[Journal entry for March 28, 2015; Plymouth Mountain, Plymouth NH]. Light snow is falling this morning, with about two inches accumulation. Dallas, Gigi Estes and I hike to Pike’s Peak Overlook on Plymouth Mountain. Paul Estes comes too, but hikes more slowly and separately. The trail takes us through woods over slowly rising hilly terrain. We cross several streams, walk through several hemlock cathedrals and pass a small wetland and several knobs of rock. We pass several dead trees with conspicuous holes, one to two inches across, pecked by woodpeckers. The last knob is the overlook, itself, with a sheer cliff on one side. The trail hooks around behind it and ascends a steep but manageable slope through a grove of hemlocks. The overlook is a little beyond, with snow-covered rock ledge, which according to Gigi commands a great view of Mount Washington, far to the east. Today, though the snow, we can barely make out fields in the valley directly below. We sight a puppy playing in the snow directly beneath cliff, and wonder where it has come from. We meet its people on the way down, two women who Gigi knows. I play with the dog a bit while Gigi and Dallas chat with them, and then we head back. I make a brief detour to view the little wetland, noting a set of moose prints on its shore. Paul is waiting from us in the car when we arrive.

About three hours.