Catamount Trail to Romance Mountain, Soup and return, February 21, 10 am to 3:30 pm:
One of the best 30 km loops in the State! Start at the Chatfield parking just east of Rikert XC on Rt. 125. Follow Widow's Clearing portion of Catamount Trail and groomed Blueberry Hill trails to Blueberry Hill touring center (about 2 to 2 1/2 hrs). Refuel, eat soup and the best chocolate chip cookies of the Green Mountains (bring $). Then conquer the half-hour, herring-bone climb up the shoulder of Romance Mtn on the Halfdan Kuhnle trail, the highest groomed nordic trail in the State, and descend to the Brooks Rd (this is the intermediate to advanced portion of the loop). Return to the Chatfield parking via the Brooks Rd. and VAST snow mobile trail (about 2 hrs from Blueberry Hill).
Great work was done this summer to fix portions off the Halfdan Kuhnle trail from the flood damage of 2008, and portions of the Widow's Clearing trail were also improved with more work scheduled for this summer.
Suggested level: intermediate. You will need to buy a day pass at Blueberry Hill.
For questions about the tour, directions, and to sign up; call me evenings at 802-388-8376 or email me at andymac@together.net.
First Annual Wooden Ski Race, February 20.
Noon - Mass Start at Blueberry Hill
$15 Entry Fee
15K Classical Race (of course).
For more info go to www.blueberryhi
Coming Up:
Ski the Secret Trails of Ripton, March 7, 1 pm to 4:30 pm:
Recommended for intermediate skiers with touring skis (backcountry skis are not necessary). Free.
This tour was well attended last year, and this year we'll be mixing it up a bit and exploring some new routes. Again, we'll be starting out from my house just a half mile up the Lincoln Rd. from the Ripton Country Store. Although these trails are secret, here are some place names to whet your appetite: views of Breadloaf Mtn. and Mt. Abe, Chandler Hill meadows and beaver ponds, Skunk Hollow Rd., the spruce and fir tunnel, Bucky's bridge, the BIG pine, Sparks brook twin bridges, and Cook's brook bridge.
Although no portions of this tour are advanced, due to the length of the tour and possibly breaking trail on hand tracked trails, this tour is recommended for intermediate skiers with narrower touring skis.
For questions about each tour, directions to the start of each tour, and to sign up; call me evenings at 802-388-8376 or email me at andymac@together.net.