tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80167793053191016872023-12-01T08:04:37.728-05:00owenkellett.comOwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.comBlogger252125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-48390539781988100832018-07-03T22:14:00.000-04:002018-07-08T22:45:41.462-04:00Presidential Traverse 2018For the third year in a row, I completed a single day Presidential Traverse. It was yet another great adventure, but the experience was quite different this year for several reasons. First, this year I did it solo which is definitely something that requires a different mental approach than hiking with someone else. Second, I decided to give it a shot going south to north this time, leaving the biggest climbs and the more challenging northern presi rock hopping to the end. Finally, while my first two traverses both had perfect weather essentially from start to finish, this trip had more of a mixed bag of conditions which I'll expand on more below.<br />
<br />
One of the trickier aspects of completing a Presidential Traverse is logistics. Since you don't end up at the same spot that you start, inevitably some coordination needs to happen in order to make sure you're not stranded at a trail head. The past two years we had two cars so we could just stash one at either end. Doing it solo, though, meant I needed to figure out some other form of transportation. The AMC Hiker shuttle is a good option but it picks up too late in the morning in order for me to be able to complete the hike during daylight hours. I considered it but did some more research and called around and ultimately was able to arrange a ride with Dave's Taxi service based out of Littleton, NH. This is obviously pricier than the shuttle but ended up working out well.<br />
<br />
I drove up Thursday night and stayed at a motel near the Appalachia trailhead. It had been a rainy Thursday but the Friday higher summits forecast had been holding steady all week for summits "in the clear". In the last 24 hours before the hike, though, the forecast changed and Friday looked to be "in and out of the clouds with showers and a chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon". Everything was set though and it wasn't a washout so game on! I was up very early on Friday and was at the Appalachia trailhead by 4:15AM. There were a few other hikers gearing up in the lot likely prepping for their own traverse, but I still had to travel to the other end to start mine. Dave's Taxi arrived 10 minutes early and before long, I was dropped off in Crawford Notch to hike back to my car. I began the hike up Webster-Jackson Trail at almost exactly 5AM.<br />
<br />
The early part of the hike was tough. Not so much because the trail was particularly difficult, but after a poor night's sleep and an early wakeup time, I was just physically feeling lousy. I also had a terrible headache to start off the day, and was socked in the fog and low clouds to start. I slugged through this part of the hike regardless, downing extra water and taking a couple excedrin to combat the headache. I made it to the top of Webster and then Jackson, but both summits were still in the clouds with no views. I quickly moved on and made my way over to Mizpah Hut and was there before 8AM.<br />
<br />
Once I made it to Mizpah, the skies started to brighten and the sun began to peak out. My headache started to improve and my body physically began to pull out of that early morning funk. I stopped in for a quick snack but did not stay long and continued to push on. As I approached the summit of Pierce, the clouds were rolling by and I began to see glimpses of Mount Washington's summit periodically in the clear. I reached the summit of Pierce at 8:30AM, feeling better and hopeful for another gray jay day above treeline.<br />
<br />
I continued on and headed towards Eisenhower and it wasn't long before I was quickly back in the clouds. The Crawford Path is a smooth and easy trail, but once I reached the Eisenhower Summit Loop, the wind began to pick up and was quite strong and gusty as I summitted Mount Eisenhower at 9:15AM. Visibility was pretty low so I simply pressed on. For the next hour plus I was dealing with essentially the same conditions - low clouds, fairly strong and gusty winds, and no views. At this point I thought this was going to be my day - hiking from cairn to cairn. At least I was making good time!<br />
<br />
Once I made it to Mount Monroe, it was probably about 10:20AM and I was still in the clouds. However, as I made my way down off the summit, suddenly, everything was clearing out in front of me with clear views of Lake of the Clouds Hut and Mount Washington summit! I stopped in at the hut and fueled up a bit and gulped down some some extra water while I was there. I did not top off my water bladder since I knew I could fill up again at Mount Washington only 1.4 miles away. Feeling rejuvenated and energized by the sun, I headed off to tackle the climb from the hut at 10:45AM and absolutely motored up the very nicely maintained Crawford Path. I made it to the summit before 11:30AM under blue skies.<br />
<br />
I spent a bit of time at the summit, refilled my water, and ate some more snacks and food. Before long I was off, though, heading down Gulfside Trail towards Mount Clay. Up and over Mount Clay I went, still feeling good, and then onwards to Mount Jefferson. When I did finally arrive at Mount Jefferson I think it was past 1:30PM or so. I encountered a couple at the summit there who asked me what my route was for the day. When I told them I had started at 5AM in Crawford Notch and was still planning on going over Adams and Madison from there they looked confused. In any case I continued on for the long trek between Jefferson and Adams.<br />
<br />
It was during this stretch of the hike that I encountered changing weather conditions once again. As I pushed on, I began to notice more clouds and what clearly looked like rain clouds off in the distance to the east. I knew the forecast called for a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon, and I did not want to get caught. Despite the toll of the hike beginning to increase the pain in my knees and feet, I nevertheless picked up the pace. As I passed Thunderstorm Junction and was probably less than a quarter mile from the summit of Mount Adams, I began to hear rumbles of thunder in the distance. I could again see the storm clouds approaching from the east and based on where I was, the fastest way for me to get to the relative safety of nearby Madison Hut was to continue over the top of Adams - so I ran. I ran to the summit and then ran down Air Line as thunder continued to rumble nearby and the rain moved in. I made it to Madison Hut before 3:30PM and waited out the storm, which never really was a direct hit but brushed on by and gave us a good amount of rain.<br />
<br />
I wasn't sure if I would have to bail on Madison, with thunderstorms moving in, but before long the storms blew by and the blue skies were back. I ventured back out and made quick work of the half mile route up Madison from the hut. At this point the climbing was done, but I knew the four remaining downhill miles would be no easy task with my knees and feet now in a good deal of pain from the mileage of the day. I headed down Watson Path from the summit of Madison which is actually quite steep and pretty slow going given my state. After what seemed like forever, I finally met up with trail junction with Valley Way which is a much smoother trail. At first I continued with my slower pace, but soon realized that I could go slow and be in pain, or go fast and be in the same amount of pain and get down quicker. So I sped up significantly and hobble-jogged the last two miles to Appalachia.<br />
<br />
I made it to my car at 6:30PM. I sat in the open tailgate for a minute, reveling in the burn and watching the muscles in my calves continue to ripple and contract even as I did nothing. The route that I took which was the extended traverse that included Webster and Jackson was close to 24 miles long with over 9000 feet of elevation and took me 13 and a half hours. Another one for the books!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXb2yf713vgYCnMHjRSifDAdGDaVaEVWTcbvftUMscsClcXq73dqVsLWxAfSlCLFFweNex5gHuJRetNxuGXWxJAWCun10MBix2o2jwutUtNzsZkDuVsR81D8v95nvo0WPa-KpJgnQZXq7f/s1600/IMG_20180629_045716064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXb2yf713vgYCnMHjRSifDAdGDaVaEVWTcbvftUMscsClcXq73dqVsLWxAfSlCLFFweNex5gHuJRetNxuGXWxJAWCun10MBix2o2jwutUtNzsZkDuVsR81D8v95nvo0WPa-KpJgnQZXq7f/s640/IMG_20180629_045716064.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4Aspd4wPoQ_TcWXR3Fs14bQ6NsGCbR5lAMeilToiIl4S_gqO9Ozm18owqEw2T3aw_ozHJjzGwhETwySLDf7DUs7K-cQiJR7NjPeVuMAEN9aXJeTux96h3x75MPOBEiooNbNZn_ey6sqp/s1600/IMG_20180629_050237217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4Aspd4wPoQ_TcWXR3Fs14bQ6NsGCbR5lAMeilToiIl4S_gqO9Ozm18owqEw2T3aw_ozHJjzGwhETwySLDf7DUs7K-cQiJR7NjPeVuMAEN9aXJeTux96h3x75MPOBEiooNbNZn_ey6sqp/s640/IMG_20180629_050237217.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPtqp18hDZRezeQ_QYMs8o5uyvZSHW1pNBO3VwyJ5-7bNVRax8IuaS-H55Hh7zV-8xjotCUJGhyV8nx0sxDWsP1tYfu2u03pITa1cAn9LPcTW8k99ADeJcUUbcWXUrpYVQ3JbVTe_7Kal/s1600/IMG_20180629_054356501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPtqp18hDZRezeQ_QYMs8o5uyvZSHW1pNBO3VwyJ5-7bNVRax8IuaS-H55Hh7zV-8xjotCUJGhyV8nx0sxDWsP1tYfu2u03pITa1cAn9LPcTW8k99ADeJcUUbcWXUrpYVQ3JbVTe_7Kal/s640/IMG_20180629_054356501.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToYtr3d7pSrYWQGgI0BmcWOiSMD6bihLzGEE4iP2xW_xdV3K5tdItSgBnEofPivS_4NX67iampqfDsHZ_Jctot3TSjgot0n-FtV64KkDc4x8GD_noz8Do-GRxMF3mnz0tTbc5lj7ldCIY/s1600/IMG_20180629_054616210_LL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToYtr3d7pSrYWQGgI0BmcWOiSMD6bihLzGEE4iP2xW_xdV3K5tdItSgBnEofPivS_4NX67iampqfDsHZ_Jctot3TSjgot0n-FtV64KkDc4x8GD_noz8Do-GRxMF3mnz0tTbc5lj7ldCIY/s640/IMG_20180629_054616210_LL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRfFxhlmWarQsrCNyTCvagLG5E1pj9ny_L6ZhSCpPH_qi1WGBJBpkm0ufk8sgx0vnh5Ww1mdqYKOa5wUaUBxgdpDNA7deFNaEw9i0PNCJ-0gpMrUY-2gH6CqWPNQErYVz23qxIzW0rFRF/s1600/IMG_20180629_062035861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRfFxhlmWarQsrCNyTCvagLG5E1pj9ny_L6ZhSCpPH_qi1WGBJBpkm0ufk8sgx0vnh5Ww1mdqYKOa5wUaUBxgdpDNA7deFNaEw9i0PNCJ-0gpMrUY-2gH6CqWPNQErYVz23qxIzW0rFRF/s640/IMG_20180629_062035861.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2MCBwoj6B0qUTuHzYzeJdQwRgICUnNO6c1hcdLOYc0vbmPmXyNROEWQnAFk4Qk1Ug42awrycg7a6NmjlgZCV2zZsgpCihbH4t6Kg2Vy_hSGxpvPq3akaL-cDTp0imnjLlD8UGzDic_Jz/s1600/IMG_20180629_062356148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2MCBwoj6B0qUTuHzYzeJdQwRgICUnNO6c1hcdLOYc0vbmPmXyNROEWQnAFk4Qk1Ug42awrycg7a6NmjlgZCV2zZsgpCihbH4t6Kg2Vy_hSGxpvPq3akaL-cDTp0imnjLlD8UGzDic_Jz/s640/IMG_20180629_062356148.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1JJlpuf5VodJ2J1z-c6BQeC8u9ZyOVXSkkEjHgNasMq6ULuSJGge3kN18ePPyArOAP3F4BknHueulcnQWjMFwgGEANn9khFxwkNp-AAu8LClcx8i4TneceTUdi8ve4_nNnX1i_yJGPGB/s1600/IMG_20180629_065916120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1JJlpuf5VodJ2J1z-c6BQeC8u9ZyOVXSkkEjHgNasMq6ULuSJGge3kN18ePPyArOAP3F4BknHueulcnQWjMFwgGEANn9khFxwkNp-AAu8LClcx8i4TneceTUdi8ve4_nNnX1i_yJGPGB/s640/IMG_20180629_065916120.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNgSZkOjGADdoulsMCqSCJWlJNLXpYEVHZXcFSTp-vlyec57XiWXM6L0v7NRIWa_tKubWfasR_7pgSnUEenU39XuU61NpBqWS0SdwJpfcDcZGM8Lmfwgl-kqqMxYlpfH7BmmNfTagghjf/s1600/IMG_20180629_070232757_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNgSZkOjGADdoulsMCqSCJWlJNLXpYEVHZXcFSTp-vlyec57XiWXM6L0v7NRIWa_tKubWfasR_7pgSnUEenU39XuU61NpBqWS0SdwJpfcDcZGM8Lmfwgl-kqqMxYlpfH7BmmNfTagghjf/s640/IMG_20180629_070232757_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPitAMmfJLToVUK8a4Gqt7gzOEhwmUTx3lMbDpPmwSVVmXyg7F7n33Ese3jVz68M-iifwJUWGVdSVaKe17Lj_4owuNz57-xSObDONg61w12XzzkS1XuegXfFBs6ST2MnL4WIAMMPjn07c/s1600/IMG_20180629_070358323_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPitAMmfJLToVUK8a4Gqt7gzOEhwmUTx3lMbDpPmwSVVmXyg7F7n33Ese3jVz68M-iifwJUWGVdSVaKe17Lj_4owuNz57-xSObDONg61w12XzzkS1XuegXfFBs6ST2MnL4WIAMMPjn07c/s640/IMG_20180629_070358323_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCY7YVmMw7TF456Ms12ap4yZRI_LUTD_v0L_ENgGEOPnyAXGZzNgjnNgSxWoJghznCHB4MymMNx37tjwTk9FwugnTXgTaBxrB12vt2uet1lLwMDIcUDy2p6X8I8utDm2rRvNal_Ebp9lZ/s1600/IMG_20180629_074759750_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCY7YVmMw7TF456Ms12ap4yZRI_LUTD_v0L_ENgGEOPnyAXGZzNgjnNgSxWoJghznCHB4MymMNx37tjwTk9FwugnTXgTaBxrB12vt2uet1lLwMDIcUDy2p6X8I8utDm2rRvNal_Ebp9lZ/s640/IMG_20180629_074759750_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGmdqcKZIhB0XhM1VjGqsRJHdri56vNfVRbRy2yaCJYYSWP1sr-ctEACK4eIk8ooNjYfyQwjXJYFgjI3npPvx3jttFS3csXRtfHfLIhzXa-K3F4RAEDomRlOQRqeX0letRouHgwQiBi5v/s1600/IMG_20180629_074949046_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGmdqcKZIhB0XhM1VjGqsRJHdri56vNfVRbRy2yaCJYYSWP1sr-ctEACK4eIk8ooNjYfyQwjXJYFgjI3npPvx3jttFS3csXRtfHfLIhzXa-K3F4RAEDomRlOQRqeX0letRouHgwQiBi5v/s640/IMG_20180629_074949046_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkibll6E7fzgQlNvDt5M2VtRpHgaZ4xNrrj-j6xWJT3N7bwf_jFftVOxquDIIjhC3cGsS9nK-6B-rQ6WnFEzQMmL7FJB5ZHIB_zhRMLNybNlIFtodhUAJk4ebOXsqLv1Jzj3tDOlGg7zqX/s1600/IMG_20180629_075006064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkibll6E7fzgQlNvDt5M2VtRpHgaZ4xNrrj-j6xWJT3N7bwf_jFftVOxquDIIjhC3cGsS9nK-6B-rQ6WnFEzQMmL7FJB5ZHIB_zhRMLNybNlIFtodhUAJk4ebOXsqLv1Jzj3tDOlGg7zqX/s640/IMG_20180629_075006064.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcY2620WdhEtvesqQXd_zWHsnXYAQZSMeDAAm2FlMnOFuxf-_SKwXpVsXOOy1lnt81-P1hM58JkFgUongtWyiSFohSog-F9P-47agVOCDZ7u6TQAk5TU0NmnJvasNoE9ebGVFVYP4DGgx/s1600/IMG_20180629_081430205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcY2620WdhEtvesqQXd_zWHsnXYAQZSMeDAAm2FlMnOFuxf-_SKwXpVsXOOy1lnt81-P1hM58JkFgUongtWyiSFohSog-F9P-47agVOCDZ7u6TQAk5TU0NmnJvasNoE9ebGVFVYP4DGgx/s640/IMG_20180629_081430205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Xa1Uu8r-iwJxdSIRO6kcRQiy6cIFzIHXHeQxvdjQ3AgtD0OrfRq8dLTQie4lX16Ws0KqMgPUC1K4UKZh0HlNPl7zcv7Sdx86XXhl-Hs7Du5U8LI6eD3-U5_NTyWZ-R1_FzRjF5cJTNOD/s1600/IMG_20180629_081826949_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Xa1Uu8r-iwJxdSIRO6kcRQiy6cIFzIHXHeQxvdjQ3AgtD0OrfRq8dLTQie4lX16Ws0KqMgPUC1K4UKZh0HlNPl7zcv7Sdx86XXhl-Hs7Du5U8LI6eD3-U5_NTyWZ-R1_FzRjF5cJTNOD/s640/IMG_20180629_081826949_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhctzJMZNVK96pplDYHEZfzqAs5mQWclSvikPiEPS3BzvPJ_jtVjYSzNNesRXWE4WictJ9CaJhtsGPtSFldH0ezhaDa-U5bqHrhJUiiqASZOSsA5zMyrZG_R9mTDUNj8PsbmL5YBZROLTs/s1600/IMG_20180629_082746336_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhctzJMZNVK96pplDYHEZfzqAs5mQWclSvikPiEPS3BzvPJ_jtVjYSzNNesRXWE4WictJ9CaJhtsGPtSFldH0ezhaDa-U5bqHrhJUiiqASZOSsA5zMyrZG_R9mTDUNj8PsbmL5YBZROLTs/s640/IMG_20180629_082746336_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxsGQP4YSvQq-Z01NoM5UtgVmHLOc-9kmkS-YoZnnNM_QyLN8kNIJPeXJL3peNiUxGZOPtKtiY6T0ZnjJfN28C7BaeZDqXp-2LeNsDS5RsuvJXldiGkr2Gdheg4QxIxTrqy0UkwfoXgrq/s1600/IMG_20180629_082755473_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxsGQP4YSvQq-Z01NoM5UtgVmHLOc-9kmkS-YoZnnNM_QyLN8kNIJPeXJL3peNiUxGZOPtKtiY6T0ZnjJfN28C7BaeZDqXp-2LeNsDS5RsuvJXldiGkr2Gdheg4QxIxTrqy0UkwfoXgrq/s640/IMG_20180629_082755473_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1sTNxNBQ6f-NW0GOjm4L2EJbv7xWuHfq1J-EoVyTED3Klop1TN4krt8vbNYCIbMn4_EFGswpni2xJ0a-Txl8qpbb0oqz2fVpiPSnBcMoNrIDTXYkhB6Do3UQyOkeLzKQBIxgQsIwxhTNT/s1600/IMG_20180629_090422016_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1sTNxNBQ6f-NW0GOjm4L2EJbv7xWuHfq1J-EoVyTED3Klop1TN4krt8vbNYCIbMn4_EFGswpni2xJ0a-Txl8qpbb0oqz2fVpiPSnBcMoNrIDTXYkhB6Do3UQyOkeLzKQBIxgQsIwxhTNT/s640/IMG_20180629_090422016_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3MfyMEVlECgAZRJny30PRjEfv_xjFdrI8QjCouj9qzGjPffhK3rJKaGUwURsCKwon2zDLPYEgkwgza9TsZ_siBgwsGMD1TQ6yTWKvHXki2b34ad02q0thLrKA0fEAvRT7jSldNFZcfsa/s1600/IMG_20180629_090434017_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3MfyMEVlECgAZRJny30PRjEfv_xjFdrI8QjCouj9qzGjPffhK3rJKaGUwURsCKwon2zDLPYEgkwgza9TsZ_siBgwsGMD1TQ6yTWKvHXki2b34ad02q0thLrKA0fEAvRT7jSldNFZcfsa/s640/IMG_20180629_090434017_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2g93qtuzGm4INA499isVpjVjRJePJapuWajkDEiHZtCBs8YzTV3Tv84dUbEGxWKOonk78-rqgaRi559H4bdo4mHK6f6EApdLcj3WZF7TLdoPOMVvK6eb3hGIlrIsO6UuHCx_7SG6eaCY/s1600/IMG_20180629_094420454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2g93qtuzGm4INA499isVpjVjRJePJapuWajkDEiHZtCBs8YzTV3Tv84dUbEGxWKOonk78-rqgaRi559H4bdo4mHK6f6EApdLcj3WZF7TLdoPOMVvK6eb3hGIlrIsO6UuHCx_7SG6eaCY/s640/IMG_20180629_094420454.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJggziDp7iUsbEYPPsjrNea7IGgY-fKvLBDRWmOda_P4zF0nEo6CGu0rUCzLhWbGjtfldK-qhGr8iiEnWXJ_9IcJwQF2J9_W-7cXipPdA64eSQMxxFrk9U4bzpa0M2_zl6DQkCZuW9_Di-/s1600/IMG_20180629_100435073_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJggziDp7iUsbEYPPsjrNea7IGgY-fKvLBDRWmOda_P4zF0nEo6CGu0rUCzLhWbGjtfldK-qhGr8iiEnWXJ_9IcJwQF2J9_W-7cXipPdA64eSQMxxFrk9U4bzpa0M2_zl6DQkCZuW9_Di-/s640/IMG_20180629_100435073_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2la7-P7hWjAUtlYcAn62XgiV14BxiHMZui0pUnkZ0p7CbznrECMdsJ10nzTkBVnPh4vS4LUn4tJfpaqyRhEQMA-kwW55mwZHTxUsSMZoRQrUdCpjzlnm1IkmRrxjnPOSpfBKSAEXht6gw/s1600/IMG_20180629_102340282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2la7-P7hWjAUtlYcAn62XgiV14BxiHMZui0pUnkZ0p7CbznrECMdsJ10nzTkBVnPh4vS4LUn4tJfpaqyRhEQMA-kwW55mwZHTxUsSMZoRQrUdCpjzlnm1IkmRrxjnPOSpfBKSAEXht6gw/s640/IMG_20180629_102340282.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VK4RDKbys9Vt8hRFdSFX7TPD4o838HNqQGuVuKGxYqYk3QCktTitUnKtyeZ_wwy1S9RkJAIWY_8lA9Urwl0uT9cc-DF5Ym9Nj0K2qCdTa4HmyOESpKXemcKWDUh91a1C9yBPcQ4RlCkX/s1600/IMG_20180629_102401708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VK4RDKbys9Vt8hRFdSFX7TPD4o838HNqQGuVuKGxYqYk3QCktTitUnKtyeZ_wwy1S9RkJAIWY_8lA9Urwl0uT9cc-DF5Ym9Nj0K2qCdTa4HmyOESpKXemcKWDUh91a1C9yBPcQ4RlCkX/s640/IMG_20180629_102401708.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOZ5sKlziJImPy9FAAao2FbrZTTjgMrt1Oyw_6ybxrKWW-FGnPD5toPjqzk99TXsKuln7wNEBRQJiLJW72ocg2IN0BdAX9QqPfpnr1XQLqW7kfGJY8m_vMUuSahTe4OHl7IwGog5hexhg/s1600/IMG_20180629_102731208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOZ5sKlziJImPy9FAAao2FbrZTTjgMrt1Oyw_6ybxrKWW-FGnPD5toPjqzk99TXsKuln7wNEBRQJiLJW72ocg2IN0BdAX9QqPfpnr1XQLqW7kfGJY8m_vMUuSahTe4OHl7IwGog5hexhg/s640/IMG_20180629_102731208.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRU6voIm1uZ_bk4QtYYO1LpRGotzBCl_BFoIbnR2hvzdrUh9qFCznGNLOXavllquPHaHVHXeZShxCS-XzuDMIVQDEV9mtbyNbhZudTDDP7oAl69vsHV3zq0hMZ1cR8iMnOqcdcSaxSdl3v/s1600/IMG_20180629_103211143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRU6voIm1uZ_bk4QtYYO1LpRGotzBCl_BFoIbnR2hvzdrUh9qFCznGNLOXavllquPHaHVHXeZShxCS-XzuDMIVQDEV9mtbyNbhZudTDDP7oAl69vsHV3zq0hMZ1cR8iMnOqcdcSaxSdl3v/s640/IMG_20180629_103211143.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VO3hTSxUIkBdWGmeezORotzdMLhbJAqH8UcRHlDh3vN7p6j-hXG56EVHoMHvZGM9GMZWoFbXpeLW3RM9KxHfAzzJEw3JhHa6D-P41abkPkgUknAVHLaLn3DWeCCw3qYLzsRIyFc_989v/s1600/IMG_20180629_104513059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VO3hTSxUIkBdWGmeezORotzdMLhbJAqH8UcRHlDh3vN7p6j-hXG56EVHoMHvZGM9GMZWoFbXpeLW3RM9KxHfAzzJEw3JhHa6D-P41abkPkgUknAVHLaLn3DWeCCw3qYLzsRIyFc_989v/s640/IMG_20180629_104513059.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqwmyLNAUjLPcTuoce4ffdN55UYACn7KEtQ2JUDnAhhHjYwc-vNyjZJN0b_qDtXGjXz8gdGWsBrZek2ct9ZaWhBvacl0zZZa7xBDkjKePSoKiyNmCD_4e-X9bNglePvZB5_xR5Emf9IC2/s1600/IMG_20180629_105927812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqwmyLNAUjLPcTuoce4ffdN55UYACn7KEtQ2JUDnAhhHjYwc-vNyjZJN0b_qDtXGjXz8gdGWsBrZek2ct9ZaWhBvacl0zZZa7xBDkjKePSoKiyNmCD_4e-X9bNglePvZB5_xR5Emf9IC2/s640/IMG_20180629_105927812.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-7at1a2flatlPnMPMS7WNINjRwcG2Fx8WW8NnG5T0egKFU8H2IWBheiQVjCEI7qTQTGAv4ZD7glL5Y1RcnYwwH8JClbzibsj1KmInFvXdKdNQ7id0GYaZtlfslrZq9kOjMBlA888W7JC/s1600/IMG_20180629_110618910_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-7at1a2flatlPnMPMS7WNINjRwcG2Fx8WW8NnG5T0egKFU8H2IWBheiQVjCEI7qTQTGAv4ZD7glL5Y1RcnYwwH8JClbzibsj1KmInFvXdKdNQ7id0GYaZtlfslrZq9kOjMBlA888W7JC/s640/IMG_20180629_110618910_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhDtgH6EL8CYa7sjYYSLF8Pa7EvWsvZnNsFt4XuUyowQEVJwkKOTi7KyhRijWO-DVH3jn90FYlJ5dhpVFL7xqx270tDuTvKvunAVDTj8pOdsfIoYslwNSFyRpE5xLpje39lbfESxdCvWS/s1600/IMG_20180629_110645668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhDtgH6EL8CYa7sjYYSLF8Pa7EvWsvZnNsFt4XuUyowQEVJwkKOTi7KyhRijWO-DVH3jn90FYlJ5dhpVFL7xqx270tDuTvKvunAVDTj8pOdsfIoYslwNSFyRpE5xLpje39lbfESxdCvWS/s640/IMG_20180629_110645668.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqOV_8XsH39Y4zAMLlqmyi9bjKUdM5yCgh3mj4qqhnJNkvSG3K5dbz9gkxvJ-tGMBao4aPXUdXNQ5Z5O_MoEgh75_Ep2qpiDe8nAWFRIt2ithk0TriYU4XMvt8Ua0laA9e-53bf9UhYN9/s1600/IMG_20180629_114647699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqOV_8XsH39Y4zAMLlqmyi9bjKUdM5yCgh3mj4qqhnJNkvSG3K5dbz9gkxvJ-tGMBao4aPXUdXNQ5Z5O_MoEgh75_Ep2qpiDe8nAWFRIt2ithk0TriYU4XMvt8Ua0laA9e-53bf9UhYN9/s640/IMG_20180629_114647699.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuk7nsW5S8vsLpf6tLdLDFh9z9kUv576howIzBJ-gjihCvX1DMj63CqVsKTUuRgw5foVk9Cthif7iTvpWmrtl-kTXen1sqjLTJ9iF-TvyVLNMssvUFQHi0Jp5_5XtNy2ivRoPV4bQcq7_/s1600/IMG_20180629_120042487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuk7nsW5S8vsLpf6tLdLDFh9z9kUv576howIzBJ-gjihCvX1DMj63CqVsKTUuRgw5foVk9Cthif7iTvpWmrtl-kTXen1sqjLTJ9iF-TvyVLNMssvUFQHi0Jp5_5XtNy2ivRoPV4bQcq7_/s640/IMG_20180629_120042487.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH9-AVPviYZowHWC4C__iS60lPypl-KN5qhEnFJ7ZEMMPWawpi1KYhXSv8ImYR6TcIROjjB-eY1w2R81aoB7KiTGVrwD6UTL5egomPXf3KdIRzIJTMjzpKylO-eoubtFRfIfeBGY7QEi-/s1600/IMG_20180629_120501624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH9-AVPviYZowHWC4C__iS60lPypl-KN5qhEnFJ7ZEMMPWawpi1KYhXSv8ImYR6TcIROjjB-eY1w2R81aoB7KiTGVrwD6UTL5egomPXf3KdIRzIJTMjzpKylO-eoubtFRfIfeBGY7QEi-/s640/IMG_20180629_120501624.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdf0WAUPUMA7b9g9NOrmtX9B4ChC3Zhhj4_vvl2zaytuxIzqf-aKUv94fAWru8A397j-Q_7uQFxn4_oLoaoV00DozTgHU4l1lAiu8Bg9hNPd4x3E4ENLHc-EL80ycbY_V5Gtd3LjiBQld/s1600/IMG_20180629_120506155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdf0WAUPUMA7b9g9NOrmtX9B4ChC3Zhhj4_vvl2zaytuxIzqf-aKUv94fAWru8A397j-Q_7uQFxn4_oLoaoV00DozTgHU4l1lAiu8Bg9hNPd4x3E4ENLHc-EL80ycbY_V5Gtd3LjiBQld/s640/IMG_20180629_120506155.