Is Zealand skiable?

[dclynch]

Does anyone know if the Zealand Road and trail to the Twinway are skiable after the recent rain? I'm planning to try for the Zealand Mountain tomorrow and would like to know if using skis for the flat part would be helpful.

Thanks.

 

[DougPaul]

It depends, do you like blue klister?

Haven't been there recently myself, but my reading of the reports is that the snow will be crusty. (A friend and I have decided to hike rather than ski this weekend because of the snow conditions.) Possible snow showers are forecast, so anything could happen. It might be appropriate to bring both skiing and non-skiing gear in the car and decide at the trailhead.

Doug

 

[hikerfast]

a couple of us were going to bushwhack to zealand, its 7 miles to it instead of 11. are you interested?

 

[DougPaul]

Yes, see the AMC's backcountry reports.

Note that the backcountry report page was last updated Wednesday morning.

Doug

 

[hikerfast]

it say feb 18, 8:05 am

 

[hikerfast]

several of us are meeting at 8 am in that new little plaza on route 3 in twin mountain near the little river road. we are going to head out north twin trail and then bushwhack up to the AT between zealand and guyot and bang a left to zealand. please join us!

 

[DougPaul]

There are actually two locations - one maintained by the Washington Observatory and the other on the AMC website . Why they're not the same info ...

Kevin,

Thanks! Didn't know about the AMC one.

Doug

 

[Dalraida]

Zealand is definitely skiable

Just for the exercise I skied into Zealand Hut for lunch yesterday (Saturday). Compared to when I did it two weeks ago it is heavenly.

There are about 6 inches of powder over a pretty good base. Nice tracks from other skiers and snowshoers.

The Spruce Goose is not recommended due to low snow levels, but the road is awesome.

Two and a half hours in, hour and fifteen out. I used waxless touring skis and the kick and glide was great.

I passed 28 people on skis and snowshoes going in to the hut, met them as they arrived and left for rte 302 shortly thereafter.

Makes me feel pretty good at my age to be passing youngsters. Of course they were carrying much larger packs

 

[dclynch]

A lot of work!

Hikerfast, thanks for the invite, but I don't have the soul of a bushwacker. I wish you had come via the Twinway though, so there would have been help breaking it out. Did you make? The going was hard enough on the trail, so I imagine it would have been brutal in the woods.

 

[hikerfast]

how much detail can you tell me about your trip? times, etc. also as much as possible about going up from the hut, ladders, ledges, etc. my email is [email protected] if you want to send it there or post it here.

 

[DougPaul]

Skied Rte 302 to Zealand hut (and back) today (Mon) using Zealand Rd.

Very nice snow conditions:
* Low: ~3in of powder over a breakable crust (fine in packed track).
* High: ~6 in of powder over a hard crust

Windy, some bare spots on road, some drifts up near ponds.
Cold: 8-13 deg F (dry snow)
Light to medium snow all day.

Doug

 

[darren]

I started to ski to Zealand on Sunday and I bailed out after only about a 1/2 mile. There were way too many snowmobiles for my liking. I must have gotten passed by at least 35 of them in just a 1/2 mile. It was the most snow mobiles I have ever seen. I guess it was the combo of the new snow and a long weekend.

I'm not exactly a skilled skier so blind turns and snowmobiles do not mix for me. I bailed out and went down the road and skied into the yurt at the bretton woods nordic center. Not exactly wilderness, but I didn't have to worry about getting run down.

Anyway, back to your question, the snow on zealand rd was great on sunday.

- darren

 

[DougPaul]

I started to ski to Zealand on Sunday and I bailed out after only about a 1/2 mile. There were way too many snowmobiles for my liking.

Darren,

Presuming that you are talking about the Rte 302 to Zealand Rd route:

Snowmobiles and skiers/hikers are separated except for just a few spots near 302. Both share the parking lot, the approach to the bridge over the Ammo R, and the bridge itself. But just after the bridge, the snowmobiles are shunted off to the left. A bit farther in (~1/2mi) the two join again to go over a bridge on Zealand Rd. The snowmobiles are then shunted off to the right and that is the last you will see of them.

Sounds like you might have bailed close to where you finally get away from them for good.

Doug