End-to-End on the Catamount Trail

Now I can truly say I'm a Catamount Trail "end-to-ender". To keep up with my B&B reservations I had to skip over section 5 and the beginning of section 6 due to an injury, and the end of section 11 due to darkness. After reaching the Canadian border I circled back and completed those sections.

Section 11b, 3/10

Old Plymouth Road to Tin Shanty

The snow was very soft from 45 degree temp and partly sunny skies, I had clumping on my skis after coming down off of Burnt Mountain. The trek up and down Burn Mountain was very enjoyable, not too steep, and some nice views near the top.

I saw a quail along the way.

Section 5, 3/11

Grout Pond Road to Kendall Farm Road

It was another warm day, reaching 50 degrees, with soft snow.

I had a nice break for lunch at the Stratton Pond Shelter, one of the few places on the trail where you can stop and relax in an enclosed space. I enjoyed the Stratton Pond Trail portion, it's very remote and scenic, as well as the long downhill to Kendall farm road.

I ski'd a 20 mile figure 8 to complete section 5, the trail was broken allowing me to make good time. I parked at West Ridge road off of the Stratton Mountain Access road. I ski'd up the International Paper road (snowmobile trail) 4 miles to where section 5 begins, and ski'd back along the Catamount Trail. When I got back to Stratton it was just Noon, so I ski'd the rest of section 5 and returned on the IP road.

As I was exiting on the access trail I ran into Hubert Schriebl, originally from Austria, who's been hiking and skiing the Stratton area mountains for the last 51 years. Hubert was taking pictures of a bridge on the CT access trail that a youth corps had built and that he had supervised.

Section 6a, 3/12

Kendall Farm Road to Hwy 30

The temperature dropped overnight and the soft wet snow turned to ice making the steep descent to Hwy 30 a good test of my ice skiing skills. I was very happy to have my magic carpets (skins) with me for the descent as well as the return climb.

There was a dusting of snow the night before making it easy to see lots of fresh bobcat tracks.