2021 Training Hike Schedule and Guide
Thank you for registering for Wilderness Heals 2021!
Please use this guide to select the training hike(s) best for you and to sign up for them accordingly. Pages 1 and 2 have important information about the goals for our training hikes and guidance on signing up. This year’s schedule is on page 2, and brief descriptions of each hike and the contact information for each hike’s Team Leaders begin on page 3. Feel free to contact Beth Grierson, Wilderness Heals Coordinator, with additional questions ([email protected], 857 523- 9919).
Purpose of Training Hikes While training hikes are not required for this year’s Wilderness Heals, they still provide an important opportunity to prepare physically for the event; practice hiking and making decisions as a group; familiarize yourself with gear and equipment (and determine if it is adequate); gain a sense of what the event will require of you; and connect with other hikers; and learn more about Wilderness Heals and the Stone House. We encourage you to participate in as many as you like! They’re fun, and a great way to help prepare for Wilderness Heals.
What you can expect on a Training Hike: You will be hiking with a group no larger than 10, led by two of our team leaders. Hiking with a group is fun, and it is important to remember that this can take many different forms since hikers vary in terms of their preferred hiking paces/styles, needs, and preferences. Team leaders will facilitate the experience with the group, and make decisions as necessary, with safety as the bottom line. Weather, trail conditions, time and the condition of the whole group are just a few of the factors that can impact a hike itinerary. This means that you may or may not summit a mountain on your training hike or that the route may change from the what’s described in this guide. That’s okay. Learning to work together as a group, and group safety, are what’s most important. Note that all members of the group are expected to adhere to Leave No Trace principles (see pages 9-10)
What we expect you to bring You must bring everything listed on the Required Gear List (pg. 8). This list the same list for Wilderness Heals itself, and hikers will not be allowed to participate if they do not have all of these items. This includes 96 oz. of water, lunch, snacks, and medications. While not strictly necessary for most of this year’s training hikes, having all required gear will help you better prepare for the main event, and will ensure all participants are carrying similar loads. Team leaders will review this with you before the hike.
1
How to choose a Training Hike: This year, we are providing planned mileage, and a best guess at how long the training hike will take. By visiting the Alltrails map of the proposed hike (usually the “tinyurl” link in the description), you will find some information on the elevation gain as well as the mileage. We are not attempting to rank training hikes by level of difficulty.
How to sign up for a Training Hike: Please sign up as soon as possible. Each hike is capped at 10 hikers, on a first-come, first-served basis. • Contact the first Team Leader listed next to the hike(s) you wish to sign up for. o Contact information for each team leader is listed in the description for each hike (beginning on page 5). • Allow 2-3 days for the Team Leader to respond. • The deadline to sign up for a hike is the Wednesday before the hike date. • If a hike is full, you will be placed on a waitlist for that hike and should contact another Team Leader ASAP.
2021 Training Hike Schedule
Roundtrip Mileage, Date Hike/Location Team Leaders Est. Time 1 June 26 5.2 miles, 3 hrs Middlesex Fells, Stoneham 1. Larisa Mendez-Penate Saturday Reservoir Trail (from Sheepfold) 2. Karin Downs 2 July 10 Willowdale St. Park, Ipswitch 6 miles, 3:30 hrs 1. Karin Downs Saturday Pineswamp Loop 2. Beth Grierson July 11 Open 1. Sunday 2. 3 July 17 5.74 miles, 4 hrs Wachusett Mountain, Princeton 1. Karen Johnson Saturday, From Balance Rock Trail 2. Shannon Walsh 4 July 18 7.2 miles, 4 hrs Middlesex Fells, Stoneham 1. Theresa Abell Sunday Skyline Trail (from Sheepfold) 2. Emma Hauer 5 July 24 4.4 miles, 3 hrs Lynn Woods Reservation, Lynn 1. Heather McSween Saturday Cedar Hill Loop 2. Sarah Kacevich 6 July 25 5.4 miles, 3 hrs Blue Hills Reservation, Quincy 1. Shannon Walsh Sunday Skyline Loop 2. Heather McSween 7 July 31 6.2 miles, 3:30 Mt. Pisgah, Northborough 1. Courtney Medeiros Saturday hrs Mentzer, Berlin Road and Tyler Trails 2. Rosa Licea-Mallioux 8 Aug. 1 Blue Hills Reservation, Milton 5 miles, 3 hrs 1. Sarah Kacevich Sunday Skyline, Great Cedar Swamp, Hawk Hill 2. Theresa Abell 9 Aug. 8 1. Larisa Mendez-Penate 4.9 miles, 3 hrs Wachusett Mountain, Princeton Sunday Old Indian, Stage Coach and Bicentennial Trails 2. Beth Grierson
2
Hike Descriptions
1. Middlesex Fells, Reservoir Loop Date: Sat. June 26 Primary contact: Larisa Mendez-Penate: [email protected] Trailhead Meeting Time: 8:30am 2nd contact: Karin Downs; [email protected] Distance: 5.2 miles Approximate Duration: 3 hours
Trailhead: Sheepfold Parking area, Stoneham.
