Be an Outsider (#beanoutsider) the LL Bean mantra tells us. This may be hard advice to follow on particularly bone-chilling days, but with the right attitude and the right gear you're sure to enjoy Maine's great outdoors this winter. 

1. Get the gear

Visit LL Bean's flagship store in Freeport or independently-owned Nomads on Commercial Street in Portland for outerwear and footwear. Don't forget to layer up! Stop in to Gorham Bike & Ski on Congress Street (or their other 5 area locations) if you're looking for skis or snowboards and great customer service. 

2. Explore

Plan a hike via Maine Trail Finder or an overnight excursion with Maine Huts for snowshoeing and nordic skiing from hut-to-hut. Join the Maine cross-country skiing group on Facebook to learn about trail conditions and secret gems like Robert's Farm Preserve in Norway and Carter's XC Ski in Bethel. Stay closer to home on groomed trails at Twin Brook Recreation Area in Cumberland or Pineland Farms in New Gloucester. Visit the best known alpine ski mountains in Maine: Sugarloaf, Sunday River and Saddleback, or challenge yourself to ski all of Maine's 18 areas. The Rink at Thompson's Point in Portland or hiking in to skate on Knights Pond Preserve in Cumberland are local favorites. For an easy thrill, bring the family tubing at Windham's Seacoast Adventure.

3. Après

The warm-up after the activity is a beloved practice. Gather with friends around a firepit for brews and pizza after winding through the XC ski trails at Oxbow Beer Garden in Oxford (they also have a beer shed in the woods!). Check out the aptly named Après in Portland's Bayside serving up craft seltzers, cider and small bites. Or delight in beloved Eighty8 Donuts and Tandem Coffee at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain.