Yep, I did. And it was quite an enjoyable ride if I do say so myself. You can do the Farmer's Daughter, too. And nineteen other fine ski trails by getting on up to Black Mountain, an absolute gem of a ski area, a little off the beaten path in Rumford.

The Farmer's Daughter trail on Black Mountain in Rumford is quite a ride!
Carey Kish photo

View of Black Mountain slopes from the comfy base lodge.
Carey Kish photo

Think 20 trails and 1,150 feet of vertical won't satisfy you? Think again. This place is FUN!

The runs at Black are not only interesting and pretty, they are impeccably groomed to boot. You can ski them all, then try them again, and again. And I tell you you'll just want more.

That's what I discovered when we visited there on Sunday. And I can't wait to get back.

Black Mountain's twenty trails and 1,150 feet of vertical make for plenty of skiing fun.
Carey Kish photo

Black Mountain serves as yet another reminder that, with so much wonderful and varied skiing terrain available to us in Maine, this skier - and you too I hope - needn't ever (and won't again) be a big ski area snob.

I am now officially an equal opportunity skier: big areas, medium-sized areas, little community areas, it don't matter. They're all awesome, each in their own local way, and are so very much worth experiencing.

Fresh off the triple chair, Fran prepares for another sweet run down Black Mountain.
Carey Kish photo

If you want to go, however, you'd better hurry, as there are just two weekends remaining in Black Mountain's season. Too bad, 'cause the skiing is incredible. Top shelf.

If you go, enjoy! And do let me know how much you liked it...

Wide ranging views of the Oxford Hills from Black Mountain.
Carey Kish photo

Ski guide: Black Mountain, Rumford

The ski-nny: A sweet mountain in a beautiful setting just north of the Androscoggin River outside of Rumford. from the slopes you can look far out over the expansive Oxford Hills. Nice! Expect few lift lines and uncrowded slopes. Yeah, there's just 20 trails, but they're good ones, and you'll enjoy skiing them multiple times.

Steeps: The trail names have changed, so what's on the trail map and what's on the ground don't match up. No matter. Take the triple chair to the top of the mountain and head off to the left for some fun black diamond schussing either under the lift line or skier's right. Halfway down slope mix it up by cutting over to skier's left and down Haymaker and something else(?). Just go. You'll like it.

Cruisers: Again, from the top of the summit triple, bank right and cruise along at will with multiple fun options. At the lift shack atop the T-bar sail down the line itself or just right. All good blues. Go around again and be sure to catch Farmer's Daughter, a beauty of a run on skier's left that'll take you sweeping and around, to pass thru the beginenr area on its way back to the base.

Easy going: The Novice Double and Beginners Lift Handle serve green circle terrain at the base of the mountain on bothe the left and right.

Aprés-ski: Ya don't have to go far... just up one flight of steps in teh base lodge. And there you'll enter the wonderful world of teh Last Run Lounge. Order up a couple of frosty brews, kick your feet up by the filedstone fireplace, and world the skier's world go by outside. Ahhh!

Extra credit: Diddle around some in the terrain park and half pipe. There's the tubing park, too, for extra kiddie-style fun. And, of course, there's 17 km of world class Nordic skiing trails. How 'bout dat I says! You bored? Check yer pulse.

Deals: Every day is a deal at Black Mountain! Lift tix are $25 on weekends, $20 mid-week. No going wrong there. Evah.

A fine apres ski view from warmth of the Last Run Lounge, upstairs in the base lodge.
Carey Kish photo

Yeah, we've bumped the clocks ahead an hour (spring ahead!). And in just one short week we'll plunge head long into spring (March 20th).

Sure, winter is on the wane. So, what's your point?

For skiers, winter doesn't - or shouldn't - end until the last lift at the last open ski area shuts down. Given that, my skiing calendar says we'll be taking runs down the slopes until sometime in early May.

Do we understand each other? I thought so.

OK, you can pull the hiking gear out, the camping goods, the bikes, even the golf clubs. But don't even think about stowing the skis, 'cause we've got aways to go...