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuw7eLzA8rl-JxgQdZdMXEY0mydmar1QpZQyUdJuq81eJD34k3fWPi-sTE1JqXEvPGrkZ20LUk1CAtpvtAY2Xw9L1cG59GG3gWYnlkfEhrZ2DqlOGOyXP7KHyfh37rupmlv5QSFfSgdM8/s1600/IMG_20180629_121028181_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuw7eLzA8rl-JxgQdZdMXEY0mydmar1QpZQyUdJuq81eJD34k3fWPi-sTE1JqXEvPGrkZ20LUk1CAtpvtAY2Xw9L1cG59GG3gWYnlkfEhrZ2DqlOGOyXP7KHyfh37rupmlv5QSFfSgdM8/s640/IMG_20180629_121028181_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtba671T34jKJmqOCq_wqbH_sXUIhkRZuf2wmrkT2YH0Suuw_EbyZB6qfqU2BZgFbevuPys0Ig_gmvjeMCele7F_OZ6NWf9U033tZL5Q3RAR9nuxqoa9PGrW-vDLarz9VuN3p3I4_cQhta/s1600/IMG_20180629_121945959_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtba671T34jKJmqOCq_wqbH_sXUIhkRZuf2wmrkT2YH0Suuw_EbyZB6qfqU2BZgFbevuPys0Ig_gmvjeMCele7F_OZ6NWf9U033tZL5Q3RAR9nuxqoa9PGrW-vDLarz9VuN3p3I4_cQhta/s640/IMG_20180629_121945959_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9q-x5GcE10Bn9VyBqYrtTW7VPBxPwzMtbUeojL9hBmpDAQXGoVQEDBI2QjvFG9yZd_y2ywyDci1YU-Ci57F9J6cUiLJqEOBxgoqArA-6j0zLRLbFDDsbsI6pqI7OHuCxps9ojZ6yS3hjT/s1600/IMG_20180629_122235961_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9q-x5GcE10Bn9VyBqYrtTW7VPBxPwzMtbUeojL9hBmpDAQXGoVQEDBI2QjvFG9yZd_y2ywyDci1YU-Ci57F9J6cUiLJqEOBxgoqArA-6j0zLRLbFDDsbsI6pqI7OHuCxps9ojZ6yS3hjT/s640/IMG_20180629_122235961_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGaYwS96yc6KcPhu6YEdSfn1p8c0VflDXgf7zVx0Fnoy8Ec3gAgkFiv7fmoNZxumP7_t3cYvecz79TSRfI2wCvmOhV7sbE-WSRLGM-GkjcYhDcv3BA9vxIUuoXhpYfCvfn3xaXIHKX1rA/s1600/IMG_20180629_130523358_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGaYwS96yc6KcPhu6YEdSfn1p8c0VflDXgf7zVx0Fnoy8Ec3gAgkFiv7fmoNZxumP7_t3cYvecz79TSRfI2wCvmOhV7sbE-WSRLGM-GkjcYhDcv3BA9vxIUuoXhpYfCvfn3xaXIHKX1rA/s640/IMG_20180629_130523358_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JENscqaPlJcbDroLWhkxpMSLLmUdSSz4EGV6ZHlWFBCXCbfieA1ygxi4JVDXdiwntuC0YXRxAc909iEUR4bY3XYBIl9lVbuRcnnDx2kUVy7PA1j4vLWlcd8sL_qlxuhhgHmV-A5tAiBQ/s1600/IMG_20180629_131802929_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JENscqaPlJcbDroLWhkxpMSLLmUdSSz4EGV6ZHlWFBCXCbfieA1ygxi4JVDXdiwntuC0YXRxAc909iEUR4bY3XYBIl9lVbuRcnnDx2kUVy7PA1j4vLWlcd8sL_qlxuhhgHmV-A5tAiBQ/s640/IMG_20180629_131802929_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJv4JHeDRFUdddjj9i-YIdRc97XJjYDRmK4e5iiuWOKPqof2mDHGigvkDVdLaOZU0jGgTIKL7eY7-88mFhP81PCt3XW4kfLATS7S0rXpiAaQxdZcojSJTVW9ylvWmjEeZa8SJr92F0BM2I/s1600/IMG_20180629_134537523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJv4JHeDRFUdddjj9i-YIdRc97XJjYDRmK4e5iiuWOKPqof2mDHGigvkDVdLaOZU0jGgTIKL7eY7-88mFhP81PCt3XW4kfLATS7S0rXpiAaQxdZcojSJTVW9ylvWmjEeZa8SJr92F0BM2I/s640/IMG_20180629_134537523.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnDyKAKIE5KAUC3M273dGA-lcLNI4gmg5ZuGemVsG-0_zz5DkO9A63L7gOP8H7-fglcmCmxS-8B4iJbxPAk5ab64k-PACBOIkJskKbj1RI4_2xxGS3xUUltpsOew70qOC88pR5oztC3jT/s1600/IMG_20180629_134555567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnDyKAKIE5KAUC3M273dGA-lcLNI4gmg5ZuGemVsG-0_zz5DkO9A63L7gOP8H7-fglcmCmxS-8B4iJbxPAk5ab64k-PACBOIkJskKbj1RI4_2xxGS3xUUltpsOew70qOC88pR5oztC3jT/s640/IMG_20180629_134555567.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3CqeeM5sX53kWzhKJPy21KY1LAVnER-2H2Td5VKwtP2ZvD4rx7I2EOfrtkPUqPvnuC_bLuXpETgHNJOennKuKiuO-3SLrVSeFJ5Cgh2AVcQSXqxJ7U5Vo6moDY7iPtuikWC6qD9hhrMA/s1600/IMG_20180629_140259841_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3CqeeM5sX53kWzhKJPy21KY1LAVnER-2H2Td5VKwtP2ZvD4rx7I2EOfrtkPUqPvnuC_bLuXpETgHNJOennKuKiuO-3SLrVSeFJ5Cgh2AVcQSXqxJ7U5Vo6moDY7iPtuikWC6qD9hhrMA/s640/IMG_20180629_140259841_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGBddLPADz-aZt0SdcBKthXByZwddo9b_RiOWZh5kQoqbyCnj2gIowfqs3Jpa4f3hcGvjKniGp2Aoy9GzbyYFe18HctrsNiUxt_llQKNXJ4h2OVg_JQtXYEYNFG22u3hCLfVSxPLxixxY/s1600/IMG_20180629_140550618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGBddLPADz-aZt0SdcBKthXByZwddo9b_RiOWZh5kQoqbyCnj2gIowfqs3Jpa4f3hcGvjKniGp2Aoy9GzbyYFe18HctrsNiUxt_llQKNXJ4h2OVg_JQtXYEYNFG22u3hCLfVSxPLxixxY/s640/IMG_20180629_140550618.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4NVZEhICypbjiD6JnrYBC5dWOWdHVE2NI-iwm8JBUAfit78BRwqQowcSNSs4mZ9S8CZfS21eS3ZKXR84B-7jEiU8ifVntjbRO5Gq7fv9AE-mC7epG0ICWCAriBnkf7ZSCz8B69q39UbQ/s1600/IMG_20180629_152449605_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4NVZEhICypbjiD6JnrYBC5dWOWdHVE2NI-iwm8JBUAfit78BRwqQowcSNSs4mZ9S8CZfS21eS3ZKXR84B-7jEiU8ifVntjbRO5Gq7fv9AE-mC7epG0ICWCAriBnkf7ZSCz8B69q39UbQ/s640/IMG_20180629_152449605_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFBiISPXKoa8BxsGm9YnttBB4JVfxLOCSHHfIMLYKBhEwDPeC3328PtT7Od3OSMxBvPPY0kH0KWSWJIHYBxPwqXhscdGTVBO8wUd_Xyd2ifJwquEG31-3INxU_qzWMldO8a1QaH1iW9zk/s1600/IMG_20180629_162459077_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFBiISPXKoa8BxsGm9YnttBB4JVfxLOCSHHfIMLYKBhEwDPeC3328PtT7Od3OSMxBvPPY0kH0KWSWJIHYBxPwqXhscdGTVBO8wUd_Xyd2ifJwquEG31-3INxU_qzWMldO8a1QaH1iW9zk/s640/IMG_20180629_162459077_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBN0kbL05NIxh2p6FmFdyTDTXjKCV-QFl7iLJqvMH8FzshkhOEQNk5X0tRvbz7fudW4wnPwqTWK3gx2uRZKS1BoBi92DnV9T9O4esxMvFt_vy91_CVMcmsj5PgWmYvcyiZ4h4XWAIWPks/s1600/IMG_20180629_163706505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBN0kbL05NIxh2p6FmFdyTDTXjKCV-QFl7iLJqvMH8FzshkhOEQNk5X0tRvbz7fudW4wnPwqTWK3gx2uRZKS1BoBi92DnV9T9O4esxMvFt_vy91_CVMcmsj5PgWmYvcyiZ4h4XWAIWPks/s640/IMG_20180629_163706505.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzfdkY7BnKyQ4lwPp7QsrVc2fySc1ZUBcUhM-5XEjmmn9V-EPamgoPnsvvKtZFQoGoAri7G6DLjK43Av3lfbtxPJgBoQQ50vnuSVrlOXLiSr86M5AGLAZR3qWImm13-prs6joxiPxUQiz/s1600/IMG_20180629_183603103_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzfdkY7BnKyQ4lwPp7QsrVc2fySc1ZUBcUhM-5XEjmmn9V-EPamgoPnsvvKtZFQoGoAri7G6DLjK43Av3lfbtxPJgBoQQ50vnuSVrlOXLiSr86M5AGLAZR3qWImm13-prs6joxiPxUQiz/s640/IMG_20180629_183603103_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-45258342852758481262018-06-20T21:00:00.000-04:002018-07-08T22:13:48.229-04:00Extended Franconia Ridge LoopSince I'm planning a solo Presidential Traverse later this month, on a whim I decided to take a Friday off and take a solo hike over an extended Franconia Ridge route. After our normal morning routine, I dropped the kids off at daycare at 8AM and then headed straight north, arriving at the trailhead at around 10AM. It was about a 15 mile loop route which included Lafayette, Lincoln, and Liberty. I finished the hike around 5PM and it turned out to be a great day. Enjoy the pictures!<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuNvSinly8EtXkgeQcGuwqSQYh2JXursTxxA8yw4xE9_nhluhTZ6vcEo9DjKH5z3Qm-e9G5sHmQaaBj4kodhe23CakdluV-ONMXatq_7yRlG5ClUCNlVl1L-aRpshDCVM6YAsZs33UEbJ/s1600/IMG_20180615_101957692_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuNvSinly8EtXkgeQcGuwqSQYh2JXursTxxA8yw4xE9_nhluhTZ6vcEo9DjKH5z3Qm-e9G5sHmQaaBj4kodhe23CakdluV-ONMXatq_7yRlG5ClUCNlVl1L-aRpshDCVM6YAsZs33UEbJ/s640/IMG_20180615_101957692_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0xp3JonJV2q7wpUVWR8fQa0E4DTKeN5tqjqczYg_jr6OUuM5y1DOyI2zU2MngFII6Ig0h-I41lDXhk7yhVLLO5p9Jgi3sXco8m1w8SvdQWr9EIWEUf7-0E4KwRJ6WNleb4ALcsnyBY8x/s1600/IMG_20180615_105726686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0xp3JonJV2q7wpUVWR8fQa0E4DTKeN5tqjqczYg_jr6OUuM5y1DOyI2zU2MngFII6Ig0h-I41lDXhk7yhVLLO5p9Jgi3sXco8m1w8SvdQWr9EIWEUf7-0E4KwRJ6WNleb4ALcsnyBY8x/s640/IMG_20180615_105726686.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26AlvViFs6ojETdlV7z6H9r3xoaV7pzbZDO_bPp_VikzZdOKa8X2F0W8HAMBNorTEndv9ZQJZ1dX7MAoiPuSJoOfllLG9ujUitVgHsfU3Z25Ho57gWB-Y3sQoQSCufDjOJ-2WROnMyzfg/s1600/IMG_20180615_110341726_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26AlvViFs6ojETdlV7z6H9r3xoaV7pzbZDO_bPp_VikzZdOKa8X2F0W8HAMBNorTEndv9ZQJZ1dX7MAoiPuSJoOfllLG9ujUitVgHsfU3Z25Ho57gWB-Y3sQoQSCufDjOJ-2WROnMyzfg/s640/IMG_20180615_110341726_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3TB93mVlPrrNbalm66V5FbLb_9P_F_1z_B-1c2i635cO83LU2rDPaO4rVqVJxzkqzm_jVLwrcQtTmXMThKYmAiUEnXwPQxTqsBAfKZt2OyytE8Akw6qKSZtRhxP8OcXKdNLiEHJAsohQ/s1600/IMG_20180615_110349296_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3TB93mVlPrrNbalm66V5FbLb_9P_F_1z_B-1c2i635cO83LU2rDPaO4rVqVJxzkqzm_jVLwrcQtTmXMThKYmAiUEnXwPQxTqsBAfKZt2OyytE8Akw6qKSZtRhxP8OcXKdNLiEHJAsohQ/s640/IMG_20180615_110349296_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbtLMxFHmbbAP66nrZSqCWlyJsQ0GOn2awUxsaiUQ7o0wdkp0Xrtip1dO_oLYY8_UIqLjEF6dWhCKRgYOgF-yQaHSV9HCmd-Svy1rYHyfxH4DzYSHf9SRs324B1PbRulIpmm-YQ5Fd7Ze/s1600/IMG_20180615_113413365_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbtLMxFHmbbAP66nrZSqCWlyJsQ0GOn2awUxsaiUQ7o0wdkp0Xrtip1dO_oLYY8_UIqLjEF6dWhCKRgYOgF-yQaHSV9HCmd-Svy1rYHyfxH4DzYSHf9SRs324B1PbRulIpmm-YQ5Fd7Ze/s640/IMG_20180615_113413365_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkrA3bHGRLVW4xGcXLUBaN2rBi9kg5PvYwGH_6VJeibNkCSJZZfbJmSMaGA9fqZc2Gg35xU-4jHw3MlGdBgbNH958Ox3HAh8FvLHlVNIDkzeILhE8WXPSF7tWYEzAdoKNFRTAfPk1jkWl/s1600/IMG_20180615_115309275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkrA3bHGRLVW4xGcXLUBaN2rBi9kg5PvYwGH_6VJeibNkCSJZZfbJmSMaGA9fqZc2Gg35xU-4jHw3MlGdBgbNH958Ox3HAh8FvLHlVNIDkzeILhE8WXPSF7tWYEzAdoKNFRTAfPk1jkWl/s640/IMG_20180615_115309275.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGG1qY6Ft-lMtW_qqM3zdQoC-LPnf7QXIktuXad-VHNFyMCzxKs4igba96WmwkDEwyFf1bGkENz-biyx7ZdStrahRft0pPhBzA0RJctd-Gn5MV8PDpTLCymnXku9y92e9RFLvww3n3Rck/s1600/IMG_20180615_121655646_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGG1qY6Ft-lMtW_qqM3zdQoC-LPnf7QXIktuXad-VHNFyMCzxKs4igba96WmwkDEwyFf1bGkENz-biyx7ZdStrahRft0pPhBzA0RJctd-Gn5MV8PDpTLCymnXku9y92e9RFLvww3n3Rck/s640/IMG_20180615_121655646_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMLZ1Q23iMmCbda1iYb74R614qJaWFySXy-ZEt5lehMCNvDDTaD49VinbnSeUER3V-Av4OZxZMIOkNt4TddF7OaEYCAsGMD1HOiyVm6IQdORSTH67nWiI83ysHa6ADix5JfGayCJfn-1T/s1600/IMG_20180615_122830094_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMLZ1Q23iMmCbda1iYb74R614qJaWFySXy-ZEt5lehMCNvDDTaD49VinbnSeUER3V-Av4OZxZMIOkNt4TddF7OaEYCAsGMD1HOiyVm6IQdORSTH67nWiI83ysHa6ADix5JfGayCJfn-1T/s640/IMG_20180615_122830094_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE04EAjzpqrMerr-yNn97XUiM8IqH3oervSkOzFAwe3aJiOqh758-H2uTEdp1QIcZNydEwZ-4-k2MEi1Ie3yUNm1k3IODc2CoviQTpORi0qTApyjZvXd3QJLJKqhNROVsFTiLz14nV21se/s1600/IMG_20180615_123219446_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE04EAjzpqrMerr-yNn97XUiM8IqH3oervSkOzFAwe3aJiOqh758-H2uTEdp1QIcZNydEwZ-4-k2MEi1Ie3yUNm1k3IODc2CoviQTpORi0qTApyjZvXd3QJLJKqhNROVsFTiLz14nV21se/s640/IMG_20180615_123219446_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGNgHux1vdWzfcqC_nZutQvT-RWYlKINRGu6kJWfmtzuUGZxbc2Mf44xZku7_i4zO1JVHeAs3WioDCZkyEeUW3G0wpjw1CSppyAQGmPsoNFYQ9nlSciWeA2zFRrJGIAmaXuTKBMG0Q7T7/s1600/IMG_20180615_123932177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGNgHux1vdWzfcqC_nZutQvT-RWYlKINRGu6kJWfmtzuUGZxbc2Mf44xZku7_i4zO1JVHeAs3WioDCZkyEeUW3G0wpjw1CSppyAQGmPsoNFYQ9nlSciWeA2zFRrJGIAmaXuTKBMG0Q7T7/s640/IMG_20180615_123932177.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bVUlNbUvZk8IwLR8-bmO6FQAXx5CRe7bwhChebqwwuip326oYBsfKnkhOpwS6hNVaLmVdX3LuadzOVzL9b08BBVgdMwoclXYG391Olc-oXD-TNUgi955VebSILLuVgP4A6qyY8VKwY14/s1600/IMG_20180615_125109601_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bVUlNbUvZk8IwLR8-bmO6FQAXx5CRe7bwhChebqwwuip326oYBsfKnkhOpwS6hNVaLmVdX3LuadzOVzL9b08BBVgdMwoclXYG391Olc-oXD-TNUgi955VebSILLuVgP4A6qyY8VKwY14/s640/IMG_20180615_125109601_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKii7saL_xYie87wrS9_xd9VF24vHvG5ov1qsjGobsPLF8Zt8f1C27KN1YfIGJzQ44oaoPxc4qlzUUHsJFQdVpmbwC3ZdHtmrqtZCFGafXfYoVDtU0C-qds3u15uMxMyIUBoF5Sw6YRhp/s1600/IMG_20180615_142234500_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKii7saL_xYie87wrS9_xd9VF24vHvG5ov1qsjGobsPLF8Zt8f1C27KN1YfIGJzQ44oaoPxc4qlzUUHsJFQdVpmbwC3ZdHtmrqtZCFGafXfYoVDtU0C-qds3u15uMxMyIUBoF5Sw6YRhp/s640/IMG_20180615_142234500_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqwkkdtpuT-p7wcElW71maIE5Btk0swWK21n1CcK6_Oy0VtoZvRJgkkzc5lNmw1p3IL3GNwEb-RAF2kbPWk-QUawKzWTuH4T48nVcWw-4ovsIwlQ06e0hO5IegqTrbuDBsu6IAxI8kT-L/s1600/IMG_20180615_142307017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqwkkdtpuT-p7wcElW71maIE5Btk0swWK21n1CcK6_Oy0VtoZvRJgkkzc5lNmw1p3IL3GNwEb-RAF2kbPWk-QUawKzWTuH4T48nVcWw-4ovsIwlQ06e0hO5IegqTrbuDBsu6IAxI8kT-L/s640/IMG_20180615_142307017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPY_UOQlOiekDV2LICgxhco_D6BlWrGVcfN6Yzzc3tDPdxJYnc0xivF1s_k1Q14vPrciFfrTs1jkXGS1pAfMedxdPbRLKIL_pZQWKaLRmRZnaHonQd1D5cPOwZtsnZkIt8yoByyAodoyUL/s1600/IMG_20180615_155644696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPY_UOQlOiekDV2LICgxhco_D6BlWrGVcfN6Yzzc3tDPdxJYnc0xivF1s_k1Q14vPrciFfrTs1jkXGS1pAfMedxdPbRLKIL_pZQWKaLRmRZnaHonQd1D5cPOwZtsnZkIt8yoByyAodoyUL/s640/IMG_20180615_155644696.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHw8Y9lLtE3OA-gJxLITgaBkXu7gbxkKZJXa43xV1_K0oPIkCNAs95BiKvEqgXGNaP3UgGiZ7IkCGt0TTqGfjpx4cJWdg4Wz_WekHn_IGpXgeu9x618dwbtCG26kY7Qy98wFBIuMYCCAw/s1600/IMG_20180615_163248039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHw8Y9lLtE3OA-gJxLITgaBkXu7gbxkKZJXa43xV1_K0oPIkCNAs95BiKvEqgXGNaP3UgGiZ7IkCGt0TTqGfjpx4cJWdg4Wz_WekHn_IGpXgeu9x618dwbtCG26kY7Qy98wFBIuMYCCAw/s640/IMG_20180615_163248039.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot_ORWGSyKYporLv_hH4_mUHscZwMq8cCTzxLC4F2xDPFFGJEC5LEol2WO-dd4O7fpf7G8vjeJKwRVhpMurFvXp8ppF7ZsCrOCldA4eFXW9tWa7Tb8HDHeElLRdEQ9MekfPnrOVIpRSSk/s1600/IMG_20180615_171827541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot_ORWGSyKYporLv_hH4_mUHscZwMq8cCTzxLC4F2xDPFFGJEC5LEol2WO-dd4O7fpf7G8vjeJKwRVhpMurFvXp8ppF7ZsCrOCldA4eFXW9tWa7Tb8HDHeElLRdEQ9MekfPnrOVIpRSSk/s640/IMG_20180615_171827541.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-35095348793973607172018-06-13T21:00:00.000-04:002018-07-08T22:02:50.784-04:00Mount MansfieldThe New England 67 is back on the radar! After Katy and I completed our NH48 almost 6 (!) years ago, we have noticeably slowed down on our peakbagging adventures. We managed to hike <a href="http://www.owenkellett.com/2015/10/killington-peak_17.html">Killington Peak</a> a few years ago, but nothing else that qualifies for a 4000 footer peakbagging list since. I suppose the fact that we have 3 kids now might have something to do with it. In any case, over a weekend in June, Katy's sister and her husband agreed to take the kids for a full two nights and we had ourselves our first full weekend to ourselves in a <i>long</i> time. It was a great weekend that we spent in Stowe, VT, and while we were there, we managed to bag another peak! Mount Mansfield.<br />
<br />
Mount Mansfield is the highest mountain in Vermont, and generally known for its vast network of ski trails. There are a number of hiking options as well, though, and we opted to head up via the Long Trail on the north side which is an out-and-back route about 5 miles in total. The trailhead is also conveniently only a few hundred yards from the Stowe Mountain Lodge which is where we opted to stay for the weekend so we didn't even need to get in our car and just hiked straight out from our hotel room. The first quarter mile or so of the trail from the trailhead is what looks like a brand new boardwalk highlighting nice views into Smuggler's Notch. It is also counterintuitively on the <i>east</i> side of Rt 108 even though the peak is over on the <i>west</i> side. This is because at the end of the boardwalk we encountered the road again and crossed over to the other side and into the woods from there.<br />
<br />
The trail began a steady ascent from there with straightforward footing. We passed by trail junctions for "Hellbrook Trail" as well as "Profanity Trail" wondering if those trail names represented the condition of the trails themselves or perhaps the state of mind that it induces on those who hike them? We did not find out, though, as our route was to stay on the Long Trail. We quickly made it to Taft Lodge which was just below tree line and then popped out above the trees, not far from the summit and with clear conditions.<br />
<br />
The final ascent from the Taft Lodge was actually quite challenging with some difficult scrambles over steep rock ledges. The weather was warm, but very gusty winds meant it was a good idea for the long sleeve layer. We made it to the top nonetheless and were treated with perfect 360 degree views in all directions. We could see Lake Champlain to our west and could see all the way to the White Mountains to our east. It was very busy at the top with a lot of other people making the same trek to enjoy the day. After having some lunch, we headed back down the way we came and before long were back at the Lodge having completed peak number 50 of the NE67!<br />
<br />
Given our current constraints, the NE67 effort is a long game for us. We will succeed though and get that next patch! Until next time...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v3JscJWMtZh6DvLx1I0jTZ_-K8BpCytaAeC9X_vUE0Pnb4nGx7jsF9nYDysn_qv4RPpuodZIe89GKZzFrLunJNZIgZf7SLJ79mIV35mp0NS7TlG72-n-QtwwjPvYUCZuJgYrwyyiwY9v/s1600/IMG_9779.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v3JscJWMtZh6DvLx1I0jTZ_-K8BpCytaAeC9X_vUE0Pnb4nGx7jsF9nYDysn_qv4RPpuodZIe89GKZzFrLunJNZIgZf7SLJ79mIV35mp0NS7TlG72-n-QtwwjPvYUCZuJgYrwyyiwY9v/s640/IMG_9779.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmJbyvERQzZb15DQcDtYwz0oHU1S9oubqN-IpBMw-7MypuAbOrzK0SWoldWpZGjSNCa7dRpQchmc1-oABATWTJDkIVeow_9xBElVDMXSYUvjUv3QPFRFIBLpnlwicWAy23nNcaP7n_6b6/s1600/IMG_9782.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmJbyvERQzZb15DQcDtYwz0oHU1S9oubqN-IpBMw-7MypuAbOrzK0SWoldWpZGjSNCa7dRpQchmc1-oABATWTJDkIVeow_9xBElVDMXSYUvjUv3QPFRFIBLpnlwicWAy23nNcaP7n_6b6/s640/IMG_9782.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNZUM5pjsv4Asg5-gVKWtIXUvLq37leqjc1jnZY_thwZy_5Z7DccboLjomu0-YsHwCJYqFGuHAOJ_VmPjOC7Z755fXQTQa9vhnBAZXL5X0WFaqsZ6ZuTosMXYB7Eorfh9n4F6mLiyTBS0/s1600/IMG_9788.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNZUM5pjsv4Asg5-gVKWtIXUvLq37leqjc1jnZY_thwZy_5Z7DccboLjomu0-YsHwCJYqFGuHAOJ_VmPjOC7Z755fXQTQa9vhnBAZXL5X0WFaqsZ6ZuTosMXYB7Eorfh9n4F6mLiyTBS0/s640/IMG_9788.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gfydEQMFNd5IaaSGwi4NWp4y6XYgywVPg2OAOIEEmzLYhDDbyRK5f7QmoG_C3VVe2sagl0rvZ-kuSTqzVhP_xiRr64Q_4FqY_JLaxUA8gbw7UGrhe6-B1nyz7LN-nQKEQvE3m9ipdqEh/s1600/IMG_9789.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gfydEQMFNd5IaaSGwi4NWp4y6XYgywVPg2OAOIEEmzLYhDDbyRK5f7QmoG_C3VVe2sagl0rvZ-kuSTqzVhP_xiRr64Q_4FqY_JLaxUA8gbw7UGrhe6-B1nyz7LN-nQKEQvE3m9ipdqEh/s640/IMG_9789.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hNJ3gJZnueeRW1m-zZhMhEBzJ-USkNsKgaCpNoIO63rYSToYwBtXL4xgOzDCrMCm3zYMpHiNUgi_HWg1dhcQ2p6zWuNiM1-WmcU1b_sFGM3IpdEVKdxsBGZKfqkEQ69dUHx4y9JrPJYx/s1600/IMG_9792.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hNJ3gJZnueeRW1m-zZhMhEBzJ-USkNsKgaCpNoIO63rYSToYwBtXL4xgOzDCrMCm3zYMpHiNUgi_HWg1dhcQ2p6zWuNiM1-WmcU1b_sFGM3IpdEVKdxsBGZKfqkEQ69dUHx4y9JrPJYx/s640/IMG_9792.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4I6nT2pmeyyWysaf8aQdF0bGYWlK2GddrRFdOkRWZcldXCI_v5_r_5oIYdjDoDMP161pPLLLuzb9yu2dMeWgf7uEynVaIgcLsdZ1QnrgijKxhtJTWTFYsqCQJNM84KpKIU5Dgn0RZYWw1/s1600/IMG_9793.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4I6nT2pmeyyWysaf8aQdF0bGYWlK2GddrRFdOkRWZcldXCI_v5_r_5oIYdjDoDMP161pPLLLuzb9yu2dMeWgf7uEynVaIgcLsdZ1QnrgijKxhtJTWTFYsqCQJNM84KpKIU5Dgn0RZYWw1/s640/IMG_9793.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4voyHI4BqK2GHl1x8CkDQFolN9wTMHqwBjQwCSL-vRrm6mqkxH9f3EnWJuhgniM_RvkUzfSYy_8fETCbUo_rcmq0NDjNWjlnH0iSN0FSMiD5CqrNVQGE4Jmx2fzhmNgU6YPDaW4tNXlG/s1600/IMG_9796.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4voyHI4BqK2GHl1x8CkDQFolN9wTMHqwBjQwCSL-vRrm6mqkxH9f3EnWJuhgniM_RvkUzfSYy_8fETCbUo_rcmq0NDjNWjlnH0iSN0FSMiD5CqrNVQGE4Jmx2fzhmNgU6YPDaW4tNXlG/s640/IMG_9796.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxcd1aEeqzAGK2L366Hbr5e2z4MnBt_qX1TQvxipD8xe-rzJ1s_9zCEMSdi5foDaKqq7N5ajM1BS45kQ73jbbtqN_ZiWi77pdRkyLqPMmfQXgDH8YTNFGw7zM91RSO3S5MtM6dLDfPQNt/s1600/IMG_9800.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxcd1aEeqzAGK2L366Hbr5e2z4MnBt_qX1TQvxipD8xe-rzJ1s_9zCEMSdi5foDaKqq7N5ajM1BS45kQ73jbbtqN_ZiWi77pdRkyLqPMmfQXgDH8YTNFGw7zM91RSO3S5MtM6dLDfPQNt/s640/IMG_9800.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSuJPHHony5tNNlN9mUd3hk43Pxe87p7vi9DpKb9ZKzl41Aa9uATZNn5CeliuhTnHZPvnHpOCXgERgU5gYxCnAl5ZwptcomPxvQWY35aQTcKEbVA3hheH2SApK7uEY3LiZ-dQ-iD39L_p/s1600/IMG_9808.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSuJPHHony5tNNlN9mUd3hk43Pxe87p7vi9DpKb9ZKzl41Aa9uATZNn5CeliuhTnHZPvnHpOCXgERgU5gYxCnAl5ZwptcomPxvQWY35aQTcKEbVA3hheH2SApK7uEY3LiZ-dQ-iD39L_p/s640/IMG_9808.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcCcgAUMABfu7z2tYPeqAVp24XWLfWiszTfnh-g48qUqkXjYsJLfwNy0ClSwONpqRgfpUmHq7wIZC-xhJ8SRs3Pb-FR63lMgeU27b8oMUw0-79eBP7QtrGgwCWu5lK-4P1IGZ4RvwMGsF/s1600/IMG_9816.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcCcgAUMABfu7z2tYPeqAVp24XWLfWiszTfnh-g48qUqkXjYsJLfwNy0ClSwONpqRgfpUmHq7wIZC-xhJ8SRs3Pb-FR63lMgeU27b8oMUw0-79eBP7QtrGgwCWu5lK-4P1IGZ4RvwMGsF/s640/IMG_9816.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlfvxDPUYuZRFMqPTB97Ieyz0rec7isjqZQQ8l5PVcIq_C19G8XfOzNZEvZF3fkEnD9RhtxEm-gYFAnmqh4F4xmKERUzuH1IzaYej8hE-_f0wfN5A46OEt1WK1E8RNh83-OpUBKuHCSIM/s1600/IMG_9824.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlfvxDPUYuZRFMqPTB97Ieyz0rec7isjqZQQ8l5PVcIq_C19G8XfOzNZEvZF3fkEnD9RhtxEm-gYFAnmqh4F4xmKERUzuH1IzaYej8hE-_f0wfN5A46OEt1WK1E8RNh83-OpUBKuHCSIM/s640/IMG_9824.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04O5T8dAceGsV5Vv2L_6Po_LEpaSvrV_e-DF7cOrO4_0Nculod50bD52hzmLICylcYmPVR8bheHQ5FigOXfeiNmEImPLMHIlLAtZERAH3OCRUob65lp6YhoCZcXBagVbqDvnaaKLt08gX/s1600/IMG_9827.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04O5T8dAceGsV5Vv2L_6Po_LEpaSvrV_e-DF7cOrO4_0Nculod50bD52hzmLICylcYmPVR8bheHQ5FigOXfeiNmEImPLMHIlLAtZERAH3OCRUob65lp6YhoCZcXBagVbqDvnaaKLt08gX/s640/IMG_9827.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLW0X_Wrfz59L6a_iDIOeHzJiYmbaVhsHc9z3w1qrZCIbtAndPzMqywW6NTIn61bERufC2c65Z25GWmgIa44PLfZyZGod1IdKCIiMRb-qoXCZjx6UzxBX9sBhb-Xkl-IeLa91FUuMskC2U/s1600/IMG_9833.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLW0X_Wrfz59L6a_iDIOeHzJiYmbaVhsHc9z3w1qrZCIbtAndPzMqywW6NTIn61bERufC2c65Z25GWmgIa44PLfZyZGod1IdKCIiMRb-qoXCZjx6UzxBX9sBhb-Xkl-IeLa91FUuMskC2U/s640/IMG_9833.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4txtLGqPu90sK9voA7qKaDFnzaoypaS_zh1dE2g_qWeJyBLMWIBHR8_ispDCf-tmMyZY5FnPGn_RTiQdUKuxr9PQt1FeRQDpot5ujuVT32cpJYdlkKtAJlYNGDplaKGsZ5YlOX1AonC8/s1600/IMG_9836.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4txtLGqPu90sK9voA7qKaDFnzaoypaS_zh1dE2g_qWeJyBLMWIBHR8_ispDCf-tmMyZY5FnPGn_RTiQdUKuxr9PQt1FeRQDpot5ujuVT32cpJYdlkKtAJlYNGDplaKGsZ5YlOX1AonC8/s640/IMG_9836.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsoCdbMssp3Bor0UqR2pit2c7wt1com_ddcOkBxKKeYvL3GfwF4ukA583GAkfgc96KyMlBteAYn2GLv6bA653-_0y9GfyCqRfAHpi2I0vfDU3zWw7Q8buimY51IbzkTywJpdnFWakkLfn/s1600/IMG_9842.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsoCdbMssp3Bor0UqR2pit2c7wt1com_ddcOkBxKKeYvL3GfwF4ukA583GAkfgc96KyMlBteAYn2GLv6bA653-_0y9GfyCqRfAHpi2I0vfDU3zWw7Q8buimY51IbzkTywJpdnFWakkLfn/s640/IMG_9842.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwNH9iDSmB83hvB5mlAKOmRnVfBF60yWB89B5jGk3OLJoaf6LLq0ZfEwf3ifPxqihwKXn9RQxAK3hONeXl6CEb2xuEUJHMf06zEEzRLVFH9BMxloU4gtThqlLhJPaJKnkcFGHsXU-WPIO/s1600/IMG_9848.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwNH9iDSmB83hvB5mlAKOmRnVfBF60yWB89B5jGk3OLJoaf6LLq0ZfEwf3ifPxqihwKXn9RQxAK3hONeXl6CEb2xuEUJHMf06zEEzRLVFH9BMxloU4gtThqlLhJPaJKnkcFGHsXU-WPIO/s640/IMG_9848.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekZ99ogUmrYrBUMmH7e9eXFgeDc5_fAKmwB2WH6UfXD7UZeEgziOtFA28dl7s5ovBQ7yPjaJICAdOwTn4deVvrBfD3DHxmfz7SjRP7YJ97JIKFl0q33avzHAkdZXjqoR32KeSDdWjjdft/s1600/IMG_9864.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekZ99ogUmrYrBUMmH7e9eXFgeDc5_fAKmwB2WH6UfXD7UZeEgziOtFA28dl7s5ovBQ7yPjaJICAdOwTn4deVvrBfD3DHxmfz7SjRP7YJ97JIKFl0q33avzHAkdZXjqoR32KeSDdWjjdft/s640/IMG_9864.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oqNg5JC3AkVeyVSC8SNGSQoRr76od-MeYayXJTPuXzxP0edJ6GExUIpcJlgAvbelrdbwe67jTSje9dJ5xUOK_9Fs1ITH9XnPcrtB7VxsUXtZvmtOsB-pH1g4vJYLdah29z7-tRTdG6oe/s1600/IMG_9871.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oqNg5JC3AkVeyVSC8SNGSQoRr76od-MeYayXJTPuXzxP0edJ6GExUIpcJlgAvbelrdbwe67jTSje9dJ5xUOK_9Fs1ITH9XnPcrtB7VxsUXtZvmtOsB-pH1g4vJYLdah29z7-tRTdG6oe/s640/IMG_9871.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8Pzb8VRc8bxdfVLOv1uKzLpCEpqUHtl3qUZde4UGupHoBUJXthMdg4lFxh58-M9dPV3Tf2tMAW87LcxQrbOPgkrB4-j61LzqgtlQLtyhQ8jSAPcc7FbWERO7myqBthMH_6gyqiWo73wv/s1600/IMG_9881.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8Pzb8VRc8bxdfVLOv1uKzLpCEpqUHtl3qUZde4UGupHoBUJXthMdg4lFxh58-M9dPV3Tf2tMAW87LcxQrbOPgkrB4-j61LzqgtlQLtyhQ8jSAPcc7FbWERO7myqBthMH_6gyqiWo73wv/s640/IMG_9881.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oMEFsX0ynYgfnNUnCo1umtCXJBHPKm_Ww3eb4qG_nhpVUPuJCw4BLG74l7Jrk7rqZgt1hDYd16O6bQlKIcLvszjNg2p2gWfYj6x-ah8PnHBdUtHszudQPjv-kRE4Q_w6d1Yv7K3xBC0v/s1600/IMG_9902.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oMEFsX0ynYgfnNUnCo1umtCXJBHPKm_Ww3eb4qG_nhpVUPuJCw4BLG74l7Jrk7rqZgt1hDYd16O6bQlKIcLvszjNg2p2gWfYj6x-ah8PnHBdUtHszudQPjv-kRE4Q_w6d1Yv7K3xBC0v/s640/IMG_9902.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-18060121157262299142017-06-21T20:59:00.001-04:002017-06-21T20:59:57.714-04:00Presidential Traverse 2017After last year's <a href="http://www.owenkellett.com/2016/06/presidential-traverse.html">successful Presidential Traverse</a> with Katy, I decided to give it another go again this year. This time, I did it with my brother Brian. We put the date on the calendar (Saturday June 17) months in advance and didn't really have a rain date or alternative option planned. Unless the forecast called for especially dangerous or complete washout conditions, we were going. Also, based on how things went last year and our recent preparations, I knew adding the bonus summits of Jackson and Webster to the full traverse was an achievable goal. So the plan was set, and the day had arrived.<br />
