Hikers and walkers around the region are ringing in the 2023 with the tradition of getting out on the trails on New Year’s Day.

For Jaquelyn O’Connor of New Ipswich, who runs the blog Getting Lost Together, discovering New England trails has become a big part of her life, which includes hiking at least once a week. She said that the First Hike has become a tradition for her and her family.

 ”We’re fortunate that we have so many trails in the Monadnock area. We have a nice choice to pick from,” O’Connor said. “Everyone known Mount Monadnock, but they don’t know all the other little trails all over the place.”

O’Connor isn’t deterred by the cold weather, and said in fact that winter is her favorite hiking time – fewer crowds, no bugs and cooler temperatures.

For Andra Hall of Greenfield, the First Hike is a tradition she inherited from her parents and now is passing on to her own two children. Instead of hiking on Jan. 1, however, they make a hike on New Year’s Eve to a scenic spot to take in the final sunset of the year.

The tradition started with her parents while living in Connecticut more than 45 years ago. Not only the family, but a large group of friends would join in on the hike together, sometimes leading to a group of dozens.

”I like the tradition – the longevity and the history of it,” Hall said.

Some years, Hall travels to Connecticut to participate in the big hike, but this year, she and her immediate family are doing their own hike on Pinnacle Mountain in Lyndeborough.

”We’re all watching the same sunset,” Hall said.

For Traci Juntunen of Rindge, her First Hike is the kickoff of a larger project, aimed at raising awareness for an important cause.

Juntunen became an avid walker in 2021, when she adopted a Labrador puppy with boundless energy that needed an outlet. She noticed an her miles tracker that in the first few months of having him, she had walked over 100 miles. She said it was good for both her physical and mental health, and, as a transplant from South Carolina, has helped her find enjoyment in New England’s chilly winters.

”There’s something about the cold air that clears the mind and is refreshing,” Juntunen said. “Winters get long in New England, and if you don’t get out and enjoy them, it gets longer. This has helped me embrace the winters.”

She started to take on challenges for herself, and walking for a cause. Last February, she walked 136 miles to raise funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer. This year, she and a friend have taken on the challenge of walking 100 miles in the month of January, in support of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. As a former EMT, Juntunen said she’s seen too many people affected in serious ways by driving while intoxicated. She is kicking off her goal on Jan. 1, with a walk on her favorite trail, the Monadnock Rail Trail that stretches through Rindge and Jaffrey.

To support Juntunen’s fundraiser in support of MADD, donations are accepted through her Facebook fundraiser, available at tinyurl.com/MADDJuntunen.

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