Wildcat Ridge Trail and the Great Gulf Wilderness

White Mountain Overnight on the Sandwich Range

My friend and I spent a night on the Kate Sleeper Trail over Presidents' Day weekend. We made it an easy carspot by leaving my car at Sabbaday and making the short drive to the Oliverian Brook Trail. We started in spikes but on the ascent to Passaconaway we switched to snowshoes and they would be used for the bulk of the trip. Day 1 was cold and in the single digits much of the day. We saw a good number of people as we went from Passaconaway to Whiteface and then were were alone for the remainder, except for one pair we met at the top of North Tripyramid and those enjoying Sabbaday Falls.

The heavy packs wore us down and we were tired by the time we reached Whiteface.  We were breaking trail on Kate Sleeper and ready for camp. Luckily there were plenty of good spots to camp on that trail. We set up camp in the low point between East and West Sleeper and while the temps warmed through the night the wind also howled something fierce. I had my share of camping blunders, doing a poor job with my tarp tie-outs and having stove issues in the morning. Luckily Pete heated up water for me. The most challenging part of the trip was the South Slide climb. It was fairly icy but the snowshoes worked great for traction (as well as the heel rises). Pete lost his Garmin InReach on the slide which was dispiriting but we deloaded, threw on spikes and went back down. Luckily he found it right where he suspected he lost it. We wore spikes the rest of the way up South Tripyramid out of stubborn/laziness and that was a true slog. From there we went back to snowshoes for the remainder of the trip.

After enjoying the short packed out section from Middle to North to Middle Tri, we descended via the Sabbaday Falls Brook Trail. The trail was choppy due to the recent warm temps and as we descended it probably reached 40 degrees, resulting in mash potato snow. That five mile hike out really finished us off. Passaconaway and Whiteface were #27-28 on my winter 48 list and Whiteface was #45 for Round 3 leaving me with three more to go (Owls Head, Isolation and Wildcat A).

Snow Storm Hike up Mt. Tecumseh

Enjoyed this hike up Tecumseh to start Presidents' Day Weekend.  It began to snow just before I arrived and ended right after I finished.  Perfect timing!

Winter Hiking - Mt. Avalon, Field and Tom

 

2 Day Kilkenny Ridge Traverse

 Spent the weekend on the Kilkenny Ridge with a friend.  We both drove up to South Pond which was a long dark drive for me with RI/MA traffic.  Surprised to see someone else camping there as well (they were doing a single day traverse as it turned out).  We woke up around 5 AM and I drove us down to the Mt Starr King trailhead where we began around 6:30 AM.

I was pretty happy with my gear choices but it wouldn’t be a backpacking trip if I didn’t screw something up.  When it came to footwear I found myself having to choose between my trail runners and my insulated winter boots (I realized too late that I’ve never had to rely on an in-between shoe).  Recent trail reports suggested a dusting of snow, if any, and the temps were forecast to be in the mid-30s.  I went with my trail runners.

There was a light layer of snow in the woods almost immediately, and within a mile, on the trail as well.  It was 21 degrees to start but soon the sun was up and the temp rose quickly towards 30.  It was bright with clear skies and we enjoyed the views from Starr King and Waumbek.  The trail is immediately different once you pass the Waumbek outlook and begin the Kilkenny Ridge Trail.  We were pushing through spruce branches and stepping over a couple down trees.  The snow here was probably only ½ inch but it was dusting the tops of my shoes and soon soaking through.

Despite the wet feet I was warm and we would switch between sunshine and shade as we travelled up and down the Weeks.  We weren’t sure exactly how far we were going to get but we figured we could make it up to the Cabot summit.  As we reached the notch between the Weeks and Terrace Mountain my feet finally began to get cold and uncomfortable.  I threw a couple toe warmers in there and we proceeded on. 

Once we began travelling up Cabot we were in the sun again and my feet warmed, which was comforting both physically and mentally.  The views from Bunnell Rock were splendid and the thermometer read 60 degrees in the sun.  Lovely!  But those temps wouldn’t last.  We were both plodding up that last climb to Cabot Cabin and my feet were once again getting cold by the time we reached it.  The interior had been spruced up with a new paint job since my previous visit.  We didn’t linger long as we weren’t planning to stay at the Cabin so we continued almost to the summit of Cabot and then ventured into the woods to find a place to camp.  We didn’t have great options but we were starting to lose the light and now my feet were really cold.  So we settled on a spot and I went through the stressful process of setting up the hammock in the cold.

