We skiers are pretty lucky. In a training sense, this pandemic struck at just about the one key time of year when we are usually already taking a break from training and racing heavily. Really, if it was going to happen one month of the year and we had our choice of which month to sacrifice, it would definitely be April.
But it also brings about this double-edged sword, as being cooped-up in our homes makes many of us feel all the more anxious to get active. If you’re into Nordic skiing chances are you are a pretty fit, motivated person. What’s more, we aren’t supposed to be driving too far for our adventures for the sake of keeping any risk at a minimum. For some of us that’s easier said than done…I am lucky to live out in the boonies of West Bolton, where I can access both old and new sections of the Long Trail, 2 different forest preserves, and gateways into the V.A.S.T. snowmobile trail network less than a mile from home.
Yesterday I went for a run exploring and connecting some of the various trailheads and natural areas down the road. On numerous times I’ve gone on short adventures around here whether solo, with friends, or with the Juniors, but have never quite pieced together some of the possible loops. In all honesty, it’s kind of shameful that I haven’t explored so much of the possibilities right outside my door. Time for that to change, especially under the circumstances.
Given a lot of free time and some pleasant weather I set out and had a great little trip through the Wolf Run natural area, the Preston Pond/Libby’s Look area, and sections of the old Long Trail off Notch Road. Old cellar holes dot the landscape, and boundaries are marked with crumbling stone walls and gates. On Notch Road, I even ran by an old, defunct ski area (Oxbow Mountain) that is now just a regular backyard although the T-bar still stands and cuts a line through the trees, beckoning a full day of wandering around if the landowners would ever allow it…how many people knew that there was a reasonably-sized ski area on the OTHER side of the hill from Bolton Valley?
As nerdy as it sounds, I am definitely a local-history aficionado. Thinking about ski areas, farms, trails, and pioneering times in this still-rural part of Vermont got me firing up Google pretty much as soon as I came back inside. Sure enough, about an hour and a half later I had sifted through quite a bit of history in this area, from the flood of 1927 (which hit the “Bolton Flats”…known then as “Pinneo Flats” harder than anywhere else in VT given the geography), to the incredibly multi-stage story of the founding of Bolton Valley as a ski area, starting with a series of cabins constructed by Edward Bryant (sound familiar?) in the 1920s and leading all the way to the paved access road and a proposed interstate exit that never happened.
For those interested, this History of Bolton Vermont, written by Gardiner Lane (sounds familiar?) is pretty fascinating. In addition to Bolton Valley skiing and the flood of ’27, there’s also a lot of interesting history of the Camp Ethan Allen Training Center…who knew that:
- There used to be TWO biathlon ranges/trail systems (a lower and upper one, for low snow conditions)…I have my guess as to where trail system #2 was located…
- There was a period of time when non-live bombs were dropped from planes over parts of the base for testing
- Huge caravans regularly used to travel up from Essex and Colchester (Camp Johnson) routinely, before the base was self-contained
But if you DON’T live in West Bolton, Vermont, which is probably most of the population reading this, what’s the point? My challenge to you is to go for a run or a bike ride right from your home, and try to scout out some local history. It could be something abandoned, some name of an outdoor preserved space, or even just a plaque or sign. When you get back from your workout, do a little digging to find out more, and you might be inspired to return and scope out some more history and locations the next time you lace up and head out…
Resources:
Bolton VT History pages
Friends of Bolton page (w/History tab)
Construction of Bolton Lodge back in the day…ski down far enough on Broadway and you’ll get here!
