Hiking/snowshoeing on Mt. Wachusett
Hike leader: John Nilsson
10:00 AM start from Visitor Center, 345 Mountain Road, Princeton, MA
Hikers 6): John Nilsson, Clyde Kessel, Jack Mroczkowski, Janet Miller, Susan Sabin, Elizabeth Wicks.
We started from the Visitor Center in excellent winter hiking conditions – very light flurries, 15 inches of new snow and temps in the low twenties. We all were using snowshoes, and they were needed. The first stretch of the trail was packed snow. However, after the junction with the Pine Hill trail, the way was only trod by one bare-boot hiker. For the rest of the way on the Loop trail we were breaking deep snow. This called for care in footing and route finding using the (blue) blazes painted on the trees. When we joined the Mountain House trail we were back on packed trail, and had that for the rest of the day.
At the summit we met up with a chilly west wind, and not much of a view. The top of the lift was busy with skiers and who should appear but Sander Nydick. The descent was uneventful, though some care was needed on the steeper sections. We paused at the fantastic, world-famous Balance Rock before starting the final stretch. At the ski lodge we met up with some W.W. down-hillers for a relaxed lunch. The way from the ski lodge up to the visitor center is an easy leg – even for hikers burdened with their beer and lunch (unfortunately, the leader’s tank was on Empty).
report by John Nilsson
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