Almost as soon as that thing was set up I jumped in and went to work warming my feet up.  I made my meal from the hammock and only left its cozy confines to hang my food bag and pee.  Of course, it wasn’t all rainbows and space heaters.  I spilled the water I was heating for my water bottle and barely had enough left for coffee in the morning.  And I’m not sure why I bought cheesy potato soup since I’m not a big cheese fan.  I guess I was hoping it wasn’t too cheesy but that was a fool’s hope.  Nevertheless I gutted it down.

Mountain Forecast had predicted temps that night in the mid-30s but it ended up getting down to the mid-20s.  I was still fairly warm but I did pop a couple hand warmers and placed them on my midsection in the middle of the night.  Packing up is always the hardest part of cold weather backpacking and as usual I made a mess of things.  When you’re only out for one night I just cram it all in there so I can get moving again.

Day 2 was much easier than Day 1 with less miles, much less elevation and less snow.  The views from the Horn were excellent and it almost felt like a summer day in the sun by Unknown Pond.  The long descent from Unknown Pond before we climb Rogers Ledge was an enjoyable saunter, with lovely views through the bare trees. 

The final steep climb up Rogers Ledge gave us a workout but we were rewarded with the final scenic overlook of the trip.  After descending most of the way we opted to take the Devil’s Hopyard trail which we both needed for redlining purposes.  The Hopyard quickly put me in my place when I slipped on a rock and almost went head first into the drink, thankfully submerging just my arm.  Ripped my pants up though.  The Hopyard was very impressive – it gets noticeably cooler in there almost immediately and the running water under the rocks just sounds awsome.  We went as far as we dared but we should have researched beforehand – there’s an End of Trail sign we did not reach so I’ll be heading back there again at some point.

Then it was an easy walk to South Pond and we were done.  Overall a great trip with great company.  I’m still very much a novice at cold weather backpacking and learned more valuable lessons.  The Kilkenny Ridge is the place to go for solitude - past Waumbek we encountered four people the entire trip.  If you have an idle 23 minutes here’s the video of the full excursion.  Now to go find some waterproof boots.

Kinsman Pond Overnight - August 23-24, 2021

I was looking forward to heading back to the Whites but I wasn't sure it was going to happen with Tropical Storm Henri making landfall 10 miles from our house. Luckily the storm veered off to the west after making land and the wind, while very blustery for a while, tapered off after a few hours. No damage to speak of, just some fallen branches. 

With the storm in the rearview, I resumed my plans and drove up on Monday the 23rd. I decided to do an overnight at the Kinsman Pond campsite, going in via the Mt. Kinsman Trail, over the Kinsman Ridge Trail and down the Reel Brook Trail. Then a few miles of road back to the car. It was in the 80s and very humid when I started and I was soon pretty gross. There was quite the large variety of mushrooms in the woods. The views from Bald Peak were the best that I would have on this hike. The Mt. Kinsman Trail was only four miles with moderate grades but the heat and humidity wore me out and I was tired by the time I reached the campsite. 

 I was the only one there. Not even a caretaker (the weather sign had been updated the previous day so I guess the caretakers switch off/take breaks early in the week?) There were no bugs to speak of which seems normal for August. But the mosquitoes are so bad at home I always assume the worst. I heard a couple guys arrive around 8 PM and later learned they were AT hikers. I tried out the new 30 degree underquilt I recently purchased for my hammock. Temps only got down to 58 and even then I was a little cool in the morning which likely speaks more to the fact that I'm usually cold than my insulation setup. 

I hiked over the Kinsmans in the morning which were in the fog. I was surprised and embarrassed when I discovered that I had never actually reached the summit of South Kinsman before. Apparently I had failed to make it all the way there on my previous two trips. Whoops! If nothing else it made for a funny (if profane) scene in the video below. So I essentially completed my first round of the NH48 on this hike. 

After that I made my way down the Kinsman Ridge Trail which was tough going at times. Some very slick rocks. Met an older woman hiking the AT who had stayed at the Eliza Brook campsite. She was impressive with her huge pack. I really enjoyed the running water alongside much of this trail. Some top notch swimming holes. I found the powerline section interesting as that's not something you see often up in the Whites. I wonder if people follow it or if it's all overgrown? 