Hiking Route: Follow one of the walking paths downhill from the upper lot to where the Reservoir Trail (marked by orange blazes) runs along a fence. Follow the orange blazes all the way around. This loop and be done either clockwise or count-clockwise.
For maps and other info: https://www.friendsofthefells.org/trails/
https://tinyurl.com/reservoirloop (takes you to Alltrails.com)
2. Willowdale State Park Date: Sat. July 10 Primary contact: Karin Downs; [email protected] Trailhead Meeting Time: 8:30am 2nd contact: Beth Grierson; [email protected] Distance: 6 miles Approximate Duration: 3:30 hours
Trailhead: Linebrook Road parking area, Ipswitch
Hiking Route: Willowdale’s trails aren’t named, but major intersections are numbered. From the parking area, enter the Park and turn right on the first major trail. Continue forward to intersection 26, and turn left. Turn right at intersection 27, left at 37, right at 39, and keep going forward to intersection 11. Turn right at 11, left at 2, left at 29, left at 45, right at 33, right onto a main trail at 48. Follow this wider trail to 22 and turn left. Left again at 21, right at 20, following the wide fire road around to intersection 3, turn left onto a narrower path, continue to 4. Turn right and follow back to the parking area. Or just follow on the Alltrails map.
For maps and other info: https://www.mass.gov/locations/willowdale-state-forest
https://tinyurl.com/WillowdaleLoop (Alltrails map)
Special Notes: Willowdale is popular with horseback riders. When meeting horses, please step off the trail, preferably on the downhill side of the trail to let them pass. 3
3. Wachusett Mountain, Balance Rock Date: Sat. July 17 Primary contact: Karen Johnson; [email protected] Trailhead Meeting Time: 8:30am 2nd contact: Shannon Walsh; [email protected] Distance: 3.9 miles Approximate Duration: 3 hours
Trailhead: Park by the ski lodge (499 Mountain Road, Princeton). Look for trailhead signs in the lot.
Hiking Route: Take the Balance Rock trail to Balance Rock, then follow Old Indian Trail to its junction with the Semuhenna Trail. Bear right on Semuhenna and follow that trail around the side of the mountain. When Semuhenna ends, pick up the Link Trail. Take Link to the Mountain House Trail, and turn left to take the Mountain House trail to the summit. At the summit, pick up Old Indian Trail again, and follow it down and back to Balance Rock. The Balance Rock Trail will then take you back to the parking area.
For maps and other info: https://www.mass.gov/locations/wachusett-mountain-state-reservation
https://tinyurl.com/BalanceRock (Alltrails map)
4. Middlesex Fells, Skyline Loop Date: Sun., July 18 Primary contact: Theresa Abell; [email protected] Trailhead Meeting Time: 8:30am 2nd contact: Emma Hauer; [email protected] Distance: 7.2 miles Approximate Duration: 5 hours
Trailhead: Sheepfold Parking area, Stoneham.
Hiking Route: You can pick up the Skyline trail by either walking across the open field at the end of the parking area (if you’re going count-clockwise), or by walking back down the road towards the entrance of the parking area (if going clockwise). Look for white blazes/signs for the Skyline Trail, and follow them around until you return to the parking area.
For maps and other info: https://www.friendsofthefells.org/trails/
https://tinyurl.com/FellsSkyline (Alltrails)
Special Notes:
The Skyline trail passes Wright’s Tower, with great views of the Boston skyline. Doing this loop clockwise gets you to this viewpoint (and over the highest section of the trail) earlier, and might help avoid crowds later in the morning/early afternoon.
