In late November, Proctor Academy will open its new Nordic Center featuring an expanded FIS homologated Nordic trail system with snowmaking capability. The Proctor Ski Area, the school’s privately owned and operated alpine and Nordic training facility, was recognized last winter by Ski Magazine’s prestigious Golden Eagle Award for Environmental Excellence. This most recent enhancement to the Nordic trails at the Proctor Ski Area continues Proctor’s tradition of capital projects focused on environmental sustainability.
Beginning in the early summer, trail design by nationally renowned trail designer John Morton showcased the scope of work involved in this significant trail enhancement project. Morton’s expertise designing trail systems has brought him to some of the nation’s leading Nordic centers, including Middlebury College’s Rikert Nordic Center and the Jackson Ski Touring Center in Jackson, New Hampshire.
His efforts designing an efficient trail system were critical, as sustainable timber harvesting under the management of Proctor’s Woodland Manager, David Pilla, took place to allow proper trail width for FIS homologation. (Certification of the re-designed trails is currently in process.) As with any forestry project on Proctor’s lands, the harvested trees were fully utilized, both internally for firewood and sold as lumber on the open market.
The added trail width of 20 feet on downhills and flat sections of trail, and 30 feet required of climbs on the 2.5 km homologated loop, allows ample room for three side-by-side racers to ski an incline simultaneously. In addition to the added trail width and grading, the project installed snowmaking on a 1.4 km homologated sprint loop. The trail system will now allow all levels of Nordic races to take place at the Proctor Ski Area, including internationally scored competitions.
With the enhanced trail width, the Proctor Ski Area crew will now be able to access the entire Nordic loop with its new Prinoth BR 350 groomer. With improved grooming quality comes a responsibility of visitors to the Proctor Ski Area to use proper equipment on the groomed trail system. New trail signs and markers will direct foot traffic, dog walkers, and snowshoers to additional non-groomed trails. The Nordic trails are also open to the public for the same nominal $5 fee charged prior to the recent trail improvements. If visiting the Proctor Ski Area to use the Nordic Center, please check in at Yarrow’s Lodge before accessing the trail network. Please contact Lynn George at 603-735-6354 with questions about utilizing Proctor’s new Nordic Center.
Additional work not directly related to the Nordic trail project also took place this fall when two Beaver Deceivers were installed along the main driveway to the Proctor Ski Area. Beaver Deceivers have long been utilized to safely and humanely discourage beavers from building dams in certain areas. The addition of the two deceivers to the Proctor Ski Area will hopefully prevent flooding of the roadway that after the torrential rains in mid-October forced Proctor maintenance workers to canoe to the ski area to get over the flooded roadway.