This is the Web site of the Hartland Winter Trails. The cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails provide a unique opportunity to meander through fields and back woods; over gently-rolling to steep terrain in the Three- and Four-Corners areas of Hartland, Vermont. The trails are all on private properties, are created and maintained by volunteers, and open to the community free of charge.
Most-recent trail conditions...
Monday January 23, 2012 01:17:02 PM
Nearly all trails were groomed on Friday (20 Jan) afternoon and evening. Exceptions are Hobbit and Zippideedoda (from Howe's This to Powerline). There is very little snow in the woods, so those were rolled (no tracks set), while in most fields there was enough snow to lay tracks. Everywhere, there are occasional grass or frozen dirt clods poking up through the snow. Old skis are recommended. Overall, skiing is Fair to Good. (GMT)
You can see all trail reports on the Current Trail Conditions page.
2012 Tiki Torch Trek
| When: | Saturday, February 4th from 5-8pm |
| Where: | Parking is at the Hartland Recreation Center, Route 12, Hartland Three-Corners village. There will be a free, short shuttle van ride from the parking area to the event. |
| Cost: | Under 12: FREE, 12 and older: $9, Family (parents and all children): $25 maximum |
You are invited to this year's very popular Tiki Torch Trek, sponsored by Hartland Winter Trails. Join us for an enchanting evening of entertainment, wonderful food, and of course a 3km loop of ski trail, lit by tiki torches and lanterns. You may ski, snowshoe, or walk (allowed for this special event only!) along the trail and be enchanted by the forest blanketed in snow and twinkling stars above. Music and a bonfire will be provided for your enjoyment while you partake of a repast provided by many individual volunteers and local restaurants. Help spread the word about this event. Click on the following poster to download it, print, and distribute to your friends and businesses around the Upper Valley.
All proceeds benefit the Hartland Winter Trails.
Lost and Found
Skier visits to Hartland Winter Trails are WAY up this year, thanks to the great trail conditions. With it, come the inevitable items orphaned from their owners. Here's a list of what we know:
- Lost: Wallet - either at the main parking lot or somewhere on the trails.
- Lost: Dog bootie - likely lost somewhere on the woods trails in the vicinity of the main parking lot.
- Lost: One pair of large cross-country ski boots - probably at the main parking lot.
- Found: Child's mitten - found at the Tiki Torch Trek
- Found: Two pair of snowshoes - left in the Recreation Center parking lot during the Tiki Torch Trek. They were left together and are an adult pair and children's pair.
If any of the found items belong to you, or you found an item, please send an e-mail to the Webmaster. Also, if you have an item to add to this list, please send a note to the Webmaster. Thanks for helping your fellow skers.
Pisten Bully PB070DR Groomer Update
Thanks to the recent snow storm on Christmas weekend, the new groomer was put to use. This snow event was a good example of how the Pisten Bully can save hours of sometimes back-breaking work. What would have taken a physically very fit and experienced volunteer 10 to 15 hours to accomplish with the snowmobile and Tidd Tech groomer, took only about 5 hours in comfort. We are quickly learning how to operate the new machine to lay high-quality tracks. We are also designing a new, lighter grooming attachment - one that will be better suited to working in light powder. The new attachment will be lighter and designed to conserve the snow on the trail, rather than pushing it aside. This is a very specific and immediate project which will need money to complete. Please consider a donation to Hartland Winter Trails, so the new attachment can be built soon.
A handfull of skiers have volunteered to learn how to run the Piston Bully and help keep the trails groomed. Most have had some time in the driver's seat and practiced basic operation in a field. All are eagerly waiting to get out on the trails. Thanks very much to those valueable volunteers.
New Trail Signs Going Up
The first new sign has been posted! Here is Marshall Ambros installing the first sign at the parking area across from the fire station. Directional signs with trail names will be installed at each intersection. Look for new signs to appear on the trails very soon.
Fund-Raising for Pisten Bully Groomer
Recently, a mailing went out to all who are on the Hartland Winter Trails contact list. We are very excited about how the new groomer will help ease winter trail maintenance. If you are a trail user - skier or snowshoer - please consider showing your appreciation for having groomed trails available by making a donation to Hartland Winter Trails. Here are a couple of paragraphs from the letter:
HWT has been saving money received from individual donations and fund raising events for many years, and we have also recently applied for several small grants. The very reasonable purchase price of the Pisten Bully plus transportation costs is ~$17,000. It is important to note that a comparable new machine would cost ~$100,000.!! There are very minimal additional expenses, and with HWTs current balance, the shortfall of funds needed for the purchase was ~$7,000. We have been fortunate to be able to secure interest-free loans to cover this shortfall and make the immediate purchase possible, so we did not miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
HWT wants to pay back the several very generous 'patrons' who gave us these interest-free loans of $7,000. as soon as possible. We hope that you will consider making a special donation to HWT now! Please show your support and help ensure the future of our special community winter trails network - we know that you will enjoy using the well-groomed trails this winter!!
You can view the letter in its entirety, including a donation form, as a PDF. And watch for a special invitation to "meet and name" the new Pisten Bully once the snow flies.
Please volunteer time or send a donation to: Hartland Winter Trails, PO Box 128, Hartland, Vermont 05048. Contact Andrea for more information at (802) 436-2472 or E-mail Andrea Ambros
Help! Help! Help! That's how the trail network survives and thrives. From fall through spring there are branches to clear, brush to clear, markers to replace, landowners to talk with, snow banks to shovel out... Well, you get the picture. There are many opportunities for you to help keep things running. Please get in touch with us, if you can help out.
The first ski trail was created in the early 1970s by Hartland resident Henry Merritt. Mr. Merritt started cross-country skiing, with his daughter, from their back porch onto the trail Henry had cut. Three students from a local high school ski racing team, were looking for a place to train, and along with neighboring landowners, decided the trail could and should be extended. Through their efforts the Merritt trail grew into a 5-kilometer loop during the winter of 1973.
Over the years, the main trail loop was lengthened and connector trails were added - all of this with the help of skier-volunteers and through the thoughtfulness of the local landowners. The trail system now comprises approximately 20 kilometers of varied terrain which is groomed, when snow conditions permit by a trail volunteer.
In 2004, the group made some changes to further solidify its place in the community, and ensure the long-term stability of the organization and of the trails. We are now part of Hartland's town recreation department, although we are still self-governing and financially self-sufficient.
The Hartland cross-country ski and snowshoeing trails are entirely on private property. About 25 landowners are generous enough to let their property be used for winter recreation. It is only with each landowner's continued support that the trails will continue to exist. Good relations with the landowners are essential to the future of the trail system! Please respect the privilege of sharing their land.
That being said, we have permission to use the trails during winter for human-powered recreation - namely cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Other forms of transport such as horse, dog team with (or without) sled, snowmobile, and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) are not permitted with the exception of trail grooming equipment. Snowshoers; please, please, stay off to the side of the prepared trail and out of the tracks!
Use of the trails in other seasons is not permitted.
Now just a few words about landowner liability... We are fortunate in Vermont to have laws which help protect landowners from liability suits. The laws encourage landowners to open their property for recreational use. You - the skier or snowshoer - use the trails completely at your own risk.
We understand that active owners love to take "Fido" along for some exercise too. That's fine as long as man's (and women's) best friend remains on a leash and under control at all times. This is necessary to avoid any trouble with other skiers, dogs, or wildlife. Try to keep your dog(s) out of the prepared track. Please be courteous to the landowners and other trail users.