Saturday June 7th, 1-4pm
(only 10 slots left)
Sharon's Walk - a trail user shares her Sunday walk.
Blueberries ready for picking!
GCE Purchases Hancock Property
June 30th - The Gray Community Endowment (GCE) closed on purchasing the 29 acre Hancock Property today! This acquisition was critical to preserving access to the Libby Hill Trail System. To fund this purchase, the GCE had to obtain an interest free mortgage from a generous group of local citizens. Now $126,550 still needs to be raised to repay this loan (please consider a donation today). We are very grateful to all who have made this purchase a reality and supported the effort to save Libby Hill! In particular special thanks to Carl Holmquist who has dedicated over eight years in making this land purchase a reality!
Local Election Approves Article 7 ... Thank you !
$25,000 was approved toward purchase of Hancock property by the citizens of Gray at the June 10th election by an overwhelming margin (955 to 422). This leaves the GCE with nearly $132,000 left to raise to complete the purchase of the Hancock property for Libby Hill Trails. Read more about the elections at Gray's Home Town News!
Birds of Libby Hill Event Coming
Sunday June 15th, 7am-10am
A very unique chance to learn about the variety of birds you can discover on Libby Hill happens next Sunday. Event participants will have the unique opportunity to have a local biologist and naturalist, Derek Lovitch, of the Yarmouth Wild Bird Center, who will lead a bird watching tour on the trails of Libby Hill Forest. Whether you are a novice or expert bird watcher, you'll learn how to identify birds in the diverse ecosystems of Libby Hill. Bring your hiking boots, binoculars, and questions! A great way to support Father's Day and support Libby Hill Trails! Advanced reservations are recommended because only 15 people are able to participate.
National Trails Day
Saturday June 7th, 1-4pm
(only 10 slots left)
National Trails day is a day all trails celebrate the joy of hiking! Libby Hill for the first time, will provide an extensive hiking tour of all the major sites available to trail users. If you like to walk or hike this 3 to 4 mile tour will take you on and off trail to sites you never knew existed. Hikers will also be given lots of ideas for future hikes they can do on their own. The tour will be led by Steve McPike who will provide information on the trails including natural and local history of Libby Hill. Tour donations will help support the 'Save Libby Hill' campaign. Help the 'hill' and have fun doing it! Click here to learn more
Dragonfly/Gray 4H Snowshoe Trek
A great day of snowshoeing was had by the kids and parents taking a snowshoe
tour on March 10th. The conditions were
beyond perfect, solid crust snow, sunny
skies, and beaver who left us presents! Thanks to all who came and made it
a fun morning in the woods!
Maine Classical Christian School Visits Libby Hill...... click here to see more on our trail blog
Have even more fun.. join the "Friends of Libby Hill" on
March 31st
The Friends of Libby Hill will have a informational meeting for folks to come
and learn about what volunteer activities are available at Libby Hill. Whether
you can donate an hour, adopt a trail, tackle a project, or organize event; we
want to show you how you can help! On Monday March 31st at 6:30pm, a no
obligation, informational meeting will be held at the Androscoggin Savings Bank
in Gray. Come by and find out what you can get involved with and how you
can meet some great people in your community. If you need more coaxing
contact Steve McPike 657-2114 or
email us!
We invite you to come to the "Friends of Libby Hill" informational meetin
g
on Monday, March 31st at the Androscoggin Bank in Gray at 6:30pm.
Learn how the motto of Libby Hill, "Promoting community through open space
recreation" will provide you with a fun way to meet new people, be outdoors, and
enhance your community. We have a wide range of volunteer projects that can fit
most any schedule. If you can't make the meeting but still want to help,
email us or call Steve McPike at 657-2114.
Testimonials Sought
If you are an enthusiastic Libby Hill
Trail Trail user- whether brand new or a veteran- we would love to hear your
story of why the trails are important to you! These stories help us with future
planning and resource development (read more.....)
At first we were told, there's not enough snow to have a winter fun day in March. Then we had to juggle speakers and events. Two weeks ago an ice storm blocked our trails. Then last Friday it was clear that another 10 inches of snow was going to deliver itself right in the middle of Saturday's event. Luckily, many of our event participants could reschedule to Sunday, March 2nd. All seemed saved then at 7:20am on Sunday I got a call from Dean Bennett saying the Recreation Department Truck had broken down on the way to the event. So.... one more scramble to get equipment reloaded on on site by the kick off.
Once on site, it was clear we got everythi
ng we could wish for, a cloudless
sunny sky, rising temperatures, and beautiful snow laden wind gusts giving a
perfect winter climate! If you just took a quick look from the sideline
you might not have been impressed. With events scattered over the fields
of the middle school and the trails it might have been hard to figure out what
all excitement was about. However, if you took the time to join in any of
the events you would have an unbelievably fun time.
Be
sure to visit our slide show to see the over 100 participants in our events
yesterday. We also had an additional hundred trail users out exploring
the trails on foot, on skis, on snowshoes, and on skis. I didn't meet a
single person without a smile on their face and enjoying the gift of Libby Hill
Trails. Thank you all for making the Libby Hill Fun Day, a great day for
everyone!