4
5. Lynn Woods Reservation Date: Sat. July 24 Primary contact: Heather McSween; [email protected] Trailhead Meeting Time: 8:30am 2nd contact: Sarah Kacevich; [email protected] Distance: 4.4 miles Approximate Duration: 3 hours
Trailhead: Greatwoods Road parking area
Hiking Route: From the parking area take Cooke Road to Cornell Path, turn left on Cornell Path and follow to Dungeon Road. Bear left on Dungeon Road, follow to Jackson Path. Bear left again on Jackson Path and follow to Pennybrook Road. Pennybrook Road will loop around to Great Woods Road, which will take you back to the parking lot. As an alternative, just before Pennybrook turns right and connects to Great Woods, a footpath will fork off to the left, and this trail will take you along thew water and back to the parking area.
For maps and other info: http://www.lynnma.gov/departments/lynnwoods.shtml
https://tinyurl.com/LynnWoodsCedarHill (Alltrails)
6. Bluehills Reservation, Skyline loop Date: Sun. July 25 Primary contact: Shannon Walsh; [email protected] Trailhead Meeting Time: 8:30am 2nd contact: Heather McSween; [email protected] Distance: 5.4 miles Approximate Duration: 3 hours
Trailhead: Shea Memorial Ice Rink
Hiking Route: Take the Skyline trail to the Pipeline Trail. Follow the Pipeline trail over Wampatuck Road and pick up Indian Camp Path. Follow Indian Camp Path to the Skyline Trail and turn left on Skyline. At the Chickatawbut Hill Observation tower, look for signs for the Chickatawbut parking area and follow those and look for the Cedar Rock Path. Take Cedar Rock Path to Headquarters Path and turn right, follow Headquarters to Crags Foot Path and turn right. Follow Crags to the Skyline Trail. Turn left on Skyline and follow it back to the parking area.
For maps and other info: https://www.mass.gov/location-details/hiking-in-blue-hills
https://tinyurl.com/BlueHillsQuincy (Alltrails.com)
5
7. Mt. Pisgah Date: Sat. July 31 Primary contact: Courtney Medeiros; [email protected] Trailhead Meeting Time: 8:30am 2nd contact: Rosa Licea-Mallioux; [email protected] Distance: 6.2 miles Approximate Duration: 3:30 hours
Trailhead: Smith Road Parking area
Hiking Route: From the parking area pick up the Mentzer Trail, follow to the Berlin Road Trail and turn left. Take the Berlin Road Trail to the North Gorge Trail and follow the North Gorge Trail to the Ball Hill Trail. Turn right at Ball Hill and follow that trail around to the Tyler Trail. Turn Right and the Tyler Trail will take you over the summit of Mt. Pisgah and down. You can either turn right on the Sparrow Trail and follow it back to the Mentzer Trail and the parking lot, or continue on Tyler to the Department of Fish & Game where you’ll pick up the Berlin Road Trail, following that back to Sparrow or Mentzer and back to the parking lot.
For maps and other info: https://www.svtweb.org/properties/page/mount-pisgah-conservation-area-berlin-and-northborough
https://tinyurl.com/MtPisgahMA (Alltrails.com)
8. Blue Hills, Milton Date: Sun. Aug 1 Primary contact: Sarah Kacevich; [email protected] Trailhead Meeting Time: 8:30am 2nd contact: Theresa Abell; [email protected] Distance: 5 miles Approximate Duration: 3 hours
Trailhead: Chickatawbut Overlook parking area
Hiking Route: Take the trail up toward the tower and pick up the Skyline Trail, turning left. Follow the Skyline Trail to Squamaug Path and turn right. Follow Squamaug to Curve Path, and then to Laurel Path. Follow Laurel Path to Barberry Bush Spring Trail to Braintree Pass to Hawk Hill. Once over Hawk Hill, turn right on Bouncing Brook Path and follow to the Skyline Trail. Turn right on the Skyline Trail and follow back to the Chickatawbut Observation Tower and the parking area.
