Skiing St Regis Mountain

  I just returned from a short cross country ski trip on the Raquette Falls trail (see another blog post for details on that trip) with my wife and a couple of friends. We didn't ski all the way into the falls but the conditions were great and the skiing was just the right amount of time for everyone. (Well, admittedly, I would have skied all the way into the falls but, hey, I can be social and make a sacrifice. Sometimes.) So I'm sitting here all warm and toasty by the wood stove, enjoying a nice mug of hot apple cider with rum and cinnamon with everyone and thinking back a couple of days to an absolutely super little ski I did on the St Regis Mt trail. In other words, I'm not being social at all. But no one seems to mind.

Skiing the St Regis trail is not for beginners. I guess I would rate it as an intermediate + trip for whatever that is worth. Don't go if it is at all icy or crusty – it won't be fun. But if there is plenty of light powder you'll have more fun than you'd think is legally possible. That is if you don't mind some climbing (it is St Regis MOUNTAIN after all) and are comfortable skiing narrow trails with twists and turns around the trees part of the time – albeit mostly not at great speed. Every time I've gone the trail has been broken by snowshoers which is really ideal. When you want to slow down it's easy to do a little snow plow and push your ski tails into the deeper snow to the side of the snowshoe track. Or put one ski into the deeper snow.

The really nice thing is that the trail is a great variety of ups and downs of mild and moderate steepness, some pretty straight, some twisty. (OK – there are 2 very steep but extremely short pitches. Only about 20-30 feet long.) About 40 minutes from the beginning you start a long, steady, mostly straight, gentle climb before a short mild drop to a bridge over a small creek, On the return trip this makes for a nice mellow glide. The bridge is a good turn around spot. It takes me a bit over an hour to get there. A couple of days ago, however, I continued past the bridge for about 20 minutes on a continuous moderate climb which became steeper the further I went. I turned around when I thought the descent was going to be as much of a challenge as I was ready for. I've heard of people who ski all the way to the summit. I'm sure it's doable but not for me and still have fun. `

To get to the St Regis trail drive north on route 30 to Paul Smiths College. Just past the college entrance turn left onto Keese Mills Road. About 2 ½ miles in there is a large parking lot on the left with a St Regis Mt sign. Ski about 1/10^th mile down the single lane road that starts next to the parking lot to the actual trail and sign in register on the right.

Have fun! And I'd definitely recommend a hot apple cider and rum when you get back to accompany your equally delicious ski reminiscences.

St Regis Canoe Area Cross Country Skiing

St Regis Canoe Area Skiing

Just down the road from The Lake Clear Lodge

Clearly Bob posts

  When waterways are in their liquid form the St Regis Canoe Area is a paddling mecca. Its numerous small and medium size ponds,  linked by portage trails ranging from a literal stone's throw to over a mile, beckon the intrepid paddler.

But there is a good reason to visit New York's only dedicated wilderness canoe area in the winter also. The cross country skiing here is great.

You can ski loops from a few miles in length to an 11 mile round trip. Some trails are very flat but there are challenging hills to be found if you want. You can ski land only based trails or, more preferably, do a combination of ponds and canoe carries. The carry trails tend to be smooth so they don't need a lot of snow plus this area's snow is very reliable so it is often skiable when others are not.  Snow conditions on the ponds will likely be different than the woods.  Broken paths don't stay broken for long as the tracks fill in quickly with wind blown snow. 

Check out the conditions on Lake Clear before you head out.    If you are going to venture anywhere other than an out and back trip, where you retrace your route, a good map  is a necessity. If you've read my paddling blogs you know that I get a handsome monetary kickback - oops!    I mean I highly recommend the Adirondack Paddlers Map. (Available at EMS in Lake Placid and St Regis Canoe Outfitters in Saranac Lake.)  

Finally, the ski conditions web site I mentioned in the  introductory blog to cross country skiing very often mentions the Fish Pond truck trail which is the main artery of the area.   Here's the link:   http://www.jackrabbittrail.org/conditions.html

     This is the first of 2 posts about skiing in this area.  All of the trips in this post start at the same spot which is on short loop road off route 30 that goes through the state fish hatchery. To get there drive south on 30 from the Lodge about 2 ½ miles and turn right into the fish hatchery. This is the first right turn after Conley Road. About ½ mile along this road is a DEC sign for Fish Pond that marks the start of an unplowed dirt road where you can park. There will often be others parked there as this is a popular area. Ski a couple   hundred yards down the road to the railroad tracks where there are signs related to the campsites on Little Green Pond.   From this point I’ll describe a few options.  Take a look at the map and you can figure out more.

     The simplest choice is to just ski down the road to the left paralleling the railroad tracks.  In 0.7 miles turn right, still on a broad road,  where the road straight seems to end and find the gate and trail register a minute or two after the turn.  This is the beginning of the well-used and therefore most likely broken truck trail that goes all the way to Fish Pond.   But that is 5 miles away.    You can go as far as you want and then turn around and retrace your tracks.  The trail is level for the first mile or so followed by a long climb and long descent. 

