Nice Ridge Trail

Rockwood received 1 -1/2" Saturday night. Quite cold, windy day in the woods, on foot.

I swung into Rockwood and drove the roads to see if they were open and free of downed trees and they are. Then I walked the C-Connector Valley trail and that one has been cut out. Nice. Big Bowl has also been cleaned up.

I brushed out another less frequented trail by hand that leads to a very nice, sharp backcountry ridge with great views to the South and the path of the sun in winter. The trail starts off of the Shorty Trail (see the Southwest map) in view of the descent into Big Bowl, and climbs a bit before reaching the ridge. You can turn onto the ridge here but it may not be clear-going. I continued on the trail until it turned South and climbed to an old road-cut in the ridge, then followed the spine of the ridge East under mature trees with no underbrush. The sharp ridge (an esker?)is clear as day just north of the C-connector Valley Trail on the map, all the way to D-Spur. A nice new loop for 2014.

Wrapped up the Nordic Backcountry ski season at Nick Stoner Golf Course on April 6, with a couple laps on the course. I thought of seeing if any snow was left at Rockwood, but knowing my chances were better at Nick Stoner persuaded me to go there. It was worth it, with a few inches of corn snow and still some firm base. But it's over now. I've hung the skis up.

Went up North instead

Snow was very crusty on my local golf course in Gloversville over the weekend, so I had to assume it would be crusty at Rockwood. We went up north to Chub Lake north of Canada Lake/Areitta on Saturday and the lakes above 2000' are just perfect, a nice cover of powder on a firm base. On Sunday, I headed back up and toured Nine-Corner Lake and that was just as perfect. Plenty of snowmobiles for company, but plenty of solitude as well. You need good and decently wide backcountry skis as these untracked lakes would be difficult to ski with real x-c skinnies. I used my 88/68/78 Fischer Outtabounds, the widest bc skis I own. 88mm at the tip and 68mm underfoot gives very good float in deeper snow.

Maybe the trails throughout Rockwood are in better condition than my crusty golf course, but the option of visiting a lake up north is a good one too.