The 4.4 mile ~1800 ft elevation gain Welch-Dickey loop is one of the most popular trails in the White Mountains due to the great views it offers for moderate exertion. In winter the experience becomes even more magical because of all of the fun tools we can use! It is likely microspikes will be adequate for most of the trail but we will find sections to practice with crampons and ice axes. There will also hopefully be opportunities for buttsledding on the way down and some time to see how warm the emergency shelters really are at the top. The trail winds around a series of somewhat exposed (both in the drop off sense and no tree shelter sense) granite ledges, so while we won’t be too high up there is a good chance it will be quite cold with any wind.

Logistics:

Our mandatory pre-trip meeting will be Thursday at 7pm in Stratton Student Center on the 5th floor.

We will leave Boston at 6am, drive ~2:00 hours up with breakfast on the way at the Hooksett Welcome Center, and be on the trail before 9am. We should be off the trail by about 3pm or earlier and back to Boston before 6pm.

Weather:

The weather will be cold and potentially snowy, with temps likely in the low 20s before wind chill. Layering will be essential, especially since we will likely be traveling slowly to work on skills! We will go over this at our pre-trip meeting.

Costs:

Please budget for: $5 trip fee, $20-40 carpooling costs, any personal gear rentals (capped at $15), and any food you buy along the way. We intend to use the MIT car cost calculator and share costs equally among participants.