hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

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lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

Post by lilcliffy » Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:15 pm

So I decided to try my hand at taking some photos of some of my backyard backcountry skiing. (I apologize- they are not very good).

My daily skiing involves a series of loops that range from 5 to 25kms. During the week I typically daily do the 5 km (staying on my own woodlot) or the 15km loop (if I have enough time). On the weekend I get in a longer loop ranging up to 25kms or so.

The BC skiing here in central New Brunswick ranges from skiing through open fields; to skiing on trails through very dense forest; to skiing through open hardwood forest.

The forests here are at the northern limit of the temperate zone, and the southern limit of the boreal. Therefore the forests are a mix of northern temperate and boreal forests. This type of forest is known as a “hemiboreal” or “temperate-boreal transitional forest”. Hemiboreal forests exist in the northeast of the US/south-eastern Canada; and extend down into the Appalachians at high elevation. The climate in much of the Maritimes and part of Maine is cool/cold and humid- as result of the cold waters of the North Atlantic. Year-round precipitation is high; and the temperatures are typically moderated by the ocean. This climate produces a unique forest region known as “the Acadian Forest Region”- which is distinctly different than the hemiboreal forests of western NB, QC, ON, New England and the northern Great Lakes.

The conifer and mixedwood forests here are very, very dense. Skiing on classic long skis can only effectively be done on trails, fields and through open hardwood stands.

There are endless interconnecting trails and closed woods roads transecting through the hills and forests of NB. In this part of New Brunswick elevations top out at about 350m. But the topography ranges from rolling, to rugged, deeply cut stream and river valleys.

My closest XCD “playground” is steep descents into Giants Glen along the Nashwaak River.

What follows are a series of photos taken along one of my typical loops- this one about 15kms.

The view out my backdoor.
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A pic of a few of the girls.
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A trail down along one of the brooks.
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A recent timber harvest I completed on our woodlot.
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The view from the bottom of our largest field.
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One of the many woods roads on our property.
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A field up on the "plateau".
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A view down into the Glen- with the top of the Village of Stanley in the background.
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The Finnish Commando Trail.
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Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.

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athabascae
Posts: 234
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 9:17 pm
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
Favorite Skis: Asnes MR48; Asnes Ingstad
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Re: hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

Post by athabascae » Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:44 pm

Little bit of heaven you have out your back door. Nice pups too. Lucky guy!

Great description and photos. Thanks for sharing.

Tom



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connyro
needs to take stock of his life
needs to take stock of his life
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 11:46 am

Re: hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

Post by connyro » Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:54 pm

Thanks for sharing LC! Your landscape looks similar to some interior parts of the UP of Michigan. Very beautiful country you live in. Would love to see what your hills look like!



MikeK

Re: hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

Post by MikeK » Mon Feb 15, 2016 8:37 am

Nice. I see why you like long skis!



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lowangle al
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
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Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

Post by lowangle al » Mon Feb 15, 2016 1:05 pm

Nice place you got there Cliffy



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lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

Post by lilcliffy » Mon Dec 11, 2017 12:41 pm

WELL- the snow has finally come!!!!

30cm Saturday night- more on the way tomorrow and end of the week.

Got my first ski of the season in at midnight Dec. 9- VERY late for my neck of the woods!

Spent all yesterday afternoon playing on backyard slopes with my 3-year old on our Hoks.

Out again this morning and did so yo-yo laps with my current Rock skis- 195cm Eons.

Man- I feel good! Feel strong, but a bit out of shape! :oops:
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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t-$
Posts: 272
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2017 7:29 am

Re: hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

Post by t-$ » Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:05 pm

wow, that's pretty dang nice! good on you for making the most of it! i wish we had your snow :oops: also i guess i need to step up my picture game...

its like fucking courier and ives up in there, merry christmas!! hahahhahah, keep posting the trail reports!



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fisheater
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Location: Oakland County, MI
Ski style: All my own, and age doesn't help
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Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska, Alico Ski March
Occupation: Construction Manager

Re: hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

Post by fisheater » Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:34 pm

Beautiful country Gareth, do you have a girl fond of feed bin or are ewes on the way. Funny time of year??? Looks like you have a couple reliable ski partners. Thank you for sharing.
Mike, have not heard from you in a while. Don't be a stranger.



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lowangle al
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

Post by lowangle al » Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:22 am

[quote="lilcliffy"]WELL- the snow has finally come!!!!

30cm Saturday night- more on the way tomorrow and end of the week.

Got my first ski of the season in at midnight Dec. 9- VERY late for my neck of the woods!

Spent all yesterday afternoon playing on backyard slopes with my 3-year old on our Hoks.

Out again this morning and did so yo-yo laps with my current Rock skis- 195cm Eons.
that
Man- I feel good! Feel strong, but a bit out of shape! :oops:[/quote

That does sound late for up there. I also got my first ski in this week end back in Pa. It was good cold dry snow that made me feel like I was in good shape, but I'm probably not.



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada

Post by lilcliffy » Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:47 pm

Got a real shit show mess of precipitation over the last 36 hours.

Started with almost 40cm of beautiful soft snow- then finished with freakin rain this morning and 5C!!!??? Temperature will be almost -20C by dawn tomorrow morning, FRACK!

Just finished marking all of my exams for this semester tonight- ready for a break!

And my snow has gone to frozen shit...

Quebec City got 50cm of snow in this storm- the northern Laurentians got even more!!! :mrgreen: :twisted:
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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