OAK HILL CONSERVATION LAND HIKE EVENT – 25 JUNE 2016

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Edge of Tophet Chasm
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Highest Point in Littleton – 504 feet

Land Steward and Littleton Conservation Trust (LCT) board member Bill Brown led a 2.5 miles long hike with 600 feet of ascent at the Oak Hill Conservation Land in Littleton. We had 13 participants; 10 from Littleton and three from Harvard. Jim O’Neil, also an LCT member, acted as Sweep to ensure that we all stayed together.

We viewed the grooves worn in the rock by the iron-bound stage coach wheels in the 1830’s near the start of the Red Summit Trail. We then hiked over to and along the edge of the Tophet Chasm (see photo), which is where glacial Lake Nashua drained and cut a deep chasm. There are three interesting erratics on the South side of the Chasm; the hikers in the enclosed photo obscure the largest one, Egg Rock.

We then wandered over to the Blue Inner Loop trail and took that to the highest point in Littleton (about 504’). The second photo shows our happy band at the informal cairn that marks this spot.

From there we stopped at Lookout Rock and enjoyed the vista looking towards Boston, and returned to the parking area via the Yellow Boundary Trail.

Please see the trail and property descriptions and area map at: https://littletonconservationtrust.org/trail-guide/browse-trails/?trailid=14 .