Temple Mountain Ski Area may be long gone, but the mountain hasn't moved.

I have fond memories of skiing Temple Mountain back in the day, including the first time I ever tried snowboarding... using an old G&S plank that weighed about 30 pounds. I fell over backwards while trying to strap on the bindings, and broke a small bone in my wrist. It nagged at me for over a year before I got it fixed, but I kept at the snowboarding, and fared much better after buying a more modern board.

This winter, I've begun to convert my 11-year-old son from skis to snowboarding. It seemed a better fit, given his interest in skateboarding.

So far, so good, and yesterday we went out and laid down some lines on the slopes of Temple Mountain. I thought he'd enjoy trying some terrain less tame. I don't know why I thought that; it was only his third time out. He's yet to graduate from the bunny slopes. Still, he was game, and we had a blast.

We parked across the road at Miller State Park; it's a short hike from there to the base of Temple Mountain. We didn't hike all that much further; considering our abilities it seemed wise to keep the bottom in sight. The old ski trails are all still there, just a bit overgrown in places. There are plenty of paths through the brush and saplings, though. Riding down the ungroomed trails is a terrific experience; it requires quick thinking and slightly different technique. Hiking back up is good exercise, too.

I've yet to try riding down the Pack Monadnock auto road, but I've seen tracks there, too. It looks like fun.