Zealand Rd. bridge/alternative route

If anyone is heading in Zealand Rd., please be aware that there's an alternative route as the bridge is still "technically" closed. To take the alternative route, leave from the opposite end of the parking lot, cross Rt. 302, and head down the shoulder toward Crawford Notch. Once you're over the river, look for boot tracks leading down into the woods on your right. It's at least a half mile along the river until you connect with the road just above the bridge.

I write "technically" because most of the people in our group (plus almost everyone else we met on the road this New Year's weekend) just came over the bridge anyway (the decking is all there and it appears they only have finishing work to do but I'm sure from a liability perspective they don't want people on it until it's officially finished) since the alternative is somewhat long, adding (with the schlep down the road) something I'd guess at just under a mile to the trip.

On the positive side, the fact that the snowmobile trail dead-ends at the bridge seemed to reduce the numbers of the infernal machines along Zealand Rd.

As one of the people who took the bypass on New Year's weekend, I would really recommend avoiding it. Towing sleds over the bypass route was a two-hour nightmare. We crossed the bridge on the way back without a problem.

However, Adam the caretaker at Zealand Hut said that the bridge work is supposed to conclude this week (don't know if it will be delayed due to the snowstorm or not) so this should no longer be an issue.

- Ivy

Forgive me for my ignorance, but I haven't hiked that area in some time now. Where is the bridge in question? Is it at the beginning of Zealand rd?

Jasonst said:

Forgive me for my ignorance, but I haven't hiked that area in some time now. Where is the bridge in question? Is it at the beginning of Zealand rd?

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Yes, right at the beginning.

- Ivy

A little light reading.

Again, more ignorance... Is this river large enough to eventually freeze, thus allowing foot traffic?

It's a bridge over the Amonoosuc... so I do not believe it will freeze.

- Ivy

I've never seen that river freeze over and it wouldn't be an easy one to ford, unless you went in your Tevas! Do they make Tevas yet with a crampon welt?

The alternative route isn't bad if you're not pulling a sled. I did it with a full pack and it was fine, just extra distance. And most people seem to be climbing or crawling through the fences and just using the bridge, illegal though that probably is. It looks like the work will be done very soon and then the road will presumably be re-opened to foot traffic and snowmobiles.

poison ivy said:

As one of the people who took the bypass on New Year's weekend, I would really recommend avoiding it. Towing sleds over the bypass route was a two-hour nightmare. We crossed the bridge on the way back without a problem.

However, Adam the caretaker at Zealand Hut said that the bridge work is supposed to conclude this week (don't know if it will be delayed due to the snowstorm or not) so this should no longer be an issue.

- Ivy

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As another person who hauled sleds down rock steps and onto the shore ice foot this weekend (on a separate trip), we were prepared to break through the fences across the bridge on our way out. Fortunately for my record and for the USFS, the ranger was taking down the last sign as we crossed the bridge last night. I was looking forward to a little boot-kicking, too!

I have never been up in the Zealand area in winter. With the bridge work completed, will they plow up to where the trail for the Sugarloafs and the (?) Trestle Trail begins? Or does the winter route start from the bridge right off the main road?

The road is not maintained in winter. It is gated right off of 302.

- Ivy

Winter access to Z

In the winter you just park in the big lot just up from Z road, then walk or ski into the hut.

And if you haven't skied it before, don't worry. Only the very first portion right off the bridge is steep. As soon as you clear that slope around the corner it mellows out greatly. I walked up that portion pulling my (60-ish pound) sled, and then only one other spot on the road required me to herringbone.

Heh, I am such an iffy skier that I am sure I could turn that into a nightmare. When I go up later this year, I think I will likely stick to snowshoes...

dundare said:

Heh, I am such an iffy skier that I am sure I could turn that into a nightmare. When I go up later this year, I think I will likely stick to snowshoes...

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Most of the route (to just below the hut) is nice and gentle kick and glide (logging road and railbed). The harder parts are short enough that you could walk them.

Actually, the entire route of the Zealand-to-Pemi (Lincoln Woods) traverse (via Shoal Pond Tr) is easy skiing. Just long...

Doug

DougPaul said:

Actually, the entire route of the Zealand-to-Pemi (Lincoln Woods) traverse (via Shoal Pond Tr) is easy skiing. Just long...

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How well broken-out does it tend to be? How followable is it if it isn't broken out?

We found Shoal Pond Trail not broken out on Monday. There was evidence of previous travel (pre-snow). The trail was obvious to us coming from the north -- basically it runs straight north-south, with long straight sections, though there were some apparent relocations and a few places where it just disappeared into dense red spruce regrowth. The woods around were generally open, and although you could easily get off-trail, we had no problem keeping on route.

Actually there was one area that was very well broken out... an apparent moose yard, where the trail ran several hundred yards across a sea of frozen muddy moose postholes.

If you head back in there soon, it was broken out by us on Monday. Even though we had our skinny skis on, they're still fat compared to xc skis...

MichaelJ said:

How well broken-out does it tend to be? How followable is it if it isn't broken out?

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It is farily popular, particularly when the days get longer.

Very likely to be broken out as far as Zealand hut. Moderate likelihood on Ethan Pond Tr as far as the junction with Shoal Pond Tr. Shoal Pond Tr and Wilderness up to the suspension bridge less likely. The rest of Wilderness Tr very likely. Lincoln Woods, trackset.

Routefinding isn't hard--I have done from the junction of EPT and SPT out to Lincoln Woods in the dark. There is one wide open spot a bit after Stillwater Junction: river on your right, just keep going a bit to the left and you should be able to pick the trail up again. It narrows down again a bit after this spot. A bit confusing in the dark, but shouldn't be hard in the light. Once you cross Crystal Brook, essentially all difficulties and hazards are past.

Thoreau Falls Tr is harder to ski and has some route-finding difficulty. (Ski it S->N (bring skins) unless you are an expert in skiing down steep NE trails with switchbacks...) Probably sees less traffic than does SPT.

No part of the skiing on the traverse is hard--it is just long (~21mi). You need good snow conditions and the ability to move efficiently. Both Zealand Rd and Wilderness/Lincoln Woods Trails are easily skied by headlamp or moonlight.

There are ~4 sizeable river crossings on SPT and Wilderness Trs. The route is best done after a good cold snap. TFT avoids the stream crossings but substitutes the difficulties noted above.

Doug