For more than 100 years, Chocorua Mountain Club (CMC) members have been maintaining trails on Mount Chocorua and Mount Paugus. In 2023, Chocorua Mountain Club merged into Chocorua Lake Conservancy (CLC), and now CLC’s Chocorua Mountain Club Trails Committee is organizing year-round trail stewardship and upholding tradition with the annual second-Saturday-in-May Trail Clearing Day. If you love to hike Chocorua or around our conservation lands, come help keep the trails clear and safe, and meet others who also love this place.

On Saturday, May 10 at 9 AM, join Chocorua Lake Conservancy for the Annual CMC Trail Clearing Day. Meet at 9 AM sharp at the Grove at Chocorua Lake, on Chocorua Lake Road just off of Route 16, for tools and trail assignments. Wear sturdy close-toed shoes or boots and long pants, bring plenty of water to drink, snacks (and lunch, if you plan to hike the mountain), sun and bug protection as needed, and a first-aid kit for small cuts and bruises—i.e. standard hiking gear. Tools are provided as needed, but it’s helpful if you can bring your own sturdy steel rake and/or big clippers, and gloves—no power tools, please. No special skills needed.

Participants will have two options: Hike the Mountain, a full-day hike on CMC trails on Chocorua and Paugus, clearing water bars and blowdowns, and maybe hiking the summit for fun. Or, help protect Chocorua Lake Conservancy trails, a half-day hike on conservation land, clearing CLC trails on land around the lake, followed by a nap or a swim!

Along with trail work volunteers, we are also looking for crew leaders for each trail—folks who have been on the trail before and who are willing to be the point person for borrowed tools and the trail report. If you are able to be a crew leader, please contact the CMC Trails Committee at trails@chocorualake.org You can also recruit a team of three or more friends or family members and come along together. Please register in advance above so that we can let you know if any plans change.

After our work day, please come celebrate our work and socialize with fellow CMC trail volunteers over drinks (BYOB) and dinner at 5:30 PM at Runnells Hall (25 Deer Hill Rd, Chocorua). A hearty buffet dinner (a large ham, pizza, salad) will be served at 6:30 PM.  Trail crews will share trail reports around 7:30 PM. Please bring an appetizer, side dish, or dessert to share if you’re able. Any tools that have not yet been returned can be brought to the supper.

Banner image: A trail clearing crew ready to head out!