Making Room For Outdoor Adventure – by René Paquette

In the middle of January I joined the New Hampshire chapter of the AMC for a hike up to Lonesome Lake. It was my first excursion with the organization and my first winter hike in the White Mountains. I grew up in the central part of the state. While my family enjoyed summer picnics around the lakes and mountains, outdoor winter activities were for kids. We had plenty of opportunities to sled, skate, and ski but the adults I knew grudgingly endured the cold months indoors.

In truth, the adults I knew didn’t do outdoor activities in any season. Their attitude seemed to suggest other people spent time in the woods. People who were more athletic. People who could afford the gear. People who got out there every weekend. I internalized the belief that I didn’t belong out on the trail. But I found myself wanting to be there. I lived within an hour’s drive of the best trails and views in the northeast, how could I ignore them?  I felt the pull to explore the natural world but just couldn’t find a way to do it consistently.

Traveling helped. The more time I spent outside away from home, the easier it became to continue the practice here in New Hampshire. I chaperoned a student trip to the Grand Canyon. My husband and I spent our honeymoon in the Grand Tetons. We explored the trails in Rangeley, Maine near the family camp. These excursions then led us to the trails around our home in Concord during the pandemic. That winter we hiked in the Belknap Mountains using poles and microspikes inherited from family. Each adventure took us to some new place and gave us a little more experience.

When I decided to retire from teaching last year, I knew I would spend more time outdoors. Over the summer and fall I joined several conservation organizations for group hikes. We planned to ski as a family in the winter but I had plenty of time to try other outdoor adventures. Did I dare attempt a hike up north? I wasn’t ready for a 4,000 footer, but surely there were other, intermediate places? I came across the AMC events page and landed on a “moderate hike” to Lonesome Lake led by Peter Martino and John Williams. It was the perfect challenge for someone who still had doubts about belonging in the woods.

Peter called me a week before the hike to make sure I was prepared. I panicked and thought, this is serious. But being outside in the winter is serious. Peter’s questions about the gear I had and the amount of time I’d spent hiking were necessary. I needed to be prepared. After our call I spread my equipment on the living room floor, arranging it into a medium sized pack. The conversation reassured and reminded me that the time I have spent on the trail in winter was enough for this occasion. I would not be alone and I soon realized I was joining a group of people who welcomed me where I was at.

I drove north on the day of the hike under cloudy skies. The temperature was in the 40s and the forecast included a chance of rain. My nervousness subsided as I stood in the Old Bridle Path parking lot with thirteen enthusiastic hikers. We introduced ourselves. Of course I was the one who had never hiked before with the AMC. Peter and John then reviewed the plan, how we would hike to the hut, have lunch, and return. We set out with Peter in the lead and John bringing up the rear.

Despite my inexperience, I ended up at the front of the group. We moved easily through the campground and paused after crossing the first bridge. Many of us needed to shed a layer. The thick snow made the air humid but it also meant the trail was easier to navigate. It hadn’t occurred to me that the roots and rocks which can be a challenge would be buried under the snow pack.

Everyone chatted up and down our line of hikers. By the time we reached the first switchback, several people had passed us on their way down. After the second switchback, before reaching the top, Peter called our attention to the noise of the highway. Once we were over the lip of the palateau, he said, we wouldn’t be able to hear the cars. Several minutes later I realized there was an absence of sound. We paused in the silence. We were in the forest in winter and it was magical.

We approached the lake and assessed the situation. Would we cross the ice? In the distance a solitary hiker made his way toward us. His arrival was enough assurance that we too could cross safely. A snowman greeted us on the opposite shore of the lake. He faced the Franconia Ridge and the beautiful view it encompassed. John gave us a little history of the Lonesome Lake hut before we walked the last length of trail. We took off our microspikes to head inside for lunch.

The place was busy! But the other hikers made room for us at the large tables. We unpacked our food and began to share the various treats we’d brought. I had a chance to talk to more people from the group, learning about their hiking adventures. The hut was a familiar place to many of them. Some had even stayed overnight in winter. The forecast for the coming weekend included bitter cold and I wondered if anyone would stay overnight. I was assured there would be people there no matter the temperature outside.

After a half hour’s rest, we began our return trip. John led the way back and he took us around the lake on the southern end. The hike down was quick but that didn’t stop us from talking. When we reached the campground he led us off the trail to a spot where the trees gave way. The view in the distance was of a snowy, rocky mountainside. Of course I knew what he was pointing out. The place where the Old Man once was. He said people in the campground reported hearing the rocks fall the night it collapsed.

At the parking lot the group paused. We thanked Peter and John. Several people made a point to ask how the hike was for me. They wished me well. I was invited to join them again.

I had a fantastic day outdoors. There’s something about the woods in winter that is soothing, the snow making it feel familiar. I’m thankful that I live in such a beautiful state. I’m thankful that the AMC’s mission is to encourage people to make room in their lives for the outdoors. The group I hiked with certainly embodied that ethos. And although Peter tried to warn me, I drank the hot chocolate so I’ll be back.