hemiboreal forest skiing in New Brunswick Canada
Posted: 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.
A pic of a few of the girls.
A trail down along one of the brooks.
A recent timber harvest I completed on our woodlot.
The view from the bottom of our largest field.
One of the many woods roads on our property.
A field up on the "plateau".
A view down into the Glen- with the top of the Village of Stanley in the background.
The Finnish Commando Trail.
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.
