For immediate release

Saranac Lake, January 15, 2004. In the tradition of historic Saranac Lake, known for its Adirondack guides and restorative balsam-scented air, the Doctor’s Inn and Inner Quest Yoga announce a three-day Yoga-in-Winter Weekend to be hosted on March 4th through the 7th.

Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are two of the finest low-impact aerobic activities for total-body conditioning. Yoga is a perfect match for centering and opening the body for these two winter activities. Taking yoga postures from the morning yoga session, participants will find increased balance and flexibility in their winter pursuits. Range of motion will be enhanced and the body will be warmed and ready to begin an adventure into the wilderness.

Traveling at their own pace on a cross-country ski tour participants will be led by New York State licensed guide, Joe Hackett on a trek tailored to individual needs. This is a superb adventure for the beginner or for the more experienced cross-country skier who wishes to further improve his/her skills and techniques. The mountain landscape and the snow-covered forest call you to be alive with winter in the Adirondacks.

Ed and Debbie Kanze, naturalists and former National Park rangers of wide experience, will lead a snowshoe exploration where participants have the opportunity to learn the tracks of wild animals, identify trees, tell ravens from crows at a glance, and marvel at the ways plants and animals survive the cold and snow of Adirondack winters. With eyes peeled for winter birds and other wildlife, Ed and Debbie will heighten your awareness of nature in ways that will enrich your future walks in the woods. Photo opportunities will abound so, for photographers, cameras are a must.

Mary Bartel has been practicing yoga for several years as a holistic approach for healing chronic neck and back problems and dealing with stress. She is a certified Professional Level Kripalu Hatha Yoga Instructor and has been teaching since November 2000. Mary's advanced training has led her to teach classes and special workshops with an eclectic style and emphasis on moving with body- and breath-awareness, safety, alignment and cultivating spirit. She is a registered with the Yoga Alliance and is a member of the Kripalu Yoga Teachers Association (KYTA). KYTA is an active network of members living and teaching the heart and depth of yoga as a holistic practice. Mary is also certified by the Lotus Palm School of Thai Yoga Massage. With this education and her Yoga teacher training, she offers one-on-one personalized Yoga Therapy sessions.

Joe Hackett's background includes a lifetime of outdoor experience in the Adirondacks, as well as a Masters Degree in Education. Joe is recognized as a founder of the New York State Outdoor Guides Association and has operated Tahawus, Ltd. a four season guide service, since 1978. An experienced outdoor professional and a renowned storyteller, Hackett will delight you with the natural history and lore of the Adirondacks.

Ed and Debbie Kanze- Ed is a graduate of Middlebury College, Vermont. He has published four books: "Kangaroo Dreaming: An Australian Wildlife Odyssey" (Sierra Club Books, 2000), describing a 25,000-mile journey the author and Debbie made among the wild places and wildlife of Australia; "Wild Life: The Remarkable Lives of Ordinary Animals" (Crown, 1995), which is a collection of fifty essays from Kanze's syndicated newspaper column; "Notes from New Zealand" (Henry Holt, 1992) which tells of flightless birds, elusive frogs and three university-sponsored expeditions devoted to studying the tuatara, a superficially lizard-like refugee from Mesozoic; and "The World of John Burroughs". He has also traveled, lectured and taught widely, worked extensively for the National Park service and other organizations, and is a much published photographer. Debbie Kanze, Activities Director for Saranac Village at Will Rogers in Saranac Lake, is a graduate of the University of Connecticut. A top-flight birdwatcher and naturalist, Debbie has served as a ranger at three national parks and written an environmental education manual for schools. She and Ed are the parents of baby Ned, an eighth-generation Adirondacker.

The Doctor’s Inn, on Trudeau Road in Saranac Lake, once the home to research doctors of the world-famous Trudeau Sanatorium, has operated as a Bed and Breakfast Inn since 1994. The large Adirondack-style living room with its fieldstone fireplace is lined with an eclectic collection of books. The Bedside Manor is a small lodge on the hillside of Mt. Pisgah and is rented in conjunction with the Inn. The warm and welcoming atmosphere of the Doctor’s Inn and the friendliness of its proprietors put guests at ease and gives them a feeling of being at home in the country.

Contacts: Susan Moody or Alan Brown (518) 891-3464