<br />
We headed up from Massachusetts on Friday night in separate cars. It rained the whole ride up and the <a href="https://www.mountwashington.org/experience-the-weather/higher-summit-forecast.aspx">Higher Summits Forecast</a> for Saturday was calling for summits in the clouds with a chance of showers and drizzle throughout the day. Typical! At least it was supposed to be fairly warm with light winds, though. Once we reached Crawford Notch to drop off a car, the rain had stopped and the skies looked a little more promising. The lot on Mt. Clinton Rd. was nearly full and there were a couple other groups of hikers doing the same thing as us. "You guys doing the traverse tomorrow?" asked one guy as he was walking by - "We are" I said. "We'll see you in the morning then!" he called back as he power walked back towards his car. He couldn't contain his excitement. Traverse fever was in the air.<br />
<br />
We continued on and stayed at a motel right down the road from the Appalachia trailhead on Route 2. We were up at 3:30AM and at the trailhead at 4:00AM. It was cloudy and a bit foggy but also quite warm and not raining. At this point, it looked about like the forecast was going to ring true and we were in for a cloudy hike. When we arrived at the trailhead, there were a couple of large groups of hikers and several other smaller groups in the lot gearing up. It was clearly Presidential Traverse weekend! We grabbed our packs, put on our headlamps, snapped a couple pictures, and headed off up Valley Way.<br />
<br />
We started off at a reasonable pace and quickly passed the two large groups that had headed off just ahead of us. We didn't see them again but hope they had a good hike! Not long after that, a group of four guys motored passed us with the same guy we saw the night before leading the pack. "Hey guys! You guys doing the traverse?" he asked as they went by. I'm not sure if he remembered us but he was still just as pumped as he was when we saw him in Crawford Notch. "Yes we are" I answered again. "Good luck!" he said as they sped off. We continued at our pace as the skies gradually brightened with the sun coming up. As we gained elevation, the fog we were in began to break and we began to see blue skies! It was a welcome sight and the cloudy forecast for the summits turned out to be wrong. We were in the clear all day with an undercast below, just a few wispy clouds above, and warm temperatures and light winds. A top 10 day!<br />
<br />
We took a left turn and took Watson Path directly to the summit of Madison. That trail is pretty rugged and had some steep, bouldery sections. Just before we hit tree line, we caught up to and passed the group of guys who passed us earlier. We quickly gained distance on them and didn't see them for the rest of the day. I hope their traverse went well! We hit the summit of Mount Madison at 6:40AM and caught our first views of the Mount Washington summit way off in the distance. We stopped for a snack and to take in the day it was shaping up to be. Then we pushed on down towards Madison Hut.<br />
<br />
We were at Madison Hut before long and stopped just long enough to refill our water and eat some more food. One thing I told myself to do this year was to eat often and be diligent about the fluid intake. It's easy to underestimate just how much fuel your body needs to make it through a day like this. I kept readily available granola bars in the water bottle pouches on the side of my pack throughout the hike and just kept grabbing them and eating them along the way. I also packed several PB&J sandwiches and a couple bags of trail mix to eat when taking longer rest breaks. With readily available water at the huts along the route, I ended up refilling my 2 liter water bladder twice, and drank about three 32 oz bottles of gatorade that I made from powdered mix that I brought with me as well. That's about 9 liters of total fluids that I consumed during the hike. Last year I ended up slightly dehydrated towards the end of the hike. This year I did not.<br />
<br />
After our short stop at the hut, we continued on towards the summit of Mount Adams, making it there at 8:00AM. We chatted with a couple of other groups of Presidential Traversers at the peak for a few minutes. Just like last year, at this hour, almost all of the hikers that we had encountered so far were making an attempt at the traverse. We continued on towards Jefferson. The route between Adams and Jefferson is straightforward but very rocky and not easy on the joints. It's also quite long, about 2 miles, and we made it to the summit of Jefferson at 9:40AM. There was one girl up there who was doing the traverse solo and she said she was on a schedule because she had to make it to the Highland Center before dinner. We did not stay at Jefferson long, and continued on our way towards Mount Washington.<br />
<br />
The trek between Jefferson and Washington is a neat one for a number of reasons. One, you really can start to see how far you've come, and how far you still have got to go. You can see back to Madison and you can see all the way forward to Eisenhower and the southern end of the traverse. You also have the imposing view of Mount Washington right in front of you, and because of where you are, there are very few day hikers who end up on this particular stretch. We found ourselves spaced out between us and the other traverse teams of the day by this point and marched on. We went up over Mount Clay, which has a few a modest scrambles but wasn't too difficult, and continued on all the way to the top of Mount Washington which we reached at 11:45AM.<br />
<br />
The summit of Mount Washington was actually a really neat scene. Just like last year, I ended up doing the traverse on the same day as the Mount Washington Auto Road Race. However, this year we made it there before the race had ended so the summit was teeming with runners and spectators, music was blasting, and a race announcer was still announcing names of finishers as they came across the line. With the rare weather conditions, it was warm, sunny, calm, and with amazing views of the undercast skies below - it felt like a true party atmosphere. There was a massive line for pictures at the summit sign, so we just snuck in and tapped the sign and took a selfie off to the side. We retreated to the summit building to take a break and fuel up some more.<br />
<br />
After a decent break at the summit, we continued on, taking Crawford Path down to Lake of the Clouds Hut. It was here where the true length of this hike started to set in. I sat down for another snack in the hut and took out my map to look at the rest of our route. Still 11 miles to go! It was 1:30PM and we had been hiking for over 9 hours and we still had 11 miles to go! Good thing Crawford Path is such a smooth trail. I refilled my water and made myself some more gatorade before we headed back out. We cruised along, hitting Mount Monroe at 1:45PM, Mount Eisenhower at 3:00PM, and Mount Pierce at 4:00PM. We continued to Mizpah Hut where we refueled again and then it was on to Mount Jackson.<br />
<br />
We hit Mount Jackson at about 5:30PM and it was amazing to take a look back and see how far we had come. Onward to Mount Webster which we reached at 6:30PM. At this hour the views were pretty cool with the sun shining through the clouds into Crawford Notch. By this point, though, the grind was on and the trails began to feel a lot quieter. I let gravity do most of the work on the way down, gutting it out on every step. We saw one guy cruising down behind us when we were close to the bottom. "Where did you guys start?" he asked. "Appalachia". "Nice! I started at Dolly Copp." He apparently did a traverse too but bailed after Jackson and did not do Webster. There were a lot of people doing the traverse on this fine day but not many added the full bonus peaks of Jackson and Webster as well. We finally reached Rt 302 but had to hike about a quarter mile on the road to get back to our car at the lot on Mount Clinton Rd. - walking on the pavement here was easily the most painful part of the hike!<br />
<br />
It was nearly 8:30PM when we finally arrived back at the car with the sun starting to set, putting us over 16 hours for the full Presidential Traverse plus the Clay, Jackson, and Webster bonus peaks. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday if I do say so! Once again, the Presidential Traverse did not disappoint, and I hope I get a chance to do it all again. Until next time!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-n9r8qh4NZ9LVdkJJTSyBLoM6TA4cQsR4PcfN4SdMhAwTF7AA9XyJ7cssDnq6mjOGKmXHuz9R7L4XMLHGDkQbzdD6kLGhxiRrHAI4UlXdrFfTQ5Y4R2K4CfqbLYVWILFZ58FZ6667srtZ/s1600/IMG_20170617_040750262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-n9r8qh4NZ9LVdkJJTSyBLoM6TA4cQsR4PcfN4SdMhAwTF7AA9XyJ7cssDnq6mjOGKmXHuz9R7L4XMLHGDkQbzdD6kLGhxiRrHAI4UlXdrFfTQ5Y4R2K4CfqbLYVWILFZ58FZ6667srtZ/s640/IMG_20170617_040750262.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNdNd0ZbC-LoX22DeGm6pQdU2vAnP37Wk_5hPHmU8XvttStmiikl4Kw-L0Py364y5VYZoqhlE4UDn6luh9vlAzgajQ4Ru2Rp82FlnvEloBIn30IELql-laWjNjx6ClSiHpQlTA_mTI_EP/s1600/IMG_20170617_055755984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNdNd0ZbC-LoX22DeGm6pQdU2vAnP37Wk_5hPHmU8XvttStmiikl4Kw-L0Py364y5VYZoqhlE4UDn6luh9vlAzgajQ4Ru2Rp82FlnvEloBIn30IELql-laWjNjx6ClSiHpQlTA_mTI_EP/s640/IMG_20170617_055755984.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSB2F80Ol8lwFL8oDxePYvor8yuu40O8vD3zSZ1W4zCgUo7h70_srahkwD3Egws23kbxf2u6x2r78IHFA-yjjCVdOz6yjpBfsdnaPky4My_dgkBJJ9aPV0dM-i-WG_WEonAgS4r2sWTvii/s1600/IMG_20170617_055851953_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSB2F80Ol8lwFL8oDxePYvor8yuu40O8vD3zSZ1W4zCgUo7h70_srahkwD3Egws23kbxf2u6x2r78IHFA-yjjCVdOz6yjpBfsdnaPky4My_dgkBJJ9aPV0dM-i-WG_WEonAgS4r2sWTvii/s640/IMG_20170617_055851953_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5kjyUx97ycLZOXi-TZIKEbAXiGphbzT4vgmREUFroCcg2P1ePdN1Hxi_SLam8WD9mZUn52enfYdiHgGKvMMdiaiX9dmIeYnrYFlHgzWqvoD0VDVS1NmV8C8_kuDiCDH8PxsEqaMXf-s6/s1600/IMG_20170617_060557234_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5kjyUx97ycLZOXi-TZIKEbAXiGphbzT4vgmREUFroCcg2P1ePdN1Hxi_SLam8WD9mZUn52enfYdiHgGKvMMdiaiX9dmIeYnrYFlHgzWqvoD0VDVS1NmV8C8_kuDiCDH8PxsEqaMXf-s6/s640/IMG_20170617_060557234_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeWQLg9MoV9Z6v-BslKn49MzV9rqWDVEq4IivpH3iGTc9pOqTN7GbwrPXaw01VaLV7-tCQ1ByZZycP2bmWwFVVmN_E9FXICfA4nfwG2GLHaEAl6YTYQtvEdqw_i7ukmran-GdGV76ruUa/s1600/IMG_20170617_060550183_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeWQLg9MoV9Z6v-BslKn49MzV9rqWDVEq4IivpH3iGTc9pOqTN7GbwrPXaw01VaLV7-tCQ1ByZZycP2bmWwFVVmN_E9FXICfA4nfwG2GLHaEAl6YTYQtvEdqw_i7ukmran-GdGV76ruUa/s640/IMG_20170617_060550183_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbCW8S0MMC6PZra2YV_IYEESeRBTFrwIjnJ8zGKaS4LjHP9h25UcQoV1hyimNrSLDuf2JcZ3U-LKs2v9ZekzhOQsuSwNO6uQyUbdj9s9Or1DPiFZoRK1ZFUX_ISDP8xNfEaPhmJ-NCtGU/s1600/IMG_20170617_063812579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbCW8S0MMC6PZra2YV_IYEESeRBTFrwIjnJ8zGKaS4LjHP9h25UcQoV1hyimNrSLDuf2JcZ3U-LKs2v9ZekzhOQsuSwNO6uQyUbdj9s9Or1DPiFZoRK1ZFUX_ISDP8xNfEaPhmJ-NCtGU/s640/IMG_20170617_063812579.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIGYOXbnSuGJuuJzCfXmftDpCKbUHiOC8AwEtloCaC5iOP6XLYAzgCZ8dZXG6AKrXhuH62jODw6F5dflqx8aGQIjWSN59X6Wkm2DE_EOCCb5KuGzj7uLtlhgTOXfB_2A6MOFP-jYqDq-4/s1600/IMG_20170617_064153666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIGYOXbnSuGJuuJzCfXmftDpCKbUHiOC8AwEtloCaC5iOP6XLYAzgCZ8dZXG6AKrXhuH62jODw6F5dflqx8aGQIjWSN59X6Wkm2DE_EOCCb5KuGzj7uLtlhgTOXfB_2A6MOFP-jYqDq-4/s640/IMG_20170617_064153666.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6eVJtENZXt_G4pzAz9fy3PI5DroToXEZdW_WR12RFhCQWnMNlU3U-kSXb4173nASbi3STGBcwill-ov4HCl2MkVbyTAJYE23-eu4C_k71nKaxaPka2VGNXuyMBeQIW5RPiob0JfT8lq_m/s1600/IMG_20170617_072607741_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6eVJtENZXt_G4pzAz9fy3PI5DroToXEZdW_WR12RFhCQWnMNlU3U-kSXb4173nASbi3STGBcwill-ov4HCl2MkVbyTAJYE23-eu4C_k71nKaxaPka2VGNXuyMBeQIW5RPiob0JfT8lq_m/s640/IMG_20170617_072607741_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2M9h_qROczNvtucK4PB2OCAFO4OEzzIkPmAG2nsHX6vvvlDHKMhIo1VEkGh2GdicX8kNRDpc9DyNBvix33pY1dFRlrCcdpOye0qzwP61ms1rfet9Y9YJhMKeJrRyDU0xM5pxfqymRjhl/s1600/IMG_20170617_073443353_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2M9h_qROczNvtucK4PB2OCAFO4OEzzIkPmAG2nsHX6vvvlDHKMhIo1VEkGh2GdicX8kNRDpc9DyNBvix33pY1dFRlrCcdpOye0qzwP61ms1rfet9Y9YJhMKeJrRyDU0xM5pxfqymRjhl/s640/IMG_20170617_073443353_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGtf79Det-YZa7A840KbOJDkDaHgPGcmdp2ml20ABXVC5XyTAXDVfx0sTlgkXZQr2M_p5WqVNCzMrbNmOFR-x15ZdWc3CJmA521uu1qaM-HfMtTsoaiR4Q1GF08mKoG8Rcmtej_nC1xcw/s1600/IMG_20170617_075956565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGtf79Det-YZa7A840KbOJDkDaHgPGcmdp2ml20ABXVC5XyTAXDVfx0sTlgkXZQr2M_p5WqVNCzMrbNmOFR-x15ZdWc3CJmA521uu1qaM-HfMtTsoaiR4Q1GF08mKoG8Rcmtej_nC1xcw/s640/IMG_20170617_075956565.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-tJXFvKt2dIUC0l1cmq-AicjFMttLNMhqyO9KmRSl4I00bgc80T2ulv-KuAKBWNvoEJGuOykDK1GH6_Z_rXlrzC-YzvaB_lZo-UyZGnITFsLEBWx50YB1Qq3G2I-pBbMw7U14XCiqpgT/s1600/IMG_20170617_081912167_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-tJXFvKt2dIUC0l1cmq-AicjFMttLNMhqyO9KmRSl4I00bgc80T2ulv-KuAKBWNvoEJGuOykDK1GH6_Z_rXlrzC-YzvaB_lZo-UyZGnITFsLEBWx50YB1Qq3G2I-pBbMw7U14XCiqpgT/s640/IMG_20170617_081912167_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOl-XKlISFKDywo2vd8y9cHdyvdl2X6CEDdL4brn3lqgccE1jXwrbUr5-at9bIs9avfRDxe_0xJ4DAeuY1M5KRUxjdl9KELXotFXoj8hVzCtc12gjN1ZGwtrJO2ErN6ZC8l6vFyn6BYyRl/s1600/IMG_20170617_081920319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOl-XKlISFKDywo2vd8y9cHdyvdl2X6CEDdL4brn3lqgccE1jXwrbUr5-at9bIs9avfRDxe_0xJ4DAeuY1M5KRUxjdl9KELXotFXoj8hVzCtc12gjN1ZGwtrJO2ErN6ZC8l6vFyn6BYyRl/s640/IMG_20170617_081920319.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHUUkcQZxY87ciPQEiioXSiMH03jvNq5SdBPuNPm-jjScBwF1lg73y1Xj1nA9kosB4KYajA6Q4JvlIZv0LaenvF7HzX-vmcBbX20KU1zQTTxCH14v3h2eekyh6JySA_NwK2i_xD5vkAWR/s1600/IMG_20170617_082408668_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHUUkcQZxY87ciPQEiioXSiMH03jvNq5SdBPuNPm-jjScBwF1lg73y1Xj1nA9kosB4KYajA6Q4JvlIZv0LaenvF7HzX-vmcBbX20KU1zQTTxCH14v3h2eekyh6JySA_NwK2i_xD5vkAWR/s640/IMG_20170617_082408668_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji48TmIwdpkPM9qf2yF3AfO_cziZ272iOuOJLl8v8WVw6sOConvR4aO_uUzt-W76fkRdvqJpVbZbftIov6naL3Sbbu6th3q4vWRsmvD6SxJi3gX0hv7yGQpzMrJXmNCFlxUhTy2z45LnvO/s1600/IMG_20170617_093805629_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji48TmIwdpkPM9qf2yF3AfO_cziZ272iOuOJLl8v8WVw6sOConvR4aO_uUzt-W76fkRdvqJpVbZbftIov6naL3Sbbu6th3q4vWRsmvD6SxJi3gX0hv7yGQpzMrJXmNCFlxUhTy2z45LnvO/s640/IMG_20170617_093805629_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjup6VceKY4Wa3d8RaVv5VVK-FjuaXhz9i8v9ZQY66gfpa3NdY0Sf-iIL_fA8lxuA56ybbBUpgxl0cxmfiTUIimyhCeet95WqCkEIXo9krjDG5aX53n5f7CLSuLJbRWd959Lwh-xhG6Sjbs/s1600/IMG_20170617_103531640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjup6VceKY4Wa3d8RaVv5VVK-FjuaXhz9i8v9ZQY66gfpa3NdY0Sf-iIL_fA8lxuA56ybbBUpgxl0cxmfiTUIimyhCeet95WqCkEIXo9krjDG5aX53n5f7CLSuLJbRWd959Lwh-xhG6Sjbs/s640/IMG_20170617_103531640.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVegUGdfKU0PQ5nVQP543oxFaht5xqSbUmJb8gHzpmXH1mfsLHSs-CAv7iFxt3ZnbLBekVqpbUZkVlHBwcjS5XphAqN8LvjHk4QxLnLHO74KqcT9OwlCkD3Y8E2ouigmxpYist2-hzEgmT/s1600/IMG_20170617_105639235_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVegUGdfKU0PQ5nVQP543oxFaht5xqSbUmJb8gHzpmXH1mfsLHSs-CAv7iFxt3ZnbLBekVqpbUZkVlHBwcjS5XphAqN8LvjHk4QxLnLHO74KqcT9OwlCkD3Y8E2ouigmxpYist2-hzEgmT/s640/IMG_20170617_105639235_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmTDIlM-nKHG8LerU-6dpX_tqwIx0CPAz6IVvsx4w8F4bwi24Q5BhgG_rPCpnrymQblsOofMc3WJNhp93MTm6KBleZOU3fXgMiRXj64D3K_yidH6CnKd-8cgFpDgXH0_wXuLd80x6VQU_/s1600/IMG_20170617_113654764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmTDIlM-nKHG8LerU-6dpX_tqwIx0CPAz6IVvsx4w8F4bwi24Q5BhgG_rPCpnrymQblsOofMc3WJNhp93MTm6KBleZOU3fXgMiRXj64D3K_yidH6CnKd-8cgFpDgXH0_wXuLd80x6VQU_/s640/IMG_20170617_113654764.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ukDE9IlNnAioF4-p3Cz3Jw9IyjUCoLnyuDgYry_bK56XIzzJi57Z4knrJ12pGHmgG1YFQm0G0fUNAeTElLlaGhRb9kHhyphenhyphenZQZKqQkcfSELl_C3NGV_iR9sE9AgZfojWBPG_7EEDspg5RL/s1600/IMG_20170617_113706945_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ukDE9IlNnAioF4-p3Cz3Jw9IyjUCoLnyuDgYry_bK56XIzzJi57Z4knrJ12pGHmgG1YFQm0G0fUNAeTElLlaGhRb9kHhyphenhyphenZQZKqQkcfSELl_C3NGV_iR9sE9AgZfojWBPG_7EEDspg5RL/s640/IMG_20170617_113706945_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DSy9WZxgHf8n99Zdr5z9Z0c-R0oHROdDNRIwUK6VjjdrG2mjfUIuk0YNZGJPd5unkcDBHOgViu1_xeV6N6fo_H4MuNfepjdT1zgs_WpPkJzGTvxZJCF6uzBzFVB90D1O_-An7pGUzVoz/s1600/IMG_20170617_134143415_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DSy9WZxgHf8n99Zdr5z9Z0c-R0oHROdDNRIwUK6VjjdrG2mjfUIuk0YNZGJPd5unkcDBHOgViu1_xeV6N6fo_H4MuNfepjdT1zgs_WpPkJzGTvxZJCF6uzBzFVB90D1O_-An7pGUzVoz/s640/IMG_20170617_134143415_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFAk_Q3ea9Vsd0UEbUSOchevI-6tHatCUFz6HgbscXCHEbPXNjHRfVTq1aruncYL9z42kqtqhkeOcwXWpSwOBWXj-CBieJru245r8onnzECrXkko9I7WDUBwakPTT9Qtdf1zt38mYi_wp/s1600/IMG_20170617_141101874_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFAk_Q3ea9Vsd0UEbUSOchevI-6tHatCUFz6HgbscXCHEbPXNjHRfVTq1aruncYL9z42kqtqhkeOcwXWpSwOBWXj-CBieJru245r8onnzECrXkko9I7WDUBwakPTT9Qtdf1zt38mYi_wp/s640/IMG_20170617_141101874_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLv4qc5ydUknQb4Ctv5WmXlo3d643yNYSrxf9QFaPEqqFao6-90pBzxe2AGN8Np-YZntXKO-csdolR9CdLugkZM3yXrByiiVFCYQ7x636x6JBwUe6Yt2wqiijBPKgzvTBmxZNSR5bbuer/s1600/IMG_20170617_142115258_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLv4qc5ydUknQb4Ctv5WmXlo3d643yNYSrxf9QFaPEqqFao6-90pBzxe2AGN8Np-YZntXKO-csdolR9CdLugkZM3yXrByiiVFCYQ7x636x6JBwUe6Yt2wqiijBPKgzvTBmxZNSR5bbuer/s640/IMG_20170617_142115258_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsGQv-YLob6bMycTT9x_rrCNQxq8gZiMU2GFAuoUKo-koUDQypJrOVj9w1nd5yam3YWLXDOPENdb0F4XZVwbDDdezGX95X-k5lhxwXrm14WSxvPuq4mpAW7ruKLoHwHhhFt3zcdvSx9JD/s1600/IMG_20170617_150125105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsGQv-YLob6bMycTT9x_rrCNQxq8gZiMU2GFAuoUKo-koUDQypJrOVj9w1nd5yam3YWLXDOPENdb0F4XZVwbDDdezGX95X-k5lhxwXrm14WSxvPuq4mpAW7ruKLoHwHhhFt3zcdvSx9JD/s640/IMG_20170617_150125105.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7c04ovwvXl56DFZZ5NHos1iChNLm46u1IlxM2rkisafn4HdGsR4HlGfIozk-XGgLoQSwtqf83hNUcWLyqHOy8EA6Aidlf-Svh5UC03awDFaMa3Fm2IMWmNEmI6l8DUp1rLS1rkkW0mlU/s1600/IMG_20170617_155657728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7c04ovwvXl56DFZZ5NHos1iChNLm46u1IlxM2rkisafn4HdGsR4HlGfIozk-XGgLoQSwtqf83hNUcWLyqHOy8EA6Aidlf-Svh5UC03awDFaMa3Fm2IMWmNEmI6l8DUp1rLS1rkkW0mlU/s640/IMG_20170617_155657728.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKSSHdHtYUxxmkrD2MJu3NOGjAvRb0XZX-Lf7DxXV-ycSt_qXmx6NLiBlk2vGAMNquqoV2G7sbo_9IaEIgpVd7KgLiS6YCYUEW_pS0IMmj-rxWOABzGBh3lP5It3isbMCZcGQPNNNdZEo/s1600/IMG_20170617_173554299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKSSHdHtYUxxmkrD2MJu3NOGjAvRb0XZX-Lf7DxXV-ycSt_qXmx6NLiBlk2vGAMNquqoV2G7sbo_9IaEIgpVd7KgLiS6YCYUEW_pS0IMmj-rxWOABzGBh3lP5It3isbMCZcGQPNNNdZEo/s640/IMG_20170617_173554299.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEVRL929sU59r1UTt9xJhWCW5vQ8RmDt_Eb3brirLrPUxOwq7mMfoQv4AE3lN_UVD6iqK-xHL7Mo3OpGGL7gEuwEMMZ2AziUtFHfiVs0dvfhFnJx12diZF6013cZyNHrcIkcU6sDWx5F8/s1600/IMG_20170617_182944525_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEVRL929sU59r1UTt9xJhWCW5vQ8RmDt_Eb3brirLrPUxOwq7mMfoQv4AE3lN_UVD6iqK-xHL7Mo3OpGGL7gEuwEMMZ2AziUtFHfiVs0dvfhFnJx12diZF6013cZyNHrcIkcU6sDWx5F8/s640/IMG_20170617_182944525_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW12W5pDCGgM5nYuf3LjzmG7Ru0nouj835Akj9IcyCWKEAQgWkDFlRm8RYw4SwMz2vkviw6T8mpseE5mrEGIsKt12qsRu57iUAWYZ9KGNpWlYwi0lh6th3-CSiXtxeBn7cmltx2HmJRX51/s1600/IMG_20170617_183118832_HDR-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW12W5pDCGgM5nYuf3LjzmG7Ru0nouj835Akj9IcyCWKEAQgWkDFlRm8RYw4SwMz2vkviw6T8mpseE5mrEGIsKt12qsRu57iUAWYZ9KGNpWlYwi0lh6th3-CSiXtxeBn7cmltx2HmJRX51/s640/IMG_20170617_183118832_HDR-PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCh-lRG4mg9fvAQ1DIb5urUoJ13aczhOGOucLfP7Ulb69J2rQxwF7bb9BpqWWffK9qrbToidCVrnjqeVzxJMJXEFQW6foFGFRoJQCwhbtoIyhn6TFR7eiUGAeD6wokbJFEUjCYiCqgIj_/s1600/IMG_20170617_200842996_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCh-lRG4mg9fvAQ1DIb5urUoJ13aczhOGOucLfP7Ulb69J2rQxwF7bb9BpqWWffK9qrbToidCVrnjqeVzxJMJXEFQW6foFGFRoJQCwhbtoIyhn6TFR7eiUGAeD6wokbJFEUjCYiCqgIj_/s640/IMG_20170617_200842996_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQA0OCNyliBPfSBZFsSNV8MNJV_d-PGYLVKRfv0OpmaAbWyG_pmgWgovszsewhDPPC0XhMMhbbZ1PpFXcVCG2048AKad_IWUPfTN-9GeI25rbMtzdErX5EuGKcZwBYi8zSjfn8VIBfRfQ/s1600/IMG_20170617_202524894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQA0OCNyliBPfSBZFsSNV8MNJV_d-PGYLVKRfv0OpmaAbWyG_pmgWgovszsewhDPPC0XhMMhbbZ1PpFXcVCG2048AKad_IWUPfTN-9GeI25rbMtzdErX5EuGKcZwBYi8zSjfn8VIBfRfQ/s640/IMG_20170617_202524894.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-40596661075640084092017-05-31T20:00:00.000-04:002018-07-08T21:51:01.665-04:00Mount WashingtonA simple report for a simple hike. Over Memorial Day weekend Brian and I continued our Presidential Traverse warmup by hiking Mount Washington. We took a route that I'd never done before, ascending via Nelson Crag Trail and then descending down Boott Spurr Trail. We got an early start, leaving from the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center at about 6:45AM and headed up Old Jackson Road (which is actually just a trail) towards Nelson Crag Trail.<br />
