A below zero F hike just a week after seeing near 60 F at the top of Camels Hump! The scheduled trip was to Cantilever Rock, but Tom and Robynn were considering an “extra credit” trip to the summit. That idea was abandoned after they looked at the higher elevation forecast of a high temperature of -9 F, 30+ mph winds and at -40° F or more wind chill. Six of us met at the Underhill Center commuter lot at 9 AM and took three vehicles to the winter parking area on the state park road. It was around 0° F at the bottom with lightly overcast skies as we started up around 9:15.

There was a light coating of snow over ice on the state park road and much of the CCC road and trail, so everyone but David wore spikes for the whole trip. On the way up the road we met Jude Bircks. Like Robynn and Tom, he had been considering hiking farther up the mountain, but hearing of the forecast and the likely icy conditions (he had no spikes) he decided to join us for the rest of the trip. The sun came out as we approached the Cantilever Rock spur trail, but the temperature also dropped noticeably. We spend some time looking around and searching for one of Sheri’s HillSounds that had come off (found a short way down the trail), then headed back to reach the cars just after noon (though Rich and Sheri took it a bit slower and reached the cars a bit later).

Participants: Rich Larsen, Sheri Larsen, Robynn Albert, Tom Smith, Phil Hazen, Jude Bircks, David Hathaway (leader). Photos: Sheri.