Hanover
That becomes particularly evident during the Hanover Conservancy’s annual Moonlight Snowshoe Hike and Bonfire event, which Hugh Mellert has been leading for more than 15 years on the Slade Brook watershed lands. This year’s program is scheduled to take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24. There is no charge to participants
“The uniqueness of this one is the moonlight and having the little bonfire party afterward is always nice,” Mellert said. “It’s not just a hike, it’s an event.”
The easy-to-moderate, under 2-mile roundtrip hike begins at 11 Old Lyme Road in Hanover.
“The first part of the hike is a gentle uphill, but it is uphill. We do take it slow,” Mellert said. “We stop, we talk about the history. … We give people a chance to catch their breath.”
It’s an event that people look forward to every year, said Courtney Dragiff, program coordinator at the Hanover Conservancy. A big part of the draw is Mellert.
“He is so passionate about this trail. He knows so much about the history of the area and the families that used to live there,” Dragiff said. “He’s really a treat to go on a hike with.”
Snowshoes will be available to borrow, but participants are advised to bring headlamps. It’s a family friendly event — the age of participants has ranged from 6 to 70 and above — and there’s no race to get to the top.
But there is a reward for everyone who makes it.
“By the time we get to the big meadow at the top … you have a great view of Vermont and you have the open sky,” Mellert said. “And more often than not we’ve always had moonlight.”
It’s a chance for Mellert to show people a portion of the vast network of trails that exists in the Slade Brook watershed.
“In a one-hour hike you can see five different types of forest, at least,” Mellert said. “It’s a very diverse tract of land.”
The hike will be easier this year, thanks to the addition of a footbridge over part of Slade Brook built over the summer. In years past, the event would be canceled if the ice wasn’t thick enough.
The “beautiful 32-foot hiking bridge” was built by more than 20 volunteers and involved seven different organizations, Mellert said. The supplies were paid for through donations. “It was a real community effort to build this link in the trail network.”
After the moonlight hike, the group will return to Old Lyme Road for hot chocolate, hot dogs, cookies and the bonfire.
“Typically, I let the youngest child there light the bonfire,” Mellert said.
Snowshoe Tour on Trescott Lands
Coming up this Saturday, the Hanover Conservancy will host a free hike on the Mason Trail on the Trescott Lands from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Jeffrey Smith, of Butternut Hollow Forestry and managing forester for the Trescott Water Supply Lands, will lead the hike. The meeting spot is 41 Grasse Road.
Participants will learn about the history of the land as well as how to check for signs of wildlife in the area.
The lands are periodically logged.
“A lot of it is just the health of the forest so trees can grow larger,” Dragiff said.
Editor’s note: Dogs are not allowed to attend either event. For more information, visit hanoverconservancy.org or call 603-643-3433. Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
Correction
The Mason Trail on the Trescott Lands in Hanover is the only trail on the property closed to the public due to logging, but will be open for the snowshoe tour on Saturday. An earlier version of this story overstated what was closed and where the hike will take place.
