13. Winter sports are available for the president and guests
It is not unusual for mountain site of the camp to be covered in deep snow while the town below receives little or none, and the camp is equipped with snowmobiles to deal with such a contingency. Such vehicles are not the only winter sport available. Skiing, that is cross-country skiing, is common along the camp’s trails, and the lawn cleared by President Truman to improve his view down the mountain became a favorite spot for wintertime sledding and snow-dishing down the slope. President Carter broke his collarbone sledding with his wife. Barbara Bush broke a leg when she collided with a tree.
It was President Carter who led the Secret Service to equip the site with snowmobiles. Carter found cross-country skiing to be both relaxing and good physical exercise, and the Secret Service acquired the snowmobiles to keep up with the president as he navigated the trails of the camp. They became motorized St. Bernards of a sort, rushing to the rescue when adventurers in the snow ran into inevitable mishaps which required medical attention both major and minor. George W. Bush refused to allow the snow on the mountain from deterring him from riding his mountain bike, and US Marines cleared the trails of snow and ice, allowing him to get in his favorite exercise despite the weather.