Here's what's on tap (Freudian slip? I think not!) for late winter/spring skiing around Maine:

Titcomb Mountain, West Farmington

Titcomb reports 119 inches of snow this season - the best conditions in a decade - with 100% of their alpine (16 trails) and Nordic terrain (16 km) still open. It's 2 for 1 skiing all this weekend, so two can ski for just $24.

Skiing Titcomb during the Peak to Peak Challenge in mid-January.
Carey Kish photo

Big Rock, Mars Hill

It's the Mars Hill Winterfest this weekend, a full slate of good fun. On Saturday there's the Children's Obstacle Course, Kardboard Klassic, Hot Turkey Sandwich Supper, Big Air Contest, Torch Light Parade, Fireworks and an Adult Dance featuring the band Turning Point. Sunday morning is the Big Rock Invitational Youth Race.

In a couple of weeks it's Slush Rush Weekend, March 29-30.

Carey Kish photo

Shawnee Peak, Bridgton

Shawnee Peak winds down its 70th season with a host of good times.

This Saturday WJBQ will broadcast live from the mountain from 11-2. Saturday is also Ski N The Blues day with blues music from 3 pm on, where else, in Blizzard's Pub. Get in on $1000 in prizes the next day for Super Hits Sunday.

Monday is St. Patty's Day. Celebrate on the cheap with the last Carload Craze Days. Get to Shawnee by 11 am and your whole carload of revelers/skiers gets in for $64. It's also the final Monday Night Madness of the season. Ski from 4-9 pm for just $12.

On March 22nd it's the 23rd annual Spring Fling Beach Party. The WHEB Slush Cup happens at 1 pm, followed by the Red Hook Apres Ski Party. On Easter Sunday there's an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids.

WBLM will be on hand on March 29th to help celebrate Shawnee Peak's 70th Anniversary. And there'll be a Season Passholder BBQ on March 30th at the mid-station.

Night skiing lights up Shawnee Peak.
Carey Kish photo

Sugarloaf, Carrabassett Valley

Rock to Molly Hatchet and Blackfoot this Saturday in the King Pine Room. Ski for $35 during the College Weeks, 3/17-21 and 3/24-28. Join in the Easter Costume Parade on 3/23 and maybe win some prizes.

The Big Daddy of all eastern ski parties - Reggae Fest - takes place April 10-13. There ain't nothin' like it. Great skiing, great fun. Ya mon.

Reggae crowds loving Sugarloaf.
Carey Kish photo

Reggae revelers living large.
Carey Kish photo

Sunday River, Bethel

Dance like a Dixie Chicken with Little Feat this Saturday at Whitecap Lodge. Win prizes in the No Bib Jib on March 23rd.

Help raise money to support free programs for adaptive skiers and riders during the 23rd annual Maine Handicapped Skiing Ski-A-Thon March 29th.

Challenge your taste buds at the 18th annual Eat the Heat Chili Cookoff and Firefighters' Race on Sunday, March 30th.

Parrotheads crazies can ski and celebrate with plenty of sun and fun during the 21st Annual Parrot Head - Bust N Burn Festival on April 4-6th.

Parrotheads enjoying a Jimmy Buffett concert. You can pretend and still have fun at the Parrot Head Fest at Sunday River.
Carey Kish photo

Sunday River = awesome conditions, great skiing, big smiles all around... and more to come!
Carey Kish photo

Saddleback, Rangeley

March events at the big mountain include: A St. Patrick's Day family fun day (15th), an Easter Egg Hunt and Costume Parade (23rd) and a Cardboard Box Race (30th) using only cardboard and duct tape (no problem!).

Try Pond Skimming on April 5th, and ski for $25 on Maine Day, April 6th. Get in on the Park Shark Challenge on April 12th and close out a great Saddleback season on April 20th.

Good times and cheap beer at Saddleback!
Carey Kish photo

Check out Ski Maine for more information on these events and others. And don't forget that many of the smaller community areas are still open and offering great skiing.

See you out there... until there's nothing but mud under my skis!

