NHRTC director Marianne Borowski skied across NH on rail trails. Here is her story:
My friends and I are skiing across NH using rail trail, abandoned rail bed and winter unused active line. It has been a fantastic experience, there are sections I had never seen before. Railroad history was apparent all along the way!
Day 1 was 20 miles on the Ammonoosuc RT from Woodsville to Littleton, all nicely groomed by the snowmobile clubs and NHBOT.
Day 2 was 17.5 miles, Littleton to Pondicherry. This trek was a patchwork quilt of groomed rail trail (the new 2.1 miles in Littleton) and a variety of snowmobile trails on top of track and ties. There has been enough snow lately for the snowmobiles to be out there. Some railheads were groomed, some had one snowmobile that had tracked out the snow for us, some sections were untouched deep powder (Quebec Junction area). I went in the day before the Day 2 trek with xNHAT VP Bob Holdsworth to break trail to prepare this area for the trek, the last few miles of the Day 2 trek… it ws appreciated for less grunt work and drudgery at the end of a long day!
Day 1 was 20 miles on the Ammonoosuc RT from Woodsville to Littleton, all nicely groomed by the snowmobile clubs and NHBOT.
Day 2 was 17.5 miles, Littleton to Pondicherry. This trek was a patchwork quilt of groomed rail trail (the new 2.1 miles in Littleton) and a variety of snowmobile trails on top of track and ties. There has been enough snow lately for the snowmobiles to be out there. Some railheads were groomed, some had one snowmobile that had tracked out the snow for us, some sections were untouched deep powder (Quebec Junction area). I went in the day before the Day 2 trek with xNHAT VP Bob Holdsworth to break trail to prepare this area for the trek, the last few miles of the Day 2 trek… it ws appreciated for less grunt work and drudgery at the end of a long day!
Day 2 included a special guest, Laurel, daughter of Dwight Smith, co-founder of the Conway Scenic RR and former engineer for B&M. She was a railroad history guide for us. She wanted to ski the rail lines that her father traveled via locomotive! She will share the photos with her Dad, now 97, a COVID-19 survivor.
I want to share some photos with you:
I want to share some photos with you:
Start at the RR bridge (gated and unused) over the CT River in Woodsville. We will follow the B&M line all the way to Hazen’s Junction in Whitefield:
Bath Covered Bridge:
Trestle over the Ammonoosuc:
Lunch break a the Lisbon RR station, nice curvy roof!
We made it! End of the 20 mile day. We were tired!
Day 2, more trail following the Ammonoosuc River, 3 beautiful trestle bridges, tell tales, section markers, mile markers, whistle markers. I learned about the snowplow “Pull in your Wing” warnings located just before the bridge:
We are heading in the right direction to Whitefield! (Always nice to have confirmation!)
The famous Whitefield Ball Signal:
Approaching Hazen’s Junction:
Now on the Maine Central Line, still used occasional by the Conway Scenic RR. This area was not used by the snowmobiles. We are close to Quebec Junction. Maybe we should ski the 100 miles to Portland??
From Quebec Junction to Pondicherry, the rail line is unmaintained:
Last stretch towards Pondicherry, we reenergized a bit with this end-almost-in-sight, “Horse to the Barn” section:
We made it!
