Winter hike from Great Brook Farm Ski Touring Center - February 16, 2022

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 16 February 2022, A winter hike from Great Brook Farm Ski Touring Center

Hike Leader:  Janet Miller

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

Hikers (12): Janet, Ann Northup, Betsy Harper, Clyde Kessel, Don Mannes, Gerry Sheetoo, Hugh Folsom, Kaz Zelny, Patrick Ward, Rochelle Holman, Susan Sabin, and first-timer Leslie Talmadge.

XC Skiers (2):  Bill Widnall and Julie Dodd.

The morning started out sunny, but cold, as fourteen WWs gathered for a morning adventure.  Julie and Bill decided that they would rather ski, even though the snow cover was thin.  The rest of us set off to hike the Great Brook Farm trails on the other side of Lowell Road, following the Acorn trails to Curve Street.

Clyde, who lives on Curve Street, helped guide us on the next phase of the hike, as we crossed over Curve Street to Mill Pond Lane.  We walked down the lane for a short distance to find the Otter Slide Trail which follows a pretty brook to the Cranberry Fields.  Once we got there, everyone was eager for more miles and we hiked all the way around the cranberry bog before retracing our steps back along the brook.  After crossing Curve Street again, we took a different trail back to our starting place.

By the end of the hike, the snow was balling up under our microspikes, thanks to the warming temperatures.  Back in the parking lot, we compared distances recorded on our phones and estimated that we had walked somewhere between 4.5 and 5 miles.  We also saw Julie in the parking lot - she reported that she and Bill had enjoyed their skiing and that they had been on almost all of the xc ski trails. 

Report by Janet Miller.

Hike the Wilds of Wellesley III - February 9, 2022

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 9 February 2022, Hike the Wilds of Wellesley III

Hike Leader:  Susan Sabin

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

Hikers (7):  Susan, Carol Anderson, David Wean, Margie Lee, Marie Keutmann, Tom Allen, and Tony Lee.

A day that promised and delivered ice melt was also very icy underfoot.  Luckily, we all donned our microspikes before we set out.  The “high road” proved too steep, even for those super-duper microspikes, so we crossed the woods that led to the aqueduct on the “low road" which was tricky enough.  We all agreed, however, that ice was preferable to mud.

Then onto the aqueduct which was a slalom course of puddles, ice, and exposed grass.  When we got to the Wellesley Country Club we took off our microspikes for the walk across their parking lot.  Much of the Babson walk was on shoveled paths, but when we headed onto some backwoods trails leading to the Olin campus, the microspikes went on again.  Off again as we crossed some athletic fields on the way back from Olin to Babson.  On again (for several of us) approaching the country club, then off through the parking lot, and on for the aqueduct and trails beyond.  

It turns out that putting-on and taking-off microspikes provides significant exercise.  After five-plus miles and four on/off microspike changes, no one opted for the extra one-mile loop around Longfellow Pond.  

A great group, a great time, great weather.  Thanks to Margie and David for the photos.   

Report by Susan Sabin.

Photos courtesy of Margie Lee and David Wean.

Hiking the Wilds of Wellesley II - February 2, 2022

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 2 February 2022, Hiking the Wilds of Wellesley II

Hike Leader:  Susan Sabin

~3 miles, 10:00 am start from Wellesley, MA

Hikers (8):  Susan, Elsa Lawrence, John Kitchen, Margie Lee, Rochelle Holman, Tod Cochran, Tony Lee, and first-timer Steve Caplow..

This was a hike to an unknown corner of Wellesley, enough off the beaten path that one member of our group suggested we make a pact to keep what happened on the trail on the trail.

So, sorry all.  End of story!  See ya next year!

Report by Susan Sabin.

Photo courtesy of Margie Lee.

Two Parks in Boston - A Winter Walk - January 26, 2022

 WALK REPORT

Wednesday, 26 January 2022, Two Parks in Boston - A Winter Walk

Walk Leader:  David Wean

6+ miles (3 hrs), 10:00 am start from Mattapan, MA

Walkers (7):  David, Ann Northup, Annemarie Altman, Marie Keutmann, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, and Tod Cochran.

On a cold but sunny morning, we started from Mass Audubon's Boston Nature Center (gathering indoors, with restrooms!), walking about a mile along the BNC Fox Trail.  We stopped to view the dried cattails from the wetlands viewing point and circled back, following Canterbury Brook.  Crossing through Boston's yard waste compost facility, we walked a half mile along American Legion Parkway’s new protected bike lanes to Franklin Park.

Circumnavigating the park, we saw the William Devine golf course, Schoolmaster Hill (Emerson lived near there in the 1820's), the zoo (though all the animals had the good sense to remain indoors), and finally reached the abandoned-in-the-1950s bear cages (which somehow ended up in the film Mystic River, though we were much closer to the Neponset).  On our return, we passed the White Schoolboy Stadium (not Jim Crow, but instead built with the help of the George Robert White Fund, as was the Nature Center's building), visited the Overlook Shelter Ruin (of one of the few structures built by Olmsted), and headed through the Wilderness, down the "99 Steps" (but who's counting), past Shattuck Hospital and the new "cottage community" which provides secure housing for thirty of the former tent-dwellers from "Mass and Cass."  We looped around Scarboro Pond and returned to the Nature Center for a quick visit to their future solar field and what's billed as the largest community garden in the Commonwealth, returning through the Food Forest to the parking lot.

