Vanessa and I did a little more redlining on Mt Rowe today. Parked at Gilford Elementary. Took the Mt Rowe Trail to Benjamin Weeks Trail. Followed Benjamin Weeks Trail to North Spur Trail. Met up with Ridge Trail to summit. Back down Mt Rowe Trail to the car. Perfect Winter hiking day. No wind, relatively mild temperatures. Lots of mixed terrain from packed snow base (just a couple inches), to ice, to bare ground, to mud. Wore microspikes the whole way and had no issues. Actually took them off on Ridge Trail as ground was mostly bare, what little snow/ice there was, was easily avoidable. Perfect views from ledges before summit. Water crossings were OK, frozen enough to rock hop or jump across.
