The steepness of the South Cube Trail and the cold weather failed to keep 6 GayOutdoors enthusiasts away from the quartzite-frosted summit.

For starters, Mt. Cube's famed March Mudness was nowhere to be found, though a surplus of ice to negotiate more than made up for the mud's absence.

Snow showers were a no-show even though we walked beneath a persistent overcast and could frequently see snow showers on the not-so-far-away horizons.

As we hiked further up, we found the evergreens dusted with a beautiful coat of fresh show.

Positive highlights of the day included some great vistas from the South Peak of the Connecticut River valley into Vermont and some unexpectedly pretty views of Mount Moosilauke from the seldom-visited North Peak. 

Everyone agreed this 4.8-miler was a perfect way to stretch legs that haven't climbed a mountain for awhile.

Afterwards, Jon and I headed back to the Mad River Lodge, where we cooked a fabulous salmon dinner and were later joined by Markus and Ray for lively conversation beside the fireplace.

P.S. What a small world! I went to party hosted by Markus on Monday and two folks we met on the Mt. Cube were there.