Cross-country ski trails come and go, often disrupted by development, logging or landowner changes. The Wildcat Valley Trail (once 17.8K in 1981) used to go uninterrupted from the top of the mountain all the way down to Jackson Village. Now there are big gaps in the trail and road walking involved.
Once, long ago, it was possible to ski from the village up to Black Mountain and across to East Pasture. Skiers could even continue over to East Branch Road on the lower East Branch Trail. Links in that chain got broken over time.
kAmp D9@CE6C EC2:=[ E96 a]bz %C@== %C2:= W}@] c`X[ @?46 4@??64E65 (6?EH@CE9 v@=7 r@FCD6’D t=6G6?E9 w@=6 H:E9 E96 |@F?E2:? %C@== $9@A] %96 D9@A H2D @? #@FE6 `e :? E96 =@8 423:? ?@H @44FA:65 3J }@CE962DE |@F?E2:?66C:?8 vF:56 $6CG:46D]k^Am
kAm%96 EC2:= H6?E E9C@F89 }@C5:4 ':==286 2?5 4@??64E65 E@ E96 q:C49 {68 %C2:= W`zX E96C6[ 367@C6 9625:?8 E@ E96 |@F?E2:? %C@== $9@A] x? E96 `hg` y24<D@? $<: %@FC:?8 u@F?52E:@? $<: %C2:= vF:56[ x C625 E92E “5F6 E@ C646?E 56G6=@A>6?ED :? E9:D 2C62[ 9@H6G6C[ 2446DD E@ E96 }@C5:4 ':==286 |@F?E2:? %C@== $9@A 2C62 >2J 36 :?E6CCFAE65]” xE 5@6D?’E >6?E:@? H92E E96 56G6=@A>6?ED H6C6[ 3FE x DFDA64E65 :E 4@F=5 92G6 366? E96 3F:=5:?8 @7 E96 q2CE=6EE^y24<D@? %C2?D76C $E2E:@?]k^Am
kAm(96? E96 q2CE=6EE^y24<D@? %C2?D76C $E2E:@? H2D 4C62E65 D@>6E:>6 :? E96 `hg_D[ E96 %C@== %C2:= H2D A6C>2?6?E=J :?E6CCFAE65 2?5 ?@ =@?86C H6?E E@ }@C5:4 ':==286] (96? x D<:65 :E :? E96 62C=J a___D[ :E @?=J H6?E E@ E96 xC@? |@F?E2:? w@FD6] (96? xC@? |@F?E2:? w@FD6 3FC?65 @? pF8] ab[ a___[ :E H2D 56>@=:D965] |:<6 |2==6EE 3F:=E 9:D C6DE2FC2?E[ E96 #65 u@I q2C U2>Aj vC:==6[ @? E92E G242?E DA@E]k^Am
kAm~G6C E96 J62CD[ E96 EC2:= @G6C E@ E96 #65 u@I 7C@> E96 t=6G6?E9 w@=6 D2H =6DD 2?5 =6DD EC277:4 2?5 >2:?E6?2?46] xE H2D D6=5@> 8C@@>65 2?5 2 =:EE=6 C@F89] x D<:65 :E ;FDE E@ D2J x 925[ 2D x H2D 4964<:?8 @77 y24<D@? EC2:=D xV5 ?6G6C D<:65] $E:==[ x =:<65 E96 H2J E96 EC2:= H2?56C65 :?E@ E96 566A H@@5D F?56C E96 4=:77D @7 sF4<’D w625[ 2?5 4C@DD65 @G6C C6>?2?ED @7 E96 @=5 xC@? |@F?E2:? $<: 2C62]k^Am
kAmx? C646?E J62CD[ y24<D@? $<: %@FC:?8 u@F?52E:@?’D EC2:= 4C6H 92D 366? DACF4:?8 FA E96 %C@== %C2:=[ H:56?:?8 :E 2?5 7:==:?8 :? E96 C@F89 DA@ED] %96J >256 2 5:C64E[ D<:23=6 4@??64E:@? E@ E96 #65 u@I] xE 6G6? 8@E 8C@@>65 @442D:@?2==J]k^Am
kAm%9:D J62C[ H:E9 r~'xs\`h 4@?46C?D 23@FE E96 ?665 7@C D@4:2= 5:DE2?4:?8[ y$%u H:E9 E96 4@@A6C2E:@? 2?5 DFAA@CE 7C@> |2==6EE[ 6IA2?565 E96 %C@== %C2:= E@ E96 6?5 @7 E96 #65 u@I A2C<:?8 =@E] p ?6H EC2:=9625 H2D 6DE23=:D965 E96C6] $<:6CD H:E9 A2DD6D 42? ?@H A2C< :? E96 =@E[ 9@A @? E96 EC2:= 2?5 :? ]hz[ 36 2E E96 72C 6?5 @7 E96 t=6G6?E9 w@=6] (:E9 2 BF:4<[ 72DE 5@H?9:== D<:[ E96J 42? 4@??64E E@ E96 t==:D #:G6C %C2:=[ @C EFC? C:89E 2?5 D<: 324< E@ E96 y$%u’D r6?E6C] qJ DE2CE:?8 2E #65 u@I[ E96J 2G@:5 E96 4C@H5D 2?5 A2C<:?8 :DDF6D :? E96 G:==286]k^Am
kAm%96 %C@== %C2:= :D 2 7F? D<:[ H:E9 4=:>3D[ 5:AD 2?5 4FCG6D] %H@ =@@AD ?@H >2<6 FA E96 EC2:=[ 2?5 E96C6’D 5:C64E 2446DD E@ #65 u@I 2?5 E96 72CE96C EC2:=9625] t==6? r92?5=6C[ y$%u’D 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C[ 7@C6D66D E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 9@DE:?8 9:89 D49@@= C246D E96C6 :? E96 7FEFC6[ H:E9 2>A=6 A2C<:?8 7@C 3FD6D 2?5 DA64E2E@CD] u@C ?@H[ :E’D ;FDE 2 ?:46[ BF:4< 2446DD E@ E96 EC2:= DJDE6>]k^Am
kAm~? u63] ``[ t==6? :?G:E65 >6 2?5 @E96CD E@ D66 2 ?6H 255:E:@? E@ E9:D 2C62 — 2 D?@HD9@6 EC2:= 42==65 E96 “#65 u@I #F?]” xE H2D 4C62E65 E9:D 72== 3J 9625 y$%u $?@HD9@6 vF:56 #@3 |4r@?289J 2?5 D<: A2EC@==6C |:4926= !29=] %96J =2:5 @FE 2 D?@HD9@6 EC2:= E92E DE2CED 2E E96 EC2:=9625 2?5 A2C2==6=D E96 D<: EC2:=[ 4C@DD:?8 :E D6G6C2= E:>6D 2?5 6?5:?8 2E E96 t=6G6?E9 w@=6]k^Am
kAm|:4926= >2C<65 @FE 2 A2E9 24C@DD E96 8@=7 4@FCD6 5:C64E=J E@ E96 t==:D #:G6C %C2:=] $?@HD9@6CD FD:?8 #65 u@I #F? 42? ?@H 2G@:5 E96 =@?8 EC6< 24C@DD E96 8@=7 4@FCD6 7C@> y$%u’D =@586 2?5 86E BF:4<6C 2446DD E@ E96 D?@HD9@6 EC2:=D @? E96 t==:D =:<6 tD<6C8@[ %9:CDEJ ~H=[ |@@D23F?82 2?5 !:A6=:?6]k^Am
kAmp 5@K6? @7 FD >6E :? E96 72C 6?5 @7 #65 u@I A2C<:?8 =@E] t==6? 82G6 @FE 56=:4:@FD 9@>6>256 8=FE6?\7C66 96C>:E 32CD E@ A2CE:4:A2?ED] $96 :?EC@5F465 #@3 2?5 |:4926=[ H9@ 6IA=2:?65 9@H E96J 6?G:D:@?65 2?5 4C62E65 E96 EC2:=]k^Am
kAmy$%u 3@2C5 >6>36C 2?5 EC2:= D:8? >2<6C y@9? w:88:?D H2D E96C6[ E@@[ H:E9 9:D H:76 !2E] $<: A2EC@==6CD y2>6D q:EE6E2F 2?5 y62??6\|2C:6 |296C DEC2AA65 @? E96:C D?@HD9@6D 2D uC2?< |FCA9J[ y$%u D?@HD9@6 8F:56[ 2?5 v2:= r@DE6==@ ;@:?65 E96>] z2E9J w2==[ 2 y$%u A2DD 9@=56C 2?5 DFAA@CE6C[ 2?5 x 4@>A=6E65 E96 E@FC 8C@FA]k^Am
