Other Sports

Snowmobiling

West of Manchester [1], Equinox Snow Tours (junction of Rtes. 11 and Rte. 30, Winhall, 802/824-6628, www.vermontsnowmobile.com [2], $40–203 per person) offers snowmobile tours through the national forest.

Canoeing

If your vision of enjoying the river doesn’t include a fishing rod, BattenKill Canoe (6328 Rte. 7A, Arlington, 802/362-2800, www.battenkill.com [3]) rents canoes and leads package canoe tours with stays in country inns along the rivers.

Horseback Riding

A few miles up Route 7, the Chipman Stables (Danby Four Corners, 802/293-5242, www.chipmanstables.com [4]) takes out guided horseback rides ($35/hr., $125/day), as well as hayrides and sleigh rides depending on the season.

Falconry

The Equinox Resort [5] (802/362-7873) also offers several “upscale” outdoor activities. Perhaps the most impressive is the British School of Falconry (from $110 per person for a 45-minute lesson to around $1,800 for a four-day course), which if you have the money to spend will teach you how to hunt quail, pheasants, and other game birds with your very own Harris hawk. The school also offers archery and crossbow lessons ($185 per person for a 90 minute lesson)

Driving School

Equinox Resort can also arrange year-round off-road driving instruction on an 80-acre course ($225 per hour) through the Land Rover Experience Driving School.

If you harbor images of chewing up mud and rock while you whiz around curves in your Land Rover, however, be forewarned that the driving school is more of an exercise in technology than skill—the truck does most of the work through its impressive array of dashboard settings that can take on snow, sand, mud, or any other terrain. Your job is to mostly keep your hands on the wheel and try not to scratch the paint job as you slowly maneuver through the course. If you are a gearhead, you’ll love it; if not, you might find yourself wishing for a bit more control.