Lots of folks asked me "how much does this cost" or how can we help, we love this place! We never charge for our events but we do have costs to keep the trails open. The high winds kept our donation buckets from being very prominent so we didn't take in much money for future events. If you missed your chance, be sure to visit our donations page where you can donate online or by check. If you want to give your time, don't miss the opportunities at our volunteer page and send us an email to learn more.
Help us make it better... take our 1 minute Fun Day Survey!
Special Thanks.... How the fun day happened
It takes a lot to make an event happen. All these people helped make a fun day for you. If you see them be sure to say thanks for making the winter fun day happen. Better yet offer to volunteer or donate to recognize their efforts!
Dean Bennett - Gray Parks and Rec
Carl Holmquist - Trail Manager and Race Organizer
Shelly Holmquist
Anne Gass
Rick and Silas Leavitt
Judy Densmore and the food team
Deb Pyne-Young
Meg Huskey
John and Laurie Keller
Doreen McPike
Joel McPike
Tracy Ross
Patty Schorr
Ruth Johnson
Tom Watson the Eastern Mountain Sports Crew
Chewonki Foundation
SAD 15 Maintenance Department
Gray Public Works Team
Gray Fire and Rescue
Trail Users of Libby Hill
Jeanne Adams/GNG Independent
Marilyn Pocaro/Lake Region Weekly
Peggy Brown/The Notes
Special Thanks to our Groomers
Merritt Foster
Dana Giggey
Peter Reaman
Rick Licht
(did I forget you?..
please let me know)
The ice storm of last week did extensive damage to pine trees dropping hundreds of branches on the ski trails last week. Carl Holmquist enlisted help from the ski teams and other volunteers, the groomer was able to get through the trails on Sunday. Thanks to everyone who came to the help out this past weekend! For users going up on the trail this week, please toss any branches you might find in the trail.
Full Moon Snowshoe Tour
We had a cloudless night and a great turnout of over 20 people for our first
full moon snowshoe trek! As a bonus we also got to see the beginning of
the lunar eclipse!
Click here to see a collection of photographs folks took. We got more
interest in this event than any so far! Our website also had its busiest
'hit' day on the day of the event.
Weather alert and Event update Friday 3pm- Given the increased issues with the coming storm we have moved our Fun Day to Sunday, March 2nd. The weather looks much better on Sunday and road conditions will be much improved. All events are still scheduled to be held on Sunday at the times shown below. Volunteers should arrive as instructed. You can get updates on this website or call the Gray Recreation department at 657-2323 if you have any questions.
Upon arrival at the Middle School, come into the front entrance of the building where we will have our Information Booth and Orienteering booth. Here you can find out how to sign up for events and any changes to the schedule.
Libby Hill Winter Fun Day
Saturday March 1st, 2008
(Directions to event)
Come celebrate the fun of winter and discover the diversity
of Libby Hill Forest Trails in Gray, Maine. Events include indoor and
outdoor activities for all ages! Learn about
winter sports, explore some
trails, try out some snowshoes, or discover some natural history. Food
will be available for sale or bring your own. GNG Middle School will be open for
lectures, warming up, bathrooms and tables for folks bringing their own food.
Outdoor Events
8:45am - Kickoff
9am 10am - Adult 5K
X-Country Ski Race (register at Info Tent)
9:30am-10:30am Kids X-country
Ski Race (register at Info Tent)
10:30am Adult Snowshoe race
(register at Info Tent)
11am - Kids Snowshoe race
(register at Info Tent)
9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30
Map Skills for Beginners (Orienteering Tent)
10am- 1pm Orienteering How to
(Orienteering Tent see below)
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 -
Orienteering (see tent section below)
10:30am and 11:30am Libby
Hill Trail Tour - A 45 minute walk to top of Libby Hill to learn how to
navigate the trails. (register at Info Tent)
12:30pm-3pm Sledding games
2pm-4pm Guided Snowshoe Trek - Steve McPike will lead an off trail
snowshoe hike to Thayer Brook. Find new areas to explore on and off trail!
(register at Info tent). If you want to see where it is going read our
recent blog entry or see all
the
photos here.
Indoor Events (appropriate for all ages)
10am- 11am - Tracking Animals
in Winter by naturalist Brett Levin
Cancelled
Ever wondered what made those tracks you see on your winter walks? Find out how to tell one critter's tracks from another, and maybe even what the animal was doing as it made them. If possible, go outside, hunt for some tracks, and do a little animal tracking detective work!
11am noon - Safety in the
Woods Nancy Long, Girl Scouts of Maine
cancelled
A hands-on look at essential items for a day hike or beyond, and why you need them - or not? Specific suggestions for kids, teens, and adults, and how to "get found" if you do get separated from your group. Make a quick emergency shelter outside if time/conditions permit.
11:30am - 12:30 - Going Green
in the Woods - Holly Gillies, Outdoor Guide
Cancelled
"Going Green" is a hot topic these days, but aren't you already "going green" by taking a walk or hike in the woods? Maybe, and maybe not! This fun, game-based session shows you how you can make a difference on your next venture outside and keep forest ecosystems alive and well.
