| Monday Feb. 8,2010 -Snowshoe Hiking
On Sunday Feb. 7th, I led a snowshoe hike thru the Hume Trail on the south side of the Notchview property. Jim, Pat, John and Jake have really improved the skiing on what is called the “dog loop” in the area. There are now four fields that offer groomed trails around their perimeter.
But the reason for this blog is not to discuss the great skiing but the great snowshoeing in this area. Besides the Hume Trail which is strictly a snowshoe trail in the winter, there are lots of fields to explore and the Hume barn to visit.
The Hume trail meanders along Hume Brook where people can see the work of beaver and the damage done by the Dec. 2008 ice storm. Then the trail turns sharply south and up into a spruce forest,where it winds thru second growth woods. This trail was once part of a demonstration forest / woodlot with wooden markers driven into the ground with numbers on them. An accompanying brochure described what the area near a given numbered post contained. The posts remain but the brochure is no longer used and the area has grown and changed since it was first put into use.
The trail continues thru the woods and climbs up into one of the fields . I have seen sign of owls, coyotes,beaver, deer and otter while exploring this trail at various times of the year.
We used the tunnel under Rt.9 to get over to the Hume side of Notchview and not everyone knows about this tunnel that Col. Budd insisted that the state install when they built the new Rt.9 so that he could safely move his cows across to the pastures on the Hume side. The tunnel is usually slick with ice during the winter so skiers don’t use it very often but snowshoers with modern snowshoes can negotiate this tunnel easily. I spent a morning this past fall clearing the bushes that have grown up on either end of the tunnel so it is easier to get thru now. A nice trail leads from the tunnel to the wood road leading to Hume fields and the trail.
I am amazed at the large number of people who have discovered snowshoeing this year at Notchview. Just about every time I am out skiing or snowshoeing there are signs of snowshoers enjoying this wonderful winter wonderland. If you haven’t tried it, plan on doing so soon.I think you’ll see how much more country you can discover off the beaten path.
Glenn Roy
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