Trip/Event Location: Waterville Valley, NHUS
Trip Leader(s): Gandalf , JDNnh
Max # People: 15
Trip Guiding / Event Fee: No, I will not be asking participants for money
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Waterville Valley has a superb network of groomed trails. One of the best in the New Hampshire!
Click Here for more information of the Waterville Valley Nordic ski trails.
The ski area also
Click Here For Directions to Waterville Valley however do not take the left to the Waterville Valley Ski Area!!! Instead continue forward and take the left to the Town Square [after the Athletic Center]. Find parking on the right hand side of the road and walk to the Town Square.
The Nordic Center is near Corcoran pond on right hand side. We will be wearing GO hats so you can recognize us. Contact us if you have any questions.
Five of us started cross-country skiing around 10:30 at the North End. So, the trend continues-those of you south and east of Waterville Valley got real snow, while we got just a dusting. But, you know what? We're still skiing!
The sun was trying to make an appearance in the clouds and the temperatures were in the 30’s. Conditions on the North End was frozen granular and a bit icy but was still worth doing since this was more about the comraderie after all. It was still a nice ski. Right before lunch, we went up the black rated Upper Osceola trail and given the frozen granular conditions it was an exhilarating descent!
Jon’s sole of his boot detached but he used some rope to lash it back together. The trail patrol even remarked how fashionable his boot looked! It did not give him perfect control, but nonetheless he continued skiing the rest of the day.
Mike’s new skis that he bought last week at the Waterville Valley Nordic Center were not gripping the snow and was making it difficult for him to go up even the slightest elevation and impossible to make a snowplow for any steep descents. He brought this up at the Nordic Center at lunch. They discovered that they sold him a ski for a heavier person thus the ski was not compressing against the snow. They repeatedly apologized and gave him a new pair with the correct size.
We had a late lunch at 1:30 at a sandwich shop in the Town Square and then set off on the South End to finish the day. The South End was thin and very icy. Mike took a tumble and the trail patrol was right behind him to assist him getting out of his skis. At that point, Mike and Jon decided to turn around while Keith and Joe were up for the challenge at the sketchy hairpin turn! As we met up each other at the Nordic Center, we started getting a dusting of snow making the woods pretty.
After the hike we had après-ski beside the fireplace at the GO Center followed by a delicious pasta dinner prepared by Jon. A nice day all in all! It looks like the next storm may actually hit us, we are holding our breath...
Outdoor Fitness Level: Very Strenuous
Outdoor Fitness Level: Moderate to Strenuous
Outdoor Fitness Level: Moderate
Comment: Thanks for a great time! I can't believe I skied down the black rated Upper Osceola trail - albeit with a lot of bodily contact with the the trail and some screaming.
