Page 30 - Dec_13

into the backcountry

By Andy Howard

NortH tWIN SlIDe & tHe macHete-WIelDINg StraNger

I tHINK It’s saFe tO say that run- careful steps toward the powdery chute
ning into a machete-wielding stranger above. as we climbed, we confirmed

deep in the wilderness is probably high on the conditions were perfect for skiing
most people’s list of nightmare scenarios.
the whole slide. the snow had bonded
sometimes, however, it can be the well with the ice, making it possible to
answer to your prayers.
scratch out turns even on the steepest

Over the course of the last two icefall sections.
winters, I’ve done a bit of exploring as we reached the top of the pow-
around North twin mountain, just dery chute, Gered climbed up into the
over the border near Franconia Notch, woods above to get a run at a small
New Hampshire. so when my friends drop at the very top. We whooped and

Gered and Brad were looking to do a hollered our way down to the large
tour, I decided to show them what I had icefall where our joy was tempered by
discovered.
the unnerving sound of scrapping ski
We pulled into the trailhead and edges. each of us carefully worked a

faced a mix of good news and bad line through the icy bumps, with Gered
news. the good news: three inches of choosing a double waterfall jump to the
snow had fallen the night before. the left as his escape. I found my way to an
bad news: there were now three inches untouched powder chute to the right of

of snow on the ground. the base had this was perfect for skiing the slide, as that stood between us and the slide. I the chute we had climbed, but not be-
completely disappeared. While we were the wet snow binds to icy surfaces, mak- thought the drainage might provide an fore witnessing some of the finest tele
hopeful that the thousand feet in eleva- ing them edgeable, and holds the lighter easier route. I was wrong. We found turns ever thrown down by Gered and
tion gain to get to the slide would help powder in place when the temperature ourselves in an evergreen brush night- Brad in the deep powder of the left side
the snowpack, we all knew that skiing falls. the key to this type of snow, how- mare. the three of us spanned out to try of the slide.

the surrounding birch glades would be ever, is that it can’t get too much sun and find any clear path up the moun- I emerged from a thin row of trees
unlikely. We were totally dependent on or the powder gets mushy; or worse, the tain, and we all were brought nearly to onto the main chute and crossed above
the slide being skiable to get some de- lower layer turns to watery slush and a standstill. Barely minutes after I yelled the lower icefall ready to make my run
cent turns—a risky proposition in what slides easily off the ice. For that reason, over to Gered to add a machete to the on the last part of the powdery chute.

was such a crappy snow year.
we were actually thankful that it wasn’t gear list, I could hear Brad talking. at I threw down turn after turn before
so we set out on the four-mile a bluebird day, and instead, the sun was first I thought he was talking to himself, reaching the bottom, exhausted and
skin up to the slide. the temperature darting in and out of the clouds. as long but as I listened I could hear another thoroughly exhilarated.
was nearly perfect—in the mid-20s— as we didn’t get to the slide too late in voice. We emerged on the other side all three of us grinned as we skied
the afternoon, we had a good chance of of the thicket, and a machete-wielding
cool enough to keep the snow powdery the lower portion of the slide back into
and warm enough to strip down to our skiing it.
stranger on snowshoes appeared behind the woods, following the trail we had
base-layers and enjoy the sun. as we We climbed steadily on the logging Brad. despite the fact that we were al- used to enter. We eventually followed
climbed, the snow became thicker, and road and crossed the large brook run- ready beyond the worst of the brambles, mr. machete’s tracks on a ribboned
it was clear that the storm the night be- ning in the bottom of the slide drainage. we welcomed our new companion on trail through the sapling thicket, saving

fore had fallen “right side up.” that is I suggested we climb up along the banks our journey up to the slide.
us at least half an hour fumbling around
to say, heavy wet snow had fallen first, of the brook, remembering a large and We skirted the southern side of the in the glade. While we normally laud
with lighter more powdery snow on top.
nearly impenetrable sapling thicket
drainage up toward the slide, navigating the “leave no trace” ethos, we were glad
around thick brush and glacial erratics some local hunter before us had blazed

that were scattered through the forest. and marked a trail through this short “Your Year-Round Fitness Headquarters”
eventually, we spotted open air through section. In reality, the area had been
the trees and popped out onto the bot- clearcut only years earlier, which was
tom of the slide. It looked fantastic. the only reason the brambles existed in
although some rocks poked through, Too Cold, Dark, or Wet Outside?
the first place. the last few miles were
the coverage was still excellent. We a blur as we cruised along the mostly
skinned the lower half of the slide up downhill logging and snowmobile
to the point at which it splits into a left trails, but not before we crossed paths
and right variation. after some discus- with our machete-wielding companion

sion, we decided to don our crampons again.
and climb the smaller slide on the left. We told him of what we had found
Our machete-bearing friend decided to on the left side of the chute, and he ex-
check out the main slide and head back citedly pledged to come back the next

down the trail.
day, but with his skis instead.
the lower part of the left varia-
tion is steep but was filled with pow-
der. this section is topped by a small Ellipticals - $999.99 - up
Exercise Bikes - $599.99 - up
Treadmills - $1,449.99 - up
icefall. above this small icefall, it levels Andy Howard grew up in the woods of the All equipment setup in-store ready to demo
Northeast Kingdom and learned at an early
off for a short bit then climbs another age that skiing and biking in the trees is fun. Experienced and Knowledgeable Sales and Service Staff
set of larger and steeper icefalls before After living in North Carolina and Georgia,
topping out in another powdery section We Build It, We Deliver It, We Service It.
above. Having used our poles to reach he eventually found his way back to New
England and now lives in the Boston area 2500 Williston Rd 802-864-9197
the flat section before the main icefall, where he balances a legal career with his love
we all broke out the ice axes and kicked
for exploration and adventure.
South Burlington
www.earlsbikes.com

30 VtSportS.com
December 2013