Great day for snowshoeing the Blue Hills

SC and I went for a nice hike today.  The conditions were great for snowshoeing.  It was snowing and temps were still warm. It was quite a good workout the shoes would go a few inches into the heavy snow.

Glad we got out there to enjoy the hills and no rain, just fluffy snow.  APRS track ends before our hike does because of antenna issues.

Blue Hills HIke

Great Hike today in the Blue Hills.  SM and I hiked the trails around Hancock Hill for a few hours. We had nice QSO with Pi K1RV on simplex from near one of the summits.  

The WX was a perfect day.  Temps in the 70sF and good 12 MPH winds.  and Sunny!

We did get some APRS positions reported via Internet gateways, so you can see some of our track in the photos below.

Happy Trails!

White Horse Ledge NH

White Horse Ledge NH

temp 80 F

Ame & I did the same hike that I did yesterday. Nice day!

White Mountains NH White Horse Ledge hike

Trail icy. Temp 60s f.

more later

Hemenway Hill Hancock Hill in the Blue Hills MA

Today was a great day for a hike in the Blue Hills MA. It was partly sunny, and the temps were in the low 40s F. I wanted to buy the new Dec 2011 trail maps and get a few copies of the new Mountain Bike maps. So I started my hike today at the Blue Hills Headquarters. Then took Rotch Path at 1122, next Hemenway Hill Path at 1121, next onto Jeffries Trail that runs North at the summit of Hemenway Hill, then it bends to the East down to 1182. Around there there's a fenced in Well!  Moving along Base Path to 1185, then onto Hancock Hill Path starting at 1204.  Then to the summit of Hancock Hill via path 1201. Made it to the summit of Hancock HIll. While there I had a QSO with Dave N1LUM on simplex, 146.520. It was nice to meet Dave and hope to catch him again. I took the Blue Line Trail back to the Headquarters and onto the parking lot.  Over all the hike was under two hours. 

Snowshoe Short Trail GMC

Stowe, VT
26 F Cloudy

This was a quick fun hike today.  Our second time snowshoeing. Our first use of a marked trail for this mode of hiking. We crunched through icy hills with no delay.  Now we look forward to snowfall in MA.

First Snow Shoe Hike Quincy MA

After a few inches of snow fell yesterday, it was time today to try out the new snow shoes!   So our trial walk, we did a local hike around the Parks near our home.  Snow shoeing is awesome!  You can feel the extra workout and you plow through a snowy field.  I can't wait to go again!

Cold Hike Blue Hills

The wx was cold.  We left the parking lot and the temp was 14 F.   My hydro pack froze.  Once we were in the forest, and walking fast, we felt warm.  We we stopped, and in any open spots exposed to the wind, we became quite cold very quickly.  This was usual hike.  Down Sawcut Notch, and over Fox Hill.  This time we wasted little time, and there was little conversation.

2012 New Years Day Blue Hills Hike Quincy MA

Today the wx was warm for New Years.  The temps quickly reached the 50s F.  We were dressed for colder wx.  When we left it was still in the 30s.  We made a quick hike, over one hour.  We did no climbing this time.  Just Sawcut, then the green dot / gas line.

Happy New year!

Chickatawbut Hill, Fox Hill, & Wampatuck Hill Blue Hills Quincy MA Hike

Today it was going to be a longer hike.  Temps in the 30s F when I started, high in the 30s F at the end.  Quite breezy especially at the summits.  Got an 8:00 AM start from Shea Rink Parking lot.  Then I hiked the Sawcut Notch Patch to the gas line.  I hiked the gas line south all the way to Chickatawbut Road.  After crossing the road, I picked up the Red Dot trail heading South.  Shortly I took a left onto a narrow trail that lead to the summit of Chickatawbut Hill.  I then took a narrow trail down to the yellow dot trail to the Overlook Area on the road.  After crossing the road again I picked up Ceder Rock Path at 4013.  I took this to the pipeline at 4012.  I took the pipeline North to 4048, and took a right on to Ridge Path.  At 4072  I took left onto a narrow path, and took that too Pine Tree Brook Path.  Heading West on this path I took a right onto a narrow path and follow to the green dot trail.  From there It was my normal route up and over Fox Hill, then onto Wampatuck Hill,  and back to the parking lot via Green Dot Trail.  Today was a very good hike.  I was back at Shea rink at 11:00 AM.

Christmas Day Blue Hills Quincy MA Hike

APRS AB1II-7

The temp was in the 20s F.  Great day for a hike!  We started the usual spot and trails from Shea Rink.  Except this time we stayed on Sawcut Notch Path until the gas line at 4066.  Then left onto the gas line, until 4049 we took a left onto Pine Tree Brook Path.  Then we took a narrow path to 4090 to the Indian Camp Path (Green Dot)  At 4102 I took Fox Hill path over fox hill, and down to the green dot trail.  Ame stayed on the Green Dot trail, but we stayed in touch via D-Star on simplex.  Hike was about 2 hours long.  There were a few snowflakes today.  

My APRS setup is a Yeasu VX-8DR with GPS mic.  I was using a Diamond tri-band antenna.  Today I tried a 1/4 wavelength telescoping whip.  This worked much better.  I was able to see 95% of our hike today on aprs.fi.  APRS Position of AB1II

Blue Hills Quincy MA Hike Fox Hill and Wampatuck Hill

We woke up late.  Started the hike from the rink.  About an hour and a half hike.  Sunny with temps in the
30s F.  We did Fox Hill.  We split at the gas line, and I did Wampatuck Hill solo.  We stayed in touch using our D-Star Radios.  DV on simplex is fun.

Getting up late we though the trails would be crowed.  We were wrong.  There were less people on the trails than we are used to when it's early.  The trails were not as soggy as expected either.  There was some frost along the trails today.  A great hike, nice workout.  Again very happy we live close to the Blue Hills.

Blue Hills Hike

Did a solo hike today.  Same paths and hills as last week.  Took about an hour and 20 minutes.
Wx was great.  Cloudy with temps climbing into the mid 40s F.

Fox Hill Path Blue Hills

Today we hiked Fox Hill.  From The rink to Sawcut, over Fox Hill Path, then the pipe line / green dot back to the rink.  One hour Hike.

Great to be hiking the Blue Hills again.