Posted inTimes Record

Superb skiing on the exceptional Penobscot River Trails

When conditions are right, the Penobscot River Trails in Grindstone offer some of the best Nordic skiing in Maine. As was true throughout most of Maine, snow was scarce in northern Penobscot County during the first several weeks of winter. A major mid-February snowstorm dumped 16 inches of powder on the trail network significantly increasing […]

Posted inTimes Record

Outstanding Nordic skiing at Jackson Ski Touring

Jackson Ski Touring in Jackson, New Hampshire, is usually one of the first Nordic ski centers in the region to offer quality skiing. However, they experienced a dearth of snow during the first several weeks of the winter season. A succession of late-January and early-February snowstorms changed that dramatically. Jackson Ski Touring has much to […]

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Posted inTimes Record

Nordic skiing in Maine is back

For the first several weeks of winter, Nordic skiing was almost nonexistent in Maine. Rainstorms dominated the weather pattern in December and early January. Cold weather with minimal snowfall ensued. Finally, beginning in late January, a succession of modest snowstorms gradually covered the trails in my favorite ski areas. As usual, Rangeley Lakes Trails Center […]

Posted inTimes Record

A glorious day on Mount Kearsarge North in N.H.

Located on the outskirts of North Conway, New Hampshire, Mount Kearsarge North, elevation 3,268 feet, is an excellent intermediate mountain hike. Ledges on the upper western slope offer wonderful views of surrounding mountains and the distinctive fire tower at the top provides phenomenal panoramic vistas. Originally called Mount Pequawket, Mount Kearsarge has an interesting history. […]

Posted inTimes Record

Evolution of three huge social media platforms

Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, X (formally Twitter), and TikTok have made front-page news recently, though the front page may mean “trending” on social media. Certainly, politics, personal relationships and societal attitudes have all been affected by social media over the past 20 years. Do we even remember how each got started? Also, are these platforms […]

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Challenging Nordic skiing in Quebec 

Quality Nordic skiing has been difficult to find this winter. Seven Mainers planned three days of skiing near Mont Sainte Anne in Quebec over the recent New Year’s week. Situated farther north, our hope was the higher latitude would offer deeper snow levels. We reserved a condo in the village of Beaupre at the foot […]

Posted inTimes Record

Icy hazards while hiking on Mount Pisgah

My first introduction to Mount Pisgah in Winthrop was about 35 years ago. A friend, Gary Cole, invited me on a cross-country ski trip over the summit. There were no conventional cross-country ski trails on the mountain. Rather, Gary, who was very familiar with the small central Maine peak, cobbled together a combination of old […]

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Conquering wintry conditions on Ragged Mountain

One of the many benefits of membership in my outdoor club, the Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society, is the ability to network with a large number of outdoor enthusiasts. We have more than 300 adult members, so finding companions for an outdoor adventure is often a phone call or club email away. When I recently […]