<br />
The ascent was straightfoward, with some sections of Nelson Crag Trail pretty steep and also pretty narrow. Once we reached treeline, the trail parallels the Auto Road off and on the rest of the way to the summit. Besides a few cars and few people on the Auto Road, we actually didn't see any hikers on our way up. This seemed unusual for Mount Washington on a holiday weekend but Nelson Crag Trail is clearly a less popular route and we also got a very early start.<br />
<br />
Weather conditions were cold and windy with no rain, but the summits were mostly in and out of the clouds while we were up there so we had only a few peaks for views. It was fairly quiet at the summit but things started to get busy since the Cog Railway ride was dropping off its first train full of passengers as we arrived. We stopped in the summit building for a bit to eat our snacks before heading off.<br />
<br />
The trip down was fairly uneventful. We saw about a dozen hikers on the small section of the Crawford Path that we went down before making a left turn down Davis Path and eventually Boott Spur Trail. We saw a few more groups on the way down but not many, and we made it back to the parking lot in the early afternoon. It was a good sized 11 mile day hike with the traverse just a few weeks away!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hbs4-2NvSjRkGSqMT7DUZuhAON91D_euPeWPG6vNo46S0T7y-P-g8_jDpLEdU-9chuFOvertsFvnVSnXfoevlWlkYSOqacgmxhKD-tqFmZOxnx4S_Kl9g-SGnv6L-yQcxwO1AU4C717t/s1600/IMG_20170527_071820316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hbs4-2NvSjRkGSqMT7DUZuhAON91D_euPeWPG6vNo46S0T7y-P-g8_jDpLEdU-9chuFOvertsFvnVSnXfoevlWlkYSOqacgmxhKD-tqFmZOxnx4S_Kl9g-SGnv6L-yQcxwO1AU4C717t/s640/IMG_20170527_071820316.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgad_MmBgIi8YOU-FBMDKLQpMjJgQlh0IoZlgucGMrcnRQQCBfhXwZDEiwNftxuZ_UYvXu1H9MkW760AuIu2nH_KYBsX1sbYYnymrF-GUFzqlkbH7F3SsxhetAnj7kfPf0AF1Ut6277FrPM/s1600/IMG_20170527_071827413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgad_MmBgIi8YOU-FBMDKLQpMjJgQlh0IoZlgucGMrcnRQQCBfhXwZDEiwNftxuZ_UYvXu1H9MkW760AuIu2nH_KYBsX1sbYYnymrF-GUFzqlkbH7F3SsxhetAnj7kfPf0AF1Ut6277FrPM/s640/IMG_20170527_071827413.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hhwwdR5zWcWKwC3yBP4ADKi-sdi4XRy9o-NCdWtFFAQCkUrpmd3uYz6Bnuq9AlsCm-RxyjdoULiNqaxiksYRgqEbhCrjVNiSioVyau-MOA9dQLZWEoiVrxQkTcAHD0BPUEDWuTpnkr_R/s1600/IMG_20170527_071836615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hhwwdR5zWcWKwC3yBP4ADKi-sdi4XRy9o-NCdWtFFAQCkUrpmd3uYz6Bnuq9AlsCm-RxyjdoULiNqaxiksYRgqEbhCrjVNiSioVyau-MOA9dQLZWEoiVrxQkTcAHD0BPUEDWuTpnkr_R/s640/IMG_20170527_071836615.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjorI0rrUz1iDqZofR105asRQjOPK4WpQfPmtQ6sSmuo63VphhwCxCsx6hQESweXTPXL_oEJuBwjoJz6RgtlcZOmXsNqjgRgvY_gqkj0Xu4O2ffbHEZmR_8EZweig-ah_6qR1Fao18i3X/s1600/IMG_20170527_082027538_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjorI0rrUz1iDqZofR105asRQjOPK4WpQfPmtQ6sSmuo63VphhwCxCsx6hQESweXTPXL_oEJuBwjoJz6RgtlcZOmXsNqjgRgvY_gqkj0Xu4O2ffbHEZmR_8EZweig-ah_6qR1Fao18i3X/s640/IMG_20170527_082027538_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWmneY2CodOahgqWjkuscq0PCviRPFIz8CR3EEzVBKTHjliVIsUUtcI54wpD4Nja2HGwDEqcqf4RlYmZ30XpY-j4xDBRgXLbOeBJdGZ55L-i_fR9thAoMT2UxiLyGphnQuZ0gedp7itM3/s1600/IMG_20170527_082033210_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWmneY2CodOahgqWjkuscq0PCviRPFIz8CR3EEzVBKTHjliVIsUUtcI54wpD4Nja2HGwDEqcqf4RlYmZ30XpY-j4xDBRgXLbOeBJdGZ55L-i_fR9thAoMT2UxiLyGphnQuZ0gedp7itM3/s640/IMG_20170527_082033210_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-Kt3eqtO4Z0AkqpdE0zLXWSJatkkEusXBFbhdkWD-X3_29rdqGJpVkiSLsZE59OfI2zZi6xLRvdbFuDKEvKSoYiJ0jBHJvqC_MV0q2Ho5qqTVa64ZBzNwCJ-LCAW57CDD1xnwVguS90T/s1600/IMG_20170527_083743332_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-Kt3eqtO4Z0AkqpdE0zLXWSJatkkEusXBFbhdkWD-X3_29rdqGJpVkiSLsZE59OfI2zZi6xLRvdbFuDKEvKSoYiJ0jBHJvqC_MV0q2Ho5qqTVa64ZBzNwCJ-LCAW57CDD1xnwVguS90T/s640/IMG_20170527_083743332_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjDZxr818j6C9FAAehI8L4BbTvxc1BqcM7rQfY__Pnwh6zrRfadRYQAvd4Jrj_Fa1wHqVtPHSkLsFJafx4wx3Xx03zgd-qstaRbolLsSgrlhk2GSuhI46mpBTKf4UTF0Gleq79BNRz5-I/s1600/IMG_20170527_083751889_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjDZxr818j6C9FAAehI8L4BbTvxc1BqcM7rQfY__Pnwh6zrRfadRYQAvd4Jrj_Fa1wHqVtPHSkLsFJafx4wx3Xx03zgd-qstaRbolLsSgrlhk2GSuhI46mpBTKf4UTF0Gleq79BNRz5-I/s640/IMG_20170527_083751889_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoIPG1hrr2p5ZK_roOzsLQJ1kzF_0G_CxvA6Gy060EalshjpRPDuKOQuTkC8nZ6yxfo15lNmz6GKIZGJms9yVnwTHM10BsGPOHG6GuUUmyXxxDOEByWRs25j59YUFbadRj1Prw2DzGn8l/s1600/IMG_20170527_092150201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoIPG1hrr2p5ZK_roOzsLQJ1kzF_0G_CxvA6Gy060EalshjpRPDuKOQuTkC8nZ6yxfo15lNmz6GKIZGJms9yVnwTHM10BsGPOHG6GuUUmyXxxDOEByWRs25j59YUFbadRj1Prw2DzGn8l/s640/IMG_20170527_092150201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4p6YbRPhyphenhyphenwyv7_h-kdW9WqkZsAFt_fvRbkids0mpE1mXtTS0tqglarx2KT-LxAUEEEhPR2pOqveTuC_IVG4jughov4VReIB_oZssAGmnxc3wY-E_mpi1lkzBiyYax-ZJKEIvb2b-NsGxk/s1600/IMG_20170527_095013472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4p6YbRPhyphenhyphenwyv7_h-kdW9WqkZsAFt_fvRbkids0mpE1mXtTS0tqglarx2KT-LxAUEEEhPR2pOqveTuC_IVG4jughov4VReIB_oZssAGmnxc3wY-E_mpi1lkzBiyYax-ZJKEIvb2b-NsGxk/s640/IMG_20170527_095013472.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NB78oZpLIo5xi5jdMiwQOqZUAF2kG2rBICAU1q2xWDXtMIPrOhDroXNm2MNxLWBGxbTjmD0rdAPWVqYqShAxcOM1-i2k2UjYZQuF2EHjptJ5vas2WpJfbLARGr1a3Z_hrRqSsUn1gpiv/s1600/IMG_20170527_095048252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NB78oZpLIo5xi5jdMiwQOqZUAF2kG2rBICAU1q2xWDXtMIPrOhDroXNm2MNxLWBGxbTjmD0rdAPWVqYqShAxcOM1-i2k2UjYZQuF2EHjptJ5vas2WpJfbLARGr1a3Z_hrRqSsUn1gpiv/s640/IMG_20170527_095048252.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9410g1wdIsbqFZmfRBF0NwVNe-O9lzL8tBog8LfhcjP074rCg3vDqQ8FcB08LzkyY_PY61apDVYfPd4mH-EnxrCnJAWw-TlT0qj3PVc3E3OOUKlHnOLWbVht93kY5NiFWT-svIe4-WGli/s1600/IMG_20170527_100042983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9410g1wdIsbqFZmfRBF0NwVNe-O9lzL8tBog8LfhcjP074rCg3vDqQ8FcB08LzkyY_PY61apDVYfPd4mH-EnxrCnJAWw-TlT0qj3PVc3E3OOUKlHnOLWbVht93kY5NiFWT-svIe4-WGli/s640/IMG_20170527_100042983.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIw65WLZshCSsrbt3s_q5VKs5WroHjfF2qrDKbqVUOTSp-EabiXw5IymQZHlP-c2RW6yJwXRyzHi5sqIsnkd1wa5pDpaR1ean0MtekEX5XvR9i5hfDwcwUOs2fQKDI3Lxc7G0An4Qklpm1/s1600/IMG_20170527_112440961_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIw65WLZshCSsrbt3s_q5VKs5WroHjfF2qrDKbqVUOTSp-EabiXw5IymQZHlP-c2RW6yJwXRyzHi5sqIsnkd1wa5pDpaR1ean0MtekEX5XvR9i5hfDwcwUOs2fQKDI3Lxc7G0An4Qklpm1/s640/IMG_20170527_112440961_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEe7lz-RbV62kCHYVmaQxJEqvzd4G8S6dEjYka03K8CljgTeuLwZtl6MnWlznqH8jUk8eAE_n4qn1xZnya62MnpikXcItiVdxCbTvELd6dbY3jZjjGG3l-LNm0GhO6udiYpUkGszYmh-A/s1600/IMG_20170527_112452053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEe7lz-RbV62kCHYVmaQxJEqvzd4G8S6dEjYka03K8CljgTeuLwZtl6MnWlznqH8jUk8eAE_n4qn1xZnya62MnpikXcItiVdxCbTvELd6dbY3jZjjGG3l-LNm0GhO6udiYpUkGszYmh-A/s640/IMG_20170527_112452053.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7kTl5CY_jwkiApS_gs9Mh1_TTIZHxOxw8hBQjDpRIZKP9I0OqZoAIk94Rs8wvD4Cg_Fb-e8tOi0nSJxdKYsTKN5ES0-tyx7-ijAZUa4HTCEgAJ7nLXXYl1MBGqXbO0CeYIUXS3cYI1_l/s1600/IMG_20170527_121607854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7kTl5CY_jwkiApS_gs9Mh1_TTIZHxOxw8hBQjDpRIZKP9I0OqZoAIk94Rs8wvD4Cg_Fb-e8tOi0nSJxdKYsTKN5ES0-tyx7-ijAZUa4HTCEgAJ7nLXXYl1MBGqXbO0CeYIUXS3cYI1_l/s640/IMG_20170527_121607854.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaiGLcLTAQwMKbi2HjGPlAYPQK1-XLrzTZawsSuCkTb_fDGFfFTkGsjQw7gqh5WP9tQ_qUpq-H7Smb8VoMsEPWjvbBHJKlryn8hWLErCmSRjx5I7Jlb0-_jHfhdmN2aRjxDyzJvwvmMN2/s1600/IMG_20170527_121613216_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaiGLcLTAQwMKbi2HjGPlAYPQK1-XLrzTZawsSuCkTb_fDGFfFTkGsjQw7gqh5WP9tQ_qUpq-H7Smb8VoMsEPWjvbBHJKlryn8hWLErCmSRjx5I7Jlb0-_jHfhdmN2aRjxDyzJvwvmMN2/s640/IMG_20170527_121613216_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-3565420835596863102017-05-10T20:00:00.000-04:002018-07-08T21:44:48.610-04:00Rainy slog over Eisenhower, Pierce, Jackson, and WebsterIn hope of making a Presidential Traverse an annual event, I am back again this year to do it again - this time with my brother Brian. After Katy and I completed the traverse last year, Brian was clearly feeling left out. We therefore made a plan many months ago for the two of us to go for a Presidential Traverse in June of this year. With that set, we decided to do a couple of good sized hikes leading up to it in order to get ourselves prepped. First up was a trek over the southern Presidentials plus Jackson and Webster on a Saturday in early May.<br />
<br />
We planned this hike out weeks in advance, and since we both have busy schedules, jobs, and small children, the date was locked in. It was hike on May 6 or not at all. Our original plan was to do a long loop starting at the Dry River trailhead, hiking through the Dry River Wilderness and then up over Jackson, Webster, and looping back down. The route was about 14 miles. However, with spring hiking conditions often very challenging, I was monitoring trip reports and trail conditions leading up to the hike and noticed at least one person make an attempt up the Dry River Trail and report that there is a crossing of Dry River that is dangerous or impossible. I managed to get in contact with the reporter via email and he suggested we change our route. We looked at the options and decided to ascend Eisenhower via the Crawford Path instead, and then descend back over Pierce, Jackson, and Webster. It would be a good teaser for what we would encounter at the end of the traverse!<br />
<br />
The forecast for the day of the hike was not good. The valleys were forecast for showers all day and the <a href="https://www.mountwashington.org/experience-the-weather/higher-summit-forecast.aspx">Higher Summits Forecast</a> was predicting summits socked in the clouds, rain all day, and temperatures in the 30's and 40's at elevation with high winds. As I mentioned it was hike on that day or bust so we kept our plans and were at the Crawford Path trailhead on Mt Clinton Rd at 6:30AM. It was cloudy, cold, and raining and there were no other cars in the lot. We geared up and headed off.<br />
<br />
The early portion of the hike was wet but straightforward. We quickly put our rain gear on and slogged on. Once we reached about 3000 feet of elevation, we began to encounter increasing patches of snow until there was a full, stable monorail with some areas still sporting multiple feet of snow. We put on our microspikes and were able to move along pretty well during this portion of the ascent. This was without a doubt the simplest part of our hike with straightforward trail conditions. Once we reached tree line, the snow become very patchy with some areas of bare rock, some stable monorail, and some unstable snow conditions with post-holing a problem. We slogged on until we reached the Mount Eisenhower Loop Trail to head up the summit cone of Eisenhower.<br />
<br />
We were in the clouds the entire hike with no views at all. Once we reached Eisenhower Loop Trail, the winds really picked up. They were easily 50-60 mph sustained winds with gusts even higher. Just walking and staying upright was a challenge and we battled our way to the summit and then quickly over the top and back down to Crawford Path. At this point we made a short attempt to descend into the Dry River Wilderness via the Mount Eisenhower Trial. However, the trail was a mess with deep, unstable snow and many blowdowns so we abandoned it and decided to backtrack down Crawford Path. While backtracking, we bumped into the first and only hiker we saw all day. It was a through hiker heading over the big Presidentials - definitely a brutal day to hit these peaks while hiking the AT! We wished him good luck and continued over Pierce and towards Mizpah Hut.<br />
<br />
Once we made it to Mizpah we stopped for the first time all day. We were cold and wet and changed into whatever dry clothes we still had and ate some lunch. The caretaker was all by herself and we chatted with her for a bit and took advantage of some of the amenities she had to offer including hot coffee and muffins. It was at this point that we also had a choice. We could shorten our route and head straight back to the car from here, or we could stick to the plan and ascend Jackson and Webster before making our return. The full route was about 3 miles longer and we opted to go for it. We thanked the caretaker for her hospitality, packed up our gear, and headed for Jackson.<br />
<br />
The trails up and over Jackson and Webster featured more of the same. Wet, cold, and a mixed bag of bare rock, deep snow, and stable and unstable monorail. We post-holed often and the going was slow but we made it over both peaks. On the way down Webster we encountered a couple of challenging river crossings, one which required a nearly waste deep dip. We were already so wet though that it really didn't make much difference. We made it down to Rt 302 and did the small road walk back to our car by about 4:30PM. Overall a roughly 14 mile hike that took 10 hours.<br />
<br />
This hike was a real challenge. The combination of the rotting snow trail conditions, the cold, the rain, and the wind made for a tough day but still a good one!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFjEwvtcCC3lFvcilU6i0FmnT6ktb62z6PkffIaO9zwhvRwNij6r3RbNzrcWrfG6f69_3GkAyQVY6pOgaj3yvdYxU_Xw5O57c1Dsot2SoBKhYWYWR6OzTPG6iQW4saTxSdaFFNpR7qRec/s1600/IMG_20170506_064100526_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFjEwvtcCC3lFvcilU6i0FmnT6ktb62z6PkffIaO9zwhvRwNij6r3RbNzrcWrfG6f69_3GkAyQVY6pOgaj3yvdYxU_Xw5O57c1Dsot2SoBKhYWYWR6OzTPG6iQW4saTxSdaFFNpR7qRec/s640/IMG_20170506_064100526_HDR.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Og-eGG2cFJdeNOFrB5N58dYYrnen0anxjr0f7WD4X-h9Po8b3Movs-caEIQb69UM71LsTZgkf5w0hr6usGagrnlE3ZUSC1KUQlZWHVz354sahsxQlTJX7p3UsQPziuTwT0PRZ2xRrbYk/s1600/IMG_20170506_080950615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Og-eGG2cFJdeNOFrB5N58dYYrnen0anxjr0f7WD4X-h9Po8b3Movs-caEIQb69UM71LsTZgkf5w0hr6usGagrnlE3ZUSC1KUQlZWHVz354sahsxQlTJX7p3UsQPziuTwT0PRZ2xRrbYk/s640/IMG_20170506_080950615.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTyjom4RnPonSJYvTCzlLrFyA78y8GnxJZ7ASpq1eZx5jme6Qsl-BR1EskiCvPVfSWyAjj8iShGybKUbVW_alc59eSFE4hEYnzf4KVJH8Wb1saLWod7CtbhrTwIACr0BGk_ED-9Z6HXi_/s1600/IMG_20170506_080957081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTyjom4RnPonSJYvTCzlLrFyA78y8GnxJZ7ASpq1eZx5jme6Qsl-BR1EskiCvPVfSWyAjj8iShGybKUbVW_alc59eSFE4hEYnzf4KVJH8Wb1saLWod7CtbhrTwIACr0BGk_ED-9Z6HXi_/s640/IMG_20170506_080957081.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-28010801721870473712016-06-20T21:34:00.000-04:002016-06-20T22:25:19.457-04:00Presidential TraverseThe Presidential Traverse! It's a benchmark day hike and one that Katy and I have been talking about for a long time. Back when we were working on the NH 4000 footers list, it kind of reached joke status. We would talk about it with each other and with our family and friends that knew about our hiking endeavors as if it was just some crazy thing that other people do. Slowly, though, the joking became more serious until we finally actually put it on the calendar. As the date on the calendar continued to get closer, it became more real. We started preparing for it, planning it, anticipating it. I guess we were really doing it! The date of the hike, June 18, 2016, finally arrived this past Saturday. And we did it.<br />
<br />
A Presidential Traverse is a single continuous hike that hits all of the peaks named after U.S. presidents. In all, there are 7 of these peaks, and the shortest route over all of them is about 20 miles long with roughly 8500 feet of elevation gain required. Given these requirements, there are many variations to a Presidential Traverse, including whether to go north to south or south to north, choosing one of the many trails up (or down) Madison, and adding "non-presidential" peaks to the route like Clay, Jackson, and/or Webster. We decided in advance that our goal would be the "minimal" traverse from north to south going up Madison from Appalachia on Rt. 2 via Valley Way and ending at the bottom of Pierce taking the Crawford Path out to Rt. 302. We would also bypass the unofficial Mt. Clay on the way up to Washington.<br />
<br />
We had spotted a car on Friday night in Crawford Notch at the base of the Crawford Path and stayed at a motel on Rt. 2 near the Appalachia trailhead. Our plan was to be on the trail and hiking starting at 4:00AM. We were a few minutes behind and made it the trailhead parking lot at 4:15AM. The lot was completely full! There were also several other hiking groups there at that time gearing up for obviously the same thing. We parked on the shoulder of Rt. 2 and got ready to go in the dark. After getting our gear and headlamps together, and snapping a few pictures, we began hiking up Valley Way.<br />
<br />
The initial ascent was interesting and not quite what I expected. For one, it was our first real experience hiking in the dark which was kind of neat, but different. Also, there were at least four other groups and well over a dozen hikers who started at almost the exact same time as us. Even though I knew this would be a very popular day to hike the traverse and we would likely see other traversers, I don't think I was quite expecting the train of headlamps ahead of us and behind us during that first mile. The intensity in the air was also abundant with the other hiking groups starting and stopping frequently to adjust clothing, adjust water bottles, adjust headlamps. We leapfrogged these groups several times right out of the gate. After a mile or so, though, things settled down.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the ascent, though, was how I felt. I basically felt like I was asleep. Normally I am not awake at 4 in the morning and my body was letting me know this. There was some initial adrenaline, but most of the hike up to the hut was a quiet slog. We set a reasonable pace, though, as Valley Way is a fairly steady trail and before we knew it, we were at Madison Hut. We continued right past the hut, after Katy briefly dropped her pack, and went right for the Madison summit. I was starting to wake up at this point, and we were finally above tree line, with the sun having risen and it starting to feel warmer. We could not have gotten luckier with the weather, as it was forecast to be in the 50's on the summits with clear skies, lots of sun, and not much wind. We made it to the Madison summit at 6:50AM fully awake now, feeling good, and ready to tackle what's next.<br />
<br />
We doubled back to the hut and decided to stop to eat and fill our water. The hut was bustling with activity as the overnighters were all sitting down for breakfast. After a short break, we continued on to Adams and were at the summit by 8:20AM. For some reason ascending Adams this time seemed easier then any of the times I've done it in the past. It was at this point in the hike that we were well ahead of our estimated schedule, feeling good, and thinking this Presidential Traverse is going to be easy! Also, at this hour of the day, at this point in the hike, almost every other group that we bumped into was attempting a Presidential Traverse. It would be a theme throughout the day as we continued to leapfrog several groups several times. We did not stay on the summit long, and were back down off the Adams summit and back on the Gulfside Trail in no time.<br />
<br />
The hike between Adams and Jefferson is long, but with some fairly flat sections. We continued our steady pace, still feeling good and made it to the summit at 10:20AM. A few pictures on the summit and on we went with the next stop Mount Washington. It's over 3 miles from Jefferson to Washington, with Mount Clay in between. We decided in advance that we would take the Gulfside Trail around Clay and save ourselves a couple hundred feet up and down of elevation. Once we made it around Clay, we still had about a mile to the summit and 1000 feet of elevation gain to climb so we decided to stop for a bit and eat. It was a good move and gave us the boost we needed to make it up Washington. When we reached the summit at 12:45PM I was expecting huge crowds as the Auto Road race was happening in the morning. However, the festivities must have just ended as it was surprisingly quiet with even lots of empty tables open in the summit building. We stayed at the top for about a half an hour, long enough to use the rest rooms, eat some food, drink some water, and rest up for the rest of our journey. We were over halfway done in terms of mileage and most of the climbing in terms of elevation gain was complete!<br />
<br />
