Pony Truss Bridge, Presidential Rail Trail, Randolph, NH. Photo by Marianne Borowski, NHRTC Vice President
Text By Ellen Kolb, NHRTC Treasurer
Residents and visitors alike know that New Hampshire offers some exciting Alpine skiing. My own preferences for winter recreation are less dramatic, but more accessible. I get out on the same trails that I enjoy the rest of the year. The brilliant cloudless days that often follow winter storms provide some of the best hiking weather you’ll ever experience on a rail trail!
My winter toolkit is pretty simple: basic trail shoes or boots for when the trails are clear, a set of strap-on traction aids for icy conditions, and snowshoes for when the snow piles up. That way, no matter the weather, I’m ready to go. Cyclists have options, too, such as fat-tire bikes for snowy trails.
I keep an eye out for traffic on the trails. Shared use is a factor year-round. I stay to the right, letting cyclists pass me, just as the cyclists keep an eye out for pedestrians and riders on horseback. I might even come across a musher with a dogsled team now and then! Some trails are open to equestrians, so it’s important for me to remember my trail manners when I encounter horse and rider: stay quietly to the right side of the trail.
If I know a local rail trail is open to snowmobiles, I’ll skip that trail in snowy conditions and instead choose one dedicated to non-motorized use. There will be plenty of winter days when the snow cover will be too scant for the sleds, leaving the trails to those of us on foot.
The traction aids I use for my winter walks are available online and at local stores. They’re meant for much lighter duty than the kinds of spikes I’d need for a mountain hike. As for snowshoes, some parks and recreation areas offer them for rental. I recently discovered a program at my local library – the “Library of Things” – that lets patrons borrow (among other things) a set of snowshoes. Does your local library have such a program? If so, that’s an easy way to try out snowshoes if you’re not sure about buying a pair.
With my snowshoes, I look forward to a foot of fresh powder as avidly as any Alpine skier might. But we don’t need to wait for snow to enjoy our rail trails. They’re recreational destinations year-round.
To read more about Ellen Kolb’s walks around New Hampshire, check out her blog: http://granitestatewalker.com/