Winter hiking offers special moments and challenges. With leaves on the ground, higher trails reward hikers with great views. The snow-covered landscape reveals animal tracks not seen in other seasons. Winter weather also challenges hikers with slippery footing on trails that can be snow covered or icy. With this in mind, John and Kate Kidd have selected trails for this course that range from easy (little elevation gain) to moderate (steady climbs with steep stretches).  Depending on conditions, at a moderate pace each trail will take two hours or longer to complete. All trails will be in central to south county (Pittsfield and south). Should there be enough snow for snowshoeing, we will adjust trail choices to take advantage of the snow.

Winter hiking gear: Participants will be expected to bring hiking microspikes suitable for winter trail walking and a pair of hiking poles. We can provide hiking poles and microspikes, if you do not own a pair. Participants who do not have snowshoes can borrow equipment from Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC).

John and Kate Kidd are experienced all season Berkshire hikers. Active volunteers with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, they coordinate a weekly hiking group that started in 2017 after an OLLI class. This will be their fourth time leading an OLLI hiking class. They will be sharing knowledge of geology, historic land use, and flora and fauna gained through the OLLI Berkshire Naturalist course.

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