2015 Winter of Snow

Nature Center Entrance

If the winter of 2014/2015 hasn't restored faith for outdoor winter sports enthusiasts, they must be locked in a cave.  Okay, it has admittedly been a bit cold, but the snow is first rate.  Rather than past years when storms started as snow, changed over to rain, and then then froze solid a couple days later, this winter has dumped one plowable snowstorm after another with perfectly textured snow.  Much of this snow has accumulated along the Maine coast, thus providing some exceptional skiing opportunities in places that don't always get enough snow for winter fun.

We took this opportunity to head for the Midcoast region of Maine and Hidden Valley Nature Center.  Located just west of Route 215 on Egypt Road in Jefferson, this center lives up to its name.  Rather than pyramids or deserts along this winding side road a half-mile from Route 215, we discovered several small parking areas plowed out and lined with roof-rack-topped SUVs.  The 8 to 10-foot-tall snowbanks were a good indication that the skiing was going to be phenomenal - and it was.

Nature Center Gatehouse

We clicked into our skis and started off down the trail.  About a couple hundred feet in, we came to a small wooden gatehouse with a sign prompting us to sign in and drop the $5 per person usage fee donation into the lock box.  After dropping our cash and studying the map, we were off to explore the pleasantly groomed trail network. 

It's easy to see why their brochure claims that this is "A Gem of Wilderness in Midcoast Maine."  The center encompasses about 1,000 acres of land and nearly 30 miles of multi-use trails.  Not only is it open for cross country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, but in the summer there's a bog walk and vast network of nature trails in addition to three cabins and several campsites for overnight stays.  All of this less than 10 miles from bustling Route 1.

This part of the state boasts rolling hills covered with both hard wood and soft wood.  Along many of the meandering roads stand 100-year-old farmhouses and white clapboard villages.  As someone who grew up in Vermont, I find that this part of Maine reminds me a lot of the  Green Mountain State.   But back to the skiing.

The groomed trails were wide enough for people to pass one another in each direction.  One of the first people we crossed paths with was Andy McAvoy, the director of the center who introduced himself and asked if we'd been there before.  We chatted a bit before he set off with his dog to continue his rounds on the trails. 

The trail signage was pretty good, save a couple of intersections, so the trails were easy to follow and the rolling hill through the well-spaced trees provided enough variety to make the skiing fun and interesting.  We found ourselves going on the flats for a bit, then climbing a short little hill followed by a gentle downhill.  Granted we stuck to the easy and moderate trails, so we didn't come across anything overly challenging.

A building called The Barn acted as the lodge.  Inside this brand new building, a fire crackled in the wood stove around which members and other skiers socialized.  Just outside the front door was an extra wide trail that was the primary north-south route with offshoots to all the other trails.

During our short visit, we only covered a fraction of the trails, but one could probably spend a day exploring this beautiful area.

We left Hidden Valley Nature Center happy to discover this precious gem and promising to return at some point down the road.

The main drag.  Kidney Pond Trail looking towards Bowl Loop.

Warming by the fire.