"The official Winter Solstice was at 4:21am, so this was my first hike in the actual season of winter. With ambient temperatures in the low teens and moderate winds at the base, this was also my coldest hike to date by far. We set off from the Lincoln Trailhead around 10:15am and began heading up the moderately wooded and rocky trail, although after half a mile this turned into a wide and smooth snowmobile trail. This section lasted for about a mile and was mildly sloped for the most part. Following the trapezoidal "Sunapee Ragged Kearsarge Greenway" trail markers, we exited the snowmobile trail to the left and began climbing Baker Ledge. From there we followed a 0.15 mile out-and-back to an overlook. It was quite cloudy and we had maybe 10 miles of visibility, but we could make out the ski trails of Mt. Sunapee. Returning to the Lincoln Trail, the elevation took a brief dip and we entered a rocky gulch that had a few stream crossings. The streams were frozen over but not to the point that we could walk across the ice, so we stuck to rock-hopping. After the gulch, the trail begins to pick up in elevation as it winds around Black Mountain. The previous day's storm added an aesthetica..." — JCalautti • Dec 21, 2024