My feet were achy as I made my way down the Reel Brook Trail and was annoying with myself for misjudging the distance somewhat. The road walk went on longer that I'd like but I did encounter a cool little cemetery with some markers for the Kinsmans. After reaching the car I considered what to do as it was a little later than I had planned. I opted to stick to my original plan - hiking past Nancy Pond and camping on the Carrigain summit. But that's a tale for another day.

Baldfaces and More Wild Wilderness

My friend Chris contacted me about a last-minute trip up to the Whites. He's around 82% complete with his redlining and had mapped out a route in the southern portion of the Wild River Wilderness that would take care of all those trails. It was an interesting route and I was happy to hike with someone as I usually hike solo. I picked him up at 4 AM and made the quiet drive north, him sleeping and me thinking. By all accounts the previous day's rain did not cause super high water as was the concern and the weather was looking perfect on Saturday. In fact, after stopping for breakfast in North Conway we considered changing our destination to the Great Gulf Wilderness where he still had trails he needed to hike. Ultimately though we stuck to the original plan which would take us on trails less travelled. I'm glad we did - it worked out very well.

We stashed Chris's bike at the Slippery Brook Trailhead and then drove dirt roads to the East Branch trailhead. We were on the trail by 9:30 AM and enjoyed the briefly cool temps. East Branch climbs very gently but there were plenty of wet sections and overgrown brush to deal with. As we approached the Wild River Trail we encountered swampy soup of a trail which made dry feet nigh impossible. We took the Wild River Trail towards Perkins Shelter where we found a large group of young folk hanging out and smoking their tweeds. We dropped packs near here and jogged/hiked the remainder to where it connected to the Rainbow Trail. We turned around, grabbed our packs and were soon back at the previous intersection. This time we took the Wild River Trail in the other direction to where it intersects with the Eagle Link Trail.

Lots of wet areas/high grass in this part of the Wild River Trail. But the water crossings were very manageable. I found an huge unopened bottle of Fiji Water and drank half of it. He hit the Eagle Link Trail and began the moderate climb up to Eagle Crag. The humidity began making itself known. Lots of big floppy overgrowth hugging the sides of the trail which were constantly pushing back against my poles. Annoying. But the slope was mostly this thick brush which made for views of the Carters through the few trees. After awhile we hit rock slabs and soon we were out in the open among the incredible views.

I've never been over on the Baldfaces so this was a real treat. We didn't actual walk the ridgeline but instead did hiked up and down a bunch of trails that Chris needed. Finally we saw other hikers for the first time (other than the stoner campers). I was starting to feel it by this point. I finally relented and changed my socks and shirt which made a big difference. The climb up South Baldface was when I really began to feel worn out. We passed a couple backpackers heading up and a bunch more people heading down. We rested for a bit at the shelter and then it was time to tackle the ledges. These were absolutely great. Terrific rock scrambling and the views into Maine were just splendid.

Originally we were going to summit South Baldface but time was ticking away and we hoped to squeeze in the Mountain Pond Loop after we finished this hike. So we skipped the summit and instead went down the Baldface Knob Trail. At the intersection we dropped our packs and made the short climb up Eastman Mountain. Great views through the trees here but my feet were beginning to ache. Chris broke his pole on the way down which was sad and we were both ready to head down the Slippery Brook Trail and be done with this hike. We figured with a name like Slippery Brook we'd be facing similar wet, muddy conditions as the East Branch Trail but amazingly it was dry and very runnable. And at the halfway mark it turned to an old logging road which made things even easier. My feet were hurting at this point but I was still happy to run these last few miles to wrap this thing up quicker.

At the trailhead Chris hopped on his bike and rode the five miles back to my car. I hiked about a mile to the Mountain Pond Trailhead and waited about 30 minutes for him. All in all a great day in the mountains. It wore us out but we dragged ourselves around Mountain Pond before calling it a day! Very happy with how the video came out. 

Wild River Wilderness 50k - Carter-Moriah Ridge

The main hike of my recent trip to the Whites was a big loop that took me through the Wild River Wilderness and over the Carter-Moriah range.  I started on the Shelburne Trail at 4:50 AM.  It was decidedly brisk at 43 degrees and very welcome as it meant no bugs for a while.  The seven miles of the Shelburne trail were often runnable and the climbs never too steep so this was a good way to ease into the day.

