CREEPY Pemi XC Ski attempt from Lincoln Woods to TFT 2/21/09

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Becca M

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Pelham & Bristol, NH
Based on snow conditions (anticipated as unbroken), we scaled back our Pemi ski traverse to an out and back from Lincoln Woods, and the goal was to go up Shoal Pond Trail and possibly do a loop down Thoreau Falls Trail (TFT).

We found ski conditions very good on the Wilderness trail. Past Bondcliff Trail we met a guy with a sled coming towards us. I thought he said he had camped at Thoreau Falls, so I assumed Thoreau Falls Trail would be broken out. We modified plans and headed up Thoreau Falls Trail (TFT). As it turned out, he meant that he had camped off the Thoreau Falls Trail (and had not gotten to the falls! DOH!). I was anticipating an easy ride to Thoreau Falls.

We broke trail to about 2.1 miles up TFT to the old brook crossing. At about that time we reached our turnaround time and were out of steam. Another skier caught up with us and pushed on a little ways (500' or so he said later). On our descent he caught up with us again and said he had lost the trail so he, too, turned around.

As a CREEPY sidebar: I generally travelled (TRAIL-BREAKING!) well ahead of my friend who took lots of breaks. I'd ski for a while and then stand and wait for him to come into view. I'm not superstitious or anything, but several times I swore I heard muffled conversations in the woods, like people were talking. This was most pronounced just before he caught up with me and we decided to turn around. I know the woods can sound like that but I kept saying "WHAT"? and waiting for a response that obviously never came. This was well before the other (third) skier showed up. Although the woods were beautiful, I kept sensing something wasn't quite "RIGHT" -- like an unsettled feeling. Then I read in today's paper that yesterday was the 50th anniversary of that plane crash (to the day!) just across the river.

It was a nice glide back out. We took the East Side trail and enjoyed the conditions there as we got back to "civilization". In all, we took it VERY leisurely: 9hrs for 17.3 miles - almost as fast as snowshoeing.:eek:
 
As a CREEPY sidebar: I generally travelled (TRAIL-BREAKING!) well ahead of my friend who took lots of breaks. I'd ski for a while and then stand and wait for him to come into view. I'm not superstitious or anything, but several times I swore I heard muffled conversations in the woods, like people were talking. This was most pronounced just before he caught up with me and we decided to turn around. I know the woods can sound like that but I kept saying "WHAT"? and waiting for a response that obviously never came. This was well before the other (third) skier showed up. Although the woods were beautiful, I kept sensing something wasn't quite "RIGHT" -- like an unsettled feeling. Then I read in today's paper that yesterday was the 50th anniversary of that plane crash (to the day!) just across the river.


http://www.boston.com/news/local/ne..._marks_50th_anniversary_of_tragic_plane_crash

Just saw this in the Sunday paper (yes, we still get a "paper").

Too bad you couldn't ski all the way through, but it sounds like you got what you went for.

The guys at Zealand Hut were talking about ghosts of loggers & railroaders from ages past. If you have "the shine," maybe you should take a walk up the road to Carrigain trailhead. Just watch out for Jack on your way in!

Somehow, those two doctors don't strike me as the ghosting type. I bet that they walked out, dead or alive, and haunt the place no more.
 
Maybe this guy

Sherpa Kroto has a story of seeing an old woodsman up in there a few years ago. Good tale.
 
Very unusual coincidence indeed!!!

I too read the Boston Globe article this morning. However on reading your posting, I decided to Google this topic and came up with a much more in depth article in a Dartmouth Medical Journal publication which goes into much greater detail about the crash since the pilot was medical doctor on Dartmouth faculty and ardent member of the Dartmouth Outing Club. I was most interested to learn where they had crashed. Creepy music starts here. :eek: Article states they crashed pretty close to Thoreau Falls!

http://dartmed.dartmouth.edu/winter00/html/plane_crash.shtml
 
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Great story Becca. We've got a hike planned for later this summer that you might be interested in. We'll be in touch.
 
Plaque

Isn't there a plaque in the woods at the crash site close to the former Thoreau Falls Trail? On the opposite side of the river to the current trail along or close to the old rail grade? Interesting but sad story.

I remember hearing about the plaque in someone's trip report here.
 
Isn't there a plaque in the woods at the crash site close to the former Thoreau Falls Trail? On the opposite side of the river to the current trail along or close to the old rail grade? Interesting but sad story.

I remember hearing about the plaque in someone's trip report here.
Here is an older thread about 'haunted' woods.

http://vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12663
 
The small monument about the plane crash is on the old TFT on the other side of the river.
 
Isn't there a plaque in the woods at the crash site close to the former Thoreau Falls Trail? On the opposite side of the river to the current trail along or close to the old rail grade? Interesting but sad story.

I remember hearing about the plaque in someone's trip report here.

A Dartmouth friend told me that he has seen the plague in summer on a small white rock on the west side of Thoreau Brook, near the junction with Jumping Brook. I have only been on the Thoreau Falls Trail on x-c skis in winter, so the plague would have been buried.

Thanks for the updates, Becca. Did you happen to notice whether the WT was broken out, perhaps before the last snowstorm, beyond the Thoreau Falls Trail junction? We probably will still take the Shoal Pond route this Saturday anyway, as we skied Thoreau Falls on our Pemi ski-through last year.
 
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