The latest from the Gang ... 

The Weekly Wachusett Ski Group Group is off and running. As in prior years, we meet weekly in the Granite Room of the Wachusett ski lodge.  Our fearless leader, Mo, selects the best day of the week based upon the weather forecast and sends an announcement out, usually on Sunday evening. Please keep an eye out for the announcements and join for a morning of casual skiing. It’s a great opportunity to get out and ski fairly local to Boston for a few hours.

Nora M

On Tuesday, February 4, eight members of the gang took a snowy walk down the Lincoln Woods trail in Lincoln, NH. The trail runs along an old railroad track beside the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River off the Kancamagus Highway. We had about 4” of fresh snow covering the very flat, straight trail.

About two miles out we reached a convergence of trails; two hikers continued on to the Franklin Falls trail end and the rest turned back. Approximately a quarter mile from our starting point, we encountered a cross country skier who had slipped off the trail and was part way down the rocky slope towards the river and couldn’t get back up onto the trail.

The gang members “banded together“ and managed to pull the man back up onto the trail. He was unhurt, and after many expressions of thanks, continued on his way. The Gang rescuers ended back at the starting point with a story to tell!

Meredith Perry

Dibba  and Walter and his wife Carole joined Kimm and Kenn for an almost-too-cold adventure of cross-country skiing at Prospect Mountain in Woodford, VT.

Prospect Mountain Nordic Ski Center, a non-profit community ski area supported by the Vermont Land Trust, has over 30 km of groomed trails. Despite the cold, we enjoyed a trek out to and across a beaver pond on well-groomed trails with plenty of fresh snow as promised. After warming up in the lodge with hot chili, some folks decided to call it a day. 

Kimm and Kenn bundled up again and set out on snowshoes for a climb through the woods to the summit of Prospect Mountain (elev. gain about 600 ft.).

The panorama from the top did not disappoint, offering a clear view of nearby Stratton Mountain. We thought we’d be alone up there, but we were wrong! The expert-level cross-country ski trails also led to the summit. Many folks enjoyed the views, then skied back down. Prospect Mountain has a lot to offer!

On day two, Walter and Carole opted to visit Mass MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art) and The Clark Art Institute. Dibba, Kenn, and Kimm braved the cold once again to ski at Prospect. This time, we headed out in the opposite direction and even tackled a few intermediate trails.

A highlight of our trip was visiting local restaurants in downtown Bennington, VT. Though we were few, we had a great time

Kimm and Kenn

Could it get any better?! Eighteen folks joined our first trip of 2025 and there was adventure for all…skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and shopping. Some people were actually able to fit in a little of everything! 

The Mountain Inn team welcomed us Sunday with an awesome buffet. Throughout the week, people dined at local restaurants or at the Inn restaurant which offered delicious food and live music. We gathered daily by the fireplace to trade stories and indulge in snacks and beverages. Special thanks to Helgard for sharing!

Plenty of snowmaking before we arrived and 3-6” of fresh powder every day resulted in the best skiing in recent memory. People enjoyed the gentle greens, blue cruisers, and ungroomed black

diamond (those who dared). We had to brave near zero temps, but everyone came prepared to keep warm. The downhillers skied many trails, but a favorite was Great Eastern, a 3.5-mile-

long uninterrupted run with perfect conditions all week. One person said “I feel like I’m dancing with the mountain!” I think everyone could agree. 

Cross-county skiers happily reported on the scenic, wooded trails near Crittenden. Shopping and hiking around nearby Woodstock were also noted as fun ways to spend a day.

After four days of clouds and snow, Friday dawned with sunshine, blue skies, and warmer temperatures. For the people who stayed and skied, it was a perfect ending to a phenomenal week. Those who left early may have missed a snowbird day, but will remember all the fun shared during our visit to The Beast!

Elizabeth B

On a brisk and cool, but wonderfully sunny November day, twenty-one TOHG members of the walking and hiking group arrived at Great Brook State Park in Carlisle, MA to begin a 2.5 mile walk in the woods. The trails were leaf covered and rocky in places, but manageable. Our goal was to make it to the Thanksgiving Rocks located in an area in Chelmsford called the Thanksgiving Forest, djacent to the state park.

After reaching the Rocks we took the obligatory pictures but couldn’t get everyone in them. After leaving there, we walked alongside Great Brook and observed a number of geese and ducks in the water.

Once we arrived back at our starting point, we enjoyed bag lunches while sitting in the stone circle near the parking area.

We met five new TOHG members on this walk!

Meredith P

Perhaps the last gasp of summer? A sunny and warm day helped make our Autumn bike ride a true joy as we set off from the Assabet River Trail Head in Acton through Maynard and into Stow. We rode along a rustic dirt road through the Assabet River Wildlife Refuge. Beautiful views of the river, Crow Island Airfield and a bridge spanning the river were the main attractions. And of course coffee and collegiality at a Maynard coffee shop completed our ride. 

Alan U

Alan, Janet, Barbara, Cathy, Dana, Neal, Patricia, Pat, Helgard, Dick  

Another unseasonably warm Autumn day made for a great bike ride as ten Gang members set off from Newburyport. We biked over the John Greenleaf Whittier Bridge which spans the Merrimack River between Newburyport and Amesbury. The bike trail, which is part of the bridge alongside I-95, affords beautiful views of the river below. From there we biked the seasonably appropriate Ghost Trail through Salisbury. The Ghost Trail got its name from the wooden carriages and railroad cars which were covered with white canvas shrouds giving them a ghostly appearance. From there we biked to the Seabrook NH line which is scheduled for a connecting trail in 2032. And last, of course, we biked to downtown Amesbury for coffee and refreshment al fresco.

Alan U

Alan, Dick, Judy, Sheila, Cathy, Kimm, Dana, Neal, Helgard 

Nine TOHG members met opposite the Topsfield Fairgrounds to bike the Border to Boston Rail Trail from Topsfield through Wenham, Danvers and Peabody. Ride highlights included a short walk on the Wenham Swamp Boardwalk and examining the planet Saturn which is part of an Eagle Scout project depicting our solar system to scale.  And of course stopping for coffee and refreshment in downtown Danvers was one of our ride highlights!

Alan U

Twelve happy riders showed up on a spectacular day, not too cold, not too hot. We meandered along the lovely quiet backroads, partly on conservation lands.  We made a number of stops – vernal pools, the Concord River, horse farms along the way.  The most beautiful colors were on Dudley Road where Huckins Farm is.  

Back at the house we had a really nice time socializing in the back yard while enjoying all the wonderful food people brought.

Mary W

Dan Y, Alan U, Neal S, Dick R, Helgard K, missing from photo: Margo and Steve F.

Blue skies and a cool breeze awaited seven Gang members as we set off from the Encore Casino in Everett to Lynn on our bike ride. This ride is different from most of our rides as it’s a primarily urban trail with many busy street crossings. The heavenly smells of bread baking and coffee being roasted whet our appetites as we biked through Malden. Passing several art sculptures and many small community gardens we rode on to Revere and Saugus where we passed Rumney Marsh and then past suburban backyards and a heavily shaded portion of the trail. After passing through another marsh in Lynn which the Saugus River empties into we came to the end of the trail just short of downtown Lynn. Planning is underway to soon connect this portion of the trail with Nahant.