Janacks Landing has a great lean-to that rests on the shoulder of Cranberry Lake, a great short overnight ski outing.

Getting there

From the intersection of Route 3 and Route 30 in the Village of Tupper Lake follow Route 3 toward Cranberry Lake. Follow Route 3 for 33.4 miles to CR61 (Wanakena Road) on the left. Follow here and stay straight on the main road to South Shore Road. Follow South Shore Road for around 0.75 miles to the trailhead parking on the right.

Cross-country skiing

The trail starts out rather easily once you sidestep up the steep embankment to the trail register. The trail starts by following an old railroad grade (no ties) for quite some distance; only small gentle hills will bring you to the shore of Cranberry Lake at Dead Creek Flow. You will make your way around Dead Creek Flow on another section of easy trail, with only a couple additional rolling hills to glide down. The trail now is much narrower, but still easy to maneuver on skis and soon come to a major intersection. Left will bring you to Janacks Landing and straight is to Cat Mountain. Heading left you will cross a long board walk and ski to the top of a small hill before leveling off and arriving at the lean-to. The shore of Cranberry Lake is just down a small hill along a couple well-defined paths.

• Elevation gain: 275 feet
• Distance: 6.2 miles round trip

Skiing over a frozen body of water is a cross-country skiing past time; it can access you to areas not seen by most in the summer. With that being said it is a dangerous activity to cross frozen water bodies and should be done with care and respect for your environment. Know the ice conditions and be prepared for anything including heavy winds, snow drifts, whiteouts, slushy conditions, and thin ice.