We had an even dozen hikers for the first hike of 2019. After days of awful weather we even had some sun climbing up to the Viewpoint. There was a thin layer of snow above 3,000 feet and we had some ice crystals hitting us off of the trees. Everyone was in a good mood as we settled for lunch overlooking the former quarry. The view was actually better with the snow. 

We had all forgotten the substantial amount of ascent. Fortunately there was minimal mud to deal with. After a quick descent we headed for refreshments at 4 Daughters in Medford where they treated us very well. I noticed they brought tea with nice tea pots of hot water and a selection of tea bags. Very civilized although I went for a brown ale. Liz is now mistress of malt vinegar and was able to dress our fries from her coveted supply.