The Highwater Trail was going to be another story as I had heard from a friend who recently hiked it.  They had said that it was washed out in places and that makeshift paths had been made using pink ribbons to mark the way.  This all proved very true and I went off trail pretty much immediately when I took the river bed a ways instead of heading straight across.  After cutting across the woods I found the trail but soon I got even more wrapped up in thick brush, which led to me wandering this way and that before I returned to the river and just took the path of least resistance.   After that it was mostly much easier to follow though there was still one section ahead to trip me up.

It was my first time along the Wild River and it was impressive how wide it was.  The water was very low but the fallen trees lining the shore made it clear that this river was serious business in high water.  Once I passed the intersection with the Moriah Brook Trail things got easier on the Highwater in terms of navigation but the trail itself began to climb a bit and move away from the Wild River.  The chilly temps were long gone and it was now climbing towards the 70s.

I was both looking forward to and dreading the Black Angel Trail which would bring me up just below Carter Dome over five miles.  The first 1.5 miles had a good amount of runnable terrain but the trail went on and on, climbing ever higher.  It was cool seeing Carter Dome from the other side but it made me think it was closer than it actually was.  The bugs finally came out and the sun was high enough to make things steamy in the woods.  There were a couple water spots up high where I was able to top off all my bottles and not long after the last one I finally hit the Carter-Moriah trail. 

Finally on the ridgeline after 16.5 miles, it was a short jaunt to the summit of Carter Dome.  The bugs on the summit made it clear what I was in for and I promptly turned around and headed for Mt. Hight.  I was definitely feeling it at this point and was looking forward to a long break on the Hight summit to refresh and nourish.  But the bugs were worse on Hight, probably the worse I would experience all day.  After a few minutes I had enough and continued on.  So long as I was moving the bugs were only a nuisance.

I slowed down considerably on the ridgeline, feeling the elevation.  I encountered a good number of hikers doing the Carters or the whole ridge, including an AT hiker who was slackpacking from Rattle River and clearly enjoying the feeling of being unencumbered.  Found one more water source somewhere between Middle and North Carter but my hamstrings nearly seized up when I crouched to fill up.  Thankfully they didn’t lock up and I had no further issues. 

After the intersection with North Carter Trail it was a slow four miles to get to the Moriah summit.  There were some wonderful views to be had though and a nice breeze on some open sections made for a fairly bug-light resting experience.  There were a good number of people on the Moriah summit so I didn’t linger long.  I could see Shelburne Moriah waiting for me and knew I still had almost a 1/3 of the hike to go, though most of it would be downhill. 

The descent down Moriah features some lovely bog bridges and the climb up Shelburne Moriah has lots of open scrubby rock which feel like they belong at a higher elevation.  The summit of this mountain is a little tricksy – I kept thinking I was nearly there only to see another cairn up ahead.  At the actual summit I took a little breather and enjoyed the last views of the day before I began descending for good.

Turns out Shelburne Moriah had more views on the way down but soon I was in the woods for the last time.  My legs were holding together pretty well and I was descending at a decent clip.  I refilled my water with three miles to go and once I hit the last two miles of old road I was able to get back to a shambling run.  I encountered my first angry grouse but it ducked off into the brush before I could get footage.  For the only time in this hike I encountered deer flies, the likes of which I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced.  If nothing else they kept me moving (watch the end of the video to see just how many).  I finished the Shelburne Trail and threw myself into the car and cranked the AC to escape the devil flies.  Satisfied but completely spent I drove ten minutes to the West Bethel Motel, where I showered and managed to drag myself out again for dinner before returning and promptly falling asleep at 7:30 PM.

Old Speck - Grafton Notch State Park - 1st Maine 4000 Footer

Spent a couple days up in the Whites.  One regular day, one massive day and then a light day.  First up was a climb up Old Speck which is found in Grafton Notch State Park just over the border in Maine.  It was quite a haul to get to from Rhode Island but I've wanted to get up there for some time.

Grafton Notch was a beautiful quiet place and started my hike in the mid-afternoon in order to have the summit to myself.  It worked out as planned and so I busted out my new drone which took some pretty sweet footage.   This video is short but I'm happy with it.

