Bear Notch at 9:30 am

Thursday, March 19, 2020

The forecast for Thursday looks cloudy with temps in the mid to high 30's. Maybe some snow flurries. I think it should be good for a ski, not the sunny spring day that would be perfect, but a good opportunity to get outside with friends at an appropriate social distance.

I skied at Bear Notch Ski Touring today, saw many friends, it was excellent. The lodge is closed, so no soup or bread. The office is closed, so they have a bucket out for donations for their continued grooming efforts. If you have been skiing Prospect Farm and want a change, I think you will be very pleased with the trails at Bear Notch, good coverage, clean white snow. I think it will be worth doing again tomorrow, with the opportunity to head out on the snowmobile trails in the experimental forest and over to Bear Notch Road.

Meet at the Bear Notch Ski Touring Parking lot at 9:30 am.

Since there is sunshine and temps in the 40's predicted for the weekend, check back on this blog for perhaps a Saturday Sunshiny Spring Skiing day!


Here we are last week at Bear Notch Ski Touring last week, practicing Laurel's posing technique:




Advice from the Nansen Ski Club, posted on Instagram:




Advice from Allspeed, reposted by Bike Maine:

Bear Notch Ski Touring 11:00am

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Bear Notch was vey good today, including the snowmobile trails in the Experimental Forest. We can do a combo of these trails for a good ski, good company, nice views and a bread n' soup apres-ski in the lodge afterwards.

We will meet a bit later than usual to allow for some softening of the snow. This strategy worked well today.

I have a freebie pass and a Kiwanis book two-fer coupon for the first requesters.

Meet at 11:00 am at the Bear Notch Lodge, where the soup and brad is served!

Laurel had all her Ducks in a Row last week at Bretton Woods!

Bretton Woods 10:00 am

Thursday, March 5, 2020

We are all anxious to do the Bretton Woods Mountain Road adventure. I called today (Wednesday afternoon) to ask about the Mountain Road Trail and whether it was scheduled to be groomed. It has not been groomed lately, but it might be groomed tomorrow, depending on the groomer's assessment of the snow.

Let's head up there and see what happens. If conditions are not good for the epic Mountain Road, we have plenty of k's to ski over there. If it is groomed or soft enough, we are lucky. You can opt to take the lift up or opt to ski up. Lift riders and uphill skiers can then all meet at the cabin at the top of the t-bar, then ski back together. Perhaps we can just ski over to the trail and start to ski up a short way... then decide whether it would be fun to ski down, or not.

Meet in the Bretton Woods Nordic Center Lodge at 10:00 am. We will check on the grooming, the temperature and the snow conditions and make the decision based on the data.

Bring your JacksonXC pass and you will get a half price ticket ($10.50 for adults). If we take the lift up to do the Mountain Road ski, there is a $10 charge for a one time lift ticket, OR use your alpine ski pass, if you have one. No extra charge if you ski up Mountain Road.

Also bring snacks and lunch! Bring Jackson XC Pass and Bretton Woods Alpine Pass... lots to remember!

If you would like to carpool meet at the parking lot at Grant's at 9:10 am, otherwise, see you at Bretton Woods!

Canceled due to the storm...

Thursday, February 27th, 2020

Laurel was going to be the leader for this week's ski. She was going to take you around the race course at Bretton Woods. However, with the weather forecast, she decided that it is best that everyone stay home!

Next week we will do the Bretton Woods Epic Mountain Road XC Ski, if the conditions allow. I can't wait to do this!

Hi from Arizona, If I cannot ski here, at least I am back in the saddle again:

MWV Ski Touring 10:00 am

Thursday, February 19, 2020

It is vacation week.... I am wondering where to set up the ski so that you can avoid the crowds. How about trying the MWV Ski Touring?

I gather it snowed Tuesday, so how about a trip on the trails of the MWV Ski Touring Center? In good snow and a clear day there are great views. If you have not skied there, you will enjoy seeing the valley from a different point of view! Because of the good snow and the vacation week, looks like everything is groomed!

Meet at the Ragged Mountain Equipment Store a bit before 10:00 am to get your tickets. You can head out on the trail behind the building, take a left and you will be on a trail that parallels the railroad tracks for a bit, then takes you all around the fields. Eventually you get to the back route up to the 1785 House, cross Route 16 there and head over into Whittaker Woods next to the rr tracks. In a short bit, take a right onto the Stonehurst Manor Trail, then cross Route 16 and head behind Adventure Suites to drop back down into the fields and head back to Ragged.

This is a long loop, easy to shorten if that fresh powder makes for a slower glide.

Here is the link to the MWV Ski Touring snow report from today:
https://www.mwvskitouring.org/snowreport.html

I miss the snow!  But, it has been good weather here, good for a Dirt and Pavement bike ride:

Bear Notch Ski Touring 10:30 am

Thursday, February 13, 2020

It is going to be a snowy day on Thursday.... excellent we can use all we can get! I think by starting at 10:30, ready to ski at Bear Notch, the roads might be just fine to travel.

I am heading to the southwest today with Tom so my skis will be resting until I get back, and my biking will get an early start this year.

I am setting up a ThursdaySki for you at Bear Notch, so that you can head out to enjoy the trails there. Head up to see the new views (if the weather allows..) from Trail #19. Many of you know the trails over there, so it is likely that more than one of you can take on the "lead". I would suggest heading up to #19. then doing a loop in the "#5, 22, 6" area, heading over on #40 to cross Bear Notch Road and skiing over there on whatever is open and groomed to the RR Tracks, then back by the river trails (#30). This is the "Grand Tour", can be shortened to lengthened, and ends up with soup and fresh bread at the end for a celebration.

I wish I could join in on this ski in a winter wonderland, but I will be anticipating biking in a cactus wonderland. Send me a photo or 2 of your ski, I will post a photo of a cactus or 2.

The Craftsbury Gang, last week, enjoying Vermont:

Ski Cancelled.....

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Hi from Craftsbury, all is well here, there is snow, similar to Prospect Farm in amount (meaning just enough for grooming without bringing up the dirt), but a bit hardpacked and ready for more. More will come tomorrow, as for you too in the MWValley!

I think it probably best for me to cancel the ski so that no one needs to drive into snowbanks or do 360's on the road. The sentiment here amongst the skiers, when I asked for guidance, is that if you want to go out, depending on the road conditions, text, call, email each other and put together a plan!

Enjoy the new snow!!  FINALLY!!!

Cheers!!