backcountry trail recommendations in Whites?

Can anyone point me to a Web site that may list xc ski trails in the whites. Not for telemarking, more for general backcountry touring. Thanks!

carla said:

Can anyone point me to a Web site that may list xc ski trails in the whites. Not for telemarking, more for general backcountry touring. Thanks!

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Don't know of a general web site, but David Goodman's guidebook (Backcountry Skiing Adventures, Classic Ski and Snowboard Tours in Maine and New Hampshire) lists some easy trails (along with the hard ones).

The USFS has some ski trails, many of which are easy.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/white/recreation/skiing/index.html

Doug

I second Goodman's book. Also, I will tell you that many of the trails are skiable to some degree. Roads that were either old logging roads or railroad beds are mostly skiable. They are generally wide and straight.

Cedar Brook Trail, Olivarian Brook, Sawyer Pond...the Hancocks. These are all skiable trails that are gentle enough, but give you a nice ride going out.

I've always used the WM Guide and trial and error from there.

Try Steve Smith's Snowshoe Hikes in the White Mountains. Smith owns the Mountain Wanderer bookstore in Lincoln. The website for the bookstore gives some info on snowshoeing in the Whites. Scroll down to the "Snowshoeing" section.

Oops, sorry, you're looking for x-c. Some of the above snowshoe hikes are also x-c, e.g. Franconia Falls, Greely, etc. (Lincoln Woods may have some changes, of course, due to the washout.)

You want the AMC winter trails map. Steve has it at the Mountain Wanderer. This map has all sorts of XC trails throughout the Whites. It's not a big map, but it's Tyvek and I think it's worth it for the trail ratings and for the trails that are only winter trails and do not appear in any other guide. Now if only I could find my copy ... arrggh!

I'll also recommend the Sawyer River Trail off the Kanc as a beautiful and easy route to try out. It's shared in spots with snowmobiles, which can be annoying if they come by but the pack-down they do to the snow is fantastic.

And the Beaver Brook ski trails off Rte 3 south of Twin Mountain.

If you want great xc skiing though less wilderness-y, I never miss an opportunity to plug the fantastic Windblown in New Ipswich, NH.

Stop in at the Pemigewaset office of the WMNF...they have great ski maps of perhaps a dozen trails. many are long and challenging, quite a few are mellow and fun. Skiing out of the Livermore Road parking lot is great, lots of trails over there.

Here's my compiled list, organized by AMC maps.
Goodman's books are great. Defiite must haves.

http://home.comcast.net/~pinnah/DirtbagPinner/nh-trips/nh-trips.html

Also check out Marty Basch's "Winter Trails." Good combo of bc ski, groomed xc ski and snowshoe options.

As far as recommendations, I'm a big fan of the Nanamacomuck Trail off the Kanc. (Actually, I just like to say it. )