A Sweltering Spring Day on the Presidentials - April 10, 2021

I spent much of this past Saturday above treeline and what a day it was. I went up the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail at 5:30 planning on doing a loop of Monroe, Washington and Jefferson. My stretch goal was Adams and Madison based on time/how I felt. Conditions were mixed on the way up but the I was able to bareboot the first 1.5 miles before putting on my microspikes. I had never been on the Ammo Ravine trail before and really enjoyed the amount of rushing water, especially this time of year. The trail became difficult to follow up high, there's didn't seem to be many cairns along the last stretch to the hut. Met two folks who camped against the Lake of the Clouds hut. It was funny as they actually wished they had had more wind in order to dry their stuff some. The trail from this point on was a mix of bare rock, snow and ice so I took my spikes off for what would end up being the rest of the day.

Bluebird skies at the top of Monroe and the views were incredible. It was already feeling warm with temps in the 40s and almost no wind. Foolishly I realized I didn't pack sunscreen and even more foolishly I realized I left my hat in the car. I knew it would get cloudy in the afternoon and I was hoping that maybe the clouds would roll in sooner rather than later.

Crawford Path was a stream at times leading up to Washington and I was already hot and tired when I got to the summit. Not a great sign but it was 8:30 when I got up there and I was surprised to find I had the summit to myself. Took shelter in the shade while I had a snack and then I began the long journey to Jefferson. I started to encounter people along this stretch including skiers which I found amusing. I know there was still good skiing to be had but on the Gulfside trail with so much bare rock everywhere they looked out of place.

I reached Mt. Jefferson and had a decision. The sun had been relentless to this point. I was making myself drink lots of water (thankfully no shortage of water sources on this day) and felt good overall but knew that the heat was taking its toll. It was only about 10:30 so still early in the day and I didn't want to head down yet. So I opted to continue on to Adams, knowing that I would have to backtrack to at least Jefferson in order to head down. This stretch was long and tiring so I took my time and rested when necessary. Saw a couple big groups doing the whole traverse between Jefferson and Adams. There were a goodly number of people on the Adams summit but they cleared out soon after and I enjoyed the summit to myself for a few minutes.

Madison always looks so close (and so much lower) from the summit of Adams but time was already starting to eek away from me and I thought better of pressing on. I made the correct decision to head back to Jefferson. I attempted to take the Cornice Trail to avoid summiting Jefferson again but I got confused by the sign at the Edmonds Col. Cornice Trail didn't seem to have been used recently and I was leery of venturing into its snowfield so I opted to just go up Jefferson again. A slow slog ensued. But at least the clouds had appeared in force and I was out of the sun much of the time.

Back on the summit of Jefferson. Again. Took a long break and enjoyed snacks. I decided to take Caps Ridge Trail down from Jefferson. I had never been on it before but I had just read a recent report from someone who did Caps Ridge > road walk > Border Line Trail to get back to the Ammo parking lot. It sounded interested. And so it was. Caps Ridge above treeline was wonderful. I really enjoyed the rock formations. Once in the woods, the trail was sloppy heavy snow as the report suggested. I finally was able to put on my snowshoes and was happy they got some use on this day.

The road walk was enjoyable as it's downhill and mostly bare/minimal snow. The only problem was that despite watching the distance on my watch I somehow missed the sign for the Border Line Trail and went 0.4 miles past it. That was annoying but now that I was off the mountains and out of the sun, I didn't mind. As advertised the Border Line Trail was a soggy mess. Lots of submerged bridges and flowing water. And strange microclimates - there were cool sections and then it would suddenly feel hot and humid. Wild. The short section of Jewell Trail to finish the day seemed to go forever and I was grateful when the road and parking lot seemed to appear from out of nowhere.

Overall a great day. I'm kicking myself for not being prepared for the relentless sun but I just kept up the water/food intake and made it through alright. It was nice seeing familiar faces up on the ridgeline and I'm grateful I had the opportunity to get in this quick trip and enjoy such fantastic conditions. I'm happy with how my video came out.

Cannon Mountain - February 22, 2021

Had a great couple days up in the Whites.  The main course was an epic overnight on Mt. Garfield with my buddy Rob.  That video will take a while to put together.  Yesterday before heading home I scrambled up Cannon Mountain to grab it for winter #35.  Windy cold conditions up there but a packed down trail made it easier than it could have been.

Wrapping Up My Last NH Trip - The Osceolas

Here's the final video from my trip up to the Whites at the end of December.  I wasn't sure if this hike up the Osceolas was going to happen as my knee was hurting in the morning as I hiked out of the woods from my hammock attempt (see previous video).  But after resting at the car for a couple hours I decided to give it a shot.  The knee ended not being a major issue and being the first one on the trail meant I got to hike in 1-2 inches of fresh powder which was lovely.

