1st Spruce Hill Climb Snowshoe Race
December 8th, 1996 - Florida/Savoy, Massachusetts

A Spruce Hill Snowshoe Adventure was held in Savoy Mountain State Forest.  We happily hosted a handful of participants on this day.

Georgie and Bear

On Spruce Hill with Bear

SWAMPS, STREAMS AND SPRUCE HILL

If December 8th seemed early for snowshoe, it wasn’t.  From Friday through Sunday morning it continually snowed, and hard.  What we were left with was an upgrade in status from “trail run” to full fledged snowshoe assault.  Ladies and Gentlemen... start your engines... the sport of snowshoeing has arrived in Southern New England.

The conditions were fantastic!!  The morning had us glaring at 22 - 27 inches of the heaviest, wettest snow imaginable.  We set out eagerly, although slowly, a gut wrenching, quad and glut burning 2.2 mph pace around Tower Swamp and the ensuing climb up Spruce Peak (2566’).  We somehow managed to figure out that we had to take turns leading if we were to make it to the top of the mountain.

As tough and demanding the effort it took to reach the top of Spruce Hill, it was worth it.  We saw Greylock and Borden Mountain / Tower 51 in the distance.  What a great way to stomp through 3.5-miles.