Well I've been tossing around ideas with some people, and here's some of my plans for hikes this winter.

PRIMERO
Arlington-West Wardsboro Rd, hiking the AT/LT to the summit of Stratton Mountain and spending the night up in the FireTower. In the morning we'll hike to Stratton Pond, and then complete the Loop via the Stratton Pond trail back to our vehicle. Might be doing this before the year is through.

SEGUNDO
RT-124, hiking the Old Halfway House Trail to the White Arrow Trail, and then to the Summit of Mt. Monadnock. "Winterized" open summit. Then we'll backtrack the way we ascended. A possible modification would be to take the Pumpelly/Red Spot/Cascade Link Trail Route. We haven't nailed this down yet 100%.

TERCERO
Winter Summit of Camel's Hump via the Burrows Trail. In and Out. 2.1mi and 2,300ft elevation change each way. We'll have to wait until the right time though, when Huntington Ctr and it's side roads are clear, yet Camel's Hump is still covered w/Snow and Ice and the skies are clear. This one will be a killer :-?

We're sure on 1 & 2, but haven't decided on #3.

Nice plans. I skied in to Stratton Pond in the winter of 1980. We went in along the river/old logging road from the parking lot to the pond, as that was already broken out. The night by the pond was very pleasnt (and no ethereal beings), and there were lean-tos right next to the pond then. No problem getting in, but we decided to follow the LT coming out. Back then the LT was the Stratton Pond Trail and didn't go over the summit. We just couldn't follow it, as it was blazed white (now it's blue, which is better) and you couldn't tell a blaze from snow on the tree trunk. So we spent hours brushing snow off trees looking for blazes. Finally gave that up and pulled out our compasses. But we'd wasted so much time that we had to spend a second night camped out. Got to the cars about 9 am the next day.

I was supposed to camp out in the firetower on Stratton tonight, but my partner cancled last minute. I'm also sick as a dog. My first cold in two years!
:datz
Oh well...

I think I'm going to head back out to the berkshires this week a few times. Last time I was up there the ridge leading up to Mt. Williams from below Mt. Prospect was almost flooded out? :-?

Kind of an odd place to have floods on the trail, but hey, you see all things! :p

I think I'm going to head back out to the berkshires this week a few times. Last time I was up there the ridge leading up to Mt. Williams from below Mt. Prospect was almost flooded out? :-?


RH, give me a blowdown count after those Berkshire hikes. I haven't been out there in awhile.