The wind was frigid but thankfully most of the hike was sheltered from it.  There were some nice views from Mt. Osceola but unfortunately most of the footage was corrupted.  

Besides being #22-23 for my winter list the other reason I wanted to get this hike done was to wrap up my goal of 300,000 feet of elevation gain for 2020.  I didn't relish the idea of returning home and trying to grab the last 3000 feet of gain doing hill repeats over two days.  So this was a satisfying way to wrap up the year.

I've been aggravating the knee pretty much after every run since then so I've take the last week off.  Hopefully I'll get back to running this weekend.  Enjoy this short video!

Winter Hammock Camping in the White Mountains - first attempt

After previously testing my hammock out on top of my hill I was excited to give winter camping a shot when I ventured up to the White Mountains last week. I had a lot of day hikes planned as I continued to work on completing my winter 4000 footer list (now currently at 23/48) but I also wanted to spend a night in the woods. I ended up planning hikes around the Lincoln, NH/Kancamagus Highway area as it provided easy access to lots of peaks as well as a good spot to set up my hammock without driving hours around the Whites.

On my second day I hiked the Tripyramids in the morning and then I relaxed in Lincoln for a couple hours before returning to the woods around 3 PM. I found a nice spot near a stream about 1/4 mile from the car. While I backpacked in with all my gear I also used the short distance to return to the car to grab some extras such as booties and another quilt. Maybe the hardest thing for me was going to bed so early as I normally go to sleep around 10:30. But once it got dark I settled in to the hammock and actually fell asleep pretty quickly.

This worked out because after midnight it began to snow. It was extremely light and fluffy and almost seemed like rain at first. For awhile things were good but then the wind picked up and at that point my tarp failures became evident. I dozed again and woke to snow covering my quilt. I hemmed and hawed about what to do before finally deciding to pack up around 4 AM (I normally wake up between 4:30-5:00 so I was pretty much up anyway).

While my tarp issues are pretty evident in the video I was super pleased with how the underquilt/sleeping bag performed. Granted it was only about 22 degrees so not super cold but I was cooking in there and even when I decided to pack up my feet were only at the very beginning stages of cooling off. I went to bed with a hot water bottle but removed it around 10 PM as I was just too warm. Overall I consider this a positive test of my gear. Now I need to focus on my tarp in order to ensure I have success in the future. Here's the video: 

The Tripyramids - December 28, 2020

Last Monday I hiked the Tripyramids via the Pine Bend Brook trail as part of a three day White Mountain getaway.  I got to the trailhead around 6 AM and began hiking in the dark.  There was little snow on the trail from the get-go so I opted to not wear spikes for the first two miles.  This proved fine except for a water crossing about a mile in.  A combination of icy rocks and darkness led to a poor crossing attempt and I ended up submerging one of my boots.  By the time I pulled it out my sock was wet.  Disappointed, I then saw a big tree that I could have used to cross.  Once on the other side I dried off my foot as best I could and put on a dry sock.  The temp was around 30 degrees so thankfully it wasn't too cold.

A half mile later I rung out my new sock and attempted to dry out the inside of the boot as best I could.  Despite my foot still being wet it wasn't cold so I pressed on.  Once the trail started the climb it was time for spikes but there was still plenty of exposed rocks that made wearing the spikes annoying.  Around 2.5 miles the trail finally had enough snow/ice to justify the spikes completely.  Not the winter hiking I had envisioned but these were the conditions we had after the Christmas rainstorm.

There were no views to be had today and the wind was gusty near the top.  At Middle Tri I swapped out my wet sock for the other dry one.  The foot started to get an inkling of cold after this transition so it was time to make my way back down.  I considered taking the Sabbaday Brook Trail down but it would have added a road walk and I decided the devil I knew was better.  

Began to encounter folks heading up as I descended.  The water crossings were easier on the return - the ice on the rocks seemed to have melted or been cracked by other hikers in my absence.  My knee began to ache with a couple miles to go.  It's been an issue with my descents lately when I've been up there.  It made me wonder if I would be able to hike the Osceolas the following day as was my plan.  A few flakes of snow were falling over the last couple miles and just after I got back to the car it really started coming down.  