The hike down Crawford Path to Lake of the Clouds Hut was really quite easy. This trail is as nicely maintained as I remember with easy footing and lots of rocks setup as stairs. On the way down, we had a reunion with a couple of traverser groups that started the day with us way back at 4:15AM at Appalachia as they passed us going to the hut. We caught up to them at the hut, though, as they were still taking a break when we arrived. We quickly filled up our water and stayed for only a couple of minutes before heading for Monroe which was less then half a mile away. We made it to the top of Monroe at 2:30PM, almost the exact same time as the two other traverser groups, and stopped just long enough for a picture. On we all went, with one group taking off ahead of us that we didn't see the rest of the day, and one falling behind, that we also didn't see the rest of the day. We hope they made it!<br />
<br />
It was another couple of miles before Eisenhower, and as we approached the final ascent, it was at this point that the hike began to take its toll. I began developing a dehydration headache and we stopped to eat again and drink more water. The refueling helped and we continued to the summit of Eisenhower, getting there quicker then it looked from the junction of the Eisenhower loop trail at 4:10PM. We were 12 hours in to the hike, with only one more peak to go! The hike over to Pierce is not a difficult, but we were slowing down at this point with so many miles and so many feet of elevation under our belts. We made it to Pierce at 5:10PM with the final summit complete!<br />
<br />
It's a running joke that Katy has stated her life goal is to be able to do a "5K at any time." My sister Maureen insists that this can't possibly be a goal since there's no way to really achieve it. Well, it's 3.1 miles (or 5K) from the summit of Mount Pierce back to where we parked our car. At this point, we were tired, hungry, and in plenty of pain so if there's ever a time to "achieve" this goal, it was then. This was easily the most difficult part of the hike with our knees and quads speaking to us on every downhill, rocky step and my headache still a dull pain in the background. The Crawford Path is an easy trail by most definitions, but that easy 5K took us over 2 hours to complete. Any time though! We made it back to the car at 7:30PM, tired, sore, hungry, but it didn't matter because we had done it.<br />
<br />
The Presidential Traverse was a goal that we had set for ourselves years ago, and it was finally in the bag. We had prepared for it, we were ready for it, and everything finally came together for us to make the attempt on an absolutely perfect day. Add to that the intangibles of the day: the anticipation of the event, the excitement of the goal, the intensity of the morning, the instant camaraderie on the trail, and just like that it was an instant classic.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILr5JO6Sms71kvvRnSDVG2CT-7qZ-wdRS5yrIR0YlIX2iMBAqEPxQLZGeeHPjmSWg1760DYr5Zy8eg2pinqHb9SB9Qq88weJtOnXjTGdQUAMSxBTfsFHxBI2cdlBdnXQOSes6yP7Rpy_j/s1600/IMG_5140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILr5JO6Sms71kvvRnSDVG2CT-7qZ-wdRS5yrIR0YlIX2iMBAqEPxQLZGeeHPjmSWg1760DYr5Zy8eg2pinqHb9SB9Qq88weJtOnXjTGdQUAMSxBTfsFHxBI2cdlBdnXQOSes6yP7Rpy_j/s640/IMG_5140.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwVPRgwSIoqVyiW4li2Y2Pw14SfmgaqdhGHid88zCjQ09F4-du16rFF31x8iFhh-jzm3opVcbgFsIyQcbh_XpvPAPJb5NgeHymaVlY6gJdz5BZKCLX6xqUHZ-5roG00TeLuYlc-NP31nV/s1600/IMG_5142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwVPRgwSIoqVyiW4li2Y2Pw14SfmgaqdhGHid88zCjQ09F4-du16rFF31x8iFhh-jzm3opVcbgFsIyQcbh_XpvPAPJb5NgeHymaVlY6gJdz5BZKCLX6xqUHZ-5roG00TeLuYlc-NP31nV/s640/IMG_5142.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPv2E8ja6d1GhQbudrVeE-5pVEU_u0xc_EfID8dEJdYPGJWFyrIKjEFgkPWbcptkY7Weebphx1EB4YmsYn1HtiF3-vvbvYv5qqBsWouGymaZxceFyaiNuDls_0pWDAM9N8QkviZEO_r0S/s1600/IMG_5144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPv2E8ja6d1GhQbudrVeE-5pVEU_u0xc_EfID8dEJdYPGJWFyrIKjEFgkPWbcptkY7Weebphx1EB4YmsYn1HtiF3-vvbvYv5qqBsWouGymaZxceFyaiNuDls_0pWDAM9N8QkviZEO_r0S/s640/IMG_5144.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhXNI_kg7TCdS0myEWWSP-wTcseHIcHy_1EuCLKowP6lbzbIAE3LKo3erDQwTKeH4W1Pbtlhm1G6nyMKBb6gZi69ouSMytNWavzCEn70WZG2IlnVWanievTSv-SstVomJaBGEDdW1dh0p/s1600/IMG_5145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhXNI_kg7TCdS0myEWWSP-wTcseHIcHy_1EuCLKowP6lbzbIAE3LKo3erDQwTKeH4W1Pbtlhm1G6nyMKBb6gZi69ouSMytNWavzCEn70WZG2IlnVWanievTSv-SstVomJaBGEDdW1dh0p/s640/IMG_5145.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6jU8Ckaf50YYTjLDSpdYbCVdKyuXriOPGN-jVM0YMxTry4_FNhg8NXlS4zuJwuQz1Y9HWzMywI2t_O6R9vlsnG2XBiHnuOJ6CECjKtGVhPosuistAAoDUaxDK9Fz_KcQsW7lyafHCJN5/s1600/IMG_5149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6jU8Ckaf50YYTjLDSpdYbCVdKyuXriOPGN-jVM0YMxTry4_FNhg8NXlS4zuJwuQz1Y9HWzMywI2t_O6R9vlsnG2XBiHnuOJ6CECjKtGVhPosuistAAoDUaxDK9Fz_KcQsW7lyafHCJN5/s640/IMG_5149.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoqGxwI_b9d5dFPwU-X5wPa_TXytmflx9TR_ilzk8EUTGOuN3Rpjclk4FsKjsg1fuKQWES0dCZncEJ5qydnzo356kJKH9UK5-d6JAr03DUh9tTOYW6RX0Txp0wRqtt2gFqCm9DTaoctg3/s1600/IMG_5157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoqGxwI_b9d5dFPwU-X5wPa_TXytmflx9TR_ilzk8EUTGOuN3Rpjclk4FsKjsg1fuKQWES0dCZncEJ5qydnzo356kJKH9UK5-d6JAr03DUh9tTOYW6RX0Txp0wRqtt2gFqCm9DTaoctg3/s640/IMG_5157.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVgs_gzUKi7H91jHadoU3fVssOYVor6bCDdeOc41Qpj0PZcpxn0J-sejCN9zNptLvEyuhMQhpClvTZa2acdd2YPt_b3LVaD5vwwdHJqQys8uF9Lg3z-TMEtYmwZeh-mMp1-gmoLpBYVrP/s1600/IMG_5158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVgs_gzUKi7H91jHadoU3fVssOYVor6bCDdeOc41Qpj0PZcpxn0J-sejCN9zNptLvEyuhMQhpClvTZa2acdd2YPt_b3LVaD5vwwdHJqQys8uF9Lg3z-TMEtYmwZeh-mMp1-gmoLpBYVrP/s640/IMG_5158.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjsD0Y3wPaS4d0nAaKZazf57ZHbBBAbhLvvV775adGC-vxx-5BNDRaJdQs5cByeGLXxSmgp95FK-sE_PXLGYGJVVYsQgcc3wqS4KhLRz7ciFikQhieYliM4cOk4_g_oRIJZ_YQqPgjl27/s1600/IMG_5160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjsD0Y3wPaS4d0nAaKZazf57ZHbBBAbhLvvV775adGC-vxx-5BNDRaJdQs5cByeGLXxSmgp95FK-sE_PXLGYGJVVYsQgcc3wqS4KhLRz7ciFikQhieYliM4cOk4_g_oRIJZ_YQqPgjl27/s640/IMG_5160.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DYghO5H7NEvg1uUv_xbwoTE4_hf4UGoSb_LCPm4lrVGekAHDHe9kx258e76BcX02rBYCz_qiys-UPKywrn9AbQHo5nwCzibO2pL3XwqzEwzAEl0BmTXwntMqNUmMlaVREx8cSqB6l-pF/s1600/IMG_5162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DYghO5H7NEvg1uUv_xbwoTE4_hf4UGoSb_LCPm4lrVGekAHDHe9kx258e76BcX02rBYCz_qiys-UPKywrn9AbQHo5nwCzibO2pL3XwqzEwzAEl0BmTXwntMqNUmMlaVREx8cSqB6l-pF/s640/IMG_5162.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsJs8agQD6aptfQkVpxJi5QGxYnNNC-P-UBS4ezv_r9ymBfTcUnmf3GsYNsYQ6CYfrGmNrXT_fjhvbmPD0GQt3wHv04hBrO1nSp_AUaeJopMgxvA81ibPIGC21my00AeXlE528-rJtzGi/s1600/IMG_5164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsJs8agQD6aptfQkVpxJi5QGxYnNNC-P-UBS4ezv_r9ymBfTcUnmf3GsYNsYQ6CYfrGmNrXT_fjhvbmPD0GQt3wHv04hBrO1nSp_AUaeJopMgxvA81ibPIGC21my00AeXlE528-rJtzGi/s640/IMG_5164.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIakFm8Oe0QaqRkBrsFydXwXsULrJOp1Tl6xoPmjg0PKO_hnEXjD3KgpvC4ncCi5lM1FwW_jQyfUl7PJNMDS7arlUxWivrSox2OhALEV5ZeCMZ_1QfR9kQJ5mMJyO-P7P7m5khFVnEOJW2/s1600/IMG_5168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIakFm8Oe0QaqRkBrsFydXwXsULrJOp1Tl6xoPmjg0PKO_hnEXjD3KgpvC4ncCi5lM1FwW_jQyfUl7PJNMDS7arlUxWivrSox2OhALEV5ZeCMZ_1QfR9kQJ5mMJyO-P7P7m5khFVnEOJW2/s640/IMG_5168.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLJcZ48Ti6C5Ns4kvn7LTNZfyVMyDxkATqhmNxaRUdAYpTbDkkJS3AFyZMVcv1LOGCsUe3qRBgkj4k5q56cBypTZtor-CLZHEjpg2XxS73Xj4uvVz5jdKjtHGcM5TB5Kf29aUXnPptjFh/s1600/IMG_5176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLJcZ48Ti6C5Ns4kvn7LTNZfyVMyDxkATqhmNxaRUdAYpTbDkkJS3AFyZMVcv1LOGCsUe3qRBgkj4k5q56cBypTZtor-CLZHEjpg2XxS73Xj4uvVz5jdKjtHGcM5TB5Kf29aUXnPptjFh/s640/IMG_5176.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8wnpu10BpmvvKP7zwnOzOOw-1qexK3HJZBdtKeELWt8aVHWxfohhpA7n9aIUcQvxWljAZw3pdeRJILEVGneYudoEK05BIpqpRZSGj-YALpLiNEwQkopR1Ixv4vFXVhoqYmK3aO-UZs9y/s1600/IMG_5177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8wnpu10BpmvvKP7zwnOzOOw-1qexK3HJZBdtKeELWt8aVHWxfohhpA7n9aIUcQvxWljAZw3pdeRJILEVGneYudoEK05BIpqpRZSGj-YALpLiNEwQkopR1Ixv4vFXVhoqYmK3aO-UZs9y/s640/IMG_5177.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3CEe9kC3JzbKh4HFhtmPt1qjX4oj41bAc3tZpc1aLaUBaFEBrmYgU2Q4ruZ1atC53gko6Ima3JFU1UoN8TiY0FUC7Ft26oo5uvc0EuRTL93FiNQsxlZrRq7fyINsbeW3PNc0ul8HaGm3/s1600/IMG_5179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3CEe9kC3JzbKh4HFhtmPt1qjX4oj41bAc3tZpc1aLaUBaFEBrmYgU2Q4ruZ1atC53gko6Ima3JFU1UoN8TiY0FUC7Ft26oo5uvc0EuRTL93FiNQsxlZrRq7fyINsbeW3PNc0ul8HaGm3/s640/IMG_5179.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmilXxil6yQ2GhBOuUNVaAgR9LLpygUB0ndPNX7aNHO-0LQTDIwrw-8AV0J_gDKZmeU9hsBjAWZAGjAdEOpFrVjYUK8iI4xy00_vRSBS_bvQss6XTtLnIskRv5N8FiNNsMVBJwrZjfMbM/s1600/IMG_5180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmilXxil6yQ2GhBOuUNVaAgR9LLpygUB0ndPNX7aNHO-0LQTDIwrw-8AV0J_gDKZmeU9hsBjAWZAGjAdEOpFrVjYUK8iI4xy00_vRSBS_bvQss6XTtLnIskRv5N8FiNNsMVBJwrZjfMbM/s640/IMG_5180.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQ5_0NcD7wwomg0VZ25iD6Awy13P8CHJ1PXKfVLhXycSlGOXCkBokBhOBzE6wF4oCqZ1PXl0ssA1uCprVp5UgP4a49Hrs6MckIeqNGmfbB2V7eT2IbDjs2pTeH5dfkLs5WiHTqnq0HvnN/s1600/IMG_5184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQ5_0NcD7wwomg0VZ25iD6Awy13P8CHJ1PXKfVLhXycSlGOXCkBokBhOBzE6wF4oCqZ1PXl0ssA1uCprVp5UgP4a49Hrs6MckIeqNGmfbB2V7eT2IbDjs2pTeH5dfkLs5WiHTqnq0HvnN/s640/IMG_5184.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjDoOOGC4W2ECoLYj_USW8ZuRCCZ-Iux0G_qioI77jhH35-7j44UXxTeP7tCwq-jSYbH_mf0kRAFS8KIQiIdWCbU2iUNPpJgJFyI16fgHRGqHZbBjnRXFxpzABGNs05e-DOf-iDDeJzbC/s1600/IMG_5193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjDoOOGC4W2ECoLYj_USW8ZuRCCZ-Iux0G_qioI77jhH35-7j44UXxTeP7tCwq-jSYbH_mf0kRAFS8KIQiIdWCbU2iUNPpJgJFyI16fgHRGqHZbBjnRXFxpzABGNs05e-DOf-iDDeJzbC/s640/IMG_5193.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q_XTpoUe9e96xCE0v9krVtZqF5JaovqrZ_IesaGrXGJqyWDAs7hk16r-ZwJc67PUrV_1qoO2AtiIczeHqnCTjbmCwy7OPB4K0-IKO9B-ld0owF-v8wAeYrnawKxwbS9UrTMHIwRecqst/s1600/IMG_5202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q_XTpoUe9e96xCE0v9krVtZqF5JaovqrZ_IesaGrXGJqyWDAs7hk16r-ZwJc67PUrV_1qoO2AtiIczeHqnCTjbmCwy7OPB4K0-IKO9B-ld0owF-v8wAeYrnawKxwbS9UrTMHIwRecqst/s640/IMG_5202.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7YA6nK2H88m6FFNgN6SL2DWhY1w5CMI2BkNFxgKZCmk8ur0Srag88rxVqnCZNhyphenhyphen7gF6r2wmESQfC4pCzGBs5Ni0fcCU4YFigDElOxTC2AZxo8DuA-3lQi54Z-7dLg4UUaH27Lh0lTxJ4/s1600/IMG_5205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7YA6nK2H88m6FFNgN6SL2DWhY1w5CMI2BkNFxgKZCmk8ur0Srag88rxVqnCZNhyphenhyphen7gF6r2wmESQfC4pCzGBs5Ni0fcCU4YFigDElOxTC2AZxo8DuA-3lQi54Z-7dLg4UUaH27Lh0lTxJ4/s640/IMG_5205.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-52356386224569419842016-06-01T20:00:00.000-04:002016-06-20T21:34:28.798-04:00Mount WashingtonTraverse training continues! Over Memorial Day weekend, my aunt and uncle were kind enough to host the whole family at the condo in Bartlett, NH. My parents also came along and they offered to watch Toby and Tyler for a day while Katy and I head off and do a hike. With our planned Presidential Traverse in only a few weeks, we decided that Mount Washington would be a good warmup hike to get us ready.<br />
<br />
After getting the kids up and fed on Sunday morning, we headed off to the main Pinkham Notch trailhead and arrived there at about 9AM. The lot was filling quickly but we found a space and headed off. The forecast called for a mostly cloudy day with a chance of showers, and as we started up the trail, it was overcast with low clouds. It looked like we were in for a viewless hike. We continued on nevertheless.<br />
<br />
The first half of Tuckerman's Ravine Trail from Pinkham Notch is a very wide, gradual, easy trail. As usual, it was a busy trail with many other hikers going up and coming down. We made good time and eventually came to the trail junction for Lions Head. We opted to go up Lions Head trail as that had the main steep section at a lower elevation and we were unlikely to encounter any leftover spring snow. As we continued to climb, surprisingly, things began to clear up. Just as we popped out onto the ridge we began to emerge out of the clouds and were treated to an undercast below. It's not a terribly rare weather phenomenon in these mountains but you don't see it everyday and it is a neat view. We plodded along, taking a few breaks along the way as the summit began to become visible ahead.<br />
<br />
As we traversed the ridge, we could see into Tuckerman's Ravine and noticed a few skiers taking runs down the last few patches of snow high up the headwall of the ravine. It was quite the sight as there was very little snow left and it looked like quite a challenge to avoid crashing into the rocks when the snow comes to an abrupt end halfway down the headwall. As we continued on, we soon made it to the trail junction where Lions Head Trail meets back up with Tuckerman's Ravine Trail. Trail traffic picked up as we made the final push to the summit.<br />
<br />
We made it to the summit at around noon, and stopped for lunch. Conditions at the summit were better then expected, with mostly clear skies and a partial undercast below. As usual, it was busy at the summit with tourists and hikers, and we stayed for maybe a half hour. We began our descent back down the way we came, and opted to take Tuckerman's Ravine Trail down instead of Lion's Head. The trail was steep as usual but in good shape. However, there were two snow fields left that we were forced to cross, one of which was on a severe side slope. We didn't use or bring any traction, so they definitely required some caution. We made it down, though, and continued into the ravine.<br />
<br />
Before long, we had made it to the Hermit Lake Shelter at the base of the ravine, and continued down the rest of the trail back to our car. It was a nice hike on a nice day and perfect for traverse training!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmR0aLzHvHPQB8-HS_pwbCdDHWdn7eVkoouF80wX6Zcjr8QFjoXcA6J8GhhoLqVU73ytFAhaW2Ohhsvv_o-9pnzT8ad_5Y9riL8yy5NnoDwolXIjWjRupAjeTua_82wy_S2fICciMGEHb/s1600/IMG_4941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmR0aLzHvHPQB8-HS_pwbCdDHWdn7eVkoouF80wX6Zcjr8QFjoXcA6J8GhhoLqVU73ytFAhaW2Ohhsvv_o-9pnzT8ad_5Y9riL8yy5NnoDwolXIjWjRupAjeTua_82wy_S2fICciMGEHb/s640/IMG_4941.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-1739571686257009702016-05-18T21:00:00.000-04:002016-06-10T23:50:13.915-04:00Mount LafayetteThe date for our Presidential Traverse is drawing nearer, and with that, Katy and I are working on our hiking training missions. Last week, I planned a hiking trip with Brian to go up the classic Franconia Ridge loop over Mount Lafayette and Mount Lincoln. Given our schedules, Sunday was the only day that would work. We've had good weather lately, so I didn't think weather would be an issue. However, this early in the season, I knew we would have to be prepared for potential spring snow and ice so would need the appropriate gear. As the hike drew closer, we had been monitoring the weather forecast in Franconia Notch and noted that it called for a fairly dreary day with chilly temperatures and rain. It didn't matter to me - the hike was still on.<br />
<br />
The day before the hike, I checked the Mount Washington Observatory's <a href="https://www.mountwashington.org/experience-the-weather/higher-summit-forecast.aspx">Higher Summits Forecast</a>. Even though we weren't going up Mount Washington and Franconia Ridge is a little ways away, it would still be a pretty good indicator of what we would experience above treeline. The forecast called for temperatures in the 20's, 50-70 mph winds, and a couple of inches of snow. I talked it over with Brian and we decided to stick with the plan, but vowing to make good decisions once we decide to go above treeline. It was 80 degrees and sunny in Massachusetts while we were talking, but I packed up my full winter gear, hats, gloves, microspikes, etc. in preparation for the hike the next day.<br />
<br />
Per our usual routine, I met up with Brian at the Park and Ride in Nashua, NH at 6AM. It was cool but nice out at the time with skies mostly clear in southern NH. We continued on together to the trailhead in Franconia Notch where conditions were different. Temperatures were in the 40's and raining with low clouds/fog as we geared up for what was sure to be an interesting day. As we started our way up Mount Lafayette in the rain, we couldn't help but talk about a 2004 backpacking trip that we did with our friend Bob where we hiked up this very same trail and it just down poured on us the whole day. Will this hike be a similar experience?<br />
<br />
Lafayette is a big mountain but Old Bridle Path is a trail that sees significant traffic and trail maintenance and is fairly steady in steepness all the way. We moved right along taking almost no breaks. The rain continued to come down, but after only about a mile or so, it changed to snow. The snowfall was actually a welcome change as you are less likely to get soaked through. We continued on, passing several large groups coming down that had clearly stayed overnight in Greenleaf Hut. Several people expressed their disbelief that we were actually going <i>up</i> the mountain and not down. "You just couldn't stay away huh?" said one. "It's going to be pretty windy up there today you know." said another. My favorite comment was from one of the kids in a boy scout troop that was coming down from the hut: "Woah! These guys are actually going up!!"<br />
<br />
By the time we made it to Greenleaf Hut, it was full blown winter. Snow was falling at a decent clip with about an inch of fresh snow that had accumulated and it was cold. There were a couple patches of ice just before the hut, but it wasn't significant enough for us to put on our microspikes. We ducked into the hut for a quick break and to have a snack. At this point, we had to make a decision. Do we go above treeline and head to the summit of Lafayette? Should we do the full loop and hike exposed across the ridge to Lincoln? There was no question that danger could lie ahead, but we were prepared and opted to head to the top of Lafayette and make a decision about the ridge from there. We put on all of our layers, hats, and gloves, and were about to head off. But wait! Brian packed two hats instead of a hat and gloves! Well for some reason I decided to pack an extra pair of gloves. Crisis averted. Into the blizzard we went.<br />
<br />
Heading up from the hut was cold, snowy, and windy, but the wind was at our backs which made it not bad overall. Visibility was low but not full whiteout as we were still always able to see to the next cairn. As the summit drew closer, conditions became very severe. The wind really picked up speed and it became more difficult to navigate. We made it to the summit but were in universal agreement that we would not do the walk across the ridge and would instead head straight back down. On the hike back down to the hut, the wind was directly in our faces and it was very cold. With a few inches of fresh powder on the trail, though, we were actually able to make really good time and we booked it back to the hut. As the hut drew closer, the wind gradually lessened as we escaped the unforgiving Alpine Zone.<br />
<br />
We took another break at the hut, before heading back down the way we came all the way to our car. It rained, it snowed, it was cold, it was windy, but this was a fun hike. I love summer hikes with clear skies, and perfect views, but it's only a hike like this one where you can fully experience all that these mountains have to offer.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dJwAw9j0JicS1WR3wHhuDvKvZE_I89RLCVq9XMEWLqWSD6UgVyidSpHUQd8c68zggLhWWeC8NZIXOOvCHgc3b5xb0Jh_e1JHrQvxE1ak2leaz740lzpM06WpHRXgU5usq9_Nwz5-8cMV/s1600/Lafayette1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dJwAw9j0JicS1WR3wHhuDvKvZE_I89RLCVq9XMEWLqWSD6UgVyidSpHUQd8c68zggLhWWeC8NZIXOOvCHgc3b5xb0Jh_e1JHrQvxE1ak2leaz740lzpM06WpHRXgU5usq9_Nwz5-8cMV/s640/Lafayette1.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD64KMD5n1TptVI430qWJ68RS2-hPZnH9Wiso_Lzo_Y0tu6EDhImnM5WPKpS1eJI6UYwcDquAmYtpLUWqxUOAKC3PEolRI5_aZ6DIEk1gE6AUF7SCPFSK3fftoj7jK-9GAsji8Wj292j0I/s1600/Lafayette2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD64KMD5n1TptVI430qWJ68RS2-hPZnH9Wiso_Lzo_Y0tu6EDhImnM5WPKpS1eJI6UYwcDquAmYtpLUWqxUOAKC3PEolRI5_aZ6DIEk1gE6AUF7SCPFSK3fftoj7jK-9GAsji8Wj292j0I/s640/Lafayette2.png" /></a></div>Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-35725519888751310102016-04-20T21:00:00.000-04:002016-06-10T23:25:06.738-04:00Mount WachusettRecently, Katy and I decided it was time to get our hiking boots back on and summit a peak. We hadn't done much hiking lately, but we have extra motivation to get some hikes under our belt this spring. For years now, we've been talking about doing a single day <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Traverse">Presidential Traverse</a>. It's kind of a running joke because we've talked about it for so long, but for a variety of reasons, have never been able to coordinate it and pull it off. Well, the time for talk is over. This year, in mid June, we are doing it. In preparation, we are aiming to get some smaller hikes in leading up to the main event.<br />
<br />
We had some nice weather over the weekend, and thought it would be a good chance to get a family hike in. Toby is almost 3 now, and can handle longer distances without being carried. Tyler is approaching 1, and loves being in the carrier. We decided Mount Wachusett would be a good choice as it's only an hour away and is a small, relatively simple hike. We decided to do an out and back to the summit via Mountain House Trail. We started off with me carrying Tyler on my back, and Toby walking on his own. Toby did well and made it almost halfway up the mountain before he got too tired. At that point, we put Toby on my back and Katy carried Tyler with the Baby Bjorn front carrier. We went the rest of the way up like this until reaching the summit which was quite crowded.<br/>
<br/>
We had lunch at the summit, and after navigating a few potty-training toddler challenges, we began heading back down. The boys were doing well, but at this point, it was best that they were both carried down as well. This proved probably the most challenging as Tyler is getting a little too big to be carried with the Baby Bjorn but we only have one back carrier which Toby was occupying. Despite this, we made it back down to the trailhead before heading home.<br/>
<br/>
A small hike - but an adventure nonetheless bringing two boys under the age of 3 and Tyler's first real hike!
