After meeting at Essex Center Park and Ride, six of us carpooled to the Stevensville trailhead, where we met Dave. Most of us donned spikes for easier footing, then all started up the Butler Lodge trail at 9:40, arriving at the lodge in shifts, somewhere around 11:15.

By then it had turned into a near stellar hiking day–sunny and chilly! A couple folks stayed back at the lodge, while the rest of us continued on up Wampahoofus and top section of Maple Ridge, encountering a fun “challenge spot” along the way (which we ascended by means of great teamwork!), arriving at the Forehead 12:30-ish. After a brief stay to enjoy the view and rime ice encrusted landscape, we headed back down the way we came, employing the same great teamwork to descend the “challenge spot,” passing the lodge and arriving back at the trailhead around 2:25.

Participants: Tom Mowatt, Robynn Albert, Tom Smith, Jamie Murphy, Mark McLane, Dave Hathaway, Jill George (leader).