X-C Ski Six Miles To Gorman Chairback Camp Lodge and Guest Cabins.

If you’re an active cross country skier, you probably enjoy staying where you ski. Plus, if you’re an active senior xc skier you most likely enjoy comfortable surroundings, pleasant company and staff as much as you enjoy snow covered trails. A number of locations across the USA come to mind like

Gorman Chairback Lodge is a rustic winter retreat that appeals to your inner Thoreau. Credit: Steve Hines
Gorman Chairback Lodge is a rustic winter retreat that appeals to your inner Thoreau.
Credit: Steve Hines

Royal Gorge, CA., Jackson Hole, WY., and Craftsbury Common, VT. But the State of Maine, LL Bean and the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) have collaborated to bring the inspired xc skier a wonderful resource—Gorman Chairback Camp and Lodge. The Camp is located near Greenville Maine at the southern tip of Moosehead Lake. Exact directions to the lodge are at www.amcoutdoors.org where you can also make your reservation.

All the cabins have wood stoves amply supplied by the camp staff. As one of our party quite succinctly put it, “cabin accommodations were very comfortable yet simple.” The camp sits on the shore of Long Pond (really a very large lake) with no discernable development in sight or nearby. The food in the lodge’s dining hall was exceptional using many vegetables right from the Camp’s own garden. All meals are included with each night’s stay – and (delicious) coffee is available from early morning to late in the evening.

What makes Chairback unique is that you must ski about six miles from a winter parking lot to the lodge. The staff will bring your other gear and luggage to the lodge for you on snowmobiles. While the staff grooms the trails, you should be at least an intermediate skier. I use a metal edge, back country ski, but others in our group make do on touring skis. Plan to also bring a pair of snowshoes to enjoy the many hiking trails that are not groomed but have scenic terrain and panoramic vistas.

Trail markers point the way to Long Pond. The last few miles of the Appalachian Trail run through the area. Credit: Steve Hines
Trail markers point the way to Long Pond. The last few miles of the Appalachian Trail run through the area.
Credit: Steve Hines

The lodging is what I call “rustic elegance”. The cabins are heated with wood stoves that can be tricky to adjust and often need to be refilled in the middle of the night. So there’s and element of “roughing it” in the winter too. Many guests bring sleeping bags, but I usually bring my own flannel sheets and use the blankets and comforters provided.

I’ve found that skiing in this area always has what xc skiers call dependable snow. There’s never a time in the winter when the snow is missing or the trails have bare spots.

I’d like to make recommendations for specific trails but all the ski terrain is equally excellent.

As a post- script, it is well to remember that the AMC is a club and Not For Profit company. This means all members and guests have a responsibility to keep the camp clean and to provide proper feedback.

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