Bolduc Park -Piche’s Ski Touring Center

PHOTO: Yours truly kicking and gliding on the cross country ski trails at Bolduc Park. I recommend reading on the Bolducpark.org website the Thompson-Ames Historical Society piece by Carol Anderson, “History of Bolduc Park, a history of giving to local communities.” Since 1978 people have been skiing here because of the vision and generosity of Bob Bolduc, founder. Winter activities at the Bolduc Park are cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The disc-golf course is open year-round. In the summer the Park is home to a nine-hole par 3 golf course. Bolduc Park is run and maintained entirely by volunteers. Bolduc Park is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are tax deductible.

by Amy Patenaude
Outdoor/Ski Writer

Bolduc Park has been a location for cross country skiing for a long time. Here, Bob Bolduc’s vision of ski trails was completed in 1978, making for a place where Piche’s could host cross country ski races and offer skiers a place to ski and receive instruction. People can snowshoe too.
This winter has been one of the best in many years and the ski tracks are waiting for you and your family and friends. It is a great deal too—to be able to enjoy skiing on groomed ski trails with set tracks for a five dollar trail pass is a very big bang for your buck.
Bolduc Park is located off of Gilford Avenue on the Laconia and Gilford townline, just a short distance from Piche’s Ski & Sport.
It was late Saturday afternoon when Charlie and I pulled into the parking lot next to the clubhouse. When I went into the clubhouse to pay for our trail passes I was welcomed by the President of the Bolduc Park Association (he was not interested in me taking his photo). He gave me a copy of the trail map. There are restrooms in the clubhouse. If the clubhouse is not open, trail passes can be paid for online/QR code or use the donation box next to the door.

Bolduc Park is run and maintained entirely by volunteers. Bolduc Park is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are tax deductible. The park also has an open year-round disc-golf course and in the summer it is home to a nine-hole par 3 golf course.
We found that the ski trails had been recently groomed. They criss-crossed in the woods and looped around the property and over the golf course. The big race track loop had a skate lane and tracks while it appeared all the other trails through the woods are for classic skiing.
There were a few other people out skiing around making the best use of the last hour of daylight along with us. The trails in the woods along the disc golf course were rolly and fun. We spied a few handpainted trail signs tacked to trees. “Swamp Trail, “Neighborhood,” and “Carrol’s Cutoff.” What a wonderful place to go skiing.

We skied by a tall windmill on the edge of the ski trail and read the sign that it was an Eagle Scout project. When I got home I did a Google search and learned that it was Cameron Skarritt’s 2010 Eagle Scout project. Bob Bolduc, the park’s founder, had purchased the windmill and called the local Troop to see if anyone was interested in the windmill project. The windmill powers an air pump to aerate the pond using wind power.
Skiing here is a great place to learn to cross country ski and to sharpen your skills no matter what your level of experience. If you don’t own your own equipment Piche’s offers daily rentals for $25. They sell cross country ski equipment and have season-long rentals and snowshoes too.

Piche’s Ski & Sport is nearby but they close at 5 pm so we hustled to get there before they closed. Unfortunately I didn’t get to meet any of the Bolduc family members but the staff at the store were cheerful and helpful.
There is still plenty of winter left. As I sit here typing away, it is snowing outside like crazy. I really am enjoying this wonderfully snowy winter! I hope you are too.
Have Fun.