kAm~?46 @FC D?@HD9@6D H6C6 @?[ H6 DE2CE65 FA E96 ?6H 2?5 C6G:D65 %C@== %C2:=] %96 #65 u@I #F? %C2:= BF:4<=J 5F4<65 :?E@ E96 H@@5D @? E96 C:89E[ 2 76H J2C5D FA E96 EC2:=] p =2C86[ DBF2C6 C@4< >2C<65 :ED 6?EC2?46[ 2D H6== 2D 2 7C6D9=J A2:?E65 y@9? w:88:?’D D:8?] %96 C@4< >2<6D 2 4@?G6?:6?E A=246 E@ D:E E@ AFE @? D?@HD9@6D] ~C2?86 D?@HD9@6 2CC@HD >2C< E96 H2J 7C@> E96C6]k^Am
kAm&A E96 9:==[ E96 EC2:= 4C@DD6D @G6C E96 %C@== %C2:=] xE D<:CED E96 9:== D:56 23@G6 E96 D<: EC2:=] (6 DA@EE65 2 D<:6C D<2E:?8 3J 36=@H FD 2?5 C62=:K65 E92E E9:D EC2:= H@F=5 36 2 8C62E A=246 7@C E@ H2E49 2 7FEFC6 D<: C246]k^Am
kAmu@==@H:?8 #@3 E9C@F89 E96 H@@5D[ E96 8C@FA DE@AA65 H96? 96 5F8 @FE 9:D D?@H\4@G6C65 “D64C6E” 96 9:556? 369:?5 2 3:8 C@4<] w6 AC@5F465 2 A6C764E A2:C @7 2?E=6CD[ D<F== 42A :?4=F565[ E92E 96 2?5 |:4926= 5:D4@G6C65 H96? E96J H6C6 4C62E:?8 E96 EC2:=] tG6C E96 ;@<6DE6C[ #@3 >@56=65 E96> 7@C FD]k^Am
kAms@H? E96 9:==[ E96 EC2:= 4C@DD65 @G6C E96 %C@== %C2:= 282:?[ E96? 56D46?565 E@ E96 t=6G6?E9 w@=6] ~? 2 4=62C 52J[ E96 G:6H @FE E@ E96 8@=7 4@FCD6[ 5:DE2?E 9:==D[ 2?5 >@F?E2:?D :D :>AC6DD:G6] (6 D2H D<:6CD 36=@H FD[ >2<:?8 E96:C H2J E@ E96 t==:D #:G6C %C2:=] $E2<6D H:E9 @C2?86 D?@HD9@6 2CC@HD 2?5 A24<65 5@H? D?@HD9@6 EC24<D >2C<65 E96 BF:4<6DE H2J E@ E96 t==:D #:G6C D?@HD9@6 EC2:=D]k^Am
kAm%96 :>AC@G6>6?E @7 E96 %C@== %C2:= 2?5 E96 255:E:@? @7 E96 #65 u@I #F? $?@HD9@6 %C2:= >2<6 E9:D ?6H EC2:=9625 2 8C62E H2J E@ 2446DD y$%u’D EC2:= DJDE6>] x7 J@F 92G6?’E EC:65 E96> J6E[ 9625 @G6C E@ #65 u@I q2C 2?5 vC:==6’D A2C<:?8 =@E @77 #@FE6 `e] $EC2A @? J@FC D?@HD9@6D @C AFE @? J@FC D<:D 2?5 6IA=@C6 E9:D ?6H 2?5 :>AC@G65 C6>?2?E @7 2 c_\J62C\@=5 EC2:=]k^Am
kAmu63CF2CJ DA64:2= 6G6?EDk^Am
kAmu63] agi vC62E v=6? %C2:=D $<:[ $9@6 2?5 u2E3:<6 E@ E96 r=@F5D[ }@CE9 p>6C:42’D %@F896DE `_z] xE’D `_ 2]>] :?E6CG2= DE2CE]k^Am
kAmk6>m$2==J |4|FC5@ :D 4FCC6?E=J 2 4C@DD\4@F?ECJ D<: :?DECF4E@C 2E y24<D@? $<: %@FC:?8 u@F?52E:@?] u@C 2=>@DE 7@FC 564256D[ D96 92D 6IA=@C65 }6H t?8=2?5’D 8C@@>65 2?5 F?8C@@>65 EC2:=D @? 2== <:?5D @7 D<:D]k^6>mk^Am

(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.