Easy XC skiing at Craftsbury, VT

This was a fun xc ski trip in really good snow conditions but only if you made it to Craftsbury on a snowy Saturday morning. Lew and myself carpooled from Stowe. Traffic was super slow on slippery roads. We encountered a couple of cars that got stuck in the middle of the road and we had to wait while friendly motorists helped push the stuck cars out of the way. It became clear early on that we’d be hopelessly late. Tom from Burlington had left earlier and avoided some of the heaviest snow arriving at the ski area ahead of time. Cell phone reception is intermittent at Craftsbury but at least we managed to let Tom know we are on our way. On top of the slow traffic there was the Eastern Cup ski race going on and finding a place to park took additional time.

Luckily, we all made it to Craftsbury safely and we found Tom among  the racers who crowded the touring center. At 11:15, 45 minutes after the scheduled time, we were on our skis ready to head out. It was still snowing heavily and there were a few inches of fluff on top of the groomed trails. Temperatures were in the mid teens rising into the 20s, actually quite comfortable for xc skiing. We skied the easier trails in the morning, staying away from the race loop. The freshly fallen snow on the trees created a winter wonderland. It certainly put me in the holiday spirit.

We returned to the touring center for lunch. Finding a place to sit in a crowded room was like finding a free parking space in Boston, but after a while we managed and sat down enjoying our lunch. Warmed up and refreshed we headed back out to ski the more remote trails, doing a loop on Sam’s and Ruthie’s Runs. The weather had improved, but it was still snowing lightly. Away from the touring center and all the action of the race, the surroundings quickly became very quiet and we had the trails to ourselves. Sam’s run had not been groomed that day and we made our way through a few inches of powder. Once we hit Ruthie’s Run, the trails were perfectly groomed with tracks and the skiing was excellent. We took a little detour and skied up to Charlie’s cabin, unfortunately still closed for the season. The cabin sits on top of an open hill. The snow had stopped and the clouds had lifted and we had some nice views of the scenic hills and valleys all around us.

We made our way back and reached the touring center about 3 pm. Lew’s GPS said we skied about 17 km, not bad for a first day out. It was a wonderful day of skiing and conditions were really good this early in the season. The three of us headed back to Stowe and met at Doc Ponds for some drinks and snacks. It was a perfect way to end a day out in the snow.

Join us for an easy day of cross country skiing at Craftsbury, one of the larger xc skiing areas in the Northeast. The scenery is spectacular, remote and quintessential Vermont. They have an extensive network of easy to moderate trails, ideal for a first outing of the season. We will ski a few loops on the easier trails. Craftsbury is equipped with some snow making. Even in a low snow year, they are good at filling in bare spots and keeping the trails in good shape. Other than a few snacks, food options are limited, bring your own lunch and a water bottle you can fill up for the trails. After skiing we will head to ‘Positive Pie’ in Hardwick for food and drinks.

Rates are quite affordable, a day trail pass costs $10 and skis/boots/poles can be rented for $15 for the day. More information at http://www.craftsbury.com/skiing/nordic-center/nordic-center-home/. If there is no snow we might do a moderate hike instead (Elmore Mtn close to Morrisville). Rain or inclement weather will cancel.