1pm & 2:15pm - Predators
The Chewonki foundation presents a talk on predators and brings some live predators with them. Limited to 30 people per session.
Food - Chilli, pizza, chowder, hot beverages and bottled water available.
Outdoor Tents 9am-3pm
Eastern Mountain Sports Tent giveaways, music, outdoor advice, free tryouts of snowshoes
Information Tent Get trail maps, event information, register for events here
Orienteering Tent Try out our new Orienteering course. Ongoing brief "how to" ongoing 9am-3pm, course opens at 10:30am, last start at 1:30pm. For those needing a bit more instruction, basic map skills & orienteering clinic at 9:30am, 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30.
Ongoing Activities
Bonfire, sliding (bring your sleds), try out some snowshoes, free skiing and snowshoeing
Full Moon Snowshoe Tour
We had a cloudless night and a great turnout of over 20 people for our first
full moon snowshoe trek! As a bonus we also got to see the beginning of
the lunar eclipse!
Click here to see a collection of photographs folks took. We got more
interest in this event than any so far! Our website also had its busiest
'hit' day on the day of the event.
Orienteering Course under construction...coming soon!
Winter Nature Snowshoe Walk a great Day!
Caryl Widdowson, local naturalist will take snowshoers on a two hour guided look at how nature adapts to winter. Snowshoe conditions are ideal despite all the weather of the past week. Snowshoes are available if you don't have them, call Steve McPike to reserve 207-657-2114.
See our blog to see what fun the January 12th snowshoe trek had.
Explore more info on what you saw on the tour....
We are expanding our nature information section. Click here for more details....
Libby Hill Trails provides a full range of snowshoe experiences. Learn more of where to go or how to get started, no matter you level of experience (click here to learn more)
You can see our current trail conditions by clicking here to open the trail blog, trail conditions are on the left upper corner.
The snowshoe trails on Harold Libbey and the new Outback trail are also open with initial snowshoe tracks laid down.
Please help us keep trail info up to date and email us what condition you have
found the trails.
Click
here to send us a trail report!
New Outback Trail Maps and Trail Descriptions
We now have extensive trail descriptions of the Libby Hill Trails including new
maps. You can also
download a complete trail guide in PDF format (requires
Adobe Acrobat
Reader and high speed connection). The new
Outback trail which was just completed in November now has maps and
descriptions.
Full Moon Snowshoe Trek Coming!
- On Wednesday, February 20th, a full moon snowshoe trek will be led by
Steve McPike. The tour will go on and off trail to see how Libby Hill
looks in the glow of a full moon!
If you might be interested in a future full moon snowshoe (March) or hike please
let us know
Email us!. Participants, please
be prepared for a 2 hour snowshoe of
moderate exertion (if you don't have snowshoes let us know, we have a few to
lend out). Also bring a headlamp or flashlight.
Go to our blog to read more on the route for this walk, see the February 4th entry.
New Parking Lot
Our parking lot has had an upgrade! The Gray Public Works crew did
a great
job making the lot deeper and wider. They also moved the welcome sign to
the parking lot. Remember, trail heads begin not at the parking lot but
behind the middle school. Follow the driveway behind the school and proceed to
the trails heads that are on the other side of the chain link fence.
Libby Hill Forest Celebrates its 8th
Anniversary!
Libby Hill Forest is celebrating its 8th anniversary this fall! Providing six
miles of non-motorized recreation paths behind the Gray-New Gloucester Middle
School, this gem of open space in Gray is waiting for you to explore its
secrets! New this year are upgrades to the Harold Libbey Trail, new trail blazes
on all trails, and extensive trail maps and trail descriptions on our website.
See how much has happened in eight years by viewing our photo show
(click here to view albums).
Trail Walk makes for a fun afternoon!
Our trail orientation walk on Saturday, October 20th was a great time for the 16 folks who came out to enjoy a warm colorful afternoon on Libby Hill! All trail walkers got to navigate the newly marked trails with new detailed trail maps. Here is a sample of the comments from trail users:
"Now I really know my way around these trails."
"I never knew Libby Hill had so many activities to offer"
"I've lived in Gray for years and finally got to see what Libby Hill is all about!"
"We're definitely coming back and bringing some friends to show them what they're missing.""I didn't know there are trails for all levels of walkers."
If you missed this walk be aware that future trail walks are being planned. If you are interested in participating or being notified about our next walk email us (the more interest we get the sooner we will schedule the next walk).
Hunting Season and Libby Hill
Hunting is not allowed on Libby Hill, in fact it is part of the 'Maine Wildlife Sanctuary" which covers all the area between Rt 26 and Rt 202 running between the new bypass and North Raymond Road. Regardless though, it is always good practice for trail users to wear orange in November as an additional precaution.
Interested in volunteering for Trail Events ?
We are considering revamping our Friends of Libby Hill Committee, if you would like to be invited to an informational meeting in November please email us! Other volunteer opportunities are available at this link as well.
