Despite lower numbers this year, the 10th Annual Squam Lakes Association Hike for the Trails fundraiser raised more than $4,000 for the maintenance and upkeep of 50 miles of trails in the area.

Brett Durham, the association's director of recreation, said that the forecast of possible thundershowers on Saturday may have deterred potential hikers from coming out.

"Hiking is not much fun in the rain," Durham said.

Participants that met at the Mount Morgan Trailhead had three trail options. The beginner level trail was a 1.9 mile trip up and down West Rattlesnake, which offers great view of Squam Lake. The Intermediate level hike was a five mile loop that includes the peaks of both Mount Morgan and Mount Percival, which provides views of both the lake and the watershed. The expert hike was a 8.5 mile trek from Mead Conservation Center in Sandwich Notch to Mount Morgan trailhead using the Crawford-Ridgepole and Mount Morgan Trails, which summits multiple peaks along the way.

Durham said that they try to switch up the trails every other year. He said last year they started the expert hike from Cotton Mountain, which is the opposite direction from Mead Conservation Center.

The hike-a-thon fundraiser is centered around the idea of hikers being sponsored through outside donations, which will be put toward SLA trail maintenance and to help support the Mead Conservation Center.

Peter Kempf, who is from the San Francisco Bay area, raised just under $4,000 on his own which won him first place and a brand new pair of hiking boots.

Kempf, who has a seasonal cottage on Squam Lake, said he looks forward to attending the event every year.

"I've done nine of them," Kempf said of the hiking event. "The one time I didn't attend was because I was out of the country."

Betsy Whitmore won second place and a $25 gift certificate to the Corner House Restaurant in Sandwich for her fundraising and Charles Hamann, who is a seasonal resident in Sandwich, was awarded third place and a dining gift certificate for $25. He chose to do the intermediate hike up Mt. Morgan.

Brooke Sabe of Waterville Valley brought her dog Happy along with her to hike up Mt. Morgan, which she said will hopefully prepare her for hiking the Appalachian Trail in the future.

Just before 9 a.m., the groups headed out on their trails while Durham boarded a bus to shuttle the expert hikers down the road to Mead Conservation Center, where they would head out.

Minimum donation was for the event was $25 and all those that raised over $35 received a free "Hike" T-shirt from SLA.

The Squam Lakes Association has been working to preserve the land and natural beauty of the Squam Lakes area since 1904.

RAY MONGEAU/CITIZEN PHOTO BROOKE SABE of Waterville Valley readies for the hike up Mount Morgan at the sign in station at the trailhead Saturday morning. Brooke said that this is one of the hikes she is doing to prepare for her trek along the Appalachian Trail. * Order a print of this photo

CHARLES HAMANN, a summer resident of Sandwich, left, and John Asby of Chestnut Hill, Mass., start their trek up Mt. Morgan during the Squam Lakes Association's annual Hike for the Trails fundraiser Saturday morning. RAY MONGEAU/ CITIZEN PHOTO * Order a print of this photo