big idea-skiing thru the pemi? any interest?

[hikerfast]

I have always wanted to cross country ski from lincoln woods all the way to zealand at route 302. anyone interested?

 

[audrey]

Probably too long a day for me unless conditions are perfect. Some years ago there was an article in the Charles River Mud by a woman whose group tried it in the other direction and got lost along either the Thoreau Falls Trail or the Shoal Pond trail, I don't recall which. They bushwhacked for hours and finally found the trail not far from the bridge at the Cedar Brook Trail and got out well after midnight. I tried to trace their route from her description but it wasn't detailed enough, and she mentioned some small cliffy areas that I am not familiar with.

 

[Dalraida]

Sure

I've done this twice now over the last 6 years. Both trips have been in the opp direction. Zealand to Lincoln Woods. That direction because I live on the Western side and it was most convenient to leave a car at L. Woods and continue on to Z.

I would prefer to make the trip in late winter for the longer days and sun. The last two times were done in shorts and t-shirt. Although the temp was in the 20s and 30s, it felt like summer.

I would like to go in the direction you mention for a change.

Another great ski through is from Rte 302 Nancy Pond/Norcross pond through to Lincoln Woods or the reverse. Both of these routes are my summer destinations every year so I know the routes very well.

Any way if you will wait a bit, I would like to go.

TomW

 

[spencer]

I know of at least 2 different groups that do it as a yearly pilgrimage. I've always wanted to do it myself, but I don't think it's in the cards for this year.

I've opted for the Baxter traverse

Have at it and have fun...

spencer

 

[hikerfast]

groups

how does one get in touch with these two groups that do it yearly?

 

[David Metsky]

The AMC Boston Chapter Ski Committee is running a trip with a night's stay at Zealand. You can find the contact info under Trips.

-dave-

 

[el-bagr]

I did Dalraida's Nancy/Norcross -> Lincoln route a few years ago. Sure, Zealand is the more traditional traverse endpoint, but Nancy/Norcross makes for a straighter east-west route. Ending at Lincoln makes for easy auto-pilot on those last 5 or so miles!

Doable in a day, particularly if you know the trail. The descent from Norcross Pond to the Pemi is a great run when conditions are right!

 

[hikerfast]

coming down from Norcross pond I haven't done. I don't know if I have the skill level for that but I sposed I could trial by fire. My other question is, getting up to Norcross Pond. I assume your talking the Nancy Pond Trail? that is very steep up past the falls and all. I wasn't planning on that. Any comments?

 

[el-bagr]

IMO, the most difficult thing about descending into the Pemi from Norcross is the level of commitment. Once you're down in there, you're as far from a road as you will be on the trip. Parties must be self-reliant and prepared for surprises.

From the base of the falls to just below Nancy Pond is the steepest significant ascent of the Crawford Notch -> Lincoln Woods route. It's about 0.5 miles of steep switchbacks after 2.5 miles of moderate grade. If you don't have skins, it may make sense to click out and bareboot it. Once the steepness moderates, you're in kick-and-glide heaven.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

IMO, the most difficult thing about descending into the Pemi from Norcross is the level of commitment. Once you're down in there, you're as far from a road as you will be on the trip. Parties must be self-reliant and prepared for surprises..

This is the area that a friend of mine got caught and wound up having to be rescued. He was going to ski out to Saywer river road though not Lincoln Woods. He lost both legs, one below the knee and the other above the ankle and certainly would not have survived another night without the assistance he recieved. There can be large deep areas of drifted snow that can make travel almost impossible. Be forwarned and prepared to change your plans.

Keith

 

[David Metsky]

I skied over Norcross years ago, down to the old Desolation shelter on skinny skis, leather boots, a full pack, and three pints of Ben and Jerry's. Lots of fun, then skied into Zealand hut for the night, delivered the B&J, and yo-yo'ed the caretaker's glades above the hut. One of the best ski trips I've been on. There's lots of good skiing in the Pemi, I hope to take advantage of more of it one of these years.

-dave-

 

[hikerfast]

Dave, I assume you took the shoal pond trail to get over to zealand? how was it? i have never been on it. i have skiied into zealand and thru the notch and out to shoal pond from the other direction

 

[David Metsky]

This was 20 or so years ago, so my memory isn't all that good on this. I think Shoal was fine, we skied on the river for a stretch just for fun. It's not a fantastic ski but not bad either.

-dave-

 

[DougPaul]

I skied both Threau Falls Tr and Shoal Pond Tr (loop from Lincoln Woods) about 2 years ago. SPT is pretty easy skiing--mostly old logging railway and road. Did the entire trail in the dark. Route finding was pretty easy--only had difficulty at one place: between Stillwater and Crystal Brook--a wide open area on the inside of a bend in the river. You shouldn't have any problem if you do it in the light. There are several sizable river crossings.

The southern half of TFT is an old logging railroad right-of-way. The northern half has several "up the hill and over a bad spot"s which may be hard to find. (The RR used to cross the river at these spots.) Also an open, wide, flat spot where I lost the trail--picked it up where the route became narrow at the other end. The final part up to the stream crossing involves a steep climb--one spot was at the limit of my ability to skin up and too narrow to sidestep. Very few blazes. (I did this one in the light and still had some trail finding difficulties.) Only one stream crossing worthy of note--above Threau Falls. I skied it S-to-N--much easier than N-to-S due to the steep section just below the stream crossing.

