Stinson Lake Ride

This ride is offered as a part of NH GO Gathering 2013. This is a morning event that can, at the discretion of the group, either include extended miles on the bike or return to camp for volleyball and in-camp activities. Either way, it will get your juices flowing on Saturday morning.

Riding from Branch Brook Campground on Saturday morning, we cross Daniel Webster Highway and ride West on Ellsworth Hill Road. In the first 4.5 miles of Ellsworth Hill Road, we enter the White Mountain National Forest and gain 800 feet in elevation. From the crest of Ellsworth Hill at 1400 feet we have an excellent view of the Franconia Ridge. An optional 1.5 mile side-trip is available if we want to visit Ellsworth Pond.

Continuing West on Ellsworth Hill Road, the road turns to dirt and rises and falls for the next 3.5 miles (with a 50-foot net loss in elevation) to the North end of Stinson Lake. Stinson Lake is a summer retreat shared by local property owners and a variety of private summer schools and camps. It happens that the day of our ride will be the final day of a week-long camp for teens (ages 13-17) operated at White Mountain Ranch by Rumney Bible Conference. A 4-mile road that circles the lake provides access to the water, which is available for swimming, boating and water skiing.

We can hang out, swim, break out snacks and enjoy what Stinson Lake has to offer until the group itch to ride again signals time to head downhill and back to camp.

For extended miles on the bike, we can ride south from the Southern end of Stinson Lake. On this route, the road criss-crosses Stinson Brook as it falls 750 feet in 5 miles on its way to Rumney, NH, a town of 1,480 people where there are options for food at Plain Jane’s Diner, Pub & Eatery Kay’s and the Rumney Village Store & Deli. Absent a need to stop in Rumney, the route back to camp is another 10 miles (after Rumney) on backcountry roads with no net change in elevation. Both Rumney and Branch Brook Campground sit at 600 feet above sea level.

Opting for a shorter ride, we can return from the North end of the lake the same way we came up (down Ellsworth Hill Road). This should get us back to camp by early afternoon and in plenty of time for volleyball or other in-camp activities. I plan to scout the entire route during the day on Friday, the day before our ride, so we can have a meeting in the GO tent at Branch Brook on Friday night to answer questions and discuss weather, contingencies and options. Please check the message board after 6:00 pm on Friday for status.

To participate in this ride, you need a trail or hybrid bike with shocks and fat tires suitable for dirt and gravel. You must have (and wear) a helmet. You should have at least one spare tube of the appropriate size for your bike. Bring food for snacks or lunch and plenty of water. It never hurts to pack sunscreen and insect repellant. For swimming, bring a swim suit or plan to swim in your bike shorts. You should be prepared for rain and wind at elevation, although steady rain at camp on Saturday morning will cancel the ride.

If you plan to do this ride, please sign up on the website before Friday, July 12, so we can know who and how many to expect.