     A much more interesting option is to ski a loop.  Here’s the shortest and none of  it is skiing on the ice.  You basically ski a loop around Little Green Pond.  From the railroad tracks goes straight on the road instead of turning left as described above. In 100 yards keep left at the fork.   (The right fork leads to the parking lot and a large beach put in for Little Clear Pond.)   You’ll see turnoffs to the left for campsites on Little Green Pond. Ten minutes from the tracks,  Little Clear will be close on the right and  there is a parking lot on the left next to Little Green.  Continue skiing straight, go  through the  gate,  now on  a trail.  You’ll see Little Green close by again and  climb a gradual rise at the top of which there is a 90 degree left turn. Just after the turn the trail parallels the trunk of a large downed tree.  This part of the trail is not marked on the map.   There is one very short moderate climb, followed by a crossing trail (right to Bone Pond, left to Little Green)  and then the trail is level all the way to its junction with the truck trail where there is a sign high on a tree in front of you indicating Fish Pond is to the right.  Turn left,   in 5-10 minutes go through the gate, and then continue to the railroad tracks  in a  minute where a left turn will bring you back to the beginning of the loop.  This whole loop should take about an hour or less. 

     A longer 6 ½ mile loop gets you out skiing on Little Clear and St Regis Ponds.  An interesting sight often found along the shores of lakes and ponds where softwoods predominate   is a distinct horizontal line below which there is no green and above which the trees appear normal.  The cause of this is deer standing on the ice eating the vegetation.  They can only reach up so far, hence the line.  The route starts  out same as the loop trip around Little Green above  but take the right fork through the parking lot and down to the put in on Little Clear Pond.  Look at your map.  You’re heading for the canoe carry to St Regis Pond at the northwest corner of Little Clear.  Angle slightly left from the put in heading for the 2 islands.  Past the islands ski parallel to the western (or left) shore, go around a large point, and head almost directly west to the far shore.  Look for the white canoe carry to St Regis Pond sign on a tree.  The carry is about ½ mile long.  (About half way along the trail there is another trail to the left which leads,  in about a mile, to the often mentioned truck trail where a left turn will bring you back to a junction with  the Little Green Pond loop described above.  This would make  a shorter loop.)   When you get to St Regis Pond, you first ski out a narrow marshy area.  Then, once out on the open lake, head toward the point far away along the left or south shore. St Regis Pond is particularly beautiful with its islands and bays all dominated by the hulking nearby presence of St Regis Mt.   There is a leanto at the point – an obvious spot to take a break.  I’ve winter camped at this leanto several time once arriving in the dark after a exceedingly difficult slog through the deep heavy pond snow pulling sleds.  Not fun.   After the leanto head down the bay to the far western end of the lake where there is a small dam.  (It's also possible to continue skiing the canoe carry trails to Ochre, Mud and, finally, Fish Ponds but this would make for a very long day trip and the trails have some sections that are much more difficult.)   To the left of the dam find the trail which heads back in 0.2 miles to the truck trail.  Turn left to complete the loop.  (If you want a longer trip turn right to head toward Fish Pond.)    The wide truck trail climbs for about ½ mile and then you get to enjoy a long ¼ mile moderate descent before the trail levels out.  About 2 miles from the point where the spur trail from St Regis Pond joins the truck trail there is a junction with a trail to the left.  This is the other end of the short cut mentioned above that starts on the carry trail between Little Clear and St Regis Ponds.   Continuing straight, in about 1/3 mile there is another trail on the left.   This is the intersection with the loop route around Little Green Pond described in the paragraph above where it meets the truck trail.  There is a sign high on a tree to your right indicating Fish Pond is behind you.  You can either go straight and follow the route as described above or turn left and follow it in the reverse direction.

       I'll describe a few more options in the St Regis Canoe area in the next post.   Take a look at your best friend, the map, and you can probably figure out some routes on your own too.  What a great place!St Regis Canoe Area Skiing

  When waterways are in their liquid form the St Regis Canoe Area is a paddling mecca. Its numerous small and medium size ponds,  linked by portage trails ranging from a literal stone's throw to over a mile, beckon the intrepid paddler.

But there is a good reason to visit New York's only dedicated wilderness canoe area in the winter also. The cross country skiing here is great.

You can ski loops from a few miles in length to an 11 mile round trip. Some trails are very flat but there are challenging hills to be found if you want. You can ski land only based trails or, more preferably, do a combination of ponds and canoe carries. The carry trails tend to be smooth so they don't need a lot of snow plus this area's snow is very reliable so it is often skiable when others are not.  Snow conditions on the ponds will likely be different than the woods.  Broken paths don't stay broken for long as the tracks fill in quickly with wind blown snow. 

Check out the conditions on Lake Clear before you head out.    If you are going to venture anywhere other than an out and back trip, where you retrace your route, a good map  is a necessity. If you've read my paddling blogs you know that I get a handsome monetary kickback - oops!    I mean I highly recommend the Adirondack Paddlers Map. (Available at EMS in Lake Placid and St Regis Canoe Outfitters in Saranac Lake.)  

