Pages

About Me

My photo
Bethlehem, New Hampshire, United States
E-mail contact: randonneur8@yahoo.com | Facebook: facebook.com/1HappyHikerNH

Text Above Search Box

SEARCH MY BLOG USING TEXT BOX SEEN BELOW:

17 December 2014

Cross Country Skiing at Bartlett, NH and Other Locations

INTRODUCTION:

No matter what you call it, Nordic skiing, XC-skiing, cross-country skiing, this winter sport is a definite favorite of mine!

Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian Arctic explorer who traveled across Greenland on cross country skis, wrote the following in 1890.

“Nothing hardens the muscles and makes the body so strong and elastic.  Nothing gives better presence of mind and nimbleness; nothing steels the will power and freshens the mind as cross country skiing. This is something that develops not only the body but also the soul.  It has a far deeper meaning for people than many are aware of. . .”

Besides the benefits of cross-country skiing described in Nansen's quote shown above, I also admire the "minimalist" nature of this win­ter sport.  For example, there is no need for expensive technical clothing.  And, there is only a modest one-time expense for the purchase of skis, poles and boots.  Plus, you can ski for free at a variety of locations on public land, such as old logging roads, some State Parks, land conservancy parcels, etc.  Even if you choose to pay for skiing on groomed trails at a Nordic Center, the rate for a daily pass or a season pass is a small fraction of what it costs for a lift ticket at Alpine (downhill) ski resorts.

And so, with that introduction, here are just a few photos and brief commentary about some of my recent cross-country skiing experiences.

1) Cross-Country Skiing on Groomed Trails

In terms of a groomed network of trails, the Bear Notch Ski Touring Center (Bartlett, NH) is one of my favorites.  (Click HERE to link to their website.)  Perhaps it should also be mentioned that this place gets great reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor.

Shown below is a collage containing a few of the many photos that were taken when skiing at the Bear Notch Ski Touring Center in mid-December 2014.


2) Cross-Country Skiing on Un-Groomed Trails at a Variety of Locations:

When skiing at locations where there are no groomed trails, I'll often use skis that are designed for off-trail backcountry exploration.  They tend to do better in unbroken snow, plus they're more maneuverable in rugged terrain, and have the capacity for climbing moderate grades with little slippage.  For this purpose, I own a pair of Rossingnol BC90s with step-in bindings, but am certain there are other backcountry skis that perform just as well or better.  (Click HERE for a brief but informative article about how to choose the right ski length and width.)

In the following collage, there are photos which show some of the un-groomed passageways skied in December 2014, as well as a few of the sights that were seen by using these unimproved corridors.

To sum it up, cross country skiing is a terrific addition to my other winter sport of snowshoeing.  And, there are even times when I'll combine the two sports when I know there will be a portion of my trek that is skiable, and a portion where snowshoes are more practical.  In those instances, I'll slap on the snowshoes that were strapped to my backpack, then conceal my skis in the woods, and continue onward to my destination.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Links:

Below are 5 links that will take you to other postings that I've done about cross-country skiing:



Cross-Country Skiing at Nansen Ski Club (at Milan Hill State Park)

01 December 2014

Thanksgiving 2014: Trekking to Mt. Major, and Wanderings in Wolfeboro, NH

A portion of this past Thanksgiving 2014 holiday season was made special by doing a variety of pleasant wanderings in the village of Wolfeboro, NH, as well as doing a trek to Mt. Major (1,786 ft).

For the hike to Mt. Major, there are a number of loop options available from the trailhead near Alton Bay.  However, there was only enough time to do a simple 3 mile (round-trip) out and back hike via the Mt. Major Trail.  Despite its extreme popularity, this was my first visit to Mt. Major.  However, it's somewhat typical of me to be neglectful about hiking to popular destinations such as this.  Much of my time is spent exploring lesser visited corners of National Forests, State Parks and other public lands.

But admittedly, each time I eventually get around to hiking to one of the more trendy destinations, it's always easy to understand why these places have such great appeal, and Mt. Major is no exception.  This mountain provides a superb view overlooking picturesque Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in NH.  Shown below is an example of the magnificent vistas that I experienced from atop Mt. Major.
An example of magnificent vistas that were experienced from atop Mt. Major
While descending Mt. Major, I happened to spot a rather forlorn leaf that had refused to join the other leaves who had surrendered to Autumn and fallen to ground.  As a reward for this leaf's tenacity, it will be immortalized in this photo!
A tenacious leaf that refused to surrender to Autumn
At the beginning of this report, it was mentioned that in addition to the hike to Mt. Major, a visit was also made to the quaint village of Wolfeboro, NH.  It was incorporated in 1770 and named for General James Wolfe who was the hero of the Battle of Quebec in 1759.

While in Wolfeboro, my wife and I experienced the delightful contrast of going outdoors where we wandered around a snow covered village, and then coming indoors where we enjoyed the cozy fireside warmth of the Wolfeboro Inn and had a scrumptious Thanksgiving meal.
Charming covering of snow outdoors, contrasted to cozy fireside warmth indoors
One of our outdoor wanderings led us to the Wolfeboro town docks which had a barren beauty during this late Autumn season when the hubbub of the boating season is over.
Wolfeboro town docks during late Autumn
Our favorite outdoor activity of the day was snowshoeing on the Bridge-Falls Path which begins at the old Wolfeboro Train Depot, and follows the corridor of the now defunct Wolfeboro Scenic Railway. The tracks are gone, but the scenic views remain.  It's an easy out and back trek of about one-mile (round-trip).

The path takes you along Wolfeboro's Back Bay.  After passing some interesting rock outcroppings, you come to the remains of the Berry Mill, which was built in 1840 and was still making excelsior as recently as the 1980s.  After crossing the bridge at Wolfeboro Falls, the Bridge-Falls Path comes to an end.  But, if you still have some time and adventure left in you, then you can cross over Rt. 28 and continue onto the Cotton Valley Rail Trail which runs for about 12 miles.  We had the "adventure", but regrettably we didn't have the "time", on this particular day!
The Bridge-Falls Path in the village of Wolfeboro, NH
To sum it up, Wolfeboro and the surrounding Lakes Region has a lot to offer.  It's likely we will be making the relatively short drive from our home in Bethlehem, NH to re-visit this location at various seasons of the year.