Advice on AT trip

So now that we have skied at Gore for four straight days and it looks like it will be cold after new years,  I'm thinking it will be a good time to try out the AT equipment we bought two years ago and didn't get to use at all last year.  Any suggestions on a good first trip? I was thinking of the Thunderbolt on Greylock, the trail from the Garnet Mine down to North Creek (historic Gore ride up ski down), and the toll rd on Whiteface. Any thoughts ?

A surprisingly fun trip is ADK log to Avalanche lake. Easy skinning and you can ski right back down to the car.  Beautiful views, all around great trip.

If you're staying in NC I believe there is some nice stuff in that area as well, check in at the Gear Source

Thanks, happy new year!

I skied the Toll Rd on Whiteface a few years ago on light XC touring gear. It was a nice view from the top, but it was just an easy glide down if you stay on the road. Would not be much fun on AT gear unless there is an area to ski in the woods.

evergreen wrote

 the trail from the Garnet Mine down to North Creek... Any thoughts ?

This is the Raymond Brook Trail. It's a nice tour. You can get dropped by car at the top at Bartons Road, or you can ski it from 13th Lake.

My own personal opinion is that it is perfect for a freeheeled waxless setup.

I've only skied it once, before it was marked, or actually re-marked. Back in the day we called it...

The Secret Ski

I'm taking out a few people that I'd like to see ski on a trail before venturing into any woods or slides - does anyone know of something like the toll road but a hair steeper? Thanks for any hints. We'd be leaving from LP. Feel free to message if it's a super private stash and I'll keep it that way.

ADK loj to avalache pass in a good ski for first time--there are a few steep sections.  I have only done it on light cross country gear..you can use skins on the one sections called misery mile, but dont have to.  

Another good option is Mackensie glades off of Lake Placid Lodge road.  Very easy trail and glades and not too long.  Very open glades, but you can just stick to trail too.  

Thanks everybody.  Yesterday my son Max and I went for a  New Years Day adventure ski.  We parked at the trailhead by North Creek and skinned up the Ray Brook trail for about 3 miles.  It was getting kind of late so we decided to turn around and have a nice descent to the car.  It was fun but also very frustrating.  After skiing downhill for a while there was always another uphill.  Re-applying the skins repeatedly was no fun!  It was really cold and the darkening light conditions made it difficult to line up the toe binding.  Eventually we had a nice descent through the last set of glades, and we had a good laugh because we had never skied glades under the stars before!  So our assessment was that it would be better to do this particular trail from the top with backcountry cross country skis and use the AT equipment on something with a more consistent pitch, maybe a lost ski area or a bowl out West.  I'd like to hear from someone who has any advice with technique, or place to ski.

Sounds like you need some kick wax.  I was a couple years after I started going out in the backcountry that I learned about that stuff.   You put it under your footprint.  If give you some traction to kick but you still have a good glide.

Having to re-skin on a BC adventure is not uncommon. Better get used to it.

That Ray Brook trail does have alot ups and downs more suitable for a setup as Harv stated. Its not the greatest spot for lots of downhill action

Not many turny waxless skis made any more.  This looks like the heir to the venerable Karhu XCD GT:

http://madshus.com/skis/annum-ski-1213



78mm underfoot.

Take a look at a topo prior and you will get a better idea of the ups and downs. Take into consideration the elevation change over the distance traveled when looking for lots of down

Also not always taking the skis off and on for de-skinning and re-attaching helps. The off is easier than the on

To take off. Put both poles on one side of you. Taking the ski on your poles side. Lean on the poles. Kick it out in front of you and cross it over lifting up the tail keeping the entire ski off the ground. Reach down unhook the skin at the tail and give it a whip off.

Putting on a lot harder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7DmucMX1pk

skimore wrote

Also not always taking the skis off and on for de-skinning and re-attaching helps. The off is easier than the on

To take off. Put both poles on one side of you. Taking the ski on your poles side. Lean on the poles. Kick it out in front of you and cross it over lifting up the tail keeping the entire ski off the ground. Reach down unhook the skin at the tail and give it a whip off.

Putting on a lot harder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7DmucMX1pk

Thanks for the tip - I will need to learn to do this.

Make sure you can do this without dragging the skin through the snow. Getting snow on the glue side will cause problems with icing