For maps and other info: https://www.mass.gov/location-details/hiking-in-blue-hills
https://tinyurl.com/BlueHillsMilton (Alltrails.com)
6
9. Wachusett Mountain, from Park HQ Date: Sun. August 10 Primary contact: Larisa Mendez-Penate; [email protected] Trailhead Meeting Time: 8:30am 2nd contact: Beth Grierson; [email protected]
Distance: 4.9 miles Approximate Duration: 3 hours
Trailhead: 345 Mountain Road, Princeton (main parking area)
Hiking Route: From the parking area, take the Bicentennial Trail to the Pine Hill Trail and turn right. Follow Pine Hill to the summit. At the summit, take Old Indian down to the West Side trail. Take the West Side Trial to Semuhenna Trail and turn left. Follow Semuhenna to the Harrington Trail. Turn right on Harrington, left on Lower Link, left on Jack Frost right on High Meadow around to the Bicentennial Trail. Turn left on Bicentennial and follow back to the parking area.
For maps and other info: https://www.mass.gov/locations/wachusett-mountain-state-reservation
https://tinyurl.com/WachusettHQ (Alltrails.com)
7
2021 Required Gear List
You must have all the following clothing and equipment in order to participate in Wilderness Heals at Cardigan Lodge as well as any training hikes. You may find you already own most of the items on this list and may be able to borrow or rent items you prefer not to buy. Every attempt will be made to find loaner gear for hikers for whom purchasing or renting equipment presents a financial hardship.
Required Items; Hiking Essentials Internal or external frame backpack (w/ padded hip belt, padded shoulder straps, at least 3,000 cu. in. or 45/50 liters) Rain cover for your pack or 2 large heavy duty trash bags (one to line backpack with and one extra) Sturdy, comfortable, hiking boots or shoes Emergency whistle Lunch and snacks Water – 96 oz. total (either 3 nalgene-type bottles or bladder-type system – i.e. CamelBak)
Required Items – Clothing Wicking quick-dry shirts (polypro, nylon, etc.; no cotton) Wicking quick-dry shorts/pants/leggings (polypro, nylon, etc.; no cotton) 2 prs. hiking socks (wool, smartwool, or polypro; no cotton) Synthetic underwear bottoms and sports bra (silk, polypro, nylon; no cotton) Waterproof jacket with hood (coated nylon w/ventilation or Gore-Tex or similar– no ponchos) Fleece or wool hat (no cotton) Warm and insulated gloves or mittens Insulating fleece/sweater (fleece or wool, no cotton) Bandana
Required Items; Personal Identification (i.e. driver's license) & health insurance card Mini first aid kit with Band-Aids, ibuprofen, moleskin for blisters Any prescription medications (bring extra if you can) Sunscreen & bug repellent Trail descriptions & map (only the trails you will be hiking) Toiletries and small washcloth (for Wilderness Heals – not required for training hikes)
Note: When fully packed you should still have enough extra room in your backpack for a share of group gear.
8
Leave No Trace Wilderness Heals adheres to Leave No Trace principles. Our parks and national forests have seen record use over the past year, and as use increases, each of us has a responsibility to educate ourselves and to foster skills and habits that protect our trails and backcountry resources. Leave No Trace is an educational program designed to help backcountry users understand and minimize their impact on the land, and thereby preserve the quality of the outdoor experience for all. These are guidelines, not rules, and must be accompanied by an underlying respect for the outdoors. The full description of each principle can be found at LNT.ORG. Here, an overview is provided.
The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace:
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare Carefully designing your trip to match your expectations and outdoor skill level is the first step in being prepared.
• Know the area and what to expect. • Keep group size to ten. • Select appropriate equipment. • Repackage food.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces In high use areas, some impact may be unavoidable. Concentrating impact on durable surfaces (rock, sand, gravel, snow, pine needles or leaf litter) or established trails, tent sites or shelters minimizes impact on more vulnerable sites. Stay on trails -- In alpine areas walk only on the trail or on exposed rock.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly As stewards of this resource, we contribute greatly to setting an example for other individuals and groups by packing out their own trash and even taking out trash left by less considerate visitors.
• Repackage food before entering the backcountry. • Dispose of trash and garbage properly • Dispose of human waste responsibly. • Minimize soap and food residues in waste water. • Be careful with food and odors in bear country.
4. Leave What You Find • Minimize site alterations. • Avoid damaging trees and plants. • Leave natural and cultural artifacts. • Avoid disturbing wildlife. • Reduce your impact on other visitors.
9
• Respect private land.
5. Minimize Use and Impact of Fires
6. Respect Wildlife • Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them. • Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers. • Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely. • Control pets at all times. • Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors • Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience. • Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail. • Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors. • Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
10