Comment by mackman
4 years ago
Anybody know how much trouble you’d get in cross country skiing or snowshoeing along the routes of these big power lines? They clear all the trees and brush and it looks like it would be a great alternative route to get around in winter. All those no trespassing signs have me spooked.
There are various degrees of clear. You might be surprised by how much scrub can grow there between clearances. Also the grade of the land can change quite abruptly. It's not like a railroad right of way where the grade is very limited. There can be significant ravines between pylons. The powerlines don't care because they're up above it all anyway. Pipelines likely have better paths but I suspect those are monitored more closely than power lines.
From what I've observed as a hiker, brush clearance can be touch and go. In some regions it doesn't take many years of neglect to turn a clearing into an impassable thicket. Also, a power line can go practically up the side of a mountain, cross streams and ravines, etc.
At least where I live in Ontario, the corridors are not necessarily public land and the power distributor only has access to them through an easement.
In my hometown state forest, no trouble.