Shortcut
- 0.2 mi
- distance
- 25 ft
- climb
- 1,979 ft
- high point
- Easy
- difficulty
Shortcut is a short, easy ski touring route in Maine's Bald Mountain Rangeley, managed by State Park and Recreation. The route is only about 0.15 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 25 feet, and it starts at 1,979 feet, the highest point on the climb. That makes it a quick way to get onto the mountain, rather than a full tour. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Rangeley show July highs around 75°F with lows near 53°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s. The Bald Mountain Summit Trail lies about 0.2 miles away, and the Lift Line ski touring route is about 0.4 miles off. The Bald Mountain Trail is about half a mile away, and the Rangeley River Trail is roughly 1.8 miles away.
Best time to go
Best time to visit Shortcut
No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
22° / 2°
16 wet
Feb
25° / 3°
13 wet
Mar
33° / 12°
13 wet
Apr
46° / 26°
13 wet
May
61° / 38°
15 wet
Jun
70° / 48°
16 wet
Jul
75° / 53°
15 wet
Aug
73° / 51°
13 wet
Sep
66° / 43°
13 wet
Oct
52° / 33°
14 wet
Nov
39° / 23°
15 wet
Dec
28° / 11°
18 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rangeley 2 Nw, ME, 5.8 mi away at 1,780 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
Photo: Bubblecuffer, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)Sugarloaf
~41 min drive
Sugarloaf is a 15-lift downhill ski area in Maine with 127 runs.
SKI
Lift Line
Next door
0.4 mi · Easy
SKI
Larry Hall Trail
~18 min drive
0.30-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 77 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Moose Alley
~19 min drive
Moose Alley is a 0.20-mile out-and-back ski trail in Maine with 10 feet of elevation gain.
SEE
Saddleback Mountain
~21 min drive
Saddleback Mountain in Maine has 5 lifts and 63 runs with 1,847 ft of vertical drop.
SKI
Geneva Loop
~17 min drive
0.41-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Maine with 65 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Tote Road
~18 min drive
0.21-mile out-and-back route on Tote Road in Maine with 25 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Larry Hall Trail
~20 min drive
0.43-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 17 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Geneva Loop
~18 min drive
Geneva Loop is a 1.03-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 129 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Lake Trail
~18 min drive
0.43-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 13 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
