Bald Mountain Glades
Bringing Backcountry Skiing to Western Maine's Public Lands
On Bald Mountain in Oquossoc, High Peaks Alliance is partnering with the Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) and Granite Backcountry Alliance (GBA) to develop the first publicly maintained ski glades in the High Peaks Region. The project will create free, human-powered runs for residents and visitors while reviving the mountain’s historic ski legacy.
It was identified as a priority in the High Peak Initiative’s State of the High Peaks Reports and supports sustainable, close-to-home outdoor recreation across the region.
What Are Ski Glades?
Ski glades are created by selectively thinning dense undergrowth and young trees to open a hillside for skiing while keeping the mature forest intact. Done well, they blend into the landscape and leave no lasting impact.
📸 Courtesy of Jamie Walter
Why Bald Mountain?
Bald Mountain in Oquossoc once hosted a small ski area in the 1960s. Today, skiers still hike the old T-bar line, making the mountain a natural fit for a new chapter in public skiing. With two trailheads, no new uphill routes, and easy emergency access, it checks every practical box.
No publicly accessible glades currently exist in the High Peaks Region. This project will expand close-to-home skiing while supporting local businesses and Maine’s outdoor recreation goals.
📸 Historic Bald Mountain ski brochure from the 1960s, a reminder of the mountain’s long skiing legacy in Oquossoc.
Our Partner: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL)
BPL manages Bald Mountain Public Reserve Lands and approved this project as the first glade initiative on its properties. The Western Mountains Region Management Plan designates these slopes for timber management, aligning with sustainable glade creation.
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Our Partner: Granite Backcountry Alliance
We’re teaming up with the Granite Backcountry Alliance, based in North Conway, New Hampshire. They have built and maintain community glades across New Hampshire and Maine, including Maine’s first public human-powered glade at Black Mountain in Rumford.
Get Involved
This project runs on volunteers. Glade work days are a chance to get outside, work alongside other skiers, and directly shape the terrain you will be skiing for years to come. No experience necessary.
Join us. We need your help.