Staff Voices: Winter Wanderings by Jen Weimer

By Jen Weimer, stewardship assistant

After falling into a holiday routine bordering on hibernation, my body and mind were crying out for exercise. So, with the busy field season wrapped up, I found some time to venture out and acquaint myself with a couple of Conservancy properties that offer excellent opportunities for winter wandering. For those of you also in need of some outdoor time, I encourage you to grab some winter gear and head out to the conserved forests and trails that dot our region.

I visited Chamberlain Conservation Area in Fitzwilliam and Mountain Brook Reservoir Conservation Area in Jaffrey. Both properties encompass 77 acres and have about a mile and a half of out-and-back trails that are perfect for short winter outings. Trails at both properties are easily accessible with plowed parking lots and mostly flat terrain. Trail maps are available on our website or at the kiosks.

Chamberlain Conservation Area - Fitzwilliam
Craig Chamberlain donated this property to the Conservancy in 2018 to honor his wife, Karla. The property consists of forest, wetlands, and a cranberry bog on the southern end of Sip Pond. The pond is named after Scipio Jawhaw, an 18th century African American settler and angler who once lived near the 141-acre pond. In the late 19th century, the Fall River Ice Company harvested ice from the pond and used the railroad that once ran along the southern end of the pond to ship it to Boston. The railroad closed in the 1960s and the current Cheshire Rail Trail runs the length of the old railroad bed from the NH/MA border in Fitzwilliam 42 miles to Westmoreland.

The multiuse rail trail can be a hot spot for snowmobilers in the winter, but the trails here are also perfect for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. I visited on a weekday and encountered only a couple of dog walkers. I followed the spur trail that leads from the parking lot to the rail trail, then headed northwest where the trail crosses the Sip Pond Brook, pausing here to take in the view. Trail users before me had compacted the snow and I didn’t really need the snowshoes I donned, but I decided to keep them on for a more intense workout. 

I continued down the rail trail along the boggy wetland, enjoying the distant views of Mount Monadnock, to the Sip Pond Peninsula Trail which leads north from the rail trail through an orange gate on the right. The snow on this trail was also mostly compacted, and it provided easy access to Sip Pond via a side trail that veered west from the main trail near the former site of the old ice cutters cabin. I also followed the main trail north to a rocky point where Mount Monadnock greeted me with a panoramic view across the frozen pond. From here I retraced my path back to the rail trail. 

I decided to follow the rail trail west for a bit to look for animal tracks in the less trampled snow. I found numerous deer and squirrel tracks in this area. The trail ahead was flat and straight and went on as far as the eyes could see. I vowed to return in the summer with my bike, and I headed back to the parking area – on foot this time as the added effort of the snowshoes seemed unnecessary.

Directions 
From the intersection of Routes 119 and 12 in Fitzwilliam, travel south on Route 12 for 4 miles. Turn right onto Old Turnpike Road. The parking area is on the right 0.6 miles down this road. As this trailhead accommodates snowmobile trailers, please park in parallel lines facing the exit.

Mountain Brook Reservoir Conservation Area - Jaffrey
Herb and Colette Gramm donated this property to the Conservancy in 2016. The main trail on the property – the Gramwick Trail – is named after them and their friend, Tom Sedgwick, who helped build the original trail. Each winter the Conservancy has an annual He(Art) Hike with heart-shaped artwork hidden along the trail. The Conservancy commissioned the hearts by local artists this year, and you can look for them starting February 1st. Participating artists include Deb Stevens (fine artist), Jeanne Thieme (fine artist), Mary Iselin (fine artist), Alicia Drakiotes (fine artist), Julie Waltrip (poet), and Ben Cosgrove (musician). Be sure to bring snowshoes, crampons, or cleats as the frozen pond is slick and the trail can be icy.

The 234-acre reservoir is easily accessible from a short trail that leads downhill from the parking area. From here you can walk across the reservoir if conditions allow – NH Fish and Game recommends at least 4-6 inches of ice for foot travel. On my visit I walked the pond and returned via the trail. Alternatively, you can follow the Gramwick Trail which leads from the kiosk out and back. The trail is relatively flat and meanders along the shore of the reservoir and includes several short boardwalks. 

As I walked the shoreline, I found cranberries and wildlife tracks. I also stopped at several benches along the trail to rest and enjoy the views. As I sat on the bench at the very end of the trail, several bald eagles circled and landed in the middle of the frozen reservoir. They appeared to be gathering in an area that had signs of ice fishing. A small section of the trail that ends here, near the far eastern boundary of the property, allows snowmobiles to access the reservoir from abutting properties. (There is no snowmobile access from the Gramwick Trail parking area).

Directions 
From the intersection at Main Street and Route 202 in Jaffrey, travel south on Route 202 for 0.4 mile. Turn right onto Gilmore Pond Road. After about a mile, when you reach the fork, turn left on Peabody Hill Road. The parking lot and trailhead are on the left, just after the bridge.
The Conservancy plows both parking lots for these properties in the winter months (once there is at least 3 inches of snow). Other Monadnock Conservancy lands with plowed parking lots include Cunningham Pond Conservation Area in Peterborough, and the John and Rosemarie Calhoun Family Forest in Gilsum (Route 10 parking area).