Folks enjoyed seeing some unfamilar places, and everyone seemed to stay warm, or at least warm enough.

Report by David Wean.

Winter Hike from Nobscot Scout Reservation - January 19, 2022

 Wednesday, 19 January 2022, Winter Hike from Nobscot Scout Reservation

Hike Leaders:  Tony & Margie Lee

6.3 miles (~3.5 hr), 10:00 am start from Sudbury, MA

Hikers (13):  Tony, Margie, Alan Cantor, Betsy Harper, Butch Pemstein, David Wean, Everett Briggs, Jack Mroczkowski, Julie Dodd, Marie Keutmann, Patty Grasso, Richard Vignoni, and Tod Cochran.

Thirteen of us met at the Nobscot parking lot where many of us donned microspikes and grabbed hiking poles.  We experienced clear winter weather, hampered only by icy trails.  We followed Thirty Rod Trail to Tipling Rock Trail, and scrambled up Tipling Rock, taking in views of Boston, the Blue Hills (including ski runs for those with super vision), and the Needham towers.  

 

We forged on to Ford’s Folly, carefully negotiating our way on the icy trail.  Our return to the parking lot was revised to avoid steep, icy downhills. 

 

People were happy to escape winter cabin fever and Covid social isolation, appreciating the woods and conversing over a wide range of topics.  I think we even identified a ubiquitous plant - club moss. 

 

With thanks to Everett Briggs, you can check out our Epic adventure on Relive!  https://www.relive.

Noanet Woodlands - January 12, 2022

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 12 January 2022, Noanet Woodlands

Hike Leader:  Dmitry Gorenburg

5.3 miles (~3 hr), 10:00 am start from Dover, MA

Hikers (14 human +3 canine):  Dmitry, Barbara Martin, Elsa Lawrence, Everett Briggs, Frank Hubbard, Greg Stathis, Janet Miller, Marie Keutmann, Marlene Heroux, Richard Vignoni, Robin Frain, Susan Broome, Tod Cochran, and Tom Lawrence. 

After the previous day's freeze, the weather was glorious - mostly sunny and in the 30s.  The group donned traction devices and set off for the woods. Along the way, we saw the site of the Dover Union Iron Mill (http://archive.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2003/12/21/old_mill_gets_new_attention_from_author/) and its attendant ponds, which on this day had a lovely ice fall.  Despite some efforts at persuasion, Robin declined to demonstrate her ice climbing technique on site.  The rest of the hike proceeded to the sawmill pond, then to Strawberry Hill in Hale Reservation, before returning to the ponds and climbing up to Noanet Peak for views of the Boston skyline (hidden behind all the people in the group photo) and Robin's delicious oreo treats.  By popular request, here's the route we hiked:  https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/map-january-12-2022-2-15-pm-87ae6fb .

Everett asked about the meaning of the name Noanet.  Although I could not answer the question at the time, a little googling provides the following:  "Noanet was likely the name of a leader of a group of Indigenous Peoples probably affiliated with the Nipmuc and Wampanoag, who camped on this land, fished the Charles River, and hunted along Noanet Brook."  More information on the reservation can be found here:  https://thetrustees.org/content/noanet-history/ .

Report by Dmitry Gorenburg.

Photos by Everett Briggs.

Walk the Wilds of Wellesley I - December 29, 2021

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 29 December 2021, Walk the Wilds of Wellesley I

Hike Leaders: Susan Sabin & Don Mannes

~5 or ~3 miles, 10:30 am start from Wellesley, MA

Hikers (22):  Susan, Don, Ann Northup, Annemarie Altman, Barbara Jacobs, Dan Nelson, Don Buchholtz, Elsa Lawrence, Gene Ho, Gerry Sheet, Janet Miller, Marie Keutmann, Mike Hanauer, Patrick Ward, Patty Grasso, Romaine Randall, Susan Broome, Ted Nydick, Tom Lawrence, Tony Lee, and first-timers Joey Castro and Nancy Olt.

The day turned out to be a surprise for many.  For one thing, the weather was gray and cool - one said “ brisk,” but it was perfect walking weather.  For a second, many were very pleasantly surprised by the extensive and interesting trails in Wellesley, which explains the title of the hike:  Wilds of Wellesley I.  (Stay tuned for #s II & III.)  Finally, this was Don’s first time as a co-leader and he was surprised that people actually followed him! 

 

One thing was not a surprise:  as always, the WWs who showed up were very congenial and very pleasant to be with.  The group stayed together all the way, giving sweep, Joey Castro, little to sweep.  

Report by Susan Sabin.

Photo courtesy of Gene Ho.