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The Kancamagus Brook Ski Trail leads from the Greeley Ponds Trail to Livermore Trail in Waterville Valley, offering a nine mile loop from the Livermore Road parking area. It demonstrates why ski trails should not be hiked in summer as the upper portion is an unbridged swamp. This trail should be done only when cold weather has frozen the swamps and brooks, and heavy snow cover is recommended for skiing to smooth out irregularities in the trail surface.
Distance: This trail only, 2.6 miles; entire loop about 9.2 miles
Elevation gain: This trail only, about 1000 feet; entire loop 1300 feet
Maps:
USGS Waterville Valley
AMC Crawford Notch-Sandwich Range (trail not shown)
Location: White Mountains Region
NH 2003-2004 map I-7
DeLorme NHA&G 44-K2 (trail not shown) - Waterville Valley/Livermore
Waterville Valley is reached via NH Route 49 from Exit 28 of I-93, or (summer and early fall only) via the scenic partly gravel Tripoli Road from Exit 31 of I-93.
Lower End: Greeley Ponds Trail about 1.7 miles from Livermore Road parking area, elevation about 1800 feet
Upper End: Livermore Trail about 4.9 miles from Livermore Road parking area, elevation about 2780 feet
Owner: White Mountain National Forest
Maintainer: WVAIA
Special regulations: No dogs on the approach trails during the ski season
From the Greeley Ponds Trail, the Kancamagus Brook Ski Trail ascends moderately, soon parallelling the brook which is in a gully below. At .8 miles it crosses Kancamagus Brook (no bridge) and parallels the other side for an additional .7 miles. These sections feature crossings of many small side brooks which may be tedious without ample snow cover, plus the more difficult crossing of the main brook. The trail then makes a sharp switchback R and ascends to the ridge in another .7 miles, recrossing many of the small brooks just crossed.
The remaining .4 miles crosses the broad ridge leading to Flume Peak and features little change in elevation but crossings of more brooks and a sizeable swampy area. This is best done in cold weather when they are frozen over. This section of trail may also be hard to find as the woods are open. Finally the trail ends at the Livermore Trail; turn R to return to the parking lot.
When is the off season for a ski trail? The trail should not be hiked in summer as the upper portion is an unbridged swamp. The Livermore Road parking lot is plowed in winter. Snowshoes or skis should be worn on this trail to protect the surface from postholing.
Map Notes: The USGS map shows it as "Ski Trail".
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