After a bitterly cold Thanksgiving day (-3° am w/wind), the Sat after was looking to be milder, calmer, and sunnier so I headed to one of my favorite hikes, Rumford Whitecap, just an absolutely beautiful trail and mt. It is quite popular so my assumption was that the 18" of snow we'd had over the past 10 days would be nicely packed, which it was. I love an unambiguous trail and this one is, starting the ascent immediately and continuing to the summit. Not that it is difficult. It is the definition of a beautiful hike on a beautiful trail and not the least bit intimidating. I'm not a trail runner but the trail is wide, ascends gradually, and winds through forest and ledge to the summit and I thought it was the perfect route for running, even w/or maybe especially because of the snow pack. It was the first hike I'd been on this fall where I actually removed layers as I ascended. The summit was calm and sunny and a warm low 30's w/views of many of the western Maine mts, the Wilton windmills as well as the stacks of the Rumford mill. And I had the summit to myself. Anyone interested in a first winter hike which is, as I said, not intimidating but offering a reasonable climb to 2100+ ft w/360° views, a big mt feel, and only 5 miles round trip, consider this one. Traction (microspikes) a necessity, snowshoes if fresh, unpacked snow. Even if winter cold and windy, the long open summit is the only part exposed, otherwise the trail is well protected in the trees.