Eight people and two dogs met at the Underhill Center park & ride at 8:30, where we consolidated into two cars and headed up to meet one other person who had gone directly to the state park. We got among the last real parking spots; the beautiful weather had drawn many out to the park, and when we left just before 4 PM cars were parked by the side of the road up to 1/4 mile below the gate! At the excellent suggestion of the state park staff, we decided to reverse the planned direction and headed up Maple Ridge (the hard spots on it are easier going up than down) and down Sunset Ridge (giving broader views as we descend).

The weather was sunny and pleasantly cool after the recent heat as we started up Eagles Cut trail around 9. We reached the end of the CCC road and start of Maple Ridge around 9:45, the Frost Trail junction around 10, the Forehead around 11:30, and the visitor center around noon, where we stopped for lunch. We’d seen few people up to that point, but the trails were packed with people for the rest of the hike. We got to the summit around 1:20, then headed down Sunset Ridge. We took a side trip to Cantilever Rock around 2:50, and got back to the cars around 3:45. Most of us continued on to Stone Corral in Richmond after the hike for some food and drink, where we met Charlie who’d done an individual Long Trail Day hike north from Route 2 up Stimpson Mountain, and Alicia DiCocco who’d led a trip to Prospect Rock. All in all a great trip on the first GMC Long Trail Day with a great group of people (and dogs).

Participants: Michael Valente, Matt Wilson, Carl Etnier, Brian Hyde, Alan Lipset, Sophie Lipset, Nate Lipset, Laura Williams, Ceili (dog), Waffle (dog), David Hathaway (leader).