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBzHnqW2DB28cO37VPDDZaItU7KK8P88e8dASZxvq5punJdpp_WPGLQ8eppr-u5ieEvk0-L06FvTEc9rODo7UnMESxeLhJvtthWWjeH8JurJVZ9i2XT3NQG30nCdioRRJyba6v62w2Q1a/s1600/IMG_4556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBzHnqW2DB28cO37VPDDZaItU7KK8P88e8dASZxvq5punJdpp_WPGLQ8eppr-u5ieEvk0-L06FvTEc9rODo7UnMESxeLhJvtthWWjeH8JurJVZ9i2XT3NQG30nCdioRRJyba6v62w2Q1a/s640/IMG_4556.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivepIB9gZh7V4GijGO684YdCGGAh2Tts4RL5VI-KRkuNgTZ00vPkIQGRn4a5SCdsvFBwleraLiEedZZNxy6-HJ2s7ZqcTU67bLeYjdWpvsd691IjNVByX9PXS7tPYn9_d1z2yu5PJDCfPq/s1600/IMG_4558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivepIB9gZh7V4GijGO684YdCGGAh2Tts4RL5VI-KRkuNgTZ00vPkIQGRn4a5SCdsvFBwleraLiEedZZNxy6-HJ2s7ZqcTU67bLeYjdWpvsd691IjNVByX9PXS7tPYn9_d1z2yu5PJDCfPq/s640/IMG_4558.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-3ODS2bwZREevVq8mX0PXwpj9X1wkQ89XpNdvYdt7Lbzi0HG1lM6lXO9sl44mlrC0nuLclIKdlMUZ2d30w-Mt37pQGivyZfzyTw_e0wPQhGVHYh2v59izKd4P5H4nf2ltZ0RSDw47SqT/s1600/IMG_4559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-3ODS2bwZREevVq8mX0PXwpj9X1wkQ89XpNdvYdt7Lbzi0HG1lM6lXO9sl44mlrC0nuLclIKdlMUZ2d30w-Mt37pQGivyZfzyTw_e0wPQhGVHYh2v59izKd4P5H4nf2ltZ0RSDw47SqT/s640/IMG_4559.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHbXtPYpCnSOzonhHoBrNppvkpPoaHAjHrMwjqjx1D9gC1BPFWTPaQjXgdt62ZbVJgQQDIGnnKsQOqddyKa4_P_yjOIxpRByyirMm8tCA2iHXBm4xeWb_clBdcCyE85jfDpXiH6JXOSwX/s1600/IMG_4567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHbXtPYpCnSOzonhHoBrNppvkpPoaHAjHrMwjqjx1D9gC1BPFWTPaQjXgdt62ZbVJgQQDIGnnKsQOqddyKa4_P_yjOIxpRByyirMm8tCA2iHXBm4xeWb_clBdcCyE85jfDpXiH6JXOSwX/s640/IMG_4567.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9D6iPKKqjBDCV6MMJB21ZAk1GOF4cTVCjDSkmK06_fFyOjRFxaGcFtjGltsP9GBkxPxv10BNalUb35G9cAdWak2P_Yf2jCJJdvWyUCNux2WRM7dtRvFILDMHGgOJTnJxix6SB2_hAOVQU/s1600/IMG_4575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9D6iPKKqjBDCV6MMJB21ZAk1GOF4cTVCjDSkmK06_fFyOjRFxaGcFtjGltsP9GBkxPxv10BNalUb35G9cAdWak2P_Yf2jCJJdvWyUCNux2WRM7dtRvFILDMHGgOJTnJxix6SB2_hAOVQU/s640/IMG_4575.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1geDUoJYWD_yHS8VmxjNF4GHiA9xfs5UcgIsXJoS-MdDFivCdxBR26UIxvX9NKRWAn3AXDVB2dRhyphenhyphenfQdEtqmqiRRGo5f3lLsUko142_DdyVXVx8qZkobBef_U2Z0M9Mixn3YBBF6t-bsX/s1600/IMG_4580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1geDUoJYWD_yHS8VmxjNF4GHiA9xfs5UcgIsXJoS-MdDFivCdxBR26UIxvX9NKRWAn3AXDVB2dRhyphenhyphenfQdEtqmqiRRGo5f3lLsUko142_DdyVXVx8qZkobBef_U2Z0M9Mixn3YBBF6t-bsX/s640/IMG_4580.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wDcil15nj47F8keaSmLH_pRJk-34IbusHtOOX4YGAZMc683wSuN28RpNWgzKTHqx5slYxXUoqJQcwue0LnYNrSfPLNDl5lt_bsmcWUbvZwN8fk5mQYuLQ81fRMVtVTF2TGQDuzFu9QPP/s1600/IMG_4589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wDcil15nj47F8keaSmLH_pRJk-34IbusHtOOX4YGAZMc683wSuN28RpNWgzKTHqx5slYxXUoqJQcwue0LnYNrSfPLNDl5lt_bsmcWUbvZwN8fk5mQYuLQ81fRMVtVTF2TGQDuzFu9QPP/s640/IMG_4589.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67pnFimdggJjPthVpeu0NA68OkISJORt0-iEw0_a33PkDHt9z1qgkl6lbPU2KzTM3BYCcIelOINlb-uHB73Ao6vTtlSENe4zcCNTxIIUjOWRQrpbYaGu1ZfbXcVlhgmXF8aFtOo72wne7/s1600/IMG_4599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67pnFimdggJjPthVpeu0NA68OkISJORt0-iEw0_a33PkDHt9z1qgkl6lbPU2KzTM3BYCcIelOINlb-uHB73Ao6vTtlSENe4zcCNTxIIUjOWRQrpbYaGu1ZfbXcVlhgmXF8aFtOo72wne7/s640/IMG_4599.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBMyW2d0LcJ_nIelzmdzztO7ONfCFMx4bQ-4HqXQuNHnviR44crWvvGUm8GwgB6pdwMUI7vHyCSEcrtZF-0zDa9RlDAudS1W_tSeO_5yEBqitFbYuZzsVx8Ex0RBReJBz2KrMuVvbFyT2/s1600/IMG_4611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBMyW2d0LcJ_nIelzmdzztO7ONfCFMx4bQ-4HqXQuNHnviR44crWvvGUm8GwgB6pdwMUI7vHyCSEcrtZF-0zDa9RlDAudS1W_tSeO_5yEBqitFbYuZzsVx8Ex0RBReJBz2KrMuVvbFyT2/s640/IMG_4611.JPG" /></a></div>Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-21497172595110115522015-10-17T14:57:00.001-04:002015-11-04T11:25:38.063-05:00Killington PeakWe're back! Three years ago almost to the day, Katy and I <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/10/15/mount-carrigain-finale/">hiked Mount Carrigain</a> to complete our 48th and final New Hampshire 4000 footer. Since then, our lives have changed quite a bit as we now have two children and are as busy as ever. It's always been our goal to continue on with our peakbagging and tackle the <a href="http://www.amc4000footer.org/newenglandfourk.html">New England 4000 footer</a> list. We love our boys and we love being parents, but one thing that is certainly true is that finding the time (and the babysitters) to get out and hike a 4000 foot peak is quite a bit more challenging now. But last weekend, we found both! We decided to rent a condo in the Killington, VT area for Columbus Day weekend for a classic New England trip. We invited Katy's sister Patty and her boyfriend Mike to join us, and they graciously offered to watch the boys for a few hours on Saturday so that Katy and I could hike Killington Peak for our 49th New England 4000 footer and first outside of New Hampshire! It was definitely a different experience from our peakbagging trips in the past, but on Saturday morning we were ready to go and out the door of the condo to make the short drive over to the Bucklin Trailhead to start the hike.<br />
<br />
It was about 10:00AM when we made it to the trailhead and were geared up to go. The weather was cool and crisp with forecasts in the 40's under mostly clear skies. The Bucklin Trail is about 3.5 miles long with a total of about 2500 feet of elevation gain. The first couple miles are quite straightforward though as they are mostly flat. We cruised along without issue, enjoying the fall foliage and just being out. The trail gradually became steeper and we continued to work our way up, passing a few other hikers along the way. It wasn't too long before we reached the trail junction with the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail (both the same trail during this stretch) which we followed for a short while. We passed by the Cooper Lodge Cabin and a few tent platforms before reaching the Killington Spur trail which is just a quarter mile to get to the summit. This section was short but quite steep, requiring a bit of scrambling as we rapidly popped out above the short Alpine Evergreen trees which were still covered in frost. We reached the summit which was busy with people and where apparently just seconds earlier a couple had just gotten engaged! Pretty cool.<br />
<br />
Despite only seeing a few other hikers on the trail, the summit was packed. Killington Peak is a ski resort and while it wasn't ski season yet, they operate gondola rides to the top year round. It being a peak fall foliage weekend, there were plenty of people who made the trip up to catch the pretty spectacular views. We took some pictures and then made our way to the Peak Lodge, which has cafeteria style food available as well as a full service bar operating. In contrast to other summit services that I've seen (i.e. Mount Washington), this one was surprisingly posh and definitely catered to a certain crowd. Even though we brought our PB&J sandwiches, we decided to share one of the sandwich offerings from the menu which turned out to be quite good. It was fun to spend some time up there and take in all the mountain had to offer.<br />
<br />
Overall we spent about an hour at the summit before beginning the journey down. The hike down was again fairly straightforward and we were at the bottom in short order. We made it back to the condo by about 3:30PM and were quickly back to our busy world but not before checking off number 49 of 67 on the New England 4000 Footer list!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPoJhEAPd76wGtv3ZTebUXRI3l8Wu98s1GBE6D10CFOJol-kORJknTPbKDuWjbXwBHxOIKlJykVm_mLr1L_7W3DTqL7ghheSKpKz0fhkv-GvZKYvpoaUu0eQ-RIdwAJaXxfqUXJkvR8r0//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3114" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1264" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50dk0r7J0Jhwvw0IFAoGISXH7Iq1cG1oJBpaSqOfLvuSteOOgR1NSz9gxeL56Oji4MMx84dQZ6jzRWiqeLzqjRIDAA2UW8JY5fHdIo5hTbWcH6Ux5jci45SosQLE1qW10H6tVbLykfsbO//" width="413" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Gmk-wMMwJRX9srnuBGLRDURCJgiSewhr_qkTzb17aKOTb-Q2-eshlMr1pMtQmmtV05jZGbbhs6B6zyFuI-gcV-afV1cSscqpsjbSjNVUjOI-QEVpsBVtdLIkIX8BDxBFI_Om1fK-wLwO//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3115" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1265" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMyIVaUvHIHTQgcUnOed9P-QQM_n9oyyAODoYbtOm8ZFc1VOoCXJuXVQOxz7WI_YGt70fwPw1Fq1brmP_DsEqtB4MMqe_I8dfURWYtISzG_L2D9BYKzOPcbq2wBIkpFWPwr_CMbIFOZDs//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiN0_gtJdi9m6Q0zktjKo9EMlFJFvzWB-PSvtopL3rIjL-s-OD7fEAJdXy3h4h-8Y-amDmE0WVgX5LADRQlZRA6rT4MYK-FTGMKhQ31EbfITDB-1kfUur80B-vxvUIRW7Dbyv-lJuYGhgZ//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3117" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1266" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1I8fx75dZo7_BX_hm9Q4FibgjyYJkHelT3cp_HRPh2T5aTi_KrNHli8rDknIpGtUMYckCWxhPtB7i4ZZ57odJTVraRhytNwlTQXM4bqZRnIxKRI7Cm0d_aT5L-CR7JJsihSB_4UZu2rDw//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3aRWQmSPKyYmK1j7qpnSq_lk8fQ3HiZtb6AFuXcxG7oIbCywv9hyphenhyphena4F3jGy8i0_zJWL9RMR048P7XDKis1vX7FX7nmmyLrazYzhbC6R5LE-pO5H7gEZSfjv3D3vaoQhsFlYWUe6gjj3k//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3120" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1267" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8UKclhgCyK4YNnKnhzAXujMfSzAm-i4kBmQ-sAaqNqcYJevWi66r3sa8gYIpUgGv0whIkZU1XBdS7BvsulPYdLhZoaYsK1TK3D0sutNoBF51nD07pBbPXMXCEvSCUoTbV1mHMCDS80Qp//" width="413" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJuSK9OihpMMtSKazWGyUQYQi_s65oYdSSgMHy3mWWGPUlCPzkHNALnSt0UrvfwVq-bb7KifeU8AuGI3l6MJKoQtSCqzTeqH9gY93OpVxvHC7SL66u-csYzg-Gjm3fouKWNp_yd-9tDBB//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3130" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1268" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcn10C4s_nSjYrp8V4ZB0ps-rcQuOgZ4bWPwgweNsLvVzwOvCBEkhVPLykTdrTqrkRFjJODsWoa0hWjKTRgMtVwEU9PyL_wjhufKuEK8L31xyWcGsYht6CTS14wCSsqVn7_zQMR2925uT//" width="413" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9S4Yc9NdWkxvfGChkqUIx5yxCcLgsSVobw3T_VGF-miWBHHJT7A_UplXWOOBWpM06dUxTlBhSpYUz8WAETe1wSHYD48TKDvZMt1WpvJTSz2ji0WV_hYq3D78Y84a4WcaiPHXHU3igjE94//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3134" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1269" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAF3bfYkmO_YuFJH0gNDoK3kFe2Vuog3TEOmR9eqF0gsQ2D-mX33TqhzXoh9rBGSBSl-_spzss5saqsJvb_1-DpPPDNmrQElzRSRBiWxECDU5sdBCva-8lVgEQHeoVX1BCfVBv8nKeNlg2//" width="413" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvXyCGS2iMAw-0LV_vZ86qG3Jm0tq9uPrFyvWefTRv0-l3E2dCCX-qMXF0cBqhxsKm7rNFK1jNs7vvF0y8rOSevDoYj9iEPHH7t-auTW2GbKqeL14CThYQlMVKx-wCX0pfRc7XpfGH5nF//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3147" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1270" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6h48l5yy3i_3gX1KDvToBqwTQn989-vNyf8bCSmEHSgqAUUjEp37aRsUbruIvgzKt5cVo0qzam_dhT5kwxIaTAw4pmvRjZXbGcOGVEGR9Q39tooeDjGt6gBUiw8xgNrpSi29KhfQW9bn_//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdnqqtYyLmGw-fyguVWx0SyklU-dbjnwaphAN1ptF4nq_4P0zIJPI7qZcAEkrOYT9xwu0OFnGB2VL1iezyqcWYL2LoxHfL4L1FqZ0wPkxb_UD2ADd4hux9XXVXA_D7-xp7ORh5O18NU5k//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3148" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1271" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXthSyAZm7fVL0Pc71w_enZfsRK1FxOsEUxVtdU-JeU3DciVWxfWJB0sPV2p6GcLtJTnuEvuyuwn-E2UkJwcLu4NENqFhkTMo5W___PDu1ZqO66LTu0VPoIfPdtGC6ScCAXUODfj4-K7Il//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MEKZAknTbx4TrohlU1m_YCxnOinYYGp7zac2WqkDtgNBfUvdQEXx8HvFJ0SSJF00YAnUusoZDPSytF2WdbtM67_XTXJkEReNyRgCnIBkCzxSqFePLrRK3cuqOcxtP6kPZ9aTtJYc-0ov//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3150" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1272" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdpT6fj7EC5LkkHucp16sgXcyQMLOsCQb4BiwJYTwoneDWhbYlYiYlHO6ch8HbgPMCGObRWPljwcPCS-MchXLI02h7uSoZY0Rj4Ewaa5hF_QlU98qF7qMJgiz0vWj1UZFJGo5-YtwoDn9//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPZX5UCp5uAV3Yyl03i8V3-IR6-7pb0frhve4SjzHF6nADJFm1FZS1erT6-u5vjXogR_1GHyj8PaE82u_zVGdvHYb31mELX4fOmAQ9qwmlNM8o0TbPXYlOPhLFQZK9w-hGGe75LBqbLok//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3151" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1273" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTa1_cDjw7m5QU8NqY81nG45vCxqPf5BTa-831Us7ZmTlmAmvwMyJyaK-HL4MX3TT5_uouFwK2WNhMyPMLvkRwfZiAa5EGdzcIuIikDtfETVuP7xuhgAzBXdYA3tBv5W7ucOthoK0lIp6u//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJc55IsrRGDAh1xwFFc9FkcsdP-4mQy0HiRBdzQ5NoMBjvIh5nytTyV-0W2bHaFxK31Tw8OcFB8ylXZ7EB81QJGrR5gPUMFy20hfnZgJSIiqX9psOFgyjZBPCdQhNvaM1SmMg9GwAQVeu//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3157" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1274" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bRugDkX3EDCEZtmVGL1nAXPf_-oTppVEJ5yw45UT2KLMysI7cfxJ8wlaxCcB-QjBmDkuo80DryYYvCsTM2JejMOG30X-Q5oUgN_9CWiwH3JMhNTcAWQZzVOyU1vjtXw1YWZrVTic7-0f//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWXlBKyIgYekKk6koIAJowhslwRrg9zHY-HNPhNzYS89LG3sHuSVgeibhKcl7KzMD24bYpXa4DYtjcBhNa7H-_devv7BjaVmypA0EhezlJFZICW6a9IZnwUMQO-ttIuNRTgNwxoc8AQ3f//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3160" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1275" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V5c0PFePc13DTH1HJuPHubRWc19BdQOL7STkW5LJfcvEGbBEaeVEOHIqe_I3spia4Sh-oa6xL22yen0OjOe_b8Zt0eKzFoHbciZdVgVX-eSJ5S37-kFKuZfjzHScuCQ_cGOSCQ1k4Zxr//" width="413" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxJCoMbutHOyvU3PLggLTfPpUmGLMvASdJsmhVt_8w-a1xwrKkgBXpzLvh-RdSNLBn9rCctYQx16PQ_iUTIAICr29jRwYy91vjxG_fkeTgCJWxh5XUrzghAwGPYIvcVK_X0i9shFQpPJH//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3161" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1276" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2GDOnUY2Uuu-2FVOH-QLItqQvPdS52PsACKV1D9bx97GvNRMRAEIl4fBNUKp-M2MNHgEpnf_c773r23tG8fiJB4yHnD_WV7HHRZtpJZekbEHOuyCgbZ3UDBC4fcrb1sGDsU1rzm_m3Toc//" width="413" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLUutZbQOpD1bz5jOEwFnIyG7Ke8iVFN-5rtUcJ57RnlHnotdNL9KiA0lbg2MCNwCsAuWfeLuXlW37qO4OmeEJIGz52QxIlunrrkiK-qWr8KBLOiK0QTRnaSRSU7UqYD4bDaOVWmVDVYF//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_3165" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1277" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Lwv6SG7QPI1nfVhyphenhyphen4iHkcnMzKuW3ussPeim4Z3-NpgsfrI5nObJz-PGbPClQKBz9ndbWTGFG59Kg6f6jgl64_lhGSACO4HTymRPh48tUbfnKqwrxIT2ZAnbhTzywzIB9OeioLSQ6XPgc//" width="550" /></a></div>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-50808034444044836862015-09-29T15:33:00.001-04:002015-11-04T20:45:40.481-05:00Madison and AdamsAbout a month ago, Brian suggested that we go on a hike. Sounds like a great idea! After some coordination, we finally found a date that works, and we were locked in with a plan for this past Saturday. Since finding time to get these hikes in is not always easy to come by these days (Katy and I have two young children now and Brian has a toddler of his own keeping us all busy), I put some careful thought into what hike we should do. The criteria in my mind was something like this:<br />
<ol>
<li>Do-able in a single day, including driving there and back</li>
<li>Big enough to be worth our while, somewhere in the 10 - 15 mile range</li>
<li>Preferably prolonged, above treeline exposure for maximum views and remoteness "feel"</li>
<li>Include a unique trail or two, one that is less heavily traveled and that we haven't done before</li>
</ol>
That's a pretty picky checklist, but hey why not be picky? And looking at the list, there was really one one place to go - back to the Northern Presidentials. Last year we took on a hike that met all of those checkboxes in the form of a <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2014/09/16/jefferson-and-adams/">Jefferson and Adams loop</a>. This year, I figured we could go at it from the opposite side with a Madison and Adams loop. The key to this choice and one that checks off that last box on the list was to make the ascent from the Randolph East parking area up the Howker Ridge Trail. While we've both been up these mountains before, neither of us have been up this trail which avoids the typical and more heavily traveled routes leaving from Appalachia.<br />
<br />
So the plan was set. We would meet at the Park and Ride lot in Nashua at 5:30AM to begin the day. Somewhere along the way, though, before the planned date, our twosome turned into a foursome. Mo and David, who are working on their 4000 footers list, joined the group for the outing. We added a daisy-chain to the carpool plan with Brian and I meeting at the Nashua Park and Ride at 5:30AM and then continuing on together to meet Mo and David at the Hooksett Park and Ride at 6:00AM. Fully consolidated, we made it to the Randolph East parking area at around 8:00AM. The weather was cool and clear and the forecast was for an absolutely perfect day in the high peaks. After getting organized for a few minutes, we were off.<br />
<br />
The initial part of the hike was gradual and steady. We moved along at a reasonable pace and began to climb. There's a bit of a backstory to this hike, though, as not all members of the party ended in as good a shape as they started. Brian was actually on the fence about coming all week leading up to it, as his son brought home a nasty stomach virus early in the week that he caught and was still recovering from. He made the decision to go for it the night before, though, and early in the hike he was beginning to feel the effects of basically not eating all week. About halfway up Madison, he asked for the map and was planning an escape route. He was still going up Madison but didn't think he was up for the Adams portion of the hike. Nevertheless, we continued on.<br />
<br />
A couple hours into the hike, we finally popped out above treeline. The Howker Ridge Trail did not disappoint as we made our way up and over each of the exposed "Howks" under the warm sun, clear skies, and calm conditions. We made it to the summit of Madison in about 3 hours or so and stopped for lunch and to soak in the views. After spending some time on the summit, we made the relatively simple descent from the Madison peak down to the Madison Hut. Brian made it, but he decided that he was done climbing up for the day and would skip Adams. Our original plan had us climbing up and over Adams without doubling back, but we modified our route slightly so that we could meet up with Brian and descend Airline after tagging the Adams summit.<br />
<br />
So after a quick break, Mo, David, and I continued on to the summit of Adams. We actually made an error here as we planned on taking one trail to the peak but ended up on another. It turns out there are two trails from the hut that both will bring you to Adams in about the same distance. The difference is that the trail we took had some really neat, scrambly sections that required some more technical maneuvers to get up. Overall, it was a good mistake, and we made it to the summit in about an hour. We spent some time up there, but with a weird cloud of flies and mosquitos right on the peak, we headed down before too long. We made it back to the meeting point with Brian in reasonable time to continue our descent.<br />
<br />
We headed down Airline which is a nice trail that keeps you up on the ridge line for a little ways before finally ducking down out of the Alpine Zone. While on the ridge we were eyeing the multiple routes up Kings Ravine to our left that looked absolutely unbelievable. Someday we'll have to return for a thrill and ascend up that headwall. In any case, we continued down, with Brian and I leading the front pack while Mo and David were separated a bit behind.<br />
<br />
The hike down was a bit of a grind, with an interesting twist happening towards the end. Brian, of course, was still not feeling well but was gutting it out on the descent. However, while the two of us were waiting at a trail junction for Mo and David to meetup, Mo came running down and handed us her keys. She said to go ahead and get the car and bring it over to Appalachia to pick up David. I at first thought that David had some type of serious injury and we were going to need to mount a rescue operation. A few seconds after that though, though, David came strolling up behind Mo. It turns out that he, too, was starting to feel queasy and wanted to get done as quickly as possible.<br />
<br />
So with both Brian and David feeling ill, I completed the last mile and half of the hike on my own to retrieve the car, while Mo, David, and Brian went one mile to Appalachia. After an easy walk, I picked up the car, retrieved the three of them down the road, and the hike was complete. We headed back, stopping for some pizza on the way home, to complete another epic day.<br />
<br />
Despite the unusual twists, I really enjoyed the day and the hike. Hopefully we'll be back out there again soon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTo21HKSJZRWIDAbp6thwwMhPnGmN1oEtnvCrPlfr6GbK_coJRyGd0LUVkxDb4jDc6LCUfhFY3mfibU8d-EYgp1po5B15O4YhoFb59dqjoWaJUo4WmkoHzpdD-flmb3bih_T1VD9WQU5z//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5459" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1246" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2I0cMwaFDpZbdzZQ6KRsKM37jBh0ATExRet1DGy2alB8zcHFm8hot-fjZXYz3h6Ifum96QDnax3Y61VWuMP7slMcUdcm8xC31GinGEOso0fLkVvHS8vKYHRb6gBqRait9O9ZcP-QW5TEY//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNWkzwa1-_ce3fkdNWsZ-MyepETcR649ieTHQ0BgCYHuPf5cmcxCJYY6myWZNEOWUJOmQYsByRItw5x0j0Wi9h1-UnhFU9hPwPfZSQrgyR5umJ9fVoOp19g9NL2PLRxpg700_mlNFPLKX//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5457" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1247" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWmHirzUioBidwEhXAgwqUvdVjY0IbYTnI-9kJ_EtNpS4CB-MVxiNC8_PssUh1q21E8yde6HWpjkdk9MvavbfPzeq3iy0g7kC64LtDNSO7XA9sheORwX5sKlSyn-JX_jiJ_c-FIdzx6an//" width="413" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-pJekkAgIFQo-hZLBNPLYgF7NEyGqV9X9suz0fcA-0dQ4wIXotCewiKqkBXPNmG5UNnlJao9uHzI7zHLjkDChwEKJgislj83zyw06_vkF4LA1eJcsH6OQ9CO2cvKpF35u3Hb18TTfvfY//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5461" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1248" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_qLu9UvzhFEctdxUHI96Rp5XOyLMaM1KHQEP22Y2m3ImJSJqF08B0pThLS10vYVsbBTIrwPbqy-WyU_ayOaUIKyUidKEYI_bE5qIx6j-4_B9l-abYvAmo7luurWu7jdhQjrvkugqwLUD//" width="413" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLWxWHcl3m8C-Ie2oA8M0AflfxJXsv3TXBtYDY1EsYKzDJ9w_qIvHUkhh58Z2JyzR8MlXhVAsi0gllpeLH6ZWvNgHFN81eh07CxxLV5ic15NuqQsWvu7I34h5ffg2v9WRJ-SE-mTvxDjX//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5462" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1249" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SQ4iTP3rH07gWArSzjc-ez8nhOMrQqM8uMn4vctdu3LrEBdWbLxLcG5dUapj2-S0IbtRTUAMe3e_Y2c9z3jCnOXc0kBowWqgs-ynUq4IyHTFnB4ziRrQblumJw6eoH-zhOidooT7hjYP//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0L_7N-QIHMoRo8ykSI5iSJvhWG2R_SxgrovCksTkC8YHZtWQ-PsYHWLJfiYKLCyV6Lnc4b0lAp_qYACKYxUenwzDgzyPbLhp-fbYaT8cCmMeYj2ZVWZlp_RBKLhDEyp1WVOnM4TvQYk1//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5464" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1250" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBjIhyphenhyphenC4DMSSwpnNKwOxs7ix4P39QSzElT9_52pVzkiispfEuBoEMhgfFDh9SXwShbRuEjY33kI9Vdf6LWCbSEeRs6D3UGWSXfbp_H5PO0Zdr4Sfvjp-mSZs_vTciXs4GOgnKN0bdIucK//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gVXiooCd5wOE39kbReczOnh0ndX-x0yWHnYwtll0-sFRekKfLTyraQjDpOTpynn3ooIcx2OIANFeeGiY4Zx09dF-MgGdWdhf-gM0EnURgYsxqVAyEEyLgnIXEmgQF5IJ4R6kAZPcipwn//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5470" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1251" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMS8DubTpIwA6E7FFGWgqznAn6Mn8u7lOOJ1FquE45yMU5drsrd7pA1UWg3eztTsvZ183ZFIZFIIJydxozIpA6BL0cLEXtx2DUxqBC6c7ddJF6G9WTNEnYgwobuUcYVPANn3q3lhgFwyQ//" width="413" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdIbZBj1-tPjVaomcAxqC1x-kKG2hMTUw96Wp0be2ggRbM65VGIqppQinSDRZmZjtVMymLkXP7ktQUpbPEXEiVNJ_jvvFodRTPXj08qZC6_3D7dM00WUgvfseedJKdCaOU8_IOgeuxqaS//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5471" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1252" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwH-Pl7KNwF1brtpnAxzoNqPvofKowYzsBmOIXASDzDq-iptqTA-1_G6oA_LHbz_u346JBGKG6ehYJY10zxBHgoWFsCLXB0xxzD0aE7HOqH8GiT9rWOQqzwygZgn4t-oJPhhC81tZSHBWb//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLBG0EmQrkFAW0e2VKukjOPQ5y_PNxDMnCPALYSJPnJZtrv5NAZaELO7Vrfslk4Lo7sIyQJsVNTk9UQOZLOyt0yk_FwMBWqO9WH1sgOWkeIBFw6QodRC7Q5ayAWUMq6B3c7tzTh8ebwPK//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5474" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1253" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHyCteFBLVmyZojohyphenhyphenF-lFWCsMtei9OArEMv3T9OU4s1GJfdW0oIao0sCoEpvGnRGp956o_PjmKyg1wTYkcR7fran5WfCnQuqkNs6S9YlV1rQfWpg_UuVgeQYxBLau3xdbVzfJfeZpdk0//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Xwhf7ZHFEbXgiLcLK0p9pwu4PJWVpn3MnvdY8xKn0-mvAjHD47gqFrCC3ECa2CbupgNq5uww4cosT_0Q-XMOoLhJBCH4_745NsB8GZbuVDPAVRrSIjv7wQFLYkEEvjI1rPIHKz0CyxKt//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5475" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1254" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGG5zLH2vmcOaw6h8FfsspFIUV8q0Okf9uJRjw-4pjdIXFO7iNf3ATBN9kr08vlIWDVLhZrhjFIiKuixrK7KRpCJTbyJlis2QzVMz71SJmgZwWedfBofYsnr4BOMmK02su3wb4EpmHQNI//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jO-s28DNqqoRRj9kg6z_3Q5rirfH7DRxhgDkcPXTGGQyB_PnJhFvwchouQEBJx2A6F0hYKgQq1YABOa2NWQgI1Bi_AnOae9Pppx7TM6VMb5bABFBgOQNkb5cIHjyCvNwC-gaCNlUJjpD//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5477" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1255" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmidtRBuPl-8t80D-PpUvrYuOm1VLv-EEsrn00onJ-nms3XLbp4DddermJFR51m2pBX86oU3JjFyLhAoDn2N3hoH5pUVQPiqUZegVUCWdwpuOwb8ljTvZrUFQQTkn06isfZqpJ0xZkDSv//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7po3h0z1dp3wOBnMBhCzpqZm8ehIDqiiKCep3PVsfzF0LE43Gc3_f-j4x4-s10iGiaFZ70hyTCtOp-zaY5rJLR55N8a7JQx7ynFU__Ov1LVXISIi-L0qtSPPpdxhk8H-Ca6HXv8f8bSSx//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5478" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1256" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyEVEyGs4-oDsxpl9rBAiCu5gY-wLoSpaIDrcqYxx2MgzBX1NXjOITfTeQOWdKKKgVa5WITc1W7hYCcBjj8tOJoHok2o0Nf5Y7v_NDk70S-TrcprqGmcOtDKB-YhyrrWB9J6oeXv6olyo//" width="413" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmTHdrWOzyRdPuJLPffsXYqSmZ5gTUH1UKwqZ6C7r_xhONkznjQbm-1ruCFH995GhFZ5ykWRD_1RodcIOq7Bdx5FcCMnHl9SFHcqE7YXdW4qXlnQXuOPqa6aOisycC4WSjNk3M9_lvx9X//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5481" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1257" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNR4Q67-sK56_MaFoGB3-RI_kvN4_CpwYSqtoTAJepR6hTWv5qccifu4lPv-JlaAU5kiOe7XIl5F3YM0w82S65sppdZmyEACBNiDN5GnSEDHm34OutvpA_su0pujic3Za9eqrEhj81x4e//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0EJ72w8pw3K1sUhH8tZ_Y1VHBV00Jp3um4uZV6EtDj7UFukU1IBhDd0_Zla4ueDKRkpOWFv13mihfB74u6SzjqOPlz7hexdkkP6ZUUY5RmnP52Bwxy-KCsExNcQrPCuV2_vak8vwEzcq//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_5483" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1258" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLWrCrLyOZe4FwfbHDSbDLKFZybYa9nkVRcI2ByeMBPB2tp98ZImXKanmn8gQsWzRc7Dx4vRk6DwYM7_AVkZ_j4EsEAptcUvjDQ8Q2DYsiQwn_rOI3nK8hkTYxzeixLFnWzm0uoJ6OKkv//" width="413" /></a></div>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-4346318190755709602014-10-30T16:15:00.001-04:002015-11-04T20:39:16.931-05:00Iron MountainIn my previous <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2014/10/15/mount-avalon/">Mount Avalon</a> post, I described how we managed to get in a 52 With A View peak during our recent trip to AL and UP's condo in the White Mountains. However, what I didn't mention in that post is that during that same trip, and on the very next day after hiking Mount Avalon, we bagged another peak! We woke up on Monday morning without too many plans, with the exception of eventually packing up and heading home after an enjoyable holiday weekend. With the sun already shining and warmer temperatures then the day before, we thought it would be fun to get in another quick hike in the morning. The trailhead for Iron Mountain was only a few minutes drive away, and the hike itself was less than a mile each way. We asked around to see if anyone from the previous day's hiking team was interested in coming along, but didn't have any takers. So we quickly got dressed and headed out the door with the smaller crew of Owen and Katy plus Toby.<br />
