Virginia Moore: Snowshoeing: Two Snowshoe Gems in Mount Washington Valley

Now that January is over with and we finally have deep, beautiful snow in the Mount Washington Valley we can dust off our snowshoes, don our scarves, mittens and favorite warm winter hat and head into the woods. The paths are beckoning and there are snowshoe hikes out there for any ability.

Starting with an easy option we have Echo Lake. Located off of West Side Road on the south end and parallel with the southern edge of North Conway Village, this sizable body of water with the ledges as a backdrop is so close to town we often overlook it. One can use White Horse Ledge as a guide to get there. From West Side Road follow the signs toward Cathedral Ledge, turning west off of West Side Road. You will come to several parking areas after passing some houses, and if you look up you will see the ledges and often view ice climbers making their way to the top. Park your car and look for several paths to your left. There are several options, and you can't really go wrong as they all intertwine with each other between Echo Lake and White Horse Ledge.