Arrowhead, Claremont NH

Arrowhead is a town run ski hill. It has a rope tow but not to the top for the past 17 years. When I wandered in to the ski lodge, I thought it was a daycare. Maybe it was a daycare. Could not find the ticket window so I decided to just walk up the hill and board down.

As I walked up the old rope tow path, I noticed that the snow appeared groomed. Odd. Maybe it was just snowmobile tracks straight up the hill. Had a nice view of the little town from the top of the hill. Hiked over to the flagpole to make it an official summit. Peered over the Upper Face - looked like a sheer, vertical drop. Maybe that's why they took out the rope tow. Boarded back to the old rope tow. There was an old sign, Lion Tamer, a run to the left which also appeared groomed within in the last day or two.

Nothing like a good adventure so I pointed my board down Lion Tamer and rattled my teeth over the punishing frozen corduroy. Took my board off at the bottom of the hill - one run was sufficient.

As I made my way back to my car, I stopped to chat with a guy who was hopelessly chipping away at the frozen pond parking lot. He mentioned something about a snowcat lift to the top of the hill. Headed back to my car when I heard a snowcat being fired up. Marched back to the snowcat operator and asked if I may have a ride and then ran back to my car to get my board.

I boarded the back of the snowcat and held onto a tiny piece of rope that acted as a seatbelt. I asked Tom, the snowcat driver, what the traction was like - "pretty good" was his response. The snowcat violently lurched side to side in the real steep section. I started plotting my strategy in the event the cat flipped.

Hopped out at the top, tossed a wave and thank you to the driver and then boarded down Lion Tamer. Headed into the daycare center and plunked down my $5 snowcat fee with a smile.