Skiing fun for everyone without knee problems

There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who think that strapping their feet to one or two waxed slabs of fiberglass and throwing themselves head first down a mountain is a good idea, and those who don't.

If you're one of the former, read on. And if you're not, you should probably read on, too, you can at least discover a few locations to avoid.

While winter may have been off to a slow start, low temperatures and snow last week and throughout this week mean ski (and snowboard) season is finally here.

Ohio may be known more for its wide-open spaces than for its mountains, but the alpinistas in Ohio are not without recourse.

Closest to Huron County is Snow Trails, just 45 minutes away in Mansfield. It is the first ski resort in Ohio, built in 1961.

Aaron Kalizewski of Norwalk said "It's a very good resort, especially for beginning skiers," because of its two bunny slopes and the fact that it has a ski carpet instead of a rope tow in the training area.

It sports a 300-foot vertical drop and has 13 trails.

Snow Trails also has snow-making equipment, so as long as the weather is cold, they don't have to rely on mother nature to keep the place open. For freestylers, Snow Trails also has a terrain park.

For more information, including reports on current conditions, visit

<p>Another ">www.snowtrails.com.

<p>Another ">Another

15 minutes away, outside Cleveland, the twin resorts of Boston Mills and Brandywine await the winter sportsman. They are a bit lower, with a 240 foot vertical drop, but they top Snow Trails in number of runs with a combined 19.

With their own snowmaking equipment, they are a nice alternative for those ready for a change of pace after "skiing the mountain" at Snow Trails.

More info on those resorts, as well as current conditions, can be found at

<p>If ">www.bmbw.com.

<p>If ">If

you're willing to go a little farther, you can find mountains that are a bit bigger and more challenging.

Less than 3 hours away in Findlay Lake, N.Y., is Peek'n Peak, a resort with a 400-foot vertical drop and 27 trails, according to about.com.

More information and conditions can be found at

<p>Both ">www.pknpk.com.

<p>Both ">Both

it and Kissing Bridge, about four hours away in Glendale, N.Y., are "a lot bigger," Kalizewski said. "For the area, they're probably some of the better resorts."

Kissing Bridge has a vertical drop of 550 feet and offers 36 trails, according to slopequest.com.

More information and current conditions can be found at

<p>Also ">www.kbski.com.

<p>Also ">Also

about four hours away is Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, N.Y. While he hasn't been to Holiday Valley, Kalizewski said it is on his list. He understands it's good skiing and it offers good extracurricular activities, lodge-wise.

Holiday Valley offers the highest vertical drop in the area at 750 feet, and it boasts 53 trails.

More information and conditions can be found at

<p>If ">www.holidayvalley.com.

<p>If ">If

you feel like traveling a little further in the other direction, try the largest resort in the area, Boyne, Mich., which offers two mountains, Boyne Mountain and Boyne Highlands. Boyne Mountain has a 500-foot drop and 61 runs, and Boyne Highlands, a 552-foot drop and 50 runs.

Boyne also advertises free beginner ski and snowboard areas.

For more information and current conditions, visitwww.boyne.com.