Why Snowshoeing is so Great

You're thinking, warm temperatures, rain, the trail conditions must be crappy on Libby Hill, right? Well the ski trails are taking a beating but the groomed trails will hold on until the next snow. Snowshoeing on the other hand, is really good. The rain and cold night temperatures have created a superior crust. See the tracks the photo to the right, They barely break into the snow! This means you can go off tracks almost anywhere you want to explore!

Today I scoped out the route for our upcoming February 20th, full moon snowshoe walk. I wanted to find some new places to take folks that have been on our previous tours. Today, Doreen and I found some great places on the south ridge of Libby Hill, just east of the Harold Libbey Trail. For those of you who come to the event (please reserve your space see www.libbyhill.org), you will have a chance to quickly get off trail and visit the deer trails that lead down the spine of Libby Hill to Thayer brook. Since it is a night tour, we'll keep you high and dry but you'll see the woods in a whole different 'light', moonlight that is!

After making a loop on the south ridge, we'll stop at the Harold Libbey memorial for a break. Then its off bushwhacking the main section of Libby Hill Forest. In winter you can go right down the middle of the property eventually making a loop to the views on he east. We should reach the top of Libby Hill when the moon is about 30 degrees up on the horizon providing great light on the open areas under the large pines.

The whole tour will take about 2 hours, so hurry if you want to reserve a space! If you can make that tour, be sure to get out and explore during the day. Conditions only continue to for the snowshoers even while the skiers are home praying for snow!