Keeping cool in Smithville

New Ipswich Historical Society

Smithville Dam

Keeping cool by the waterfall in Smithville.

Newspaper Clipping

Wapack Ski Trail 1930

New England's only long ski trail begins almost in our backyards, yet we wonder how many residents of Montachusett have heard of it.

For two summers members of the Appalachian Mountain Club worked weekends to open up this 20-mile cross-country trail which follows in general the Wapack foot trail laid out in 1922 by W. R. Robbins of Rindge, and the new route will be called the Wapack Ski Trail.

"It's southern end begins," writes Gwendoline Keene in the Transcript, "at the south foot of Watatic, five miles from Ashbburnham on the Rindge-Ashby highway, skirts the west side of Watatic, goes over Nut- ting hill and then over the long ridge of Barrett mountain (1848 feet high), bringing you down to the welcoming doors of Wapaçk Lodge, where, having now completed eight and one-half of your twenty miles, you may rejoice in dinner and bed. Unless you long for the bright lights and continue four miles farther, into New Ipswich. The next morning you follow an old wood road over the west shoulder of Kidder mountain (1749 feet), along the ridge of Temple (2081 feet), cross the Nashua-Peterboro state highway in Peterboro Gap and end up first with South Pack Monadnock and then with North Pack. This day's trip is the other eleven and one-half miles of the total twenty, and, is the logical Sunday 'stint' if the earlier portion is done Saturday afternoon....

"The approximate distances from the southern end of the trail are: to the south end of Barrett mountain, three miles; to main top of Barrett seven miles; to Wapack Lodge, eight and one-half miles; to the country road at the south foot of Temple, ten and one-half miles; to the main top of Temple, thirteen miles; to the Nashua-Peterboro state highway in Peterboro Gap, fifteen miles; to the summit of South Pack Monadnock, sixteen and one-half miles; to the summit of North Pack, eighteen and one-half miles and to the trail's north end (on the highway three miles from the station of Russell, N. H., four from Greenfield, N. H., five from Peterboro N. H.) twenty miles. Besides the towns already mentioned, the trail may be approached, for Temple mountain, from the towns of Temple or Sharon N. H.

"Over the under wooded meadow or ledgy parts of the trail cairns and blazes of white and bright vermilion are used, painted on high paint are enough to allow for a good depth of snow. Bits of scarlet bunting are tied on, too, in doubtful places. Trees have been felled as close to the ground as possible, and juniper-miles of it, though not throughout - has been cleared away with the use of clippers."

Of course, everybody is invited to use the trail, and, if they wish, to help improve it next summer. Residents of Montachusett are fortunate in having the only ski trail of its kind in New England within easy distance of their homes.

James Roger diary entries

28th July 1912

Fine, cool, pleasant day; wind west. Mr. Lord preached a good sermon. S.S. after. 11 Seniors; 5 Juniors. Collection:  31 its. Vesper service at 4 p.m.; a large attendance. Mrs. Spofford organist; Susan Brown and Mr. Marsh (friend of C. Perry) soloists. Miss Hayward called in afternoon with a Mrs. Gillies whose parents came from Island of Skye.