Come get fierce on Mt. Pierce! This will be a relatively easy hike to kick off the first weekend of winter school. We'll be taking the Crawford Path Trail to the summit of Mt. Pierce (4,310 feet / 1,314 meters). Mt. Pierce is in the pleasant shadow of the higher Presidentials, accessible while still having an epic presence in the Crawford Notch up Route 302.

Brownie points if you bring cool swag to show your fierceness! We'll take a group photo at some point, perhaps the summit!

No previous experience necessary. This is a great hike if you are new (or rusty!) to hiking, walking in the snow, winter school, or all three! Crawford Notch can be a 2.5-3 hour drive from Boston, and Pierce is over 2,000 feet of elevation gain, so it makes for an enjoyable but long day - being in more-or-less good shape for this hike is recommended.

We will practice the wonderful Winter School basics: layering and delayering, efficient breaks, footing and traction (whether bare boots or microspikes), and the Happiness Triangle: Eat-Drink-Pee! We'll experience the wonderful MITOC culture of communication and planning, supporting each other, and hiking as a team. And, most importantly, looking Fierce while ascending Pierce.

Total distance: 6.2 miles Elevation gain: 2,350 feet