When Greg Drummond opened his Claybrook Mountain Lodge in Highland Plantation, Maine, he thought that his winter business would depend on snowmobilers. For a while, it did. Then the backcountry skiers discovered the Bigelow Mountains and the snowmobile trails that let them glide through miles of backcountry without the hard work of breaking trail. Today, he says, it's cross-country skiers who make up the bulk of his wintertime clientele. Drummond has skied all over the area as a local trip leader. He's also created miles of ski trails on his property, which adjoins Bigelow State Preserve.

Maine in early winter

The Bigelow Mountains offer a wide range of skiing experiences, from flat snowmobile trails in the lowlands to extremely difficult backcountry routes, including the steep descent down the south face of Poplar Mountain, which Drummond characterizes as"for experts only."

For non-experts, one of Drummond's favorite routes is a five-mile ski from Long Falls Dam Road to Bigelow Lodge. Outbound, the trail offers a gentle glide through northern forests; it's the return that can get interesting, if the wind is blowing just right.

It may be the invention of a new sport: Ski-sailing, anyone?

Move on to Pemigewasset Wilderness

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