator Dennis James wanted to do something for those who requested more winter activities. These events have brought people from the community to support the forest trails.
“People are just getting out more,” James said. “I’m expecting that (people) are looking for things to do with their kids.”
At the Rock County Ice Age Trail, there is ice fishing and several scenic trails to explore. The chapter hopes to reroute the trail after the event is over and move the candlelight hike to another location next year, so that it continues to be a unique experience for those that return to the hike.
Lapham Peak is another venue hosting a candlelight trail. The Waukesha County ski resort is located 25 miles west of Milwaukee and one mile south of Interstate 94 near Delafield, on County Highway C. The ski resort has its own snow maker, so if the weather suddenly gets above freezing temperatures, the site will still be covered in snow helping people can enjoy the long winter season.
Donations are accepted to develop the park and provide amenities. Louise Borzynski is the president of Friends of the Lapham Peak group, a nonprofit group helping to support the Kettle Moraine State Forest Reserve, and is in charge of the candlelight event for this facility. The trail starts by Trecker Lodge and goes for a mile and a quarter with options to walk or take snow shoes through it.
“It’s a nice family event,” Borzynski said about the crowd that they are expecting.
Borzynski said these candlelight hikes likely will draw a big crowd, since this is the only one they are hosting this year. Lapham Peak normally hosts two hikes — one in January and one in February — but because these events take so long to organize, it will host just the January event. Lapham Peak hopes that by hosting one big event, more people will attend.
