The Trip So Far: Kingdom Trails and The Great Crossing

Week of 6/4 - 6-10

Dynamite week that included a great trip with Chris and Greg Cappellini up north to NH and VT.

We decided a couple of months ago to have a "relaxing" weekend up north and do a quasi training camp. On Saturday Chris, Greg and I headed up to East Burke, VT to explore the Kingdom Trails. The Kingdom Trails are awesome and ideal for trail running, I actually thought better for running than mountain biking. I understand it is single track but the area can quickly be covered running so I would imagine it can be covered 2x as quick on a bike.

Our morning session covered 14 miles with a little over 1600 feet of vertical. We worked our way through the trail system that is on the west side of the Passumpsic River. We hit a network of trails that included Herb's, Beat Bog, VAST, Bill Magill, Maxilla, Sugar Hill, East Branch and Widow-maker. The running was excellent constant up and down but not the beat you up up and down gradual stuff. We checked the map a couple times but pretty much within 10 miles of the 14 mile run understood the trail system. I would say that it is safe to say it is impossible to get lost when in doubt work your way east to the Passumpsic and you will be fine.

After the morning session we had lunch, lots of fruit, bean burritos and lots of liquids. I cooled down after the morning session in the Passumpsic and had a great soak for about 5 minutes, the water was very refreshing and clean.

After about 2.5 hours of rest and relaxing Chris and I geared up for session number 2 which covered 10 miles with a little over 1200 in vertical. We covered some of the same trails but also hit Rim, Culvert Cut and Knob. We had a great run and really pushed the last 2 miles of this run. Once back we hit the Passumpsic for another soak and recovery. After we changed we headed over to get some well deserved ice cream and head back to Lincoln, NH for dinner.

On Sunday Chris and I headed out into the Pemi and to check out the downed bridge going across the Pemi and what the system of trails looked like after they have essentially been abandoned in sections.

We started off along the Lincoln Woods Trail which was pretty dry but one thing I noticed the rail bed is ALOT more exposed than it has every been, this was my general feeling. We pushed the pace pretty good hit Osseo in 12:41 and cruised to the Bondcliff Trail in 41:48. The first bridge shortly after the Bondcliff trail has a lot of bridge parts, cut wood and metal beams everywhere. I am not sure the plans for the material as there appeared to be a brand new tarp covering some cut wood. We did have to make a small river crossing here shin deep and then headed towards the Pemi along the abandoned Wilderness Trail and came across the dismantled suspension bridge. I tried crossing right under where the suspension bridge would have been and I went in up to my chest. I check today and the river is at a discharge rate of 291cfs. I would guess yesterday this might have been a little higher but at chest/neck deep it could easily move me if I was not fully braced against a rock. We moved about 25 yards up river and went through around waist deep. We then hooked back up with the Wildnerness and took the Cedar Brook to E. Branch and back. Side note the Wildnerness Trail is heavily grown in going out to the Thoreau Falls Trails. We definitely picked up the pace one the exit out along the east side of the Pemi. It was a great run that had adventure and ended in another waist deep soak in the Pemi.

Big thanks to Chris for the accommodation at the base and great to meet another Cappellini.

Pictures from the weekend: