Grout Pond Cabin in the winter

Howdy, has anyone utilized the cabin near Grout Pond during the winter months? It sounds really cool with the stove and fireplace. I'd like to do a section of the catamount trail and am just curious if it gets any slednecks that like to hang out there since the vast trail runs right near there.

Thanks in advance!

I never realized it was open in the winter... I frequently ski that area, and never have seen signs of it being used.

As far as sleds, the road in & then the trail down to Somerset Res. sees a fair bit of use, esp. on weekends.

amf

I had stayed at the cabin weekly some time back in the spring and midweek summer without incident until the fateful night. Woke up at about 3am to "Bob" drunk and probably drugged out of his mind. Find out he had already beaten his wife earlier that evening.
Bob tore the door down and was making an exorbitant amount of noise.
Enter....Kita, my Akita... who as far as I'm concerned probably saved my life that night. She had not barked, as many of them don't, so he was indeed very shocked when I turned on my headlamp and this bear like creature was standing next to me.
I got away but it took a very long time to find the sheriff. No cell service at that time. Don't know if they have any now. By the time I returned to the cabin with the sheriff, Bob had demolished it. He had burned most of my belongings and done a whole lot of damage. (There is more to the story but I am trying to keep it short.)
Another night I woke up to two men standing by my tent who had pulled up in a truck. I asked them what it was they wanted and then let the Akita slip through the door. They moved on.
I know that they did have problems there in the past, but I do not know for certain what if anything has been going on there of late.
I did continue to camp at Grout but I am older now and not inclined to hang out there at night.
I would highly recommend that you call and speak to the Manchester District Ranger who is in charge of that area. They have always been very helpful.
As you know it is an out of the way place and easily accessible to anyone regardless of the time of day. It matters not at 3 am that the road to the cabin is "closed in winter". I had driven down it once in winter midday with my truck and of course got caught red handed. The ranger knew me and just asked me to help him to haul out trash bags. "Community service." He requested that I please not do that again.
After having this experience, it brings home the fact that you really are on your own and there is no way of predicting what or who you might come face to face with in the middle of the night. It's accessibility most definitely increases your chances of having an encounter with some undesirable characters.
Never in my wildest dreams would I stay anywhere without my very big dog at my side.

I just read AMF's post. I thought they did lock it up for a while but ranger could surely answer that question.
Maybe you need a permit of they just don't want anyone in there.

Many snowmobilers go down the access road, so there is certainly the potential for after dark encounters.

Myself: only skied past it, usually headed south early in the morning.

I haven't used it in quite a few years and when I did it was used quite a bit during the day by all passersby including the snowmobilers. I was up there this summer and it was locked. I suspect they are keeping it locked now as a rule but the GMNF ranger's office is the place to get that info:

Alex Sienkiewicz


District Ranger, Manchester District


[email protected]

BTW, if you get an answer let us all know.