SPT appears to get more traffic than does TFT. When I did it (just after 6in of new snow) there were new snowshoe tracks on the southern half of TFT and only occasional faint ski tracks beyond. (I think the snowshoer had bushwacked down from Mt Bond or Guyot shelter and crossed the river at an abandoned crossing to the east side where the TFT lies.) There were visible tracks (under the unbroken new snow) on most of SPT.

D.

 

[hikerfast]

dougpaul, thanks for the info. questions:
by sizable river crossings, where did you mean exactly. im assuming you meant on shoal pond trail. i would have thought this was a brook not too bad? was it frozen over and under a lot of snow? is it best to wait for good snow cover if that is true? or was it real shallow and easy and frozen anyways? this seems like quite an undertaking, i want to have as much info as possible.
I wondered if anyone had an idea on the possibility of going thru carrigain notch on the way out for another trip?

 

[DougPaul]

hikerfast,

The sizeable stream crossings are on Shoal Pond Tr. IIRC, there are 4 or so. The crossings are big enough to be dangerous at high water. I started at a temp of -5F--the crossings were nicely frozen. (I even crossed the North Fork of the Pemi to check out the snowshoer's tracks--the Pemi was over 100 ft wide at this point.) The crossings (and route) for both the SPT and the TFT are described in the White Mtn Guide and the ski routes are described in Goodman's book (He suggests that one can ski the TFT N-S. Not me--I'd have to walk the steep part.)

The Zealand-Pemi Traverse (via SPT) is 21mi and ~1000ft. Don't even think of skiing it unless snow conditions are good and the stream crossings are likely to be frozen. (Not good places to take a swim--the stream crossings are all a long way from the nearest road.) The skiing is all pretty easy, but one needs to be an efficient skier simply because of the distance. The route is frequently done as a day trip late Feb or early Mar for the longer day. The last hazard N-S is the crossing of Crystal Brook and the remaining part is easy skiing and trivial route-finding, even in the dark.

As David mentioned, there is a BOS AMC trip attempting to do it in 2 days with a stopover at Zealand Hut.

My route, (Lincoln Wds-Wilderness Tr, TFT, Ethan Pnd Tr, SPT, Lincoln Wds), was 25mi and 1600ft. Conditions were 6in of fresh powder over a rain crust. Started at 9am at a temp of -5F (special green wax) and finished at 2:30am at a temp of 20F (special purple). Partial trail breaking (over one set of snowshoe tracks) about 1/3 of the way and full trail breaking (northern TFT and all of SPT) about another 1/3 of the way. Ran out of light at the junction of EPT and SPT. (No, I didn't expect to make it back to the car by sunset and yes, I had several headlamps. )

Never skied Carrigan Notch Tr. Goodman describes it in his book.

Doug

 

[hikerfast]

thanks. what is this goodman book. I didn't realize you had done a LOOP(!). you are truly hardcore. River crossings can definitely be a hazard. I hadn't heard anyone else mention them though, sounds like one should be prepared to even have to turn around?

 

[Dalraida]

Thoreau Falls Crossing

The crossing over the top of T Falls is easily bypassed. Heading south, continue on the AT about another quarter mile and cross the bridge. Turn right off the trail and follow the contour towards the right and you will come out on the T Falls trail in about another quarter mile. I usually go that way if the water is high in the stream. In the summer there is a faint herd path. In the winter there have been tracks on occasion.

 

[DougPaul]

Goodman, David, "Backcountry Skiing Adventures, Classic Ski and Snowboard Tours in Maine and New Hampshire", Applachian Mountain Club Books, Boston, MA, 1999, ISBN 1-878239-64-3. $14.95.

Available at the usual outdoor gear stores.

Actually, it was more of a lollipop than a loop.

Hardcore? Hardly. Just persistent...
25 miles in 17.5 hrs is hardly breaking any records.
It was, however, solo on a Tuesday. Didn't see anyone else for the entire ski.

The real hard part was the drive home...

I had previously skied all except for the TFT, the southern part of the SPT, and a bit of the Wilderness trail near Stillwater. Helps to be on largely known territory... My original plan had been to ski up and down the SPT, but conditions were so good that I decided to do the TFT, EPT, SPT loop. There were several steep downhills on the "up, over, and down"s on the TFT which I walked--not good places to risk a screw-up.

Yes, the river crossings are real, and if you back off, your only choices are to turn around or find another route. The route follows the hiking trails and the crossings are described pretty well in the White Mtn Guide.

D.

 

[DougPaul]

Threau Falls Crossing

> easily bypassed

Hadn't thought of that--looks good on the map.

However, TF is a fairly small stream compared to those at the crossings on the SPT and therefore less serious than the crossings on the SPT and Wilderness Tr near Stillwater.

In fact, if the SPT is blocked, the TFT (walking the hard parts) might be a good high water alternate.

Doug