Waterville Valley Resort’s Adventure Center – Fun Cross Country Skiing

PHOTO: Charlie skis on the Livermore Trail. Waterville Valley Resort’s Adventure Center is a full-service retail and rental shop for cross country skiing, snowshoes and fat biking. There are over 70 kilometers of groomed trails that link all the best of Waterville Valley from the Town Square to Livermore Road, from Snows Mountain to the Ski Area and smack to the middle of the White Mountain National Forest. There is terrain for all abilities with plenty of grand White Mountain vistas to fill your eyes.

by Amy Patenaude
Outdoor/Ski Writer

The forecast was calling for a big snowstorm so I suggested to Charlie that we should skip out of work after lunch and go to Waterville Valley to cross country ski. The trails had plenty of snow and would be nice and fast before the storm started dumping.
Charlie didn’t need any convincing and soon we were driving north to start the weekend a little early. Up I-93 we went to exit 28 and then 11 miles further up Route 49 where in winter it dead ends in Waterville Valley.
We parked at the Town Square, booted up at our car and grabbed our skis and walked to the Adventure Center. We both have the Indy Ski Pass so we showed them our ID’s and they handed us our trail passes. (In NH, JacksonXC is also part of the Indy Ski Pass).

There’s so much snow we were able to click into our skis in the Town Square right outside the door of the Center. We skied across the dam on the Village Trail to Swans Way. Our skate skis were fast. The last snow had been groomed and skied in enough to make the snow great for gliding. Swans Trail is rolly and a good way to start an outing chasing Charlie up the trails.
We continued on Lower Osceola/Tripoli Road for a few kilometers but then we turned around because I wanted to ski up Livermore Road. So back we went and then it was a short walk on the road across the bridge over the Mad River to the Livermore Parking lot. Even though it was now late afternoon there were still many cars in the lot. A National Forest Parking Pass is required here at the Livermore Trailhead but a parking pass is included with your trail pass by request if you’d like to start your outing at Livermore Road.
Charlie and I passed a lot of skiers heading back, including a few people we knew. It was fun to take a couple of short breaks and chat about our winters.

At the intersection of the Boulder Path I saw snowshoers had broken it out down to the brook.
A giant boulder sits in the middle of the wide deep book. We were able to ski down to it to take a peek at the big boulder. It appeared that the snowshoers weren’t able to cross to the other side, there was still open water.
Back on the Livermore Trail we climbed and the snow was a little colder and drier and I noticed my skis weren’t as fast anymore. But it was okay. We’d be turning around once we reached the bridge at the intersection of the Snows Mountain Trial and then it would be a nice long gradual downhill ride back to the trailhead.
Temptation was high to ski further but it was getting late so we did turn around.
Charlie and I are looking forward to returning to ski the new trail, Rough Rider. The new trail connects the North End of the trail system to the South End. Rough Rider is 1.5ks long and runs between Upper Snows Mountain Trail and Upper Criterion, it is expert terrain. This connector trail is something we have wished for, for a very long time. Now we will be able to ski from end to end without taking our skis off for road crossings. It is wonderful that the Forest Service and the Resort were able to open this wonderful addition, three cheers!
By the time we returned to the Adventure Center it was closed, it closed at 4pm. People were heading in and out of Jugtown, the convenience store. Dozens of hockey players were either headed to or leaving the hockey rink, I wasn’t sure. There are restaurants and stores but it was too early for dinner for us.
Back at our car we put on dry clothes. We were cheerful and happy with our ski. Charlie noted it was great that the days are getting noticeably longer.

As we drove down Route 49, I got the idea that we should definitely stop at the Campton’s Dam House Brewery. Again, Charlie didn’t need any convincing and soon we were seated at the bar. Maybe I should write a guidebook tying cross-country skiing to local breweries? My pal Carey Kish’s book, Beer Hiking New England, just got published!
I hope the snow lasts well into April.
Have Fun.