The first real snowfall of the season didn't come until Valentine's Day. The snowshoes I bought in Dec. '06 have spent way too much time in the basement. Between the Valentine snow and the storm three days ago (St. Pat's Eve), I have made up for lost time.
If you enjoy the Wapacks and want some winter recreation, I encourage you to head to Windblown cross-country ski area in New Ipswich. This little gem is owned and run by the Jenks family. They welcome hikers on the Wapack Trail that crosses the property, asking only that hikers pay the trail fee in winter. I hand over the $15 with pleasure. It's like an investment in land conservation. There are about 40 kilometers of trails, and snowshoers are welcomed to share all trails with skiers (just stay out of the set tracks). The snowshoe trail includes the Wapack from Rt. 124 to the summit of Barrett. I've roamed over the property three times in the past few weeks, taking different routes every time and loving every minute of it. Thank God for people like the Jenks family.