I turned around and headed back towards Lincoln.  By the time I reached the high pass of the Kang the road wasn't great.  I was happy to arrive in town and promptly ordered a burger from Black Mountain which I gladly ate in my car before taking a nap in the back.  I can't say I loved the Pine Bend Brook trail.  Certainly the conditions after the rainstorm were not great and soaking the foot was a bummer.  Luckily the temps never got too cold and the foot was never an issue.  I'm looking forward to returning one day to the Tripyramids via the slides, which I've never climbed.  For those interested see below for a video.  How much you enjoy will depend on how much you enjoy my goofy singing.

Franconia Ridge - December 27, 2020

I've been looking forward to get back to the Whites for some winter hiking (both official and otherwise) and was able to get up for three days after the Christmas holiday. Sadly, it was a 2020 Christmas which among other things brought a ton of rain to New England - stealing pretty much all the snow here in Rhode Island that we had accumulated the week prior. The videos I saw from the Whites showed impressive river levels which had me worried about the conditions I'd face. The trip reports I viewed the night before I left gave me a bit of hope but I departed for this trip in a weird headspace. I had wanted to get in several day hikes and also wanted to take a stab at hammock camping. I had got it in my mind to camp on Night 1 which was making my drive/gameplan stressful. Before I even filled up for gas I made the decision not to camp on Night 1 which made me realize I had more flexibility on where to hike. Suddenly I was looking forward to the trip again.

Looking at the weather reports, I decided to attempt the Franconia Ridge on my first day in part because it's a straight shot up I-93 and I had read a promising report on the Falling Waters trail. The primary reason was that the first day looked to have the mildest wind and temps. I figured if I was going to get above treeline this was the day to do it and then I could spend the bulk of the other days in the woods.

The lot was about half full when I pulled in at 11:30. I was happy to find that spikes worked well the entire way up the Falling Waters trail. I had never been on this trail and the falls were suitably impressive, especially with the ice formations that covered them. A good number of people appeared to have made the trip to the falls. There was indeed not a ton of snow but the spikes gripped well on the crunchy ice left behind.

Once I got up to the ridge, I quickly decided to take off the spikes. There was a bit of ice along the ridge and a couple near slips but for the most part it was bare rock and I would have destroyed the spikes in the process. Barebooting worked well. No views today - it was all clouded in - but the trail itself was visible and there was almost no wind. It was very quiet at times and since I started so late I didn't see a soul on my ridge walk.

The descent down from Lafayette was not as enjoyable as the ascent. Spikes were necessary for the initial descent but there was enough bare rock to be annoying. Eventually the spikes came off again as I approached treeline. I passed a few intrepid folks still ascending but most of the folks I encountered were on their way down. The best views of the day came as I descended below the clouds. I could see open skies to the south. The setting sunshine was poking through the clouds closer which made for a beautiful scene in the late afternoon.

The Old Bridle Path seemed to have much less snow/ice than Falling Waters and trying to avoid rocks and dirt grew wearisome. I finished the hike just after nightfall and drove to Lincoln to grab some grub before making my way to my motel for the night. All in all, an enjoyable return to winter hiking and I was very happy with my time above treeline. These were #18 & 19 for my winter NH48 list.  Here's the video:

Mt. Moriah and Rattle River - Fall Hiking in the White Mountains

Went up to New Hampshire last weekend with my wife Amanda. It was great to get away for the weekend and the weather promised to be extremely nice for November. I wanted her to pick the hike and she poured over the map before deciding on Mt. Moriah. To my surprise she wanted to take the Rattle River Trail, figuring that this longer route probably would be quieter. She was certainly correct. We say very few people until we hit the summit.

The leaves were all but gone from the trees and made for a crunchy first few miles as they were all underfoot. The Rattle River was certainly not impressive with the general lack of rain but it's constant burbling was welcome. The rested briefly at the Rattle River shelter where an overnighter was packing up to ascend. He passed us not long after at a river crossing. When we reached the trail intersection a decision was to be made. Amanda had to choose between Mt. Moriah and Shelbourne Moriah - we knew we likely wouldn't have the time or energy for both - and she opted for Mt. Moriah. The next section of trail was lovely with more bog bridges and moderate climbs. 

I wasn't surprised that the summit was packed with people but we found a little corner to rest and enjoy our lunch. After about 15 minutes up top it was time to head back the same way. It was a long hike out - this was Amanda's longest single day hike to date and we were both ready to be done as sunset approached. We reached the car around 4:30 pm - it had taken us about 8.5 hours and we were tired but satisfied. 

