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When it comes to defining a genuine snowmobile destination, a place that sledders go out of their way to visit, there are many key criteria, a few of them being - ample snow, a nice trail network, good grooming, interesting scenery and terrain changes, and multiple food and lodging options.
Once in New Hampshire, it didn't take long to see that the state had all of the above. One glance at the map provided the first clue, and a day on the trails told the rest.
SnowmoburgPittsburg, N.H., is that kind of place, renowned as a Mecca for snowmobilers and well known throughout the East. It's located near the northern tip of the state, lying between the White Mountains to the south and the Quebec border to the north. Just a few miles east and west lay Maine and Vermont, which also are outstanding places to ride.
This area is characterized by low, forested mountains, intervening valleys and a variety of lakes. The most prominent is First Connecticut Lake, with Pittsburg on its western shore. Several trails access its frozen surface, making it part of the network going in and out of town.
Pittsburg is a sled-friendly place, as photographer Todd Schei and I discovered during a mid-February visit. Its reputation as a snowmobile hot spot was established early in the 1960s and '70s. Forests throughout northern New Hampshire were ideal for establishing snowmobile trails and today's network of unplowed roads offers plenty of great riding on wide, well groomed routes. Most of the land is accessible through conservation recreational easements and the permission of countless landowners.
Credit for the outstanding trails goes to the Pittsburg Ridge Runners, a club with more than 4,000 members that includes plenty of local residents, plus a large number of frequent visitors. Grooming trails throughout this region is the club's top priority, and it shows. I've been snowmobiling in dozens of states and Canadian provinces for more than 25 years and I've rarely seen grooming on this scale. There are groomers operating night and day. It's a big job and they do it well.
"We operate four Pisten Bullies and a New Holland tractor to maintain more than 200 miles of trails," says Keith Landry, the club's grooming coordinator. "We have between 15 and 20 operators and they're on a rotation that allows us to cover most of the network every day. Our groomers are very dedicated and take great pride in keeping the trails in top condition. They put in a lot of hours and do outstanding work that bring us plenty of compliments."
A diverse rideKeith was our guide the first day as we started out of the Metallak Shores Resort, just outside of town on First Connecticut Lake. The resort features modern, comfortable cabins overlooking the lake and offers quick access to the trails, making it an ideal place to stay. It's also the staging point for Pathfinder Sno-Tours & Snowmobile Rentals. Owner and guide, Armand Buteau offers a fleet of Ski-Doos for guided tours or daily rentals. We explored the area on a pair of 550 fans.
That first day we headed east and north of Pittsburg for an all-day jaunt. After running the length of the lake, we enjoyed some fast, sweeping trails before venturing off to climb Diamond Ridge Peak, a panoramic lookout offering views to the north, south and west, with other mountains and lakes visible in the distance. One of the main attractions atop this peak is a population of birds that will actually eat from your hand, as Keith demonstrated.
It wasn't long until we were having another adventure, climbing beautiful Stub Hill. Keith took us up a single track "trail" that meandered through snow covered pines and emerged at Stub Hill Pond. Other sledders were already there, including a family that was letting their youngsters test drive a machine around the perimeter of the secluded mountaintop lake.
We rode back into town for lunch, stopping at the Happy Corner Café next to Young's Store, a popular refueling stop. After filling our stomachs and our sleds, we were off again, this time on a run for the Canadian border.
The distance to Quebec is less than 20 miles, but it typifies the great riding to be had throughout this area. We rode on twisting trails with a number of elevation changes, cruising through the Connecticut Lakes Natural Area, a preserve that straddled both sides of our route for several miles. At the international border, we chatted with the American guards for a few minutes before heading off to the east for a quick run into Maine, where we stopped at the first resort beyond the border, the Bosebuck Mountain Camps. After a short break, we mounted up and rode into the setting sun as we made our way back to Pittsburg.
Our travel total? A comfortable 133 miles for the day.
Day 2The next day Todd and I were on our own, but with a reliable map we had no problem enjoying another great day of riding. We headed for the Canadian border with passports in hand (don't try to re-enter the U.S. without one!), with thoughts of enjoying a French Canadian lunch. After clearing customs, we enjoyed a leisurely cruise to Chartierville, the first village on the other side. That's as far as anyone is allowed to go without a Quebec trail permit, but our destination was the Resto Le Magnetic, the small town's café. When this place closed several years ago, the local residents bought it themselves and today run it as a cooperative.
Returning to New Hampshire, we ran south on trails that paralleled the Vermont border, enjoying some thrilling ascents and breathtaking descents on steep slopes west of Pittsburg. Along the way, we turned off to explore secondary trails that offered a bit of deep snow riding.
Before long, we were heading into Vermont, cruising through the town of Beecher Falls. Our excursion into the Green Mountain State wasn't much longer than our visit to Maine had been. After riding several miles south to Canaan, we crossed back into New Hampshire and enjoyed more rolling terrain on our return to Pittsburg, where we stopped on the outskirts for dinner at the Indian Stream House & Cantina. After dark, we arrived back at the Metallak Shores Resort with 102 miles on the odometer, completing another memorable day of riding, with many trails still unexplored.