Welcome to Winter Wonderland Published Oct. 28, 2013 By Airman 1st Class Lauren Pitts Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- With winter approaching, and the Airmen at Minot Air Force Base trying to enjoy the last of the sunny autumn days, the Outdoor Recreational Center here is planning for an exciting snowy season. "Ski trips, snowmobiles, ice fishing, just to name a few," said Dustin Johns, Outdoor Rec manager. "We offer it all." Planning skiing and snowboarding weekend trips to surrounding states like Montana and South Dakota, and even a few to Canada, are part of Outdoor Rec's plan to get Airmen, particularly those who are unaccompanied, out of their dorms as well as families out of their homes. Among the array of equipment, skis and snowboards, as well as boots, are available for rental from Outdoor Rec. "Trips are a great way to get out and meet new people," said DeAnn Wege, outgoing assistant manager at Outdoor Rec. "You're bonding with everyone there." In addition to skiing, nearly all locations offer tubing, which is great for families, added Wege. An upcoming trip planned by the Outdoor Rec is the Dickens Village Festival, a Christmas event held in Garrison, N.D., Nov. 30, where participants may enjoy festive food and entertainment. Garrison is about an hour south of the base. "It's like being in old England around the holidays," said Johns. "The whole town gets into it and it's a great time for families." Holly O'Hara, interim assistant manager at Outdoor Rec, described it as one a local favorite of the events planned by the Rec Center. "It's a wonderful time," she said. Although most trips are out of state, there are still plenty of winter activities to do on base. Outdoor Rec also offers individuals the opportunity of cross-country skiing, an archery simulator league and snowmobiles are available to anyone on base. "We have six new snowmobiles this year, and they're all doubles," said Wege. "You can rent them here and then just drive them down the street and right out the gate!" Additionally, the hunting season does not end in the winter, and the Rec Center has just about everything someone looking to hunt or camp could need. Available to Airmen is a paper range for archery, as well as an indoor archery simulator, game decoys and even storage lockers for bows. There are also houses for ice fishing, which the staff offers classes on how assembly and use. "Once people see how fun ice fishing is, the majority of people really enjoy it," said O'Hara. The PLAYpass, an option offered by the Airman & Family Readiness Center here to spouses of deployed members, can also be used at the Outdoor Rec Center. Essentially, like a base gift card, the PLAYpass can help pay for with ski trips or any of the rentals here, explained Wege. There is also a PLAYpass for single Airmen, which can be used to sign up for Rec Center memberships, as well as the winter ski trips. As the cold weather and snow creeps into Minot, Airmen and their families may be bracing themselves for a long winter, but they can instead be preparing for a season of fun. "Being at Minot is a once in a lifetime opportunity," said O'Hara. "If you're here, take advantage of it. Minot is a winter wonderland."