Birch
- 0.6 mi
- round trip
- 115 ft
- climb
- 1,078 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Birch is a cross-country ski route in New Hampshire's Belknap County Recreation Area, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The trail is a short out-and-back, about 1.2 miles long, with a high point of 1,078 feet and a low of 1,031 feet. The climb is moderate, with a total gain of 115 feet and a steepest stretch of about 6% at roughly 0.44 miles in. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lakeport show January highs around 30°F with about seven snow days, while March brings highs near 42°F and fewer snow days. That station sits about 580 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. Several other ski routes lie close by, including Short Oak about 0.1 mile away and Bullseye and Knoll each about 0.2 mile away. Climbers can find Rines Hill roughly 9 miles off.
Best time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Birch
Best months: April–October. 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
30° / 12°
11 wet · 7 snow
Feb
34° / 12°
9 wet · 6 snow
Mar
42° / 21°
11 wet · 4 snow
Apr
56° / 33°
11 wet · 1 snow
May
68° / 44°
12 wet
Jun
77° / 55°
12 wet
Jul
82° / 60°
12 wet
Aug
81° / 59°
10 wet
Sep
73° / 52°
10 wet
Oct
60° / 40°
11 wet
Nov
47° / 30°
11 wet · 1 snow
Dec
36° / 20°
12 wet · 5 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lakeport 2, NH, 5.4 mi away at 500 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SEE
Gunstock Recreation Area
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0.13-mile out-and-back ski trail in New Hampshire with 5 ft of elevation gain.
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Short Oak
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0.12-mile out-and-back ski trail in New Hampshire, groomed for cross-country skiing.
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Connector
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Rock Loop
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0.40-mile out-and-back out-and-back with 139 ft elevation gain in New Hampshire.
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Bullseye
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0.15-mile out-and-back ski route in New Hampshire with 9 feet of elevation gain.
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Aerial Adventure Path
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Nock
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0.19-mile out-and-back ski trail in New Hampshire with 60 ft of elevation gain.
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Wood Loop
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0.21-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in New Hampshire with 55 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