You planning on making the most of the remaining downhill ski season?

It's been a ski season to remember... and it ain't over yet my friends!
Carey Kish photo

At least you haven't been stuck sitting on a toilet inside a trailer... for TWO YEARS straight!

Good lord, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Or throw up.

How unbelievable. How sad, how very sad. Life just isn't very kind sometimes, is it?

My goodness I'm so glad it's Friday. News like this really does make me want to turn it all off, chuck everything, and head somewhere far, far out of range...

Should you be out and about tonight, just a hankering for some outdoorsy thing to do, well, you have a couple of choices anyway.

For one, you could trundle on over to USM in Portland for the program "Wind Power in Maine" with Dave Publicover, Senior Staff Scientist for the Appalachian Mountain Club.

I listened to Publicover speak on the topic at the Maine Mountain Conference a year or so ago and he knows his stuff and presents in a compelling manner. Dave will speak on wind power energy in Maine, the potential for additional wind power projects here, how wind power projects are evaluated, and how wind energy can reduce our carbon footprint.

Good stuff we need to know about because the time is now.

Mars Hill wind farm scene. What's the future of wind energy in Maine?
MaineWind.org photo

The event is sponsored by the Maine AMC and is free and open to the public. Get yourself to the Luther Bonney Auditorium at 7 PM if you want in on the wind.

Another option is to head on over to Maine Audubon and Gilsland Farm in Falmouth for the monthly Traveler's Forum, also starting at 7 PM.

Yours truly - Trail Head - will present on backpacking the "West Coast Trail" in British Columbia. This was a magnificent 8-day, 55-mile trek along the wet and wild western coast of Vancouver Island, done last September with several hiking buddies from Maine.

Long on my "to do" list, Canada's most famous trail exceeded expections with fabulous coastal scenery, lush rain forests, harsh weather, beach campsites every evening, glorious sunsets and mega solitude.


A grand Pacific sunset on the West Coast Trail, Pacific Rim National Park, Vancouver Island, BC Canada.
Carey Kish photo

OK then, your choice. Wind power or my hot air.

Or you could just go have a beer somewhere instead...

It's been a heckuva winter for outdoor recreation. Skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, ice fishing, snowmobiling - you name it.

There's snowbanks out there right now that this boy hasn't seen in a lot of years. And there's more to come as we plow through March and into April.

One low point to the winter has been all the news of snowmobile accidents and fatalities. Nine dead thus far. Sad, very sad. And most often needless.

I wasn't paying much attention to the matter until the Fort Fairfield guy who went out snowmobiling dressed in a pea coat, T-shirt and shorts. Yeah, shorts. And, of course, he got lost and had to get fished out of the woods next morning pretty much near death from hypothermia.

Brilliant. Damn near a Darwin Award winner. Close but no cigar. Thankfully.

Can you say "common sense", dude?

Yeah, now that you're body temperature is back up to normal, I bet you can.

Since then, however, the snowmobile scene has gone from bad to worse. Way worse, with four fatalities just last weekend. Five, if you count the one early Monday morning, ostensibly right before the DIFW was to hold a news conference on the issue.

Speed and alcohol. Both are thought to be involved in three of the five fatal accidents.

Jeez. What the hell are you doing out there at 1 AM, 3 AM?

"Snowmobilers were urged Monday to slow down and use caution on the state's trails following the deaths of five riders in less than four days."

Please folks, please. And when you put the machine in gear, put that other thing in gear, too. That brain thing. It's pretty useful, but only if it's switched on.

The interactive snowmobile safety CD Right Right, Ride Smart is available from the Maine Snowmobile Association and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Seriously, stuff happens out there on the trail. But a lot of it is preventable, especially when common sense is regularly employed.

Slow down, way down. Enjoy the ride, have fun. But do it safely. Live!

And maybe, just maybe, think about a refresher course in snowmobile safety, or a look-see thruough the Ride Right - Ride Smart CD. For you or someone you know. If it causes you or someone you know and love to pause and think - and live - then wouldn't it be worth it?