Neither Snow nor Rain....

... nor heat nor gloom of night stays the WVAIA trail crew (i.e.- Dan and Gary) from maintaining the network of trails that make Waterville Valley the rich place for hiking that it is. Pictured here are Dan Newton and Gary Moak clearing a pair of widow makers near the junction of the Snows Mountain Trail and the Greeley Ledge Trail, on December 11, 2010.

Welcome

Welcome to our Blog. We hope you will post comments, trip reports and trail conditions that you find while hiking in and around Waterville Valley. We welcome all comments and suggestions as to how we can make the blog an effective tool in managing our trails.

Wilderness First Aid Class

On November 6 and 7, the WVAIA held a Wilderness First Aid course here in Waterville Valley. Sixteen outdoor enthusiasts with experience levels ranging from casual to an experienced AMC Trip Leader took part in the comprehensive wilderness first aid program. It was taught by Gerry Brache, a highly qualified instructor from SOLO (Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities) of Conway, NH. The participants hailed from all over New England including six from Waterville Valley.

A small sample of the subjects covered were-

·  Backcountry Essentials

·  Survival Skills (including lightning)

·  Patient Assessment

·  Rescue Plan

·  Spinal Cord Injury Management

·  Sprains & Strains

·  Trauma-Musculoskeletal Injuries

If you spend any time out on the trails, whether it be hiking, x-country skiing, mountain biking, or just out for a walk, these skills could prove invaluable and potentially life-saving. WVAIA will offer this course again, so please sign up for the next class.

Volunteer Trail Day

On Saturday October 2, five volunteers hiked up to the Sosman Trail. It was clear and cool and a great day to be in the mountains. We cleared a nest of sizable fir trees that had blown down across the trail, thus causing a bypass that is creating significant resource damage.

As we head into the winter season, we have completed our official volunteer trail days for the season. We still have the north end of the Snows Mountain Trail Loop to clear. If anyone is interested in helping out, email us at wvaiatrails@gmail.com.

Dan

FALL HIKES

Join WVAIA volunteers for Saturday morning hikes. Hikes meet in Waterville Valley Town Square at the Gazebo @ 9AM unless listed otherwise below.


October 9 Morgan-Percival Loop: This 4.8 mile loop affords picturesque views of Squam Lake and Lake Winnipesauke via ascent on the Mt. Morgan Trail, traversing the Crawford Ridgepole Trail for .8 miles, and descending the Mt. Percival Trail. Although the highest elevation is 2220 feet, rocky footing for part of the way makes this more than a beginner hike. Volunteer Ldr.- Gary Moak
October 16 East Pond, Little East Pond Loop: Moderate 5 mile loop hike at relaxed, easy pace, with around 1000’ elevation gain. This is a pleasant loop hike to two high mountain ponds. A beautiful Fall walk. Volunteer Ldr.- Dan Newton
October 23 Greeley Ponds: Easy hike at relaxed pace to two remote ponds in Mad River Notch. 6-7 miles out and back, with 600’-700’ elevation gain.
Volunteer Ldr.- Dan Newton
October 30 Timber Camp Trail and beyond: Explore one of the lesser known trails in the valley for 1.5 miles to an old logging camp that affords unique Mad River Notch views, including Painted Cliff. When the trail ends, we’ll keep going, following former logging roads, to one of the great secret spots of Waterville Valley. Approx. 6.6 miles round-trip. Volunteer Ldr. - Dan Newton

WILDERNESS FIRST AID CLASS Nov 6 & 7

WILDERNESS FIRST AID to be taught by S.O.L.O here in Waterville Valley

Accidents happen. People get hurt, sick, or lost. Would you know what to do? When bad things happen, sometimes the wrong care can make things worse. By learning a few basic skills, you can make the difference between a good outcome and a bad one-and maybe even save a life.

Once again, the WVAIA will be hosting a SOLO wilderness first aid course on Saturday and Sunday November 6 & 7, 2010. The course is 16 hours long (two days), and focuses on the following basic skills: Response and Assessment, Musculoskeletal Injuries, Environmental Emergencies, Survival Skills, Soft Tissue Injuries, and Medical Emergencies. Tuition is $100, and is $85 for WVAIA members. What a deal! This course, taken at the SOLO facility in Conway could cost over $150.

To register, please send your check for the appropriate amount to:

WVAIA, P.O. Box 412, Waterville Valley, NH 03215

Enclose your name, address, phone and email, so that you can receive important course information.

If you’re not a WVAIA member, please consider joining ($20 annual dues). Tuition plus membership is only $5 more than the non-member tuition, and you get the benefit of joining us in trail maintenance projects, social events, AIA led hikes, and the satisfaction of contributing to the stewardship of our trails.

Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities (SOLO) introduced the first Wilderness First Aid course of this kind in the United States, in 1975. It is the curriculum upon which all other backcountry medicine courses are based. It creates a solid foundation in the basics of backcountry first aid. WFA is the perfect course for the outdoor enthusiast who wants a basic level of first aid training for short trips with family, friends, and outdoor groups.

For more information, e-mail your questions to: wvaiatrails@gmail.com

Volunteer Trail Day October 2

Join us on Saturday, October 2 to work on the Snow's Mountain Trail.
We'll meet at the Snow's Mountain parking lot near the Waterville Academy and the old ski lift at 9 AM sharp.
email questions to wvaiatrails@gmail.com

CANCELLATIONS

Hikes scheduled for Saturday July 10th and July 24th are canceled. Please check back here to see if they will be reinstated.

July 3, Trail Day

Meet at 9:00 AM at Depot Camp for a full day of trail work on the Flume Brook and Old Skidder trails. Leader Dan Newton

CANCELLED National Trails Day Activites

CANCELLED DUE TO FORECAST OF THUNDERSTORMS
Join WVAIA for a fun day of trail maintenance followed by a BBQ on the beach. This is an opportunity to honor our historical commitment to maintaining this important trail system.
We meet at Depot Camp parking area off West Branch Rd. at 9 AM. A BBQ for the “Volunteers” will be hosted on the beach by Corcoran's Pond at approximately 4:00 PM. BYOB !

Advance registration is definitely required. Please RSVP to WVAIA
Wear suitable clothing: Boots, Gloves, Bug Spray, etc. Bring water and a snack or light lunch

So, let us know whether you will be coming and if you will be bringing any of your own tools (loppers, grub hoes, etc)

Meeting with USFS

Dan Newton firming up our new Cooperator agreement with Jenny Burnett of USFS.

Snow Capped Mt. Washington

from summit of South Moat Mtn.

Trout Lillies on Mt. Tecumseh Trail

Summer Hikes with WVAIA

Hikes meet in Waterville Valley Town Square at 9:00 AM unless specified otherwise
Sat. May 29- Mt. Potash, L Gary. 4.4. miles r/t to ledgy summit at 2670 ft. Offers excellent views for relatively easy effort. Good early season outing. Leaves @ 9 AM
Fri. June 4- N. Kinsman via Mt. Kinsman Trail, L Dan
Sat. June 5– National Trail Day
Fri. June 18- Mt. Whiteface via Downes Brook Trail, L Dan
Sat. July 3- Volunteer Trail Day
Sat. July 10– Mt. Pierce, CANCELLED  L Harry. 6.4 miles r/t via Crawford Path and Webster Cliff Trail; 2400’ elevation gain to 4312 ft. summit. Moderate but steady climb. Fine views of Presidential Range. Leaves at 8:30 AM.
Sat. July 24– Mt. Liberty, CANCELLED  L Harry. 6.4 miles r/t via Liberty Spring and Franconia Ridge Trails; 3050’ elevation gain to the summit at 4459 ft. Ascends steadily and rather steeply at times to the Franconia Ridge Trail. Excellent views of Franconia Ridge. Leaves at 8:30 AM.
Sat. July 31- Mt. Moosilauke, L Gary. 6.8 mile hike up the Snapper trail, possibly the easiest route to the summit at 4802 feet. Leaves @ 8:30 AM, return by 4:30.
Sat. Aug 7– VolunteerTrail Day
Sat. August 21- Mt. Hale, L Gary. 4.4 mile r/t up the Hale Brook Trail to the exposed summit of Mt. Hale at 4054 feet. Leaves @ 8:30 AM
Sat. September 4- Mt. Israel, L Gary. 4.2 mile r/t up the Wentworth Trail to the summit at 2630 feet, affording good views of the Sandwich Range. Leaves @ 9 AM
Sat. Oct 2– Volunteer Trail Day

Dan's North Slide Adventure

RIGHT: View of the North Slide from the Scaur Ridge Trail. After three hours of hiking, we decided to continue to Pine Bend Brook Trail, despite the poor snow coverage. Snow line was about half way up the Scaur Ridge Trail. In the sun, it was hot, and the prospect of skiing the Slide was bleak, casting a pall of doubt over each step.

LEFT: Dan Newton and his dog Friday on Tripyramid ridge at the junction with the Pine Bend Brook trail. Later, after watching Dan ski down the strip of snow at the top of the slide, Friday schussed it, bounding straight down the face to greet his master, snow kicking up and pinwheeling and spraying out to the sides, as he slammed on the brakes, hoping for a goodie...




RIGHT: Brenda Conklin just below the summit of North Tripyramid. Still 2 to 3 feet of snow on the ridge. Thankfully, we met a pair of intrepid hikers who had cleared the Pine Bend Brook Trail of the many blowdowns leading up to the junction with the Mount Tripyramid Trail. Had they not done this, our progress would have put us at the top of the slide at 4:30PM

LEFT: During the descent, it rains, followed by a stunning rainbow arching over the slide, emblematic of the magical day...

BACKCOUNTRY SNOWSHOE/X-C SKI ADVENTURES

Sat. April 3
Livermore Pass

Tue. April 6
Kacamagus Brook Ski Trail

Thu. April 8
Woodbury Trail

Sat. April 10
The Scaur Ridge

MT WASHINGTON FROM SCAUR RIDGE

Meet at the Livermore Parking lot @ 9AM                    

Trip Leader: Dan Newton. Questions? email dan@wmadventures.com

Dan will evaluate snow conditions on Livermore Road/ Trail and beyond on Thursday, April 1 [no kidding] and update this blog regarding the April 3rd outing to Livermore Pass.

Stay tuned...