Sunday, March 10, 2024

Grantham, NH (USA)

After a winter with only a month’s worth of days that allowed me to ski, I knew that keeping my Rossingnol EVOs in the car was wildly and irrationally optimistic.  There hasn’t been enough snow in my area for so long that local mountains and cross country courses have been announcing “last days” for over a week.  Imagine my surprise and satisfaction, then, when I woke up this morning (late due to the time change) to discover that we got about four inches of snow overnight!  Hoping to allow some time for grooming at the Nordic Centers, I spent the morning cleaning and organizing (I also spoke with Eileen briefly).  With a great deal of excitement, I left my condo (1030) and drove a loop around the Upper Valley, looking for evidence of good ski conditions.  After driving north on I-91, I struck out at Thetford Academy (raining, couldn't find the trailhead).  I briefly considered driving all the way to Craftsbury Outdoor Center - as I headed north, however, I found that the temperature was rising and there was much less snow.  A check on their website confirmed they were closed.  Instead, I got off the Interstate at Fairlee, crossed the Connecticut River and took NH-25A across the Appalachian Ridge.  There was a lot of snow up there but I didn't see obvious places where I could ski.  I eventually joined NH-118 and used it to drive east.  Where the road split from NH-25, I drove south on NH-118 towards Dorchester.  Thinking I might be able to enter Green Woodlands from the east side, I checked but found that the road hadn't been plowed.  Feeling defeated, I continued to Canaan and then took US-4 to I-89. I was going to head home but then thought I should check the conditions at Eastman.  When I arrived at the Cross Country Center there (ready to pay for the trails on the golf course), I found it closed.  I suddenly thought about trying John's Glen, a location where I'd spent most of the last three years skiing, and tentatively drove (through lots of mud) over there.  I found no other cars parked at the trailhead but there were ski tracks in the snow from someone who had already been there.  Figuring this would be my last chance of the year, I made my way back into the trail system and - even though I had to cross a few creeks - managed to get an hour on my skis (1310 to 1410)!  The temps were in the low 40s and I was the only person dumb enough to try to break trail on the slushy, sticky and muddy surface beyond the limit of tracks I'd initially seen. At times, it wasn’t really skiing at all - it was more like ice skating in slush. Still, I must admit that this “Last Hurrah” feels quite satisfying!  Back in my car by 1415, I drove towards home - it had started to rain by then and I didn't think there was much else I could do.  Again, though, inspiration struck and I stopped at Whaleback Mountain to see what was happening there.  I learned that it was Closing Day at the Whale!  Got to raise a glass to my friends who work there and enjoyed musical performances by talented local young people.  Hoping for a longer season next year!  I departed when the bar closed (1600) and made it home about 15 minutes later.  By then, it was raining steadily.  I definitely made lemonade out of the lemons given to me today!