Becca M
Active member
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.
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.