Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Cornell Farm/Little Reserve Hike


TRIP DATE       April 24, 2014
TRIP LOCATION: Cornell Farm/Little Reserve, Dartmouth, MA                   

MEETING TIME:          10:00 AM       
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS):             27

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):       3 hours 45 minutes
LENGTH IN MILES:      6

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):    N/A
DIFFICULTY:          C                         (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S):       Walt Granda
CO-LEADER NAME(S): Jerry Yos

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:    Smith Neck Road, Dartmouth
CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:      No                    TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  Sunny & very Windy

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Blue Hills Thursday Morning Hike - Skyline and Red Dot Trails

TRIP DATE:      April 10, 2014 
                       
TRIP LOCATION:    Blue Hills             

MEETING TIME:  10:00 am                
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS):   21     

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):   3 hours
LENGTH IN MILES:   5 miles

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):   
DIFFICULTY:          B3B                 (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S):  Sue Chiavaroli
CO-LEADER NAME(S):

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:   
CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:      No                  TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:

SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:  Skyline Train to Red Dot Trail to Houghton’s and back to trailhead via Red Dot Trail
WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  60s and sunny

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.): Great hike!  Good views and great participants!

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Mt. Tom State Reservation Hike

TRIP DATE:     March 22, 2014                          

TRIP LOCATION:      Mt. Tom State Reservation, Holyoke, MA        

MEETING TIME:     9:30 am          

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS):  7
         
TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):    6.5 hr.

LENGTH IN MILES:     9 mi.

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):    app. 1,000 ft.

DIFFICULTY:    B              (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S):  Anne Duggan and Len Ulbricht          

CO-LEADER NAME(S):

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:    125 Reservation Rd., Holyoke, MA
CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:     No                    TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:
WAS TRIP WITHING WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?  No 
  
DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:  Very icy conditions slowed hike.  Skipped Mt. Tom loop on M&M Trail

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Sunday Blue Hills Braintree Pass/Red Spot Loop Hike

TRIP DATE:      April 6, 2014                          

TRIP LOCATION:      Blue Hills        
MEETING TIME:     9:00 am          

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 9         
TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):    2.25 hr.

LENGTH IN MILES:      3.5 hr.
TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):   

DIFFICULTY:    C              (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)
LEADER NAME(S):  Paul Miller          

CO-LEADER NAME(S): Paul Brookes
TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:    Small parking area at intersection of Rte. 28 and Chicatawbut Rd. in Milton

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:     No                    TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:
WAS TRIP WITHING WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?  No,   

DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:  Hiked Braintree Pass Path, Bouncing Brook Path, Cuve Path, Sassaman Notch Path, and a section of the Skyline Trail (much of the loop hike involved the Red Spot Trail loop…).  Trail in very good shape, with very little mud (particularly considering all the recent rain)

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  Beautiful sunny spring day.  A little cool to start with temps in the low 30s, but warming  up to mid 50s
OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.) Good participating for early-season "show & go" hike.  Not a real “view” hike.  A little tricky getting down two steep ledges on the Skyline…

Monday, March 24, 2014

Blue Hills - Ponkapoag Pond


TRIP DATE: 03/23/14  
TRIP LOCATION:  Blue HILLS – Ponkapoag Pond

MEETING TIME:          9:00 a.m.                                
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS):             7

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):       2 hour
LENGTH IN MILES:      4.5 miles

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):    N/A
DIFFICULTY:       C                            (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S):       Cathy MacCurtain
CO-LEADER NAME(S):   Kathy Fagan

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:  Ponkapoag Golf Course parking lot on 138.

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:       No                   TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:  N/A

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  Overcast, cool with light winds.

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.): All 7 that attended enjoyed the trails and had a great time.

Thursday AM Hike in Blue Hills


TRIP DATE:      3/13/2014                              
TRIP LOCATION:          Blue Hills                    

MEETING TIME:  10:00 am                
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 5         

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):       2.5
LENGTH IN MILES:      app. 5.5 miles

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):    app. 500 ft.
DIFFICULTY:         C          (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S):       Sue Chiavaroli
CO-LEADER NAME(S):

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:    Across from State Police Barracks

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:      No                   TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:
SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:  Followed the yellow triangle trail and Breakledge Trails

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  20 degrees, light snow


OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.): Great hike in the snow.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

2014 Winter Hike #4 - Lonesome Lake Overnight

TRIP DATE:  Friday - Sunday, 2/28 – 3/2, 2014  
                                

TRIP LOCATION:  Lonesome Lake Hut in NH (with Sat. hike options for Cannon Mtn. or North Kinsman Loop hike)                       

MEETING TIME:  10:00 am on Friday, 2/28              
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 15       

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):
Trailhead to AMC Lonesome Lake Hut = app. 1.25 hours (Lonesome Lake to trailhead return trip only took less than an hour!)
Cannon Hike = app. 4.5 hours via Lonesome Lake, and Kinsman Ridge Trails (including leisurely lunch in cafeteria at top of Cannon Mtn.)
Kinsman Loop Hike = app. 7.0 hours via Fishin Jimmy, Kinsman Pond, and Cascade Brook Trails (including numerous stops for photos)   
LENGTH IN MILES:     Lafayette Campground trailhead to AMC Lonesome Lake Hut = app. 1.5 miles each way; Cannon Hike = 4.2 miles round trip/Kinsman loop hike = 7.4 miles round trip

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET): Trailhead to Lonesome Lake = app. 1,000 feet; Cannon Hike = 1,398 feet; Kinsman loop hike = 2,879 feet   
DIFFICULTY:      B                         (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S):       Leslie Carson, Maureen Kelly, Wayne Anderson, Paul Miller
TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION: Hiker’s parking lot at Lafayette Campground in Franconia Notch (ample parking available in morning, not so ample later in day…) 

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:    No                 
WAS TRIP WITHING WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?  Yes   

IF YES TO ABOVE, DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED: Packed snow on all trails hiked.  Lonesome Lake Pond frozen and crossable with microspikes.
WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  Very cold (minus 6 degrees F.) and clear Friday night; mostly clear and cold (teens?) during day on Saturday, only windy on summits; not so cold Saturday night (6 degrees F.) with light dusting of snow.  Cold with light snow Sunday morning.

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.):  No problems.  Good winter hiking conditions, cold but generally nice weather, nice views across Lake to Franconia Ridge and from summits of Cannon and North Kinsman.  For the Cannon hike on Saturday, based on the caretaker's recommendation, we only wore our microspikes.  However, in retrospect, it may have been better to wear full crampons, particularly on several particularly steep sections of trail.  Snowshoes not needed on well-packed trail.