x-country skiing in VT

Anyone have any favorite cross-country ski trails in Vt they'd like to share? Besides the Catamount, that is- I have the trail guide.

Especially in public areas (no trail pass purchase required)?

Any and all help appreciated

VT Trails

Hi griffen,

Well, I mainly ski the Catamount Trail, but I also know of a couple of other areas I will suggest.

1. Moosalamoo. This is along the trail, in Ripton and Goshen, just down the road from Rikert and Breadloaf. There are free trails all the way from the Robert Frost area, south through some town maintained trails, into the Moosalamoo area both east and west of the Goshen Road, all the way to the summit of Moosalamoo. They are all connected, and I think I have heard it said that this is the largest public/fee network of XC trails in the state. You want to pick up a nice free map called "Moosalamoo", I think I got mine at Blueberry Hill XC center, but they should be available elsewhere too.
Moosalamoo

2. Stratton Pond. Also traversed by the Catamount, this area has some other nice forest roads, and the LT can be skied north of the pond for a good ways. The Catamount Guide shows many of these.

I hope that helps.

Hi Griffin,

There is a trail fee, but you can't beat the view from the Van Trapp
Lodge near Stowe!

-Liza

For what it's worth (I thought it was pretty good), the Montreal Section of the Alpine Club of Canada organised a week-end in a yurt near Huntington, VT and we skied on either the Appalacian trail or the Long Trail (I don't remember which).

They have another one organised this year, but I'll be in the Dacks.

You can prolly google something on this. If I find more beta I'll get back to you. It was a great week-end.

Doug

Yurts in Vermont

The place is just down the road from me. Its called "On the Losse". Nice access to the Catamont trails for xc skiing. Also great snowshoeing to Camels Hump

www.otloose.com

The Smugglers Notch road (VT 108) is unplowed in winter and can
be accessed from either end. Skiing up the road is a nice
way to see Vermont's "little Yosemite". Just watch out
for prodigious amounts of doggie poo. Last weekend I skied
north up the road to the top then up the "old Long Trail" now known
as the Sterling Pond Trail (skins necesssary). At the top you can
take Snuffy's trail, a crossover between the "Stowe/Spruce Peak"
and Smugglers Notch ski areas. Left drops down to Sterling Pond,
right takes you up toward Big Spruce with excellent views of Mt. Mansfield.
Descend by the Stowe/ Spruce Peak ski area alpine trails, preferably
the Sterling Trail. From the bottom of the ski area, it is a short walk back up 108 to where the plowing stops.