<br />
The road to the trailhead was a long, narrow dirt road. It was in good shape and we made it to the trailhead with no trouble but it definitely seems like it could be tough to get two cars past eachother in some spots. When we finally reached the trailhead, there was a small little parking area with room for about 5 or 6 cars with 3 other cars already there. We squeezed in a spot and got ready for the hike. Right off the bat the trail takes you through an open field with really nice panoramic views of the Presidentials. These were probably the best views of the entire hike. We worked our way up the easy trail and navigated the .8 miles in no trouble. About halfway to the top, Toby fell sound asleep and I could hear him snoring in my ear as we worked our way up the trail.<br />
<br />
The summit is wooded with minimal views, and we opted to skip the extended trip to the ledges on the other side which would add another mile each way to the hike. Overall, though, it was a very enjoyable morning outing, and we were finished and back to the condo in time for lunch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJT1tLu5oLxK-qAVL2vAddmEM08PghuLlqP-gD44myf1bfLS3f4jJQ9fvNxMTgF-3QFjV2m9E8aYJepOH2tSkgpGKqgaUEwWSYZToL5bnncz44M7RFeI2y2RkcueqZddsHCtI8b1lGzz6//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron1" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1221" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpQH8N6k0dK8D70sF9mSZJj_mikOkBEDkZR3gKfjCm3yEbJbxN1WAJ55ymB0elf3DzWtsYv2sYthL9m8xToBqVLBnAU6JwBKZ202xSMn8hjnIWoiZzaBgVpfA0Ym5iHYeSuCe2wSndPB8//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh862_GUFoVyM9wPOK4fg6nqUW4ews7frnF9Md6zsYpwtocFnayhbVUrgPPuUnATF0bBIGgDAoVw2R0sYMV9BGZjVax8PlYkkGKKuvPY1h1jYD7_MG3VEwOlebIODQhGlV9o3J4fWQ215qT//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron2" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1222" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTlsDCC5KfNCMIVCezk648C7psUIoeN7IqPCe6TO_oFszUNgkzAbHOiVBE-fr_ik8Et572tqP6aNrOtpXLwXQGdyj9tbf4UUZ8PLDBVZfXGIf9RWocHnhoefyk9Y_UPj2w2y2684n2Cgf//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG09KK3rB5xYzFpNt1ih3lZZWciTq5O73XNvSAHSkKS7MefSendlZ1sS26zXnuBUP3YShhE0A0q4n7s0W8eMzq9LbVY_axNZYBpBEFIbvluSBYG3NlNg1fMKazH9gJn1DMEBqutBR9gMCu//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron3" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1223" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmGyGyqRqLSB0yUc9Sft2tOdX_-1u0wuoQo85S_Enly7pIUx-LegLw8F3LAXMbWgvOHYY1zzAcuoLZNUGd2_Dh9ZKskTfUiOUZca_sHHkb52PRAX-W1PLR9jyVdhj2fCzRVhBVuKof4ms//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRb3euvSQBEXmOStg_wEWQNII2psSNnTaxyxf9r_zIbOqh7ExgtpY9eqyCs-X4qq0ikyL9qXn5aqlkb7xC74GoULrs8sUUBGNsen48V1pQj8h0a4D49fctCYNmBDoKcAqNHNzd2cTk8IZ//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron4" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1224" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9imMJjMBo2YJEXXJbb30fP9mNT58DuPV0UFtMKTF-Ma4h9F7_cGuU46rSdiFIMESVAZDB_qtAAKbV6oYhyphenhyphenLCpb0m97lka_gHPBoLsObDh92pDiindZyc-oTAKadRvMBOYG_B_Iirgkoxy//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXgbUqd3ED8Epu7Kx5cZCEk7uJ68BNVju57wUY53wvGylE-LlxwiJYsPgZC6igc87nC2sDPuzfZQIGWcpOMrt6GANBNbOud0vI_CKHDXrorHo9m99-pTR2G5UcSrf6A9QKdOEwjaA9XlU//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron5" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1225" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRWJE2_Gh8DDHIDnd89TZQn8LuTITq3GfHeKbE5HG8N0xOzhQrnAUWhR5eimz4IOdl5RZSbXZAypjgoAHJax7E5JTeQ6FYGGzbmXCvCB8ITDKL5e71K021tcbrdPcL0xShScLEywtr8LY//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfioyX8akXQP4nLU-N6dKgUmZMDBPWp5WuNW1iYm-Wqmhj7aSTq9ZRJotH9bbhO0KmXrv5folcMVlMNT42Aa3KAEK_slTTTXCiyxgddgD1LqQQQMF4PyB-MTlEZaI8AbvdXOBNy1znhrG//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron7" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1226" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0vdeTraWmg8SkrQuY6206tH_RRweymG_kiKUeCdL6mbqYB5dDx9XlvldJLpEEkaQW11VzL_WX9C8hhKEg81Gc3iVHJoi1rh9LTp8dZmS7llrmYuk8qrvYg_OYsOOQIWiOq8aHHe19K00//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyc7KEPYgnvsyjntoZi7k4NtZb0mcIi6EU55lXE2Bs8m3AAGxu2E_SwYGUJkiwRq3V9LQMuHxc4yPSte-Bd5uILtmlqKk5-fq5P6lrqQ4zq2JGKXeCeMMNkVpgUkCo7ffcWfNnsYgB0qW//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron8" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1227" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-EaCJ865V_uO56q06aaa1GbegDNSFZsvkiGx0IBlvgMrsp1AXOxOA23hyeu3Lxc3T_A0vuKBojg2zEurNE6x47HCKfRJVOJHfTNS7NxOtf4tmK5M6dOqcY-KzvBokb3zXsZrUrs6nLgC//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwx4e-vBRmi1PLRA6Z4i8v_Wd1lMvTnFBjFrtX5j3gKfYQFp6nrrVIfsgsBT00S5mztYNkSKtj2rfv5mBB10_zBKGqSwKh6FJyJBvacFIWV9fRAWZ_z83T-fj49C1sAZAydPd-YFCAC3K//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron9" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1228" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRP71ixCKFXBeHPwoAo57183sSvlRm38lMai8a9dmosPnhfcIkTUhjOWf3G7wfUh_yhStgVTDgVM7ByBFPWcsKwTvjH1HFnzB9-ZHnfjwc1gI2A-QhspoUwW0BesOmt2DQMAk3YnSFlR3U//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErzKW6h-I2BPXHeS130ydB5RmsaRZzQvGJjHKeVeUaH__UcJlCZEam7LLHYMxUSrTgGy4oiBbLgWO7ZIUHaDlC3jodnUXxpM0afsOQgNGqgdJ5opvbeW43m9nKLvB7KttlY8JEfpoyxnZ//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron10" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1229" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi438LRr2OalhzHYfZEMVNxREuf6I0v4nv3OtW33JiTnILW8dulZQKukDZn4Vx1Qj_R_aHgKU0NV3PFx_wztXw-sqLISMgToAuO0pOD2fhb37uX_oCg0ccNUg_Ob998A1Ttxpoq0lQHAe1g//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT06JCl_WB6ZiHIOO4V8ynbh_FVk2ZuMBK8WEDL8PiJ6Bk8SGlZ6vZls8znDCJ2g00ktNwmjpk8Fozceaa1M-zCRDACoHTwATpLX3gIqnxYjLjS-ulbW1hx-VltfXS7zVjkGxJ2nwi8Q3f//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron11" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1230" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohXETITgWQ75KYlWCDZ_xBgkCN5xf21FfJbYKohBy5FWVWgnSmqkDUdlGHlg4qBjtuP-nTCNvVCrCCDGO49d8urwCPLa8TsysUtm_bzOEw7Nqzl72rPs2urJQAkKfpLcwJroU8Thkthnp//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZKCmODTxF6g7prumyuGZzOt2TPybi0AYNfuOxITxW1gLht-K9ep-Q3vOLvm2Nx01f6wBRSAT7MN_ET3Az_9pi9mvquSR123Obhj3cXWWp2lzI1CJP28cQxQ_D-9xfCtOATd-aM4GSYqZ//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron12" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1231" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGaTzyvzbLcePWTrZ5zyhoUGEvdC8czbxHVeJkzvH6HeOgM7XjBT1GHDDpoxOrR4t-bOFXPMkiip25ZpimUS7KiFV1zLrSYYPD7IEGUDvJYyXnDTSXmki014CmDUzDATCssjM4oDwYDeG//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UAZXAfMGJvJ250zZmBjmQpGtVJJWExkW4s5EnTZFzHGM5JgtOfbzOobahE5ER_VOu_gtqe83WqbTxjEfbajKmnnvyDjcjc5KZQcl8GO7kCtHudwITdQlHZxhXVoIjnN6GEb-wwJlD-aQ//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron13" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1232" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPDQ2zGbjvbEr93f0cmZQPZpjdKVx0qaemQMToTIeUMmieAvTyCSClOjbrI0_vZKo1-io5OIZGDm_HydC4TrOgb1fv6q2J1fUfoSmKIJ6kdkCCty2BOfrRKVqntf4bjfWwu0qJdFUvLj0//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpLJdy0_GcJVyiXnlQINkHqQ1tqrESuZMQIFHBomhnEQTswvKp5C9SzRSWzdT0Q2iUFih895eP1sQ9iD3Q42llvUJ7BYBOHvKyVLP4PlcyX9FI46UYtIITwX7DSyNt9brhcbUoPV-BtA7//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron14" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1233" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGL4ipRyix0G2QUX73J3f605cALK9iTvXIjZexNUlcmsLA38FkMpi997KtmlVbyolICfoEz-Nl9RsVE5pX8pZBa8pTJcrGmot8zeYX1hDWZ_XvCn6WsMTV771e30E3LsF4j7SWJy64q3Pr//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DDRDASeNNLdES70pE9O_d4Cpqpfh_zJDxf1XA8Vm3Z60klAZhYLsCiTRKGDAlstGJdaHSTFhC9rZwchjQ07xRFfseoy3TLASNPlRrqhFgMaRUS2t6y6qh5GpH2WmMt30nUPyY7UhcF-A//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron15" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1234" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Rda5v0vGjdmCRu4nTxFq2PgAsv_H6LzAlFhyphenhyphenKkAggPP788X548XFVsK55birb6AoD46DADcEDu-twXnuAlEUZhE1zVfm7-OMqjsnbQzaXyq7-5Rv8CRM-OMCkh5-Pfg_8m_SfkEi-Z91//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8t9BbudTc4QyjKHK4E3gpn-NA4WWi4zO8yhSLlTPDdLqZqQ1de5oNLdQKtBqdcBk9P8-Tbs-Xi-qkUqGTP9N8GofEjhLVeHS_CdUNt0kX_18TUMwCdgQabN8mdR2852rXVamkmEq8z3xi//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron16" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1235" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRq-stNSLqnPa3vYjQ6ZlaF3SRH6OvFLtyYiMchz8kd1mtwUySuSk-yCIoBg1NsLiuNEA0Kv2Etm4f2h4_xaoMbaqCp_sJ2nNUQYEH55dc0Fr2lwIbWpw8jgvi0NfeHpQ9_f6Rwe8mhxb//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8OJJGBHdGbB3SOyPzvgjhLwGNjHAn4APW-QZr4vRf_rv3r37B6AkcZRs65-INmbSeE-4-thGHsjaRDMlHTyfCg9cgirifoCcrZT8kDJomiqkRJ10nr9HeUmEjSM3qkvC9bdjdIKX0eNv//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="iron17" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1236" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7nVL_y090feOUAwvCgj3tlcUVuHqUx5speWrklF8pKRRg-7TT0RNYsFBp7xpVYr38KsukFdLo5EZlCJSqMt_RgXPAX2H7Enbv_PxxmwAeoKMQiR34_140eTTgIvwTcQd4VeE_mUWadSY//" width="550" /></a></div>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-82205065335120686292014-10-15T15:34:00.001-04:002015-11-04T20:37:33.267-05:00Mount AvalonKaty, Toby, and I spent this past weekend at my Aunt and Uncle's (AL and UP) condo in Bartlett, NH taking a long break from Friday to Monday. Columbus Day weekend is typically considered the peak of fall foliage season in northern NH and this year it did not disappoint. We drove up early on Friday morning surrounded by nice weather and beautiful fall colors before spending a low-key day with AL and UP. Toby got accustomed to his new surroundings which he may or may not remember from a year ago when we visited on the same weekend when he was just 4 months old. My sister Mo and her boyfriend David also arrived later on Friday evening to spend the weekend as well.<br />
<br />
Naturally, whenever we spend time at the condo we always like to take advantage of the opportunity to get some hiking in. Since Mo and David were looking to bag some 4000 footers, and we were working on the 52 With A View list, we thought it would make sense to find a hike where those two lists intersect. We found our answer with a hike departing from Crawford Depot in Crawford Notch. The first 2 miles of the hike bring you to the top of Mount Avalon which was our destination and a 52 With A View peak. From there, Mo and David could continue on to Mounts Tom, Field, and Willey to bag those three 4000 footers and we could turn around and head back down. The plan was set for Sunday morning where we would reunite the hiking team of Owen and Katy + Mo. (And David. And Toby. And UP.)<br />
<br />
We got up at a reasonable hour on Sunday morning, planning to be out the door of the condo at 8:30 AM. We ended up probably a few minutes behind schedule and leaving just before 9AM. Katy, Toby, UP, and I headed out in our car, while Mo and David took theirs. To make their hike more interesting, we also arranged to meet at the Willey House site and spot a car for Mo and David to turn their hike into a traverse. By the time we did the whole car drop, drive to Crawford Depot, organize our gear, and use the restrooms, it was about 9:30 AM and we were on the trail. It was quite chilly at the start, with temperatures in the 40's and the warm layers, hats, and gloves on. I made fun of Katy for having to borrow UP's hat and gloves <em>again</em> after we both had to do the same thing <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/10/13/mounts-tom-field-and-willey/">4 years ago</a> when we originally bagged Tom, Field, and Willey on this same weekend. Despite the mishap, we were all warm and ready to go.<br />
<br />
The hike up Avalon is not difficult but does have a fairly steep section for the last half mile. We worked our hiking team up the mountain as Toby once again narrated what he saw. Our hike started off with some cloudiness, but as we approached the top, the clouds began to burn off. The view from Avalon is quite nice with angles looking down into Crawford Notch as well as overlooking the Crawford Depot where we started. After giving Toby some time out of the pack, snapping a number of photos, and grabbing some water and a snack, we headed back down. It was here that we wished Mo and David good luck as they had a grander destination. Katy, Toby, UP, and I headed back down to the car.<br />
<br />
After separating from Mo and David, Toby began to protest his current situation. I can't say for certain what he was complaining about, but it was his first prolonged stretch of unhappiness that we have experienced while hiking with him. We stopped and gave him some water and a snack, and did a quick smell test for the diaper, but once we started to continue on again, he continued to cry. I think he might have gotten cold hands when his gloves fell off for a few minutes. In any case, nothing was helping, and we were a mile and half away from the car. I didn't have much choice but to just hike with a crying baby on my back. I have to say that this is probably the first time that I really felt judged for doing what we do. I know many people have varying, and perhaps very strong opinions about hiking with a baby, but I didn't really <em>feel</em> those opinions until that moment. I had to pass many people on the way down the mountain while Toby was very unhappy, and the looks and comments I got came in all shapes in sizes, some positive, some not so.<br />
<br />
Not long after Toby started doing this, I at one point took a look back at Katy and she just waved her hands forward "Don't wait for me." she said. So I headed down, as swiftly and safely as I could. I started talking to Toby, asking him where the sky was, where the trees were, and where the rocks were. This in combination with the jostling of the quick pace began to calm him down. His cries got slower and he clearly was getting tired. He finally fell asleep on my back and the last 10 minutes of the hike I heard Toby snoring in my ear. I got to the bottom around 12 PM and took a seat at a picnic table. Toby woke up and was as happy as ever, and we sat there looking at the passers by and the cars until Katy arrived about a half hour later. We got Toby situated in the car at that point and then UP arrived shortly after that so we could head back to the condo and have some lunch.<br />
<br />
I hope someday Toby looks back at the adventures that we brought him on and appreciates the way we helped him learn about the world when he was young. More likely he will probably just say, "Mom and Dad, you were crazy." I'm ok with that too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxByVBNr89wsO76tpQ8xkY17EYZPoAoXjmwBwVal6fE4Nfezny6lsys8CyehKW-lytvIRWY5xFuVc-HBEx8hiU-x0bm0AJ7mGm7dIBbphT0Mh8KZK8aV67MvrUXxOetxphxJ9dSRZTO-J//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon1" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1198" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10bD2bGbR9EdF5EAqs5YB__JvtcBgiWTFDsXEOj51HG_uU-tNU5y4dJagCc0JfsnnlmZF5PJiz2RxFHu0sQckKG3VBV0-vU4Qg1njnjjEpxCI6G_QKs6WVyhCQRZbDEI6EpN-S3LkE-eq//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaI8mIazIaHPgDR1DQrQ6EIb8NuMQnLZNt9qrHuIYgcWiM1ProFKmsmF1p5Go4In2eiWMif71m7WEaKdf8WtIF62ZwfnUs27lx-PuilusX_Lhe1NhAj6bUvMU-JuNay8T9WCteBK0_sWNv//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon2" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1199" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdjb6_CdCudSljrdvQ1B2HF_m7-ubXnr0Yl83CX_-XDJja7NFMF-BN2uU9QBmY8dLAPZ4rbXMEYZB1vqYZw036ROi7fmRx0vWjsU2B2thlLXHG7AvtDIzubft4fpb2iue0FDElwdUWKDR//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJCLtcN6N99OLpX19PH9OHEZW6F1UwLVhoZ2yvixwTdGZ3ze24eCXgiwN6wpuOzy50GoSd8Jy0RTCdRAqVQcnpzRbx3T-xrS19GUyRBbIuFBq3XNwic7Fr-BaNCM80o3_s3C7QOYe7Ybt//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon3" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1200" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16zLJbTwRmq79x7Guvsl3JGolmQuyfxc9qw5_PBYxtU2VwS8zZ2SasmCUaRp3GRtIhK1ns5NkSR5bYOP56hkpFJJTAkk9qXDiTB2QLCbTrHghWZNh7EwyzxTBq_Ass2ZZFJUQadk7DBSQ//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxldjYftCLxODug66GpiPVZTFIExJFHm7g_2eZG1KBuSA3miClluB-hS1SZag5-PFZNiqL5nuzPGoHLcnl3HbsE-btmmJD5uY6IB8jjV8-JtyNzXk549dTKTqxTdjRejvlpsXUT3D0ZDIv//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon4" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1201" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPsAJdVVRRqMgM1BTLP6VqDk1xILNyh9bRqOb_vFo50zgNlLrcr_pjwKVMwUOdMzcMKhtk1ruGogNUYsRAqbYb8cDbn4SZYU6sa_CvJxovVWihDtEKlYXS5pQXzdn8Gxn0csz8oGiurHO//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiSsIco6Xh2JQqBw9bVmDycP7FJAPhDMiYWKysV31YJ5CGCPYeNbb58hiCBPxxdyUzSZOFdm0og1f17XasBMnC8UHeYOhYl8sawuyx1ui69lKyWFAVJ3mDeTndr0hmVsnBDq_3i9gHBBO//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon5" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1202" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBaN0K0eZHAz-f2UlRWvQqwwTMgFkZLfT_K1UYT2EAgmdYyXaPWj4r5BUZi9UqIugtZKjWn5uaoECOoWDuMJMeXOD9xD8BQ_lJcc-9gRDDyfNojzjoZPCNH09sCTGJqhLTCB9RmK1LQVj//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJS9-ztRHrAW1tnk1E7Mk5GDktBDu2vvJreJ-ct0vwU0gglHPGr8f9mOEMJGHQWp2VEYFTwAKcHQ6iEk9YfLSTJPau5YQ9FpdKFvc2YiMgwHjnfz3v_Is33pGIB_xrIbBp8NmVONjwTYU//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon6" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1203" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbldxmhmefR-BA6Y34Sd0T_Uhd0FFwZ61y9EpmwqG2Wy1dMUz4PaQsuAvipJk02ak28_DLkBDIedq94n1t3riZRuYsSfMq3Cu0U36mv14q7Ly2-OjSHO_ZY4tElSoZZ7jrnRcjHvY2oCg7//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRju9e9MOz6-GN_ByLvWhiBSMjMCbvp-CDhvRL7dpuutc-P6P0jpPMkWS2r_bod8OA1ZlmFpPDj4zT5OLOiy6kiuvfCx0SsFWSQ0268uFCaAm-ESnfPu6pCcSZJS-Neftqii04POUeeHY6//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon7" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1204" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOK3UQQqaef6HF_D3a0rlLH7U42C8RIj89bQh4onDl-IxmIN9iCKYSiGWAlTiHcPaRMC5XJTRxveu0eLW08CPPdPeWLsJISuW5UfE12IUf1U55Hfvbac1EgsGD2VnPLhU7YPG3_nLtwn4//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnZ_PQwq5LN51cVySqqKIKh4l8VWxz9cmMQ5yz5e8C_ReGjXyNtiUuGtFvM5csvTCsusUwkJ9T3pw87LsTSBYV3rV_5wSSMRNs1zgkU557nK3bEfOhYWsyTlggSQWTilhDi_Y6XaqcTM-//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon8" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1205" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGhvoF9WsSKoAKB4VYbOXEVvZF8ZqTGr5AOk7X48X5grKCU9eUAQ4vXhxeRppc_g0b7BLBHigKEo0k82Jv03-ebHnFydf7NSKTZdujVM_2hsbzO_1RVPndRq0R6OaQvZHR-nBjdKdH7ie//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T1AjY7V0kShdVI1AIX_gQoOhdDKio08D4-19oEIUVTUq-jAQ18JChzzs_aXPCSlIAnQKyF2taw0R1XPk9AuqWpdBjsPb9vYrjYyW47VHH9efZBJ8mOC0nBrh5BtEJfEl4KgDwcELX-Ko//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon9" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1206" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DKO5m-CO_ESxF_Egw1goq_96No9PKiV4SxcrshUOwF4p-ZvaG_qCKoWlY79Vt8No5MUg-fy47KpnRLY_UlwUEMMXl0Pf0VXbANJ8uh5Xvou5fEdP9g38F39_0rP99c3FQHQmiA7jg8NV//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU1cRjIH4WG5A64mLjErnceitVHclGdQC6-V3Tui1pkdZusaUlp8Vb6MnJF5YhKklvELoGO3D0liKBElI9pLRoYdT3EOOuDG-z901Pv-eaMiB6JXgF-BxfSDxmd_ZkdgIT0Oin41U3Q7L//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon10" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1207" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhTR9kr_uVC0edc_Yc_zWVYpev4Qg1i8w7StoPt7qX21qjpyuHk3WvXdh1pfEgVgi2IIUh5rvC3BjmU-jJDLHFWBg9j89RMsNOmmJHqe76-K4zOYBmGZBmnRSvoUsrr_At9JjxUKogSXd//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QNuG5ABROM15iRP0T7tXlmS87lHfgne6MxkA3DyeTDGLV4v3Xv2PABvfEAUQAecTJ_EFygY9ZQ0k0MIUiF9_UhbQDXA-Fcrvf-2BNQL3webAoxVA2aGGgwbSDK1Eh5w0dyVwTrRK7xL8//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon11" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1208" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMn1N_gl0P2YBFexUZ0Fdas63ti3XzzumAgt4qf2jDUP2u8UpBs0D87cCcVGuMbE0KKqU198D0CX5eibosVaqjuqrvT_Brm8E5pKNhUAqA1bs3dSKpYvj3BxRsZFItmWDdl3XBzQbf6_G_//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjbfXGO4jeOSq_AwjSgh-Acy0laQHnVWYIuHqk0Xu72SEVqlFcgDeGlkFPlhlY2GM9D-U3FnmPUCcnsaoTrojteoufzSnTW2DoQF4V_IGRXq4opnyNh30EaU6KBLtCpI2OBgPUHL-y_Ah//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon12" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1209" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9wbBV1uP2iGGFwZ1GGHnMUTI_058kw8v1rqTWXQeDgU_s_kTAzY3hyphenhyphenDolmLjXUOuyxF-XZqkxgiK2cbagtm0UsLr7Ed9Pm23Z9w5wAIh_JjrZhL_dfI5oOr2NchU1NR2fF3lzFyhrlhe//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43BqxG2PbhWOAfxBG1hDzUZMMRZzKyhWVHS2mhSgzbdu9lhtu76wic2FerJG1JPMz9IWfc6jXcXE0lpTcHzzrtzGLF2jEn4P1hNdgTscinJKqRaxegPUP88L97c7VIFn10_AjA-4yY9vE//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="avalon13" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1210" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrW20DeAU1pKDX2Au9pvDyjjtniHCP1iPSXHc5jUFxKHEGgkYhfGZGmEoj7cTGzcfq4OiqhAFXQI7MNfJwcvm9ba_IxXc0adN08oiw6vlbpCMw6znRinSdOlVBh53rwrs17Suk3Y7Q41y//" width="550" /></a></div>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-10059854269831017402014-09-29T15:08:00.001-04:002015-11-04T20:35:06.760-05:00Stinson MountainThe weather this weekend was seasonably warm with temperatures forecast to be in the 80's and high pressure dominating the region. We couldn't pass up this chance to get in another "52 With A View" hike so on Friday I pulled up the list and took a look at our options. Keeping Toby in mind, we wanted a hike that was a reasonably close drive and to keep the round trip hiking route under 4 miles. We settled on Stinson Mountain, a moderate peak on the southern edge of the White Mountains with a 1.8 mile trail to the summit. With the decision made, on Friday evening we quickly organized our gear, snacks, and all of the other things you need to leave the house with a toddler.<br />
<br />
We were up early on Saturday morning and with most of our stuff ready to go, it was just a matter of the three of us eating breakfast, getting dressed, and heading out. "We're oddly on schedule." Katy said at one point as we made it out the door and on the road by 7:30AM. It was a nice ride up as we noticed that many of the trees were already turning for foliage season up in NH. We made one quick pitstop on the way to use the restroom and feed Toby a quick snack and then continued on to the trailhead in Rumney, NH. It was uncharted territory for us, as this trail is 15 miles off the main interstate and not near any other trails that we've hiked before in our <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">NH 4000 footer quest</a>. Early fall, a warm clear New England day, and exploring the backroads and hiking trails of Rumney, NH - sounds like an episode of Chronicle!<br />
<br />
We arrived at the small parking lot at the trailhead which was already filled to capacity with 4 cars. We parked on the side of the road and got ourselves organized before heading off, on the trail at exactly 10:00AM. As usual, Toby was very enthusiastic on this early portion of the hike and was talking the whole way up. Stinson Mountain Trail is well maintained and easy to navigate but it was definitely a climb. With 1400 feet of elevation gain over 1.8 miles, it's a little more then just a walk in the woods. We made it to the top without much issue, though, in about an hour's time, and were treated to some excellent views of the valley. We took Toby out of his pack and all had a PB & J snack while Toby tirelessly climbed on every single cement remnant of the old firetower that clearly used to be at the top of this peak but is now gone.<br />
<br />
We were doing our usual photo-ops when Katy noticed a small plane flying in the distance and she suggested that Toby and I pose for a picture with the plane in the background before we head down. Sure why not? We got Toby in his pack and in position on a rock ledge, Katy lined up the shot, and then she tried to get a good angle. "Oh the plane is getting closer," she says. "It's coming this way." I continued to wait... "It's coming right towards us." I was still waiting at this point wondering how long I needed to stand there. "Umm, Owen I think you should get down from there." As she was saying all of these things I was continuing to wait for her to take our picture with my back to the plane until I finally turned around when she said this. To my surprise, the plane was only a few hundred yards away coming directly at us. At that moment there was no other explanation in my mind why the plane would be in that position and on that course unless it was coming in for a crash landing. We both started running off of the rock ledge and I was about 3 to 4 seconds away from diving for cover into the dirt behind the nearest rock or tree, baby on my back and all. <br />
<br />
