Chances are the pond in Boston's Public Garden downtown will be safely frozen for skating this weekend! Enjoy this rare low-risk opportunity to go ice skating in the "wild!"

Note: This trip is being run independent of the Winter School lottery. Just sign up!

When: Sunday, January 25th, at 2pm, likely the warmest part of this frigid weekend. End time depends on your own schedule. We might hit up a cafe after.

Where: The Pond in the Public Garden. (IMPORTANT: Not to be confused with the Frog Pond in Boston Common, which is an actual rink!) We'll meet near the underside of the footbridge on the west side of the pond, near Arlington Station.

How: This trip requires you to BRING YOUR OWN ice skates! MITOC does NOT rent ice skates and there is no place to rent at the pond. (FYI there are usually good deals on FB Marketplace for used skates.)

Gear: It will be very cold, likely in the teens, so make sure you wear warm layers that you can easily move in and thick gloves or mittens to protect your hands. Bring snacks and/or a thermos of hot coffee to keep you going.

Prerequisites: Good safe ice! Otherwise, none - all levels of skating experience are welcome. We are not skating instructors, but are happy to give tips if you ask for them (although they may not be super helpful) and would love to hear yours! Note: this is not a rink and there's no wall to hold onto.

If we get there and the ice is lousy... and if there is interest... we can walk 30 minutes to the free Steriti Rink in the North End. (Public skating will open at 3pm.) The ice might be awful or covered in snow, so just be prepared!