In retrospect booking a hotel in Plymouth for afterwards wasn't the best choice as it made for a long ride but Amanda was able to rest and it afforded me the opportunity to hike Moosilauke the next day so it was worth it. We brought a pizza up to our hotel room and relaxed for the rest of the evening. This was Amanda's 14th 4000 footer and she did great despite the exhaustion. Always wonderful to hike with her. 

Here's the video of our hike. As always I appreciate everyone who takes the time to watch, like and subscribe!

Mt. Moosilauke - November 8, 2020

My wife and I spent the weekend in the Whites, spending Saturday hiking Mt. Moriah (separate report coming for that one). We stayed in Plymouth on Saturday night and I snuck out of the hotel in the wee hours and made the 30 minute drive to the Glencliff trailhead. I've never been up Moosilauke from this trail and figured it shouldn't be too hard to follow with a headlamp. I was correct although I still managed to go off trail once or twice as one does in the dark. Originally I didn't think I'd make it up for sunrise but I was making good time and started to push when I realized I was on target. There was a one short section of Glencliff that was fairly icy, making me regret my lack of spikes momentarily, but it was short lived.

Once I reached Carriage Rd I could see the spectacular sunrise poking through the trees. I pushed as fast as I could in order to get above treeline before the colors faded. I didn't encounter any more ice - just a lot of mud. I was able to get my look at the sunrise which was splendid. I continued on to the summit which ended up being more overcast than anything. But the weather was so warm that I was able to throw on my synthetic jacket and linger up there for twenty minutes despite the steady breeze and being in shorts. The last time on Moosilauke it was a bit of a zoo so having the summit to myself was a nice treat.

Originally I had planned to just descend Glencliff but I was doing well on time so I decided to head down Carriage Rd and take the Hurricane trail back to the car. There was one brief section of snow/ice on Carriage Rd but otherwise the trail was fairly dry. And a joy to run down. Hurricane trail had a couple peaceful streams and a partially obstructed viewpoint at height of land. This trail was marked well by blue blazes which I was thankful for as it was a little tough to follow with recent heavy leaf cover.

Happy to fit this one in before heading home. After showering and checking out we still had time for a tasty outdoor breakfast at the Main Street Diner (maybe the best homefries I've had). See below for a short video of my hike!

Whiteface and Passaconaway - Wrapping Up Round 2

Went up the the Whites this past weekend and wrapped up my second round of the 4000 footers.  I had two left - Whiteface and Carrigain.  First up was Whiteface which I did along with Passaconaway.  I had wanted to get up there at least once this fall for the foliage but it came and went so fast this year due to drought conditions that most of the higher leaves were already gone.  Still beautiful especially since the yellow birch leaves were popping.  Here's the video of my first hike.

Franconia Ridge Backpacking - August 26-27, 2020

As is our tradition these last few years, Ezri and I went up the Whites for an overnight in the mountains. Usually this involves a stay at an AMC Hut - a good incentive that gets her up there. This year with COVID the Huts aren't an option so with some reluctance she agreed to go backpacking and stay at an actual campsite in the woods. I choose Libery Springs campsite as it's not too far a climb and would allow us to climb Liberty and Flume unencumbered. Fairly windy up top but the forest provided some cover so it wasn't too bad down at the campsite.

I wasn't sure if she would be willing to continue along the ridge on Day 2 but she was game. Very windy once we got past Little Haystack. It was a long day and she was toast by the time we reached the top of Lafayette. As a result it was a long slow descent down Old Bridle Path. Our moods darkened. Luckily nothing like finishing the hut to pick up our spirits. Overall this was a fun adventure and I'm hopeful she'll want to undergo more such trips with her old man.

Mt. Isolation - August 7, 2020

This is the final of three videos from my White Mountain solo trip I took at the beginning of August. After camping out at the Horn, I hiked out and drove over to Pinkham Notch for an ascent of the Glen Boulder trail and then "down" to Mt. Isolation. It was a tough return to above treeline after that as I was running out of steam. Took the Boot Spur trail down but I was pretty beat by that point and there was no more recording from that point on. 

So this is a fairly short video but I added some ukulele/percussion to the second half to spice things up. Definitely trying to talk a lot less in these videos and use music instead. I'm enjoying the editing process. 

Isolation was #46 for Round 2. Only Carrigain and Whiteface remain for this second round.