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Author Topic: Jackson XC - 1/12-13/-8  (Read 604 times)
David Howland
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Bolton Valley 2/21

findingnematoda
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« on: January 13, 2008, 09:06:04 PM »

Two days of XC Skiing in Jackson, NH after the warm up. Brief report and some pics. The snow was rock-hard, about 6+ inches compacted on the trails, more in the woods. Still 1.5' in the woods at ground level. The snow consistency was frozen, more so on Sunday (1/12) after it got cold at night. Trails that weren't groomed on Sunday were almost impossible to ski on. Saturday was better, with softer snow. My gf and I skied about 10k into the woods along the Ellis River (river on the right off of Rt. 16 driving towards Pinkham) and then another 4 hours on Sunday. Lots of fun. It'll be much better after the snow this week and the inevitable "man-made blizzards". Pics below.

GF learning to XC ski:


Groomer:


Snow in the woods:


Frozen Pond


Black Mt. hurting


Jackson Village


Refreshingly white Mt. Washington


Lack of edges.
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surf88
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« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2008, 10:10:50 AM »

Cool dave.  Did you get any alpine turns in when you were up there?  Mt Doublehead (aka Mt BooBs) is a fun tour in that area.
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Dsmith3232
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« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2008, 12:31:25 PM »

Lack of edges.



Looks like you were having fun.
I have only tried Xc Sking once but I thought it was a lot of fun.
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You guys wouldnt need so much gear if you just did this hike in a day.  Tongue
David Howland
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Bolton Valley 2/21

findingnematoda
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« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2008, 01:35:22 PM »

I was having alot of fun. I didn't get alpine in, but I really didn't want too. Rock hard in the woods/bc and from what I heard in IME at the end of the day, even the groomers were nasty.
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« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2008, 04:41:42 PM »

Cool dave.  Did you get any alpine turns in when you were up there?  Mt Doublehead (aka Mt BooBs) is a fun tour in that area.

Doublehead is an excellent choice that often gives a chance for first tracks because it is not often done.  The trail was originally cut by the CCC as a racing trail.  The current hiking trail is wide enough to ride and there are some birch stands that you can get into from time to time on either side.  Be careful of the stream crossings at the bottom.  The most uphill of the two "could," "maybe," be jumped.

Looking at a map, there is one trail that comes pretty much straight down from the cabin and another that comes down from a saddle to the skier's left of the cabin.  The straight down one on the skier's right is the ski trail.  If you've got the first tracks, walk up the one on the skier's left to save the snow in the ski trail for the descent. 

The Wildcat Valley Trail, off the summit of Wildcat, returning all the way to Jackson, is another good run.  Wildcat will allow uphill traffic on one of their trails, or will sell a single ride ticket.  A couple of tight switch backs at the top, some glades half-way down, some route finding problems where development has encroached on the original line and a flat, ski tour at the bottom to finish the entire route.  Take your topo map and choose light rather than heavy equipment to enjoy it the most.  Modern tele or AT gear is sort of overdoing it, but I wouldn't take my skating skis either.  Something in the nature of the Fischer E99 would be ideal.   It is possible to do pure downhill by bailing out to Rte. 16 in the vacinity of Dana Place, but the actual route out at that spot keeps changing, again because of development.

Tommy T.
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Around the bend in the canyon; just over that false summit on the final peak; lost in the cold smoke of the ultimate powder ride.
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