2011 Mountain Hikes of the Echo Shores "Over the Hill" Hikers


Hiking Journal 2011

by Beverly DiVaio

I've listed below each mountain we hiked, the date and who participated, along with comments about the hikes.  The comments include input from the other hikers.  Also included in each section is a link you can click on to see pictures we took during each hike.

NH   Hike NH 


Little and Big Ball Mountains (Previously called Tate Mountain) - Elevations 1,710 ft. and 2,060 ft., respectively - Tuftonboro, NH

Date: 4-22-11

Hikers:  Paul  Apholt, Rich and Beverly DiVaio

Comments:  We started our hiking season on a mild spring day.  We left Minge Cove around 9:00 AM and drove down Canaan Road in Tuftonboro.  At a curve we went straight up the gravel, private McDuffee Road, turning left on the dirt road opposite the first house.  We parked on the gravel road and followed blue blazes painted on trees on the side of this road.  We followed these blue blazes passing an old house, collapsed barn and turning right after a maple sugar shack.  We stayed on that old wood road until we saw a bridge ahead, the trail makes a sharp left turn before reaching the bridge. The blue blazes continued to the summit.  It was a very well marked trail. We followed the blue blazes to the top of the two summits.  The trees were just starting to bud and the views of Lake Winnipesaukee and the Belknap Range were spectacular.  Once we reached the summit of Big Ball we also got a great view of the Canaan Valley and Dan Hole Pond.  The trail continues to the top of Black Snout.  The overall hike was 3.4 miles long.

Click HERE to see Beverly's photos taken on this hike. 

 


Ramblin' Vewe Farm Walking Trails - Gilford, NH

Date: 4-28-11

Hikers:  Paul  and Eleanor Apholt, Don Hughes, Rich and Beverly DiVaio

Comments: The hike today was on a very well marked set of trails with a couple of trail heads and parking areas.  We had to park just off the paved road because the short dirt road to the actual trailhead parking lot was closed due to muddy conditions. 

The trail map was available at our trail head, and also on the web site:  http://www.ramblinvewefarm.org/?page_id=21.  The Ramblin’ Vewe web site's "Natural Facts" tab is an excellent source of information about the habitats that hikers will walk through.  The web site also provides directions to the trail heads.

The spelling of "Vewe" reflects the fact that this is a sheep farm.  Each trail is well-blazed with its respective and the intersections have numbers corresponding to a map.  We started the hike on a snowmobile trail and then followed different trail sections, following the outer most peripheral edge of the property.  All trails we well maintained by the Ramblin’ Vewe Farm Trust.  When we walked by the pond we had some snacks at a well placed picnic table.  We did not see any sheep in the pastures.  The trails will be opened to mountain bikes and horses later in the spring after the ground has dried out more.  The hike was 3.4 miles long.

Click HERE to see Don and Beverly's photos taken on this hike.