A Group Hike with the Shelburne Trails Club (Shelburne, NH)

It was a toss-up as to whether to post this trek to my traditional 1HappyHiker blog, or to this one.  Considering that it has been a while since I've added anything to this blog, the decision was made to post it here.  And besides, this loop hike was only about 3.5 miles, and so it basically qualifies as a "2Small 2B Big" adventure!

This hike occurred in late March and was organized by the Shelburne Trails Club (STC).  I was among a group of eight participants.  At a post-hike luncheon, we were joined by a few others who were unable to participate in the hike itself.

For those unfamiliar with the STC, the mission statement on their Facebook page indicates that the club "supports and promotes safe use and stewardship of the Shelburne, New Hampshire area trails through restoration, preservation, mapping and maintenance of trails, and the sharing of the collective knowledge of its members".  Some of the more notable peaks in the STC trail system include: Bald Cap Peak, Middle Mountain, Mt. Crag, Mt. Ingalls, and Mt. Cabot (not the 4K peak in the Pilot Range).

The destinations for this particular hike included Middle Mountain, and a place referred to in vintage editions of the White Mountain Guide as "Joe Ledges".   Middle Mountain is accessible by STC trails and is open to the public.  The spot known as Joe Ledges is on conserved land and is not part of the STC trail system; however, the group hiked to this location at the invitation of the landowner.

Despite being a day that was overcast with intermittent snow squalls, this was a very enjoyable outing.  Shown below are some snapshots taken during this group hike.

Our group of happy hikers snowshoeing through the wonderful woodlands of Shelburne, NH

A view toward the Presidential Range from a trailside opening while en route to Joe Ledges

A view toward the Moriah mountains from Joe Ledges

Can just barely make out the ledges on Bald Cap Peak through the snow squall that was underway when we arrived at Middle Mountain

Although the hike occurred just a few days into the official Spring Season, there were still plenty of wintery scenes such as this all along the route

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