spencer
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- Joined
- Sep 4, 2003
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well, I aimed to take advantage of the clear skies we are having and headed to Boundary early this morning. I had looked into plowed access routes and managed to get about a mile from the Porter Brook junction with my truck. I was very pleased with this of course...
As you all know, it was damn cold today. Not that bank thermometers are always accurate, but the one in Stratton this afternoon said -18 around 3pm.
I decided to try the trip alone since no one else could go until the weekend and the weather is supposed to deteriorate some. I told myself I'd only go as far as I was comfortable given the temps.
Well, I got about 20 minutes from my truck and called it a day. I decided it just wasn't safe to be alone when it's that cold. There is precious little room for error out there anyway, and I figured there was no room on a day like today.
The first challenge after leaving the truck, was a river crossing and despite the temps it wasn't all that frozen. There was lots of rotten ice, so I crossed it on my skis (displacement), knowing that I was only 200 yards from the truck if I went in. I made it across fine and only had a bit of slush to scrape off the skis before it froze. I wouldn't have crossed the river if I had been much farther away from a heat source.
Once my eyelashes froze to my hat and my mustache froze over my nostrils, I decided I would turn back. It was not a day to be out there alone after all....
So, I was very disappointed but warm and safe. I decided I'd do some scouting with the rest of my day.
The route I took was the best one to get to WC, NKD, and Boundary (I drove a lot of routes and could get no closer to Porter Brook or Wiggle Brook Road. I will be happy to share the route if you are interested. It will be plowed out for approximately 4 more weeks. As the road was today, I was fine in my truck without chains, but I had them with me in case. You wouldn't want to get caught out there before a storm comes through...there'd be no prayer of getting out until the plow trucks came, if at all...
The access road to Chain of Ponds Snow is not plowed at all from Rt. 27. I figured I'd check out the western route from the Canada Road, but I got turned away when I tried to go down it. I wasn't in the mood for confontation, but I'm sure you could slip by since the gate is not locked. I made the mistake of talking to someone first to see how far it was plowed. I'm told the Canada Road is plowed almost down to the White Cap Pond outlet.
For those interested in Boundary, White Cap, NKD, or Cupsuptic Snow, now is the time to go. I can't imagine getting any closer than you can right now.
I'd like to have another go at Bounday, if not all of them. I'd like to get a team of 4 or 6 to go in there in the next few weeks. I foresee a 2 day trip (one night out) for a group of fairly strong skiers.
Give me a holler if interested.
spencer
As you all know, it was damn cold today. Not that bank thermometers are always accurate, but the one in Stratton this afternoon said -18 around 3pm.
I decided to try the trip alone since no one else could go until the weekend and the weather is supposed to deteriorate some. I told myself I'd only go as far as I was comfortable given the temps.
Well, I got about 20 minutes from my truck and called it a day. I decided it just wasn't safe to be alone when it's that cold. There is precious little room for error out there anyway, and I figured there was no room on a day like today.
The first challenge after leaving the truck, was a river crossing and despite the temps it wasn't all that frozen. There was lots of rotten ice, so I crossed it on my skis (displacement), knowing that I was only 200 yards from the truck if I went in. I made it across fine and only had a bit of slush to scrape off the skis before it froze. I wouldn't have crossed the river if I had been much farther away from a heat source.
Once my eyelashes froze to my hat and my mustache froze over my nostrils, I decided I would turn back. It was not a day to be out there alone after all....
So, I was very disappointed but warm and safe. I decided I'd do some scouting with the rest of my day.
The route I took was the best one to get to WC, NKD, and Boundary (I drove a lot of routes and could get no closer to Porter Brook or Wiggle Brook Road. I will be happy to share the route if you are interested. It will be plowed out for approximately 4 more weeks. As the road was today, I was fine in my truck without chains, but I had them with me in case. You wouldn't want to get caught out there before a storm comes through...there'd be no prayer of getting out until the plow trucks came, if at all...
The access road to Chain of Ponds Snow is not plowed at all from Rt. 27. I figured I'd check out the western route from the Canada Road, but I got turned away when I tried to go down it. I wasn't in the mood for confontation, but I'm sure you could slip by since the gate is not locked. I made the mistake of talking to someone first to see how far it was plowed. I'm told the Canada Road is plowed almost down to the White Cap Pond outlet.
For those interested in Boundary, White Cap, NKD, or Cupsuptic Snow, now is the time to go. I can't imagine getting any closer than you can right now.
I'd like to have another go at Bounday, if not all of them. I'd like to get a team of 4 or 6 to go in there in the next few weeks. I foresee a 2 day trip (one night out) for a group of fairly strong skiers.
Give me a holler if interested.
spencer
