October 25th, 2020
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
It was a chilly mid-morning start for the club trip up Green Mountain. With the popularity of the trip, we hiked as three groups, departing several minutes apart. Although covered in a skiff of snow, the well-worn boot track was easy to follow.
As we gained elevation, the temperature continued to drop. Below the summit block, long icicles were forming on the boughs of evergreens, and fluffy white snow clung to the blades of grass and branches of low shrubs.
Ice covered the common route to the summit along the ledge and up the rock, so most of us opted for the easier steep grassy slope to the top. Once atop the rock bluff, the evergreens encased in a thick crust of ice caught the bright sun. We pushed on the solid forms as we moved toward the summit and the sound of cracking ice sounded loud.
The summit was windy and cold! No one was brave enough to eat lunch with a view. After clicking a few pictures, we all retreated to the frozen pond. The kids were so infatuated with the ice. They spend the better part of a half-hour running and sliding on it: front, side, butt, knees and probably even face!
As we left the summit, the sun shot bright. Back at the cars, I could only see smiles on everyone’s face.