October Farm Riverfront and Brewster’s Woods winter snowshoe/hike - January 28, 2026

 SNOWSHOE/HIKE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 28 January 2026, October Farm Riverfront and Brewster’s Woods winter snowshoe/hike

Hike Leader:  Janet Miller

2 miles, 10:00 am start from Concord, MA  

 

Hikers (9):   Janet, Betty Salzburg, Jack Mroczkowski, Judy Perrin, Lynell Stomberg, Marie Keutmann, Phyllis Evans, Susan Sabin, and Zach Woods.

 

Nine bold WWs gathered to hike through the deep, fresh, powdery snow on a very chilly but sunny day.  All but three came with snowshoes, but, luckily, there were enough snowshoers to break trail in places where it had not previously been traveled.  We started on the well-traveled main trail towards the Concord River, then turned off to climb Dakins Hill.  The view of the Concord River from the top was spectacular!

 

After descending the hill we set out to circumnavigate Holden Hill on unbroken snow.  This was definitely hard work and we switched the lead to take turns in breaking trail.  Thanks for all the help!  After we returned to the start of the loop we hiked along the river until we reached the main trail leading back to the parking area, where four people chose to head back to their cars.

The rest of us continued along the river until we reached a blue-blazed trail.  It took us past a tall, bald cypress tree, with its “knees” making little bumps in the snow.  It is a mystery as to why it is there, as it is well out of its normal range.  It may have been planted by William Brewster who owned this land in the nineteenth century, but nobody knows for sure.  From there, we headed back to the parking area.  We only covered about two miles, but it was slow work and it took us the best part of two hours.

We all met up again in the Concord Market, for post-hike lunch and conversation.

Report by Janet Miller.

Lincoln & Concord - "Remembering Thoreau" winter hike - January 21, 2026

 HIKE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 21 January 2026, Lincoln & Concord - "Remembering Thoreau" winter hike

Hike Leaders:  Margie Lee & Tony Lee

~4 miles, 10:00 am start from Lincoln, MA.  

 

Hikers (12):  Margie, Tony, Betsy Harper, Betty Salzburg, Greg Stathis, Jack Mroczkowski, Janet Miller, Marie Keutmann, Phyllis Evans, Renee Rees, Richard Vignoni, and Susan Sabin.

 

In anticipation of "Henry David Thoreau," Ken Burns' upcoming three-hour documentary, we hiked (sauntered if you were to ask Thoreau) to the Walden Pond visitors center.  The park ranger on duty, Kyle, shared a lot of interesting information about Thoreau and the Transcendentalists and accompanied us to the replica of Henry David Thoreau's cabin, where he lived for two years, two months, and two days, overlooking Walden Pond and writing what was to be "Walden."

We crossed Route 126 and stopped at the site of the cabin, continued part way around Walden Pond, crossed the railroad tracks, and returned to The Food Project via Adams Woods trails.  The day was cold, but sunny, and we moved along well, except for a somewhat extended visit to the replica of the cabin.

There was a lot of food for thought and our conversations continued over lunch at Verrill Farm.

Report by Margie Lee.

Lincoln - Off the Beaten Track winter hike - January 14 2026

HIKE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 14 January 2026, Lincoln - Off the Beaten Track winter hike

Hike Leaders: Marie Keutmann & Richard Vignoni

~5 miles, 10:00 am start from The Pierce House, 17 Weston Road, Lincoln, MA

 

Hikers (22):  Marie, Richard, Aiko Pinkoski, Ann Northup, Annemarie Altman, Armen Kasparian, Barbara Pike, Betsy Harper, Dee Galacki, Don Mannes, Frank Calabrese, Harry Spatz, Janet Miller, Judy Perrin, Lynell Stromberg, Marc Baskin, Molly Schaeffer, Phyllis Evan, Rick Lawrence, Steve Hoffenberg, Susan Sabin, and Zach Woods.

 

The parking lot was sheer ice, so a few of us put on our microspikes to get out of our cars.  Most gathered on the edge of the lot where the ground was bare.

 

We went through open fields, horse pastures, backyards, and woods.  Highlights included traversing Flint Fields above the Flint Farm, which has been continuously occupied and farmed by the Flint family since Thomas Flint came over from England in 1636.  We stopped in the field above to look at rows of young American Chestnut trees which have been planted in an experiment to try to grow them in a way to be resistant to the fungus that destroyed most of the magnificent American Chestnuts a century ago.  In the horse pasture above the field, two friendly horses came over to us, probably looking for food.

 

A few of us put on our microspikes again in the woods along Flint Pond leading up to the Decordova Museum.  At the Decordova, we used the restrooms and continued on by the Slanted House.  Then we crossed Baker Bridge Road on the way to the remaining two miles of the hike by the elementary school and onto lesser known trails which brought us back to the Pierce House.

A dozen or so of us had lunch at Verrill Farm, eating in the warm greenhouse.

 

Thanks to Judy Perrin for sweeping.

