Gorham - Bill Hill Glade

Great Glen North Glade Zone:  The locals affectionately call the northern arm of Pine Mountain "Bill Hill", after a local who spent some time in them thar hills.  We are fortunate to be skiing on this land that is owned by Gorham Land Company, the same owners of Great Glen Trails and the Mt. Washington Auto Road.  The ski zone is on the other side of the Gorham Airport off of Bellevue Road in downtown Gorham (see "Access" paragraph below).  This is the summertime play zone of the Coos Cycling Club, which have built some impressive trails throughout this terrain, including a new addition in 2017 called "For Pete's Sake".  GBA is excited to introduce this north-facing glade in 2018 into its "lunchtime lap" category. Bill Hill often holds snow long after storms (unless the locals get to it first!).  The area was recently logged and the tree canopy is not significant - but for quick access and good skiing Bill Hill delivers!

Description of Bill Hill Glade.  Atop the ridgeline of Bill Hill there are several obvious openings for which to choose your own adventure.  The zone is a perfect alternative to Crescent Ridge Glade or the commotion of Pinkham Notch.  The common method of skiing is by multiple "laps" at the base of where the steeper section mellows and the old logging roads merge.  As a result of logging, the trees are young and skinny and are tightly spaced, so be prepared to glade ski like Michaela Shiffrin!  A skintrack generally develops to return to the top; if you are first to the area simply turn back the way you came and ascend looker's right up the old forest road.  Your final run is a fun and flowy surf through the old logging trails back to the main snowmobile areas for which you must then skate-ski to the car (beware of incoming snowmobile traffic). 

Parking: Skiers may park on Bellevue Road after the road turns to dirt and prior to snowmobile crossing.  Please park respectfully. Past parking occurred at the Gorham Water Supply Pumphouse and that area is now off limits.  Please be respectful of your parking to preserve this access point for future use. 

Access.  Access to the glade is by following the snowmobile track across the northern tip of the airport landing strip (past the brick town water supply pumphouse).  The skintrack then traverses another opening field (dominated by snowmobiles) and then enters the woods.  At this point, you are on the other side of the runway directly across from where you parked. You may see a skin track directly across the airstrip - and that is fine to use too if established.  From there, a short right hand turn at the mountain biking sign "For Pete's Sake" will direct you into the zone but then you must take an immediate left to depart from the mountain biking trail and up an old skid road that eventually brings you to the steeper terrain at the bottom of the glade run-out.  You may skin up the old forest roads and find your line once you gain the ridge. 

Status.  Landowner approval and secured however parking remains an ongoing open item as traditionally bikers and skiers have parked at the Gorham Water Supply Pumphouse. 

Future Glade Expansion. GBA and CCC combined forces again in the fall of 2017 to provide additional glading and line development. 

Enjoy!  

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