We met at the Underhill Center at 9 AM and took 4 vehicles up to the Stevensville trailhead. It was cold (around 5 F) but sunny as we started up around 9:20. We all brought snowshoes, but the trail was very well packed so most of us started with just boots, or microspikes or some other kind of traction device. We made good time, reaching the Long Trail junction around 10:10.

The Long Trail was also pretty well packed at first, but we started postholing due to deeper and drifted snow as we climbed, so all but two of us were in snowshoes by the time we reached Butler Lodge. We had spread out quite a bit along the way, so some folks had been there for about 20 minutes by the time the last of us arrived around 12:25.

The temperature never really rose, but there was also very little wind. We had lunch in the lodge, but those who had been waiting started down about 10 minutes after the last of us arrived, with the rest following shortly.

Butler Lodge trail was again hard packed, so most of us were out of snowshoes by the time we reached the cars, around 1:45.

Participants: Jill George, Phil Hazen, Robynn Albert, Cedric Baele, Beth Royer, Steve Titcomb, Nate Rex, Maria Baiulescu, Jim Mosenthal, Greg Bostock, Jay Strauss, David Hathaway (leader). Photos: David Hathaway, Steve Titcomb.