Report by Marie Keutmann.

Waltham: Western Greenway winter hike - Waltham, Lexington, and Belmont - December 31 2025

HIKE REPORT Wednesday, 31 December 2025, Waltham: Western Greenway winter hike - Waltham, Lexington, and Belmont Hike Leaders: Barbara Jacobs & Ted Nyder 4.7 miles, 10:00 am start from Waltham, MA Hikers (16): Barbara, Ted, Annemarie Altman, Betty Salzberg, Gerry Sheetoo, Greg Stathis, Harry Spatz, Jeffrey Wallen, Judy Perrin, Lynell Stromberg, Marc Baskin, Margie Lee, Marie Keutmann, Richard Vignoni, Susan Broome, and Zach Woods. This WW offering helped us close out 2025 with a brisk hike on icy trails. Sixteen people ventured out on the 4.7 mile walk using traction devices that helped us get through the icy trails. We began our walk at the old Metropolitan State Hospital property on the Waltham/Lexington line. Our route took us on the Western Greenway trails and carriage roads of the old hospital grounds into Belmont's Rock Meadows and Lone Tree Hill. We hiked the trails to Habitat, where we had a quick break and checked out the goats. We then continued to our cars by way of the MetFern Cemetery where approximately 317 residents of the Fernald School and Met State Hospital were buried between 1947 and 1979. Fourteen of us had post-hike lunch at Bánh Mì Ơi (Vietnamese restaurant). Link for more information on the MetFern Cemetery - https://www.metferncemetery.com/ Report by Barbara Jacobs.

Wellesley Loop winter hike - December 24, 2025

HIKE REPORT 

Wednesday, 24 December 2025, 

Wellesley Loop winter hike 

Hike Leader: Susan Sabin 

~4 miles, 10:00 am start from Wellesley, MA 

Hikers (8): Susan, Elsa Lawrence, Greg Stathis, Janet Miller, Margie Lee, Mark Baskin, Peggy Gelin, and Tony Lee

‘‘Twas the day before Christmas and there was snow on the grasses.

Two registrees got cold feet and sat on their @#$%&.
The eight who braved the wind and cold, 
stayed warm and toasty, I’ve been told. 
The wind seemed to stay in the proper direction,
as we made our way from section to section.  
The lunch break was welcome, I’ll tell you that,
tho we missed Elsa in the chat.
It was truly great to get out on this day,
as it always is when the Wheelers go out to play.  

 Report by Susan Sabin.

Callahan State Park South Side early winter hike - December 17, 2025

HIKE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 17 December 2025, Callahan State Park South Side early winter hike

Hike Leaders:  Margie & Tony Lee

3.4 miles, 10:00 am start from Callahan SP parking lot, Framingham

 

Hikers (14):  Margie, Tony, Annemarie Altman, Barbara Jacobs, Gerry Sheetoo, Janet Miller, Judy Perrin, Lynell Stromberg, Marie Keutmann, Richard Vignoni, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, Ted Nyder, and Tod Cochran.

 

We hiked from Callahan's Edmands Street parking lot on the Pipeline trail and turned onto SVT's Baiting Brook trail just before the big hill.  We meandered through the woods and then crossed the Pipeline trail and descended to Deer Run and Birch trails.  We proceeded on Chickadee and Rocky Road, where we admired a NEMBA volunteer-built walking bridge. Finally, we hiked Red Tail, Wren, and Pioneer trails back to the parking lot.

 

The parking lot was icy, but the trails were well-travelled with only a dusting of snow.  Eleven of us drove to Franco's Trattoria in Sudbury's Mill Village shopping center for very fresh salads, pizza and sandwiches.

 

Report (and photo) by Margie Lee.

 

Exploring Wellesley, North of Route 9 - December 10, 2025

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 10 December 2025, An early winter hike - Exploring Wellesley, North of Route 9

Hike Leader:  Susan Sabin

~5 miles, 10:00 am start from Wellesley, MA

Hikers (13):  Susan, Aiko Pinkowski, Barbara Jacobs, Dee Galacki, Elsa Lawrence, Lynell Stromberg, Marie Keutmann, Phyllis Evan, Susan Broome, Ted Nyder, Tod Cochran, and first-timers Joyce Bailey and Steve Caplow.

The day was mild with no annoying SUN from which to shield our eyes.  Sandwiched as it was between wintery, gusty days on both ends, we got the pick of the week.  Although we were missing several registered hikers (I later found two last minute online cancellations), we took to the trail on time.  The route - in woods, on streets, over route 9, then back in woods, on streets, and finally alongside the raging Charles River to our rest and turn-around spot - was varied and had something for everyone.  

We took a short break near the picnic benches where Washington visited many moons ago, and the day was so mild that everyone snacked and chatted outdoors, before heading back (street, trail, over Route 9, street, trail.  The five miles flew by with so many great folks to talk to.

Report by Susan Sabin.                    Photo by Elsa Lawrence.