Lakes Region retailers see high demand for winter sports

Ever since the pandemic reached New Hampshire, people in the central part of the state have been looking to the outdoors as a place they can safely recreate and exercise. That trend has continued despite the arrival of winter conditions.

“Golf was up, disc golf is up — we have people that come almost every day for disc golf,” said Bob Bolduc, founder of the nonprofit Bolduc Park on the Laconia-Gilford border. Cross-country ski interest is also up, he said, with about twice as many people as usual signing up for lessons.

Bolduc, whose family operates Piche’s Ski and Sports in Gilford, said the demand that they saw for bicycles in the spring has transferred to gear for winter sports. Interest is up across the board, including ice skating and downhill skiing, but particularly for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

On the other side of Lake Winnipesaukee, Nordic Skier owner Steve Flagg said he has seen the same trend, and it’s coupled with the same supply chain issues that have been frustrating outdoor outfitters for nearly a year.

“We still can’t get bikes, and snowshoes and cross-country skis are following the same path. Our shelves are empty and so are the warehouses,” Flagg said.

Tim Perry, who has worked at the Nordic Skier for 30 years, said the demand for new cross-country gear has been undercut by a fire in a massive factory in the Ukrainian town of Mukachevo. The factory, owned by Fischer, produced more than half of Europe’s skis and exported its product to North America.

The good news for the ski shop is that they also offer rentals — usually used on the nearby Wolfeboro Nordic trail system — so that will keep them busy despite a lack of new inventory. Season passes to that trail system, which can be purchased at the Nordic Skier, have been selling briskly.

Another classic winter pastime, ice fishing, has also become a haven for the pandemicweary. Even though ice is still forming on many lakes, activity has already started to spike.

Through Jan. 7 of this year, 9,148 residents and 1,530 non-residents purchased a fishing license. That’s an increase of about 24%, year over year, and Winnipesaukee hasn’t frozen over yet.

Jim Eldridge works at The Tackle Shack in Meredith. He’s been selling ice fishing bait and tackle for more than 20 years, mostly at the now-closed A.J.’s, and said this season is on pace to be one for the record books.

“It seems to be way ahead from other years.

Even though we don’t have a ton of ice, the product seems to be going out; they’re scrounging to find any ice to get on,” Eldridge said.

This article is being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information, visit collaborativenh.org.