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02.26.10
Gliding Through Winter
A visit to the Great Brook Ski Touring Center in Carlisle,
Massachusetts, offers skiers a variety of terrain, 10-miles of groomed trails,
enchanting scenery — and
all a short distance from Boston.
by
Sean Conneely
IT'S HUMBLING REALLY. A slope that you wouldn’t
give a second thought to on a downhill ski run mutates into a formidable
adversary (not to mention a potential visit to an orthopedic surgeon)
when striding on cross country skis. No S-turns here; no quick hockey
stops. Without the security blanket of metal edges and stiff plastic
boots, a trail unworthy of being deemed a bunny hill at an alpine ski
area suddenly can turn an average Nordic skier into a whimpering mess.
Well, this average Nordic skier anyway.
The tactical differences between tackling a descent
on cross country versus downhill skis might seem inconsequential.
Unless, of course, you were to find yourself
— as I did last winter
— standing at the crest of the
appropriately-named Hillside Trail at the Great Brook Ski Touring Center
in Carlisle, Massachusetts.
Throwing caution to the wind (one of my strengths),
I maneuvered my skis into the parallel grooves cut into the deep snow
and pushed off. With aplomb reminiscent of the Scarecrow from the Wizard
of Oz — picture appendages and ski poles flailing
— I successfully (and
miraculously) negotiated the slope. After a moment of
self-congratulation at the bottom, I set off to investigate more of the
Nordic center.
Having heard that Great Brook offered some of the
best cross country skiing in eastern Massachusetts, I had decided I
needed to experience it for myself. The ski touring center, which sits
on the 1,000 pastoral and wooded acres of Great Brook Farm State Park,
offers skiers ten miles of machine-groomed trails. The grooming includes
two sets of in-track for traditional cross country skiing and a wide,
flat section for skate skiers. Much of the trail network is rated for
beginners, however, as I can attest, intermediate and advanced terrain
can be found there as well.
My visit to Great Brook began with a stop at the
center’s lodge, a no-frills structure that once served as a cow barn.
Here skiers can take refuge when the elements turn inhospitable, sip a
hot beverage, or enjoy a brown-bag lunch. Perhaps most importantly, in
my case anyway, they can rent skis.
The sun shone brightly in the rich denim sky as I
began my Nordic adventure. The ground lay hidden under beneath a
pristine quilt of snow. Despite the bright sunshine, the mercury
struggled to reach double-digits, which made the ice cream stand sign on
the grounds rather incongruous.
The ice cream sign in fact, was a reminder that
Great Brook, which joined the state park system in 1974, still operated
as a dairy farm. Some of the milk from the farm’s 160-odd Holsteins was
sent offsite and churned into ice cream. The ice cream stand is a
popular spot for summertime visitors who come to the park to hike, bike
or ride horseback. In the winter, however, cross-country skiers and
snowshoers roam the park.
After my memorable descent on the Hillside trail,
more evidence of the park’s agricultural roots became apparent. The land
opened up into wide swaths of pasture (indeed, the trail was called
Pastureland) perfect for grazing – if the grass wasn’t buried under a
fluffy blanket of snow thanks to two recent storms. In the distance, I
could see a number of faded, brick-colored buildings, including an
assortment of barns and an attractive farm house.
After romping along the gentle rolling hills of the
open countryside, I made my way toward the Pine Point Loop trail. This
popular two-mile trek slices through an enthralling and mysterious white
pine forest. Gliding through the soft silence of the winter forest, I
quickly see Great Brook’s draw. It’s nearly impossible to find this type
of landscape so close to Boston.
Along the Pine Point Loop, I passed a geographical
oddity: the Tophet Swamp. Swamps, misty, murky places where soil and
water mix, are more often associated with the heat of the Southeast than
the four seasons of the New England. During a New England winter though,
with the swamp’s eerie depths cloaked in a blanket of snow, it loses
some of its mystery.
Making my way back toward the lodge, I came upon a
flat trail with lanterns placed intermittently along its edge. I had
discovered the Nordic equivalent of night skiing: the Lantern Loop
Trail. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening (weather permitting, of
course), this one mile trail shines under the soft glow of lantern
light.
Back at the lodge, while practically embracing a
cup of hot cocoa, I had the chance to meet Stuart Johnstone, who owns
and manages the Cross Country Ski concession. Johnstone, an unassuming
and frustratingly fit-looking 46 year-old, was practically born with
skis on his feet. Not long after he could walk, Johnstone’s father,
Dusty, introduced him to the world of Nordic skiing.
From elementary school through college, Johnstone
competed in cross-country races and two decades later, he has not lost
his passion for the sport.
“I love being knee-deep in snow,” Johnstone told
me. “I find myself dreaming of snow in August.”
Sometimes Johnstone dreams of snow in January.
During the winter of 1988-89, the first year he took over the cross
country ski concession at Great Brook, Mother Nature was so stingy with
the precious white stuff that the center never opened.
Even during a good season, the center might only
open for 40 days or so. Of course, with this uncertainty, the ski area
can be jumping after a notable dumping. According to Johnstone, a
thousand people can descend upon the Great Brook, and that energy is
almost as rewarding as a day on his skis. “When everyone is happy, and
enjoying the snow, that keeps me going.”
Johnstone told me that the key ingredients to a
winter day are powder and sunshine. I felt blessed to have experienced
both on this winter day, not to mention a few heart-racing hills. I
found myself eager for winter’s next big snowfall.
Ж
 Although
Sean Conneely now lives in Colorado, he is a native of the Bay
State and returns often to hike its many trails. |
