The Peek A Week Club (PAW), which meets at the Information Booth parking lot in Rumford on Wednesday Evenings at 5 pm, with departure time of 5:15 invites you to join them on any of their upcoming excursions.
The group was started in 1984 by a group of engineering co-op students who were here for the summer and got some of the career engineer staff to form PAW.
All levels of hikers, and hikers at heart are encouraged, and no special hiking equipment is required, although you may encounter snowy trails on the first couple of outings. They also remind those wishing to join to provide their own water, snacks, and a flashlight, in case their traverse of the hiking trail brings them into the twilight hours.
Some of the physical benefits of hiking include building stronger muscles and bones, improving sense of balance, and heart health, and decreasing the risk of certain respiratory problems. If you have any of these goals, please meet the Peak a Week group!
Kim Redmond, current PAW coordinator says, “I have been involved with Peak A Week since 1984 when it was founded. Back then we only did a handful of l hikes close to Rumford after work on Wednesdays.”
Redmond adds, “We only had 6 to 10 hikers that first year. We kept adding more hikes as the years continued, expanding to the surrounding mountains and started with shorter hikes early season with longer hikes mid season.”
Rosanna Young, who has been hiking with PAW for five years says, “My favorite hike is Angel Falls. I love all the different falls I experience throughout that pretty hike. I didn’t hike as much last year due to my job hours that changed.
Ms. Young says, “The best thing about hiking is seeing some absolutely beautiful spots. I love the wilderness. I love wildlife so hiking is just a wonderful feeling.”
A “Social Butterfly” she adds, “Meeting wonderful people and socializing with them makes for a great hike. I have met some wonderful people and the exercise is great!”
Here is the 2023 Peak a Week Lineup:
Wed. 4/19 Mexico Ledge (Mexico) .5 mi
Wed 4/26 Esker Trail Loop (North Bethel Rd) 1.1 mi
Wed 5/3 Mystery Mt. (Rumford Point) 1.5 mi
Wed 5/10 Bear Mountain (Turner) 3.7 mi
Wed 5/17 Mount Christopher (Bryant Pond) 2.2 mi
Wed 5/24 Buck’s and Lapham Ledges (Woodstock) 3.4 mi
Wed. 5/31 Table Rock (Grafton Notch) 2.4 mi. loop 900’
Wed 6/7 The Roost (Evans Notch) 2.4 mi. loop 1,374'
Wed 6/14 Mt. Zircon (Rumford) 2.8 mi. to summit 2,240’
Wed 6/21 Bald Mt. (Oquossoc) 1 mi. to summit 2,443’
Wed 6/28 Tumbledown (Weld) 1.5 mi. brook trail, 2 mi. 3,068’
Wed 7/5 Long Mountain (Albany) 4.4 mi. round trip
Wed 7/12 Eyebrow Loop (Grafton Notch) 2.2 mi. loop 1,000’
Wed 7/19 Overset Pond (Greenwood) 4 miles round trip
Wed 7/26 Black Mt. (Rumford)
Wed 8/2 Whitecap (Andover) 2 mi. to summit 2,197’
Wed 8/9 Mt. Will (Bethel) 3.25 mi. 1,350’
Wed. 8/16 Dunn Falls (East B Hill Rd) .8 mi. to waterfalls
Wed. 8/23 Bald Mt. (Weld) 1.5 mi. to summit 2,386’
Wed. 8/30 Bald Mt. (Woodstock) 1.4 mi. to summit 2,386’
Wed. 9/6 Sanborn River Trail (Greenwood) 2.8 mi. Loop
Wed. 9/13 Chapman Brook Trail 1.5 mi to 3.3 mi
Wed. 9/20 Angel Falls .75 mi. 90’ waterfall
Wed 9/27 Sugarloaf Mtn (Dixfield) 2.0 mi
Wed. 10/4 Merrills Ledge (Peru)
Wed. 10/11 Glass Face (Rumford) 1,880'
Wed. 10/18 Woodsman's Peak (Hanover)
Wed. 10/25 Valentine’s Farm North Rd (Bethel) 1.8 mi 1 hour
Redmond says, “This is the 39th year of Peak a Week and we have over fifty regular hikers. At a hike last year we had over 60 people show up! The group has become a social hiking activity for young and old including families. Our oldest hiker is 91 and has done all of the hikes each year for so long it’s hard to believe he only started after he retired!”
Ms Young adds, “I would tell people looking for exercise to try hiking to be healthy and enjoy fresh air with this great group of people.”
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