Finally, the ski conditions web site I mentioned in the  introductory blog to cross country skiing very often mentions the Fish Pond truck trail which is the main artery of the area.   Here's the link:   http://www.jackrabbittrail.org/conditions.html

     This is the first of 2 posts about skiing in this area.  All of the trips in this post start at the same spot which is on short loop road off route 30 that goes through the state fish hatchery. To get there drive south on 30 from the Lodge about 2 ½ miles and turn right into the fish hatchery. This is the first right turn after Conley Road. About ½ mile along this road is a DEC sign for Fish Pond that marks the start of an unplowed dirt road where you can park. There will often be others parked there as this is a popular area. Ski a couple   hundred yards down the road to the railroad tracks where there are signs related to the campsites on Little Green Pond.   From this point I’ll describe a few options.  Take a look at the map and you can figure out more.

     The simplest choice is to just ski down the road to the left paralleling the railroad tracks.  In 0.7 miles turn right, still on a broad road,  where the road straight seems to end and find the gate and trail register a minute or two after the turn.  This is the beginning of the well-used and therefore most likely broken truck trail that goes all the way to Fish Pond.   But that is 5 miles away.    You can go as far as you want and then turn around and retrace your tracks.  The trail is level for the first mile or so followed by a long climb and long descent. 

     A much more interesting option is to ski a loop.  Here’s the shortest and none of  it is skiing on the ice.  You basically ski a loop around Little Green Pond.  From the railroad tracks goes straight on the road instead of turning left as described above. In 100 yards keep left at the fork.   (The right fork leads to the parking lot and a large beach put in for Little Clear Pond.)   You’ll see turnoffs to the left for campsites on Little Green Pond. Ten minutes from the tracks,  Little Clear will be close on the right and  there is a parking lot on the left next to Little Green.  Continue skiing straight, go  through the  gate,  now on  a trail.  You’ll see Little Green close by again and  climb a gradual rise at the top of which there is a 90 degree left turn. Just after the turn the trail parallels the trunk of a large downed tree.  This part of the trail is not marked on the map.   There is one very short moderate climb, followed by a crossing trail (right to Bone Pond, left to Little Green)  and then the trail is level all the way to its junction with the truck trail where there is a sign high on a tree in front of you indicating Fish Pond is to the right.  Turn left,   in 5-10 minutes go through the gate, and then continue to the railroad tracks  in a  minute where a left turn will bring you back to the beginning of the loop.  This whole loop should take about an hour or less. 

     A longer 6 ½ mile loop gets you out skiing on Little Clear and St Regis Ponds.  An interesting sight often found along the shores of lakes and ponds where softwoods predominate   is a distinct horizontal line below which there is no green and above which the trees appear normal.  The cause of this is deer standing on the ice eating the vegetation.  They can only reach up so far, hence the line.  The route starts  out same as the loop trip around Little Green above  but take the right fork through the parking lot and down to the put in on Little Clear Pond.  Look at your map.  You’re heading for the canoe carry to St Regis Pond at the northwest corner of Little Clear.  Angle slightly left from the put in heading for the 2 islands.  Past the islands ski parallel to the western (or left) shore, go around a large point, and head almost directly west to the far shore.  Look for the white canoe carry to St Regis Pond sign on a tree.  The carry is about ½ mile long.  (About half way along the trail there is another trail to the left which leads,  in about a mile, to the often mentioned truck trail where a left turn will bring you back to a junction with  the Little Green Pond loop described above.  This would make  a shorter loop.)   When you get to St Regis Pond, you first ski out a narrow marshy area.  Then, once out on the open lake, head toward the point far away along the left or south shore. St Regis Pond is particularly beautiful with its islands and bays all dominated by the hulking nearby presence of St Regis Mt.   There is a leanto at the point – an obvious spot to take a break.  I’ve winter camped at this leanto several time once arriving in the dark after a exceedingly difficult slog through the deep heavy pond snow pulling sleds.  Not fun.   After the leanto head down the bay to the far western end of the lake where there is a small dam.  (It's also possible to continue skiing the canoe carry trails to Ochre, Mud and, finally, Fish Ponds but this would make for a very long day trip and the trails have some sections that are much more difficult.)   To the left of the dam find the trail which heads back in 0.2 miles to the truck trail.  Turn left to complete the loop.  (If you want a longer trip turn right to head toward Fish Pond.)    The wide truck trail climbs for about ½ mile and then you get to enjoy a long ¼ mile moderate descent before the trail levels out.  About 2 miles from the point where the spur trail from St Regis Pond joins the truck trail there is a junction with a trail to the left.  This is the other end of the short cut mentioned above that starts on the carry trail between Little Clear and St Regis Ponds.   Continuing straight, in about 1/3 mile there is another trail on the left.   This is the intersection with the loop route around Little Green Pond described in the paragraph above where it meets the truck trail.  There is a sign high on a tree to your right indicating Fish Pond is behind you.  You can either go straight and follow the route as described above or turn left and follow it in the reverse direction.

       I'll describe a few more options in the St Regis Canoe area in the next post.   Take a look at your best friend, the map, and you can probably figure out some routes on your own too.  What a great place!