Official Opening Celebration for New Nordic and Snowshoeing Trails

The Camden Snow Bowl and Coastal Mountains Land Trust are pleased to celebrate the  official opening of an expanded winter trail system for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing on Saturday, January 14^th at 10am. Accessed via the Camden Snow Bowl, the winter trail system features over six miles of trail including the initial segment of the Land Trust’s ‘Round the Mountain Trail’. This trail opening represents the latest stage in the ongoing partnership between the Land Trust and the Town of Camden to improve access to Ragged Mountain and to develop a 10-mile trail around the mountain, beginning and ending at the Snow Bowl. Since 2007, the two organizations have been working in a partnership to improve recreational access to Ragged Mountain from the Camden Snow Bowl, making use of the Land Trust’s Ragged Mountain Preserve.

The expanded winter trail system, accessed from the Camden Snow Bowl, offers two miles of groomed classic and freestyle Nordic skiing which connects to an additional three miles of classic skiing through the Land Trust’s Ragged Mountain Preserve. The trail network also offers approximately five miles of snowshoe trails from the Camden Snow Bowl. On trails used by both skiers and snowshoers, snowshoers are asked to stay on either side of the groomed Nordic ski track. Visitors should also be aware that dogs are not permitted at the Camden Snow Bowl during the winter season. A map of the trail system will be posted at the information kiosk at the trailhead near the tubing hill and copies will be available at the opening event and at the Snow Bowl lodge and Land Trust thereafter.

All of the new Nordic ski trails included in this trail system was constructed during the last two years. In 2010, with support of the Maine Community Foundation and the Maine Recreational Trails Program, the Land Trust completed the initial section of the Round the Mountain Trail on its Ragged Mountain Preserve. In fall 2011, the Ragged Mountain Recreation Area completed construction of an additional two miles of trail with the support of the Maine Recreational Trails Program and Ragged Mountain Recreation Area Foundation. The Land Trust and Snow Bowl are also grateful to a private landowner whose generosity has also made possible a section of the trail. We remind users of the trail to respect the privacy and property of private landowners and to stay on the trail at all times.

There is no fee to access these trails; however, donations from Nordic skiers are encouraged to help cover the new costs of grooming these trails for skiing. Donations can be deposited at the trail head, dropped at the Snow Bowl lodge, or sent to: Camden Snow Bowl, PO Box 1207, Camden, ME 04843. Both the Snow Bowl and Land Trust welcome feedback from trail visitors.

The Ragged Mountain Recreation Area, founded in 1936 by the Camden Outing Club, is home to the Camden Snow Bowl. This facility is owned and operated by the Town of Camden for year round outdoor recreation. In addition to supporting winter operations and summer/fall community events, the Snow Bowl lodge is also available for private rentals.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has been working since 1986 to permanently protect land to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay region. The Land Trust has protected almost 9,000 acres to date, including 444 acres on Ragged Mountain.