Skiing Crescent Ridge Glade

Meet Pat’s stunt double/photo stand-in, “Backpack Duck.” She’s been with him on every climbing trip and hike he’s done for the last 12+ years. 🙂

An experienced intermediate/advanced skier had long had backcountry ski touring on her bucket list so when she found us in the Vibe Magazine she was stoked. We were equally stoked — ski guiding is fun business. And with alpine touring (AT), Nordic, telemark, and split-boarding guides standing by, we’re ready. Our guest was looking for a relaxed, moderate day without too many surprises, and Redline Guide Pat Ferland decided to show her the Crescent Ridge Glade in Randolph, NH. We feel this was an excellent choice. Our guest did, too, accordingly. Understandably. The following words, lifted right from the Granite Backcountry Alliance website, describe it best and it helps explain why.

Neatly situated in the 10,000 acre Randolph Community Forest, the Crescent Ridge Glade is designed to appeal to all abilities providing a little something for everyone, including stunning views […]

There are five glade lines in the upper pitch of the zone, all of which vary in design but generally contain a mellow slope angle then quickly dropping in the range of 30-35 degrees for approximately 200-300 vertical feet. Each glade line deposits the skier into a large open hardwood glade. This middle section is approximately 20-25 degrees and extends an additional 300 vertical feet with a variety of features to keep even the most expert of skiers entertained. The lower section contains a tree-less wildlife area at 10-15 degrees […] –GBA

Pat provided this brief trip summary:

We had a great day to introduce our skier to the backcountry at the Crescent Ridge Glade in Randolph. There we skied three laps doing different glade lines, every time going over things showing how they differ from resort skiing. We had a great time and by the end of the day we were happy and tired.

She was a little uncomfortable to start. She skis every other week but doesn’t spend time in the trees. But in the end she was all smiles and the snow was soft and deep. –Pat

This was a strictly private tour with no guest photos, but Pat was able to provide these images for this post.