We have hiked this summit several times before so we knew there were some steep grades that could be a challenge, but good practice, and for a round trip hike of a little over a mile we would be rewarded with some nice views.

The roadside parking was snowbound so we parked at the bottom end of the well plowed Log Cabin restaurant parking lot. The trail proper begins further down the road near some power lines but is not easy to spot and not signposted. Once on the trail there are white blazes, as this is part of the Metacomet-Monadnock trail. I have to say that white blazes are not a lot of help when the trees are speckled with snow!

The trail starts out following the power lines. Some tracks made by a lone hiker in bare boots joined the trail short-cutting from the road. They followed the trail proper for a while and then continued straight up the side of the mountain following the power lines. A direct, but rather tough ascent.

The trail proper does include a bit of a rocky scramble near the summit so when we came across the lone hikers trail again near the top we followed those instead of the trail. I can't decide if that hiker is to be admired or condemed as crazy. Had to be hard going post-holeing through a foot or more of snow all the way up.

Pushing up the trail through unbroken snow was great fun and a good workout. The snow was light and the snowshoes would compress down about 10 inches of snow with each step. I wondered how we would fare on the steep sections but we took them with ease. In fact it was easier going than in the spring when the loose rocks and leaves made footing a little precarious. Karen did fall once on the way up negotiating a small blowdown but I managed to slip and fall several times on the descent. Onc problem was the snow packing up around the crampons and turning the shoes into rather poor but eager skis.