Thru-Ski

Three Adirondack Trips

By Rich Macha

Avalanche Pass seems to get all the attention when discussing thru-skiing, it is a great trip but it has some problems. It is a long drive between start and finish so it is most often done with two groups going in opposite directions and doing a key exchange. Skiers do not want to be standing around for a long time in the cold while waiting for a shuttle to be run. There is also the fact that there will be close to as much uphill travel as there is downhill travel. Another possible downside to the thru-ski is that you could be breaking trail the whole way, whereas, on an in and out trip, you would only have to break trail for no more than half the trip. This potential negative can be offset by maximizing the downhill skiing. Here are some thru-trips, suitable for intermediate skiers, that have a short drive between trailheads and also have a significant net loss in elevation.

TIRRELL POND – This trip starts from NY Route 30 at the same trailhead as Blue Mountain, a little north of Adirondack Experience, the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake, at an elevation of about 2,200 feet. Beginning at the north end of the parking area, the trail goes over rolling terrain and tops out at over 2,300 feet in the pass between Blue and Buck mountains, before dropping over 400 feet in one-mile to a junction with the Northville-Placid Trail. A right turn on the NPT soon leads to the lean-to at the north end of Tirrell Pond (elevation 1,918 feet) – 3.6 miles from the start. Skiing out onto the pond, there are good views of the cliffs on Tirrell Mountain to the east and Blue Mountain to the west.

The O’Neil Lean-To is located at the south end of the mile-long pond and east of its outlet. Stay well away from the outlet to avoid thin ice. The NPT continues south over rolling terrain for another 3.5 miles – this trail is fairly popular and is more likely to be broken out. If you have left a vehicle at the NY Route 28/30 trailhead (elevation 1,800 feet), near Lake Durant, it is only a five-minute drive over to the start to retrieve the other vehicle.

STONY POND – A two-mile trail to Stony Pond starts on NY Route 28N between Minerva and Newcomb. Despite being a designated snowmobile trail, it gets very little use by sledders, and fortunately due to this designation, you will find good, wide bridges over the streams. A lean-to is found to the right as you arrive at the pond. If you desire a longer trip, you can explore routes to Center, Barnes and Hewitt ponds.

The thru-ski proceeds from the southwest corner of Stony Pond, and goes up a steep hill topping out at over 2,100 feet, then drops down to the Sherman Ponds. Raised water levels have joined the two ponds into one – ski carefully, especially in low snow conditions, as there may be a rock or two exposed on the downhill. Ski across the ponds and pick up the red trail again at the south end of the ponds. A brief uphill stretch is followed by two miles of exhilarating downhill runs. Be aware that if there are snowmobile tracks, they often come from private land to the south. The trail you want bears left; if you have not seen trail markers for a while you may be on the wrong route.

The final 0.6 miles of the official trail go through private land. A colorful bench made of old skis is passed, and you may notice the Falls Brook Yurts, which are found on either side of the trail. The trip ends on John Brannon (aka Long Hill) Road, at an elevation of 1,180 feet, where there is roadside parking. Without side trips, the direct thru-ski from Route 28N to Irishtown is about six miles and the drive between trailheads should not exceed 10 minutes.

HALFWAY BROOK AND RAYMOND BROOK TRAILS – The rejuvenated Raymond Brook Ski Trail has become quite popular with skiers over the past few years. Most skiers start at Benson Mines Road and finish at the North Creek Ski Bowl (aka Gore Mountain Nordic Center) – this can be accomplished in an hour or two. However, a longer trip of about nine miles – starting from the Old Farm Trailhead (elevation 1,800 feet) near Thirteenth Lake – adds variety to the skiing as well as to the scenery.

Leave a car within sight of the trailhead sign at the edge of the woods on Ski Bowl Road in North Creek – enter the road from its north end by the North Creek Health Center on Route 28.

For the start of the trip, drive to the end of plowing on Old Farm Road, which may not be plowed as far as the actual trailhead this season due to some storm damage. The Halfway Brook Trail passes by William Blake Pond, which may have some interesting natural tree sculptures sticking up from the ice. The trail climbs to over 2,200 feet before dropping a little to the junction with the trail to Botheration Pond. Another drop follows through open woods before reaching a bridge over an inlet to The Vly (2,030 feet), a good size beaver pond – twin lodges can be seen in the middle and Gore Mountain looms in the background.

The Halfway Brook Trail then crosses its namesake brook on a minimalist bridge before reaching Barton Mines Road. This last section sees some trapping activity away from the trail – if you bring a dog with you, make sure it stays with you on the trail.

The Raymond Brook Ski Trail is found directly across the road. Initially, the trail climbs about 300 feet to an elevation of about 2,350 feet, before plummeting down, steeply at first, then moderating for a couple of miles. The trail is wide and can accommodate minor errors in technique. Raymond Brook may be seen down a ravine to your left. There is some uphill before reaching a four-way junction. The Raymond Brook Trail turns left and drops very steeply to an unplowed parking area next to Route 28. A right turn leads up to Rabbit Pond. Our thru-ski goes straight ahead on the Ski Bowl Connector Trail, and features a sweet 1.5-mile cruise with a loss of 500 feet in elevation, down to the finish (elevation 1,050 feet).

The month of March brings us more daylight and warmer temperatures, allowing us to enjoy the snowy landscapes of the Adirondacks in relative comfort. We are also often lucky to get to ski into April too – perhaps, in shorts!

A lover of wild places, Rich Macha of Albany has led many trips for the Adirondack Mountain Club, and has spent 20 years in the paddlesport/snowsport business. More of Rich’s adventures can be found at northeastwild.blogspot.com.