We had met a Norwegian X-Country skier, named Marty at Backpacker Shop/Ohio Canoe in NE Ohio when buying some nordic skis. Marty regaled Quechee Gorge as the mecca of X-Country skiing in the east and painted flowery pictures making a trip there in the dead of winter. Marty soon moved there...and with that, an invitation to check it out.
Throwing caution to the wind, we embarked on a 10 hour car ride...skiis strapped to the roof, backpacks stuff with food, stoves, fuel, winter clothing, our North Face bags and VE-24. We were not faint of heart...we would camp and ski.
As fate would deal the final hand...we rolled through beautiful snow covered mountains...but upon arrival...the air was thick with a wet fog. And that dense fog turned into a drizzle for our entire trip.
As luck would have it...the Quechee Gorge State Park had lean-tos...within which we set up the tent. We pulled the picnic table inside the lean-tos so we could cook and have a "dry" place to sit. Winter camping offers a different perspective, unseen and unavailable during other seasons.
Ski wax selection was out the window because of the rain and "warmer" temperatures...so we used mohair to give us the kick and glide in those conditions.
We did see much of the park...it was still buried in snow...but we skied the trails...and yes, some of the mountains as well.
It was a memorable and enjoyable trip...and worthy of a future summer or shoulder season visit. But if you've never tried winter camping, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot...no bugs, no reptiles, no people...and you don't have to zip up your bug screen every time you jump in or out of your tent. Just prepare properly.