But then, the plane pulled up at the last second and flew straight up and over us! Katy's first reaction was to laugh while simultaneously flipping the pilot off with both hands as he looped back around and made multiple fly by's while waving at us. I was just in disbelief with adrenaline pumping and glad we were all still in one piece. It was definitely a very bizarre experience and something we will laugh about for a while. Before long, the plane had flown off and we were making our way down the trail we came up. By comparison's sake, it was an uneventful hike down and journey home, but an overall great outing for our 2nd peak on the NH 52 With A View!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFA62h_lrphU68IA-NKk6sqicMu_7MqpSVSUgeawKAocUqRne6A1hGIYOqcHpqkqRiXPxL7MNL9jDhbhE0XN0PcxPgpn5sOGwh_IiSRVEfxuY66XZRiWMs95zKa6WQWvpZnXdZ_vgMN-2k//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson1" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1172" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBG4wqHeBARmmDL89F845gYTx9yQcdnZo0CbM4fJblO07Slm4jwKx4fxavUj8tcjmjK-9QFmMtFuspt2y9RSQsMuV927fx7jRaR8HDe0UwkrP-ByGB1n-RD4ho3_F9Htq8BszOlfpTvpz_//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJNtZQnKXok2CXDMT_BtkP8JkTl0FDy31rI9GS3gkeV1SOr4x9flNC8dB0R5q4IyjVP31C8t7AhzoyB3QJMf6vEjMB3JloBt5_BD-WYtY49xJnWEdcQFlzfMfLO3sn-BD_kaOwFdV4x5b//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson2" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1173" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5an-m8nz5tv8kctNw6QURApEfKWftOiZVTfplF8QgDw73-_rLgxOLQtu1uM4-hjKpymznKsPFf-WrF4HkEKRrE3KDYpHhSu9RO3664SU3jHJON7tGx1Cg8pDpVEzkrxIs4HLMJ0XKiez//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-yMG26FtWZr9YaxrUDtXsY3WNi0zNltvGPlPg5XdTJzilBUmMEpd5Xi0upYMbfKKoTZfkYM9MQaGBQTFt1bFUm9qGdf68KiLZ4294MCtNwod40VQ9Ep8PTEDUD7opt5x1s2U9euKcP_W//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson3" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1174" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGwK1KABfFfh2xYHiNbNVKV8NIoLalReFp6hF6Shu6RmWTZjewKp8IQDBgqhgrgSS9AVnz5IUKW6_eUl0Xxkb56rPX8IeWDia9QpJ8RXPbJh0Tt7p4vysWheuzCdYPAIriN1FrqqLExSD//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fcXte9lAyr-wxeybup-XHwlbPpSYUivlEAF0eVgVwrYVrNljoux84xvGNqXvKcX1v0CQ5bMRwMM_tCHR43efwKFXLC08vqPCubwf8eG1CF18db5RXFrzOsjopLzqkWA40weavJxsBbUd//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson4" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1175" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUiIDu2-me1JUDRolg7XRiVtLMGjPN37LDm28baE0Z65JAKqroKfaDlnDiy5rXswfLv9HqzEFbaDA-6MrGZYapxzArB9CBuc0QX2hIK7ivAXM0QA6fycN4vXAujwOXWQfIsBXKSenPvX3//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPS4fQ1pNmUQp77BjXU2FB07d72mSFJVSJcD8DUoAxB-daWqZltC2AycJylj47ki4-D4yBpetcmnzdvVqXmSBf_hwp7e3FtoTAruQ8H2RyI_8bA07XthNgx8ZwVzTK7vfGZSGP0dCJqFfj//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson5" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1176" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtbxAraQDSUFMfxRTz-fEod6Iu23WzUVA5xhyphenhyphengTVvc4UDmirTbj0tQ_T6xGwGkmcAUIxpfYHwHHKwSippJN9zunm_39VdsIoqBqTtPwaubF3BifdVLwEv8P8g14jFZoU7S0w3rcOdCRNg//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZa-YLmWSaqdac29ImPP4mOlqMP8HO9VNRDpoBGFKGsy_zWqZadK55_f8QCnnW3Wb9W3RHuog5YqxayyiO4o1sy5wXOc4AG6ZVlr94IuqszyOt-GnxdQCq9N0N9Sljm1zU8uJoq8D5df5G//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson6" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1177" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwH52C5cMi6ahlTsB9q8CcAP8Q62Q-Z7YorNVY2aoiVhZ-QZmhVUBF3-gbe9iz89neMXXas72CdQo99Dwki9Juo3qt1T9y1liSH33M0dP6pSYX36AN9V0V8C4vY49A4VQ1t7CsrIakPFh1//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV94jJIi8C9Wv0YnKg3zDyqSLxeuVPiUna0eM_6Iy42he8xeExbVwxgpeDNt_GpxnzPuEUg2ZcT1yPLP8s0smzCpGfE3k6nLruUr-kBSPtsANvmS0S7HWPV7Qt8QIyApBmP3s40LcOsooB//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson7" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1178" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBocji8ssbcwKDhHP492Bl2VnLt7EwknU0LgdKZr7yoFX1xg40LSSrWYkGzGonxYn834AL_gimhA5LxrgP5HFshG-2DjiKUp-ouTo0jADIWc1wByur1oVUqSkGFY8PVKqYNNm-QD6RFLnA//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nAlhK4tRmBRxP2VjmQDZJP_iI2dBQdjT_MBSMpMSnaG_FTSFIRrs22Rnuvcs1u63Km7vU_ro5x8LQTUd6Fw0QC5XMk9yAnyk4BamRondwsj3svb2XS0cq2b4S9w1oTRSzKQXetMX8NBd//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson8" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1179" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOsFnR5GL8IC8jJVhOr_-MZrtxgssjONeGEdpIZ7NR2d9sF97lnlLKNJymIGgtRItHepdFmmGtcB2dKf1Cx6cl1m5m4ZptxeiCVXP0jm9t7aPULEBfhVY8559cheClPWwV7j_D0aSYn-B//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXOhrmODutm9rSBM5_ZHoDbdTqKrCuHhcxX10vk7YV1Fa2bAcL8PfMcG1BEXLPKtfd5SM4vW1kmGv8ExjlH8MGvPLk_5Bd7ObM-s_OXPUT-LT8CVjxRT2POrzJOl1jjL-Mlu-yQn7oMNb//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson9" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1180" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3qWgXyi7iDgH-oTgRGTVnuwCLVIADvmKdBiT3tcbgFvgz1CvdwSkmGTJEpU57wYBZg7gRhhyphenhyphenb_o7ydgdE96Bi2EL5q1_8GeLd9g1RRnVODhWSqxtJ3wAWfqnJ9ax9cpyVwK_yiOa39Ba//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucfnjqkaXRE1UeQb-6coR37wwo38b0uPAljGF7CYpGvjwig1JdcteMUOLvU2UhCidWF_myEbZjosdvyzVJ5GeXdx_CBd78FTtyfj0WEa6zGYp6iMVqXVaU1F0cLmjiO2UVcwDeuPjYXbD//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson10" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1181" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiT5fmpuyaDmpRuV3UP44BhbWRdM-Q-Y623UCDNd5GFPWKluLVrMRPw1Ka2uE_-SWh-lD-7_vyE0buZ-Ln5ghFHVXM9ZJKx3cSgKSoTille5a3v0THL4h13z8RhPmaym5y7A-Vvwu2xIO1//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAGle2nGXP1KELkEEyzOO0w0wtiBpG_0qp71UkQe0fcHO5fQzbeIEoGuiMS_vLJeAs73c6mhphUDuHYNAv1Lx1wKC-4wEx8lw4OAuBdd9Av23gAkTPbVs7dVsBZS-OoVX6eikFSicNm1e//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson11" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1182" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDRa1GjztTKyVr8wuQ8fExJaFnCSOuNy7uA4Ziw7hNkto0ZWMHySF9UsWiAs_vFA9XXURDYSck7Mzsth2LBZiaXw24-lcXCRd__TAENosCzT8kzt20dTSHGvUf3un6DLf7o3IOXYUvuYq//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimq-nblROHybULxJyLgGrAeqE4S26iJ6Bp2Nz57xbyKLQ4gtr4eUCjLY6mjlqOL8e2bQg5_O434PZ-lXMzJ4r0Ha-zNnAQX7qIHKrt9Ve9LsW8ICiDPki4FVjhIU4dwdPH5L-vqe8C-r_5//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson12" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1183" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PeyGz2iKAQwm9Dcs6uMFT1C6dTDpLd3yfJZx97THWBrLL0JUJkh6VpddhA8pYmOfZ6mipP1jP60NJOkKXA2ohuTnQl20c6xXumz0473Sa0Qsq3hb8dQqelc0LXRGOjCIaXKHUlUojmhS//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOwijS7ILhHhmLRDasfdD8QWiLKAFby8SIJRS-GqwaEZsEnr8rYVAPeHSV-Yvi4AY42zsIQV-7SVokLM7A5yH0boXj1qJa70DdZ7_4_Rh9GiDmDTuBDrwet8EJIdZmBAmdExORtEGOePM//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson13" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1184" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2X5pku-wtSC_G0iDagNeTX63duDXdn56_mlfPqm9SjdxOG2KwwwU3u0QS7WEd5rdJCZN74TUiUAIFfG0a-sQabvmyfXhS5bdhr55-KU76BYPSi206w1BbajKv_EGnVKXcLCgtiPBLfApE//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVMXkR0hgcAS5FgMW1yin8GQgjfUpdRggItCCUT_QGPiBVHlD73E9BXWE9HyGIJyUtCWVV0Lm4KVAk40AI4njU-2Up5z3TnnaU2x0LBRWfotQ-A6csLjsyoO_ASaM3mWOdZunAlqyR35o//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson14" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1185" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXJKJa0zPMKZQC_IEVMtBJ38TlpW-05xe_UQKj-qJMlqYYXjlRFXperwYIbyBfbS3S4EvqMHq0gpw8Kf2rLkI_-QgI2Y80If8cLaAFrH45VU1PioZPGhZUUQsKRBZlnjwzsvQ9YBF0r_L//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6CJYqSIgCaDp5IgY-M2pseZdK43JQXBjG7av4R7Fw0w26fFkhaMu_acVDrMYeNs0S_z88mM3eEi8_908HrITJ8sGbdSDNW_JTdWPjd1zZMN5W3ieei3KtzGSR0yBRjT1EIMgPpgortfg//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson15" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1186" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZTMxxa4dxgJPOo8vTfRkakF-B2hdBuD1xIB97hch8DK0b45QXzbvQouRCPsNeXu53MN1Aw1kapezFeHeuKMV3Q3fHdoX2F57Nhho83XqZ6ieAvr_dHz7HxLGCg33xBUut4f7_wrncLMZ//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSibKUm2S0mK23X6SqU9wVk-jq2BwX54-IGpM5_d5n5RImT7ekF71gnYhSvgsvZLcKv-B9tzNoBpadbttKdJUkE_q293FzNf2vx62h_MnFMkTjsLm4Yztd6oz37ZTgPFOjFU6mUgsVYmSe//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson16" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1187" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXA8urjTD4pSYX8-EObzR1EQkzttF5cxdSkhE9xJTU-_QMoldJm2dlSaxVC3diOB4ZlwJ09IjYDHgOG_T7SpB2ow1fg-bVdTnc7_U2UKldsJdyvjSKbTTYH0wLmNMz2OnqRKlpgMdbYGxc//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHhEuWUxdGCRlrSoSe4ITQ_iDLApCRhtojWiLf-6glQHuWCIbL-Ui1rwXQDQY2vP0rvTWSAQtZ5AO5FcOq95z45JDlM6o0O40rhCPgnjLRa7LuOogpGOwr-kANn2XilU9_fSrQoYxh55Oy//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson17" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1188" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGP-nQaDFOJgZA3hUIyNmZn0FTcvO47soYg-k2yfbWdQzDFzeDq1q3JK33yj-QABg7aD3mDiBKL7yvzz6L4FPh5u72asN8soWsjlcuXW5kwqlqVOZlt4yonodz3Wx71ru5YOzx65LhNjz//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQn6mrH7AjAKGz7UmgT2l6dEgkULJ52MLpZVwP3y1O1lDBYQnQhhsodKnJaonntsxsA1bGPb4k_We5YMiDTtFVaonInm01CL9DS8u_lGhOQnOpg5X9Zl8BMNCf4TYfMKFiUk9RS-Tt5JqW//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson18" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1189" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfO_pXyNKJPgCRTSygxQXnFbErMLsysR9PJ9JtZ3F5BicdftHUXT7cHGWwUOXPmA0n4T4gKL0SbDm6-kTExYxYPP07aoOzg8SoEbsAThulvPgxk2TTX8bLulHidtu8vb7ngVLh6fwu9mW//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSec7WhsB3klEuwDp5eUOwKLg7veKrg4PTqJE-cqEfkfArzH0TxXcTfjYUisG-PpLBaPe77jsnMLgD54VW93bjIxZIkgMRPfopmNBlKvD7AANaCLsUALja4qZTzMJHMGD8yqw2wvju0xgg//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stinson19" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1190" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4e760OLfoi3mLDnHOMKMPsixHj_cj8yayE6PzJuhUG2jJ_EjaNP1gkybLhlhv9ZJ_jy96DgWbDef-i6nleOR1ra0tG3B4c-x2cwUetRZ7BqK4Mzwagqu990a_HZ-D3iKNXHazA3C5qH6//" width="412" /></a></div>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-32917751432347751142014-09-18T17:47:00.001-04:002015-11-04T20:32:55.089-05:00Mount PemigewassetAs I mentioned in our previous <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2014/08/31/lonesome-lake/">outing to Lonesome Lake</a>, Katy and I decided to start tackling the <a href="http://www.nhmountainhiking.com/hike/lists/52view.html">NH 52 With A View</a> list and bring Toby along for the ride. This past weekend, we embarked on our first of hopefully many hiking trips on this list by climbing Mount Pemigewasset.<br />
<br />
Mount Pemigewasset is a small peak at the southern end of Franconia Notch that looks like a little nub that you can see when driving by on Interstate 93. It's an appealing hike for a small outing because of its relative driving proximity, the moderate 3 mile round trip climb, and the open ledges at the top. I've mentioned it as an option several times in the past when we've been considering a small hiking trip, but we've always opted for another alternative instead. Katy tells me that it was because she always associates the word Pemigewasset with bears because of an article we once saw about a bear encounter in the Pemigewasset Wilderness.<br />
<br />
We got up on Sunday morning with our usual routine, still not 100% committed to making the trip. After having breakfast and getting Toby up and ready, we decided to go for it and began to get organized. It was another perfect fall day that was just not to be passed up. We were all ready to go around mid morning and headed out the door. It took a few false starts to get going though, as I think Katy and I each had to go back into the house once or twice to get something (diaper bag? sweatshirt? I don't even remember). We finally were situated though and were off. We made a stop on the way up to feed ourselves and Toby lunch, before continuing on and arriving at the large parking area for the Flume Gorge Visitor Center around 1:00PM.<br />
<br />
There was plenty of activity at the visitor center as we got organized for the hike. Toby was excited to go in the carrier once again and we started heading up the trail. NH 52 With A View hike #1 had begun! But wait, 100 yards in and another false start. I had forgotten to put my long sleeve shirt in the pack so we had to go back to the car to get it. We recovered and were quickly back on the trail. The trail to the summit is fairly straightforward, with moderate elevation gain and is well maintained. We passed by a number of groups on the way up, and I think just about all of them had something to say to Toby or about Toby. He has a way of making friends quickly that kid! We even stopped once on the way up to take him out of the pack, and let him hike on his own with some help. We arrived at the summit ledges in just over an hour and stopped for a bit to take in the views over the notch as advertised.<br />
<br />
We headed back down the way we came with little trouble and then spent a few minutes at the visitor center before heading home. The hike was a success and a great time was had by all of us. Looking forward to the next one!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKcuuNzjU0KrhmQR5ooIJlX200QnGwjau1VkELBjEq2yNCcRY92vvxQoUivCLi44N3U_guopKEXvGwq-Nh8vaGLIcSu_Fl67aD_uyYYy-fxfgbgvf_-jIZ7N7wGyckIvZAA6QyVh0d0v6//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi1" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1150" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNXx0p_fTCKJ3INWmyUHgFG9kmW3rMjm9x9uvJ4zh7PShoAIbj1XtFzOHSj-7AzOHlMCsPT4eJHfzE_oPN-nMcXWTQ4vJGEpD5UqWrL9gPVyIrfNsDN0_IY80ia2dDtQpCEeW3lV8MGku//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwll9aQNY7aGgYwkOK-6-kUT3AYtGBWXpNCw9nNNiiSlSxwOD-valToepi6ZnT7VLNO0Sjgnxp5niK4QenoCIyX9PWtp4zFt5j6QYjpYQ5aHNVLE75-E3QtyZ0nzlsvSadKQm9Xj0blwxT//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi2" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1151" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_es-JGQeLdvyKbWMluT4VjJoMaHwLuofShS9IBu5pznVwEm143ttdGfi-KJbij3uvl_-3Huxh9vxQxZmgvdEuGtrut5xHytVxnPdxwzqfDGJHl3Y_P5gT_MkvqDHwGtdhrVRJVltNeXf//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulcmbMQZfl53tptgLxDyELb9odwBJUKtZY2e2NeMQQVROxb_kAMuJphD866xqFr4JEX170NtIsd1HC9mFDS8tm_1y4F42ReSl0dQeiuVOLObOfVPSddQ1cwTNL5uOGd-QzySqt2K6sLQ6//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi3" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1152" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgT3A6N5pqxvrCfquCoNBebbuduL2mw_3_P20acUpb4mYWbq8VO1aAckVSUJv3j0iV1QvrvG5NnOu7lG93qrT3F_Cn471_XUI9A-UYOQIXaOVf-9dwqweERwt2MZNm2_AX8u3i44iKcmXH//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq48jMvPkLHRna8tZKgWkUZe2AvUVNTuKn_Z4X18idp_QGoJ1vLnHAAIncIXq8eqJh2C-aRszf1Hvv_2-Hks1J0hARjSmkktuORxcgvnggQc2-cqzUEdi39TCjFxJLaINzLWdlsG1YcD5E//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi4" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1153" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisx0QqV62nQvbZB-qPv5cqZxWaNA3NVs19ptkq0nrWSrw1LfqnyPYwfePZ-_NBQ5ik-yr42NvJTO4T5Kyos2UhapIXvN5u2So8wXFFokDXl_Yjt-W2rwwlH1gMnRYKDLrMd6dRtsSMbRar//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikVsoYox5ybJ0BujLfAgcMEINRM995rmM6iXddYifgAO8RKCxHdxon8G9D_LZQTfgdz8aeFOS7VlnmDaynhOixg_xjHWImbf9VrFmLgzh0U7P-LohgGVLstYSkNVAkOp3rCylTNEK1EuN//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi5" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1154" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDoc3iWPrJM3doY6e-au3QBznMY36how2Mf8paYXEzmUv5AQJ7d_0C-q2xOqRvXKJtK_EkVpyhF8Mtqvin1lUnerLa2wVfBfSMqoXyGo2rvSD-prhDiU4vQZ9rkFLAYB8VqBtc1-eSjKL//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4C8qiUE5JGVLd1Cv9XvPP-X2duy5WyKK1V8CThyphenhypheng-DItpQrmobCW4LapLQSXnPn9gNXAJA-YaYx7kEKIlkHnXpBf4cvyZYbW50xBxV3CLv3yEFVY1H5rc_JuRmAcMpsIttelO8qt569U//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi6" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1155" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBiqYWUtl7UrM0JDH7TiSzYhI4W9k1pOEpjM42Arr5NKuaEVoPtuPN0Pw11cfX8MdN0d-ItdbDOzWGoXQ7cfQOBwoTWko-PyfXXg_jftWVxb9FMjfe2lABEiaZSsu50vzbO0MWzSjuykw//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaCDE0HqVCSBHXdmAKVKRJ5d8loGsDkDLIkaor0jZBjb4k6dhSt9lEhHe2RV1pWRZVLJslLGVpbd9gh_DTorc6Da07fDFQhHllkXvx-8-W18dyG-UiJFzRaB-_uKGXK3t9SGrCxiNEa9r//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi7" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1156" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdpyiccqBFp8HgVAmVDvPyFwR9zNIgbu0B1VBOg84CiB6YUSX1V6XWR_wlXuL5YjVlzGDZW5HFkVmDZXhp_bFpdQ5uPIer1E6Q6wPClk-Mh9EM0bgUNn1OmNqOCyRremQ2DaBw0L8tCpg//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94llp-IwEg8PGBNKbEmgYDqS4hF-JCGzRvkWhtl7LNvTe1ec4De7xxvnWZwxBdBfCkzfjZcFu0qcDoiZSA6-8yZFz5xF-965Un32fev2pP6S_WmgBHVihMeN-WmPQfcI-0VgPPnZWryaz//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi8" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1157" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOuDFy4Yrq8zUugSG1SyLL7qONcKd7g0I-JiHFLOUkQQZ5EnBlCCPYTlL7oyYxClSrfDKYL5tm8JF788eSubADVbK00iPAnIQL71dteEsR_4BAtR_GTKFFW-B2Bko2ulzsDwmfvdd5DMt//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESJIb4vrSP9l1qUs2uck5ziPCDgZ7qnh7wiulwXRjhCcl8Q0H_lDPCucncpcrgQAL_CmyntLpcMeW6-DSfSKcwhE53JT-VL8svadr52ZbQaQ45rz9h0F9q_UXXGyya0r1_j2psHOgRTPV//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi9" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1158" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdmnYQ3GAUYLkfjQcqO4CJ3tp_MaBfZRNY4MlIvG2aiCVyKO2wFaVGC97OZFjiypfXXJGw3rs5v-wueC9EZ0oBlsKgPbtxjq0nbcneqt4YP_G0vnLUhWMuPBKgaLFvTGAqyyqFFWYLc3u//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyic4-Yw_8BeixlRGi0uolklZJsPTlU1n-z_Ojn-wYjHNr2gTjov8yfE4UPr9VbOKaVvLTj5t9p7eajjJHR5JS98ny6MVuvWPJNBpUpWBBubTEM7gC9v9QL3Oh1sLWyqA1yq1KRRB5pzof//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi10" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1159" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6UmC_vF9l591a9cE_LzbQLplzG3msTHsCRqJCbDEUNnzJHDkZIUI8Rq2YWOisF8L0HvJTaJMpg1y0sOOD-o6zyzoT_k27Wf6MFlhEOS84r3NN0ZuXUb_2CCqi1coiH9FcXS66d1GgvH1//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4aQYGeVcXWCL-_6o3ILaLqc9mNXtQhcC1KG1qGw69iCTkrQUUsBPy7T1I4fxhplX2GiuWD7JThIOaSLz6MCgqNizRUzuKcvFLBdHtACpeICEGKe8v_Q5qOh5jVkbqLcGRUkYCjnGrYRq//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi11" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1160" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtFOSbgd3xuvsRlH9T9CcPbuXWpm_JL-nxcQzk7L5fWDzFdL13I3TJMxe6zoGzeg-aEhJSFjParWRDRx1UU_b1NwfK4kDkgM6eG2YhnjvYhbkZrxaVadlHk2AFemUbG4MMjsVWvBzSUNY//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6V5R1ipYnNbg7jbnhbKeg9X6uVCFqhR_iykDgOUaa-JENKQEoU_jZ00hn3HYrCZ4mQwk2_LdjhWqTVzalXMhyphenhyphensOIkp89NcZ00HPq2WeHl1fSaDFDe1Vt2RCsabTCR2RhZXRblEvGsULfK//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi12" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1161" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTp1avq0J4a_PomcR9RRuShGv5oBzuo9mwwZC1RD_gH-AfXLEOZrNNGGoAZQfDyWHOmZpjYfZ_fmp2rw6Oqg5_a2zxmjnprTahwO1uuerXUwvzsriGK_bWuTUTAMj9kIrCvMy2aNj7NR6g//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLjJiD8BNBDBwvoUudsuwOt3Z4qS6FPZvqRL26lTL-J2YZAu8FnsY1R0KUtQtzwAqULdQehLT3gkpcxuhGs39ljvhduFxjo1enWlglVBErzUE1vZY1VxiLyCwi5SA6jm8NOyS1F1T2Cxf//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pemi13" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1162" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOvHuO4j89kAUOhEd3WUxoy4XUiiwntSzgnLLJJG9qC-LZ4icXA2Ey6y_61NVGErRCzR8_l0XoRvgK8u7PA87XOemMjAUEfKubnFQop8fYUf8QhC_AG_hVb3Ce4GOSyRogP8Xk6bJycEC//" width="412" /></a></div>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-18586483722855720162014-09-16T15:36:00.001-04:002015-11-04T20:31:14.291-05:00Jefferson and AdamsFor a long time now, my brother Brian and I would periodically have this conversation: (O or B): "We should do a hike sometime." (B or O): "Yes we should." End of conversation. With both of us having young children now, weekends are busy and it's easy to either have a conflict or just not get around to planning these things out. Well, we finally decided it was time. After bouncing around a few ideas, we settled on a loop over Mount Jefferson and Mount Adams via the Castle Trail on the way up and Lowes Path on the way down. It seemed like a good choice with a long stretch of above treeline hiking and neither of us had been on the Castle Trail before. The plan was set for two Sundays ago with perfect weather in the works.<br />
<br />
With a hefty day ahead of us, we made plans to meet at the Park and Ride lot in Nashua at 5:30AM. We both pulled into the lot at nearly the exact same time, and Brian jumped in my car to continue the ride up together. We stopped at a Dunkin Donuts on the way (I skipped the pre-hike donut but Brian couldn't resist) and were at the trailhead and on the trail at about 8:00AM. It was cool but comfortable and clear, with the higher summits forecast predicting excellent above treeline conditions in the 40's with moderate winds. The first mile or so of the trail was an easy warmup, with the trail in good shape and minimal elevation gain. Then we began to climb.<br />
<br />
The middle third of the ascent was a steady upward trek and we eventually popped out above treeline under clear skies. It was here that we hit the "castles" portion of the trail which is a good section of large rocky towers that required some fun scrambling to get over. We continued up along the ridge line and eventually made it to the summit at 11:00AM. It wasn't until we were nearly at the top of Jefferson that we ran into the first group of other hikers that we'd seen. From a distance, it looked like a man hiking with a young kid. As we got closer, we noticed he was carrying a second child in a front carrier. Impressive! As we got even closer, though, we realized that not only was he carrying a child on his front, he was also carrying <em>another child</em> on his back! Nice!<br />
<br />
We ate a snack on top of Jefferson and then continued on to the summit of Adams. The hike along the ridge was much higher traffic with many other hikers hitting the high peaks on this day. We made our way up the bouldery summit cone of Adams and took another break at the top. Of all the Presidentials, Adams is definitely the meanest in terms of jagged boulder hopping and tricky footing. The winds were whipping at the peak and we spent some more time up there before heading back down. The descent down Lowes Path was excellent with a very long stretch still above treeline overlooking the valley. The lower portion of the trail seemed to go on forever, though, with a bit of a death march grind back to the road and an extra mile of flat walking to complete the loop. We completed the hike just before 4:00PM coming in under 8 hours.<br />
<br />
Overall, it was a great day and I'm glad we finally got out there. I'm looking forward to hopefully getting some more hikes in again soon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEg5x16YDFMw2SDLFjQd80owCzm47Uk46y76WTm0d2raE5ediI_0kG6cWv4_4EJ5mkWHs5949WDCJ3ylIkjI_0nu0K1RyNPWxl7ZEmHqGkoHhDzErQ5Ma0LQjNKvYKza_1dZhaEeqk-TZD//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jeffersonadams8" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1141" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwZuWhxFZfglGIXyV8vNGlUVJ4SCJBXi7Ge4QaLAji4WHCuYzJ-xDGRxuJUSVlJ_iIFTFYNX4_kDNGqAR-_sltRz-UmPTPKXDBHMZ8xINQIrALJVLV8X4EYGZfFqHOCZIj9rCl95fMtBl//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiWGcPcQWm4SKftFNbXVBmQcxPrItPbEhD_tnuTAuHnOgYG_IOmUWhjlrNyKQojcBuksWU9_2eF4Qr3ZxtoYwdvcpHgA3Ey33CSR-Sh5gXYELXT8mFJ-bExr0kltoHy4o5A2SibCqs9Nv//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jeffersonadams7" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1140" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRcpORzy8J2EVy-D3sdhqakaXEh_K6lemw9Xdgkwdcw6zk6Obk44hYhVGn5RwKdqxI96IIA8XTHeJH-ZPt5AiM13O8-Mv57eXmg4P_ElbysRT5df4mvyrfCIArz_B_-TFkZAq3pu5Wj4n//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPHU5woebteS-zVPS7EVH7Lkup0QJLXSvw9cwW4O5OeqdMBp1Kzlc8-uwuasRUd0UEremvnV0dpT6V5QQF1JIbNc4FsgCRPOO9SSYb3wcdUREHpGMSCeEqOxt_bMFEALFZlRHVNmc-hxm//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jeffersonadams6" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1139" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-54wuHIn9z2otOy3ZhTal8d2p0WbL6BWnCE3fy1H1Dq6Dwv8HL0ltRazBfxNQXnbibVYFQqUgZJrYnnE-Rgp1GphFxzOGXlFnR_5LZ0j9IdSgEKfia8P_V-0pBVc1fRp4FYX1UZ1zBgb//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoVSL0ktL_kwDfTck3ensZs9heikAECB6xeb0AT1uXhQ-cudaNnffyjKzLUsBk4FDk9v0D-Ko9Zo5XZmM3GH-lziLDOsAEn_kmWzoU7uIM4i9h1yFLY8vzqXjsud5mios0wt5ahc59Hs7//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jeffersonadams4" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1138" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVnekzs0Pdx6rXs781qa1qgU_H32T5MfGm7ZL0zSEcztItjHQtoh0uceFGgrIFyyFj-R9oIRXCT6RvOFQO518COfMyqNJI-VJ3W_O8QP1AMMLk3E5wgnkO1l-Nua2u-w1HK8QumQSKrgm//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsH7RdoxnGElUHkWeJNGIDgQfFOCmKvejs-7749bmzvJ2JLMGHS1QkuzcoXf-G8c0Q8sEjlsUaR6VKCdJ2ohvx535Hwh50kzn1oFd0sVNuEOW5VtUZTU-rxJQsTOVcpcJDYWi6paUk096//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jeffersonadams3" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1137" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg71G7t6h7px5_-e0etS_mMMHrmW7lw31bR3Mp_yG_FFdd8wURraD-2hqCBOAAhDXI31t7hnnBiPweoX_rde8dMB9ciMhZ-LQrb_Ina6pjR7dXJhPKt55NXmSwH3PRCI_wSXog3MYSDoZ//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3pAMZ-XyCqbMK1jG89Nv_bu_y9ZwFHCDVVaSrAkPMwKohMOrdsB20XhH0X70IoXVg3DrWJi6fQvHBW2m-QSOZublok0A-lPsRvh6e1BwIc9EfIpoYoMhBVtPbp4p0kEyEIz3NF1SpFto//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jeffersonadams2" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1136" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIC-ey1UlBjiq4j9qnBtjUcG-n150bf5-448sQ26wouFKzCWDvF2sOn6vZ_2GajJ_0K_-AU1DtoIpCwXv5KbggHz1SzOKe362vOzDqltR-euOLXft9UUvg0UtP9APJizJZN8CmFUFQi4vY//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThVU2U4hxQIMsnd14pGjI1aLQ1No1qjE9-MQWoIHY-GenPoSqfg3SDCZLLJLN3piIRkA70jpEsWbTOKDCG65wrAgnCyHnnOoaMyj5zSzWy0N81qMeJ1fTl6chWA31b3Q8YrUhGnUema6-//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jeffersonadams1" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1135" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr3gY6fC3r52PP_FSj4fQbX9QCpc3889LChVp3uswimlkZPI4f5v-caWzvx0XRBj3SkMmgM_KiHit8a9ofR3Ug1ozXr_Knb237D2qnD6kIUVfOGvlhYOej946riCZBAttF66z7dX9GQrF//" width="550" /></a></div>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-33537213847630934692014-08-31T16:42:00.001-04:002015-11-04T20:30:24.342-05:00Lonesome LakeIt's been nearly two years since Katy and I triumphantly completed our 48th <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">New Hampshire 4000 footer</a>. Since then, this blog has remained mostly idle, but our lives certainly have not. Our humble accomplishment of conquering all of those peaks was thrilling, challenging, and rewarding; but on May 26, 2013, we embarked on a new adventure that magnifies all of those adjectives and then some. We became parents. Our son Toby is a 1 year old toddler now and is just a smart, happy, goofy, fun loving kid. We've been loving every minute of our time with him and have enjoyed seeing him grow.<br />
<br />
Katy mentioned in her <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/12/18/on-hiking-all-48-white-mountain-4000-footers/">4000 footer application</a> that <em>"We plan to introduce our child to the White Mountains once s/he is old enough to walk."</em> Well, Toby can now walk! Last week we had some time off and decided it was time to do just that. We planned a relatively short hike out and back to Lonesome Lake Hut from Lafayette Campground - a little over 3 miles round trip and a moderate elevation gain. I have to say that this is not Toby's first time hiking with us. We took him up Mt. Kearsarge when he was only 2 months old and also hiked with him in the rain forest at 9 months old when we vacationed in Puerto Rico a while back. We had a few other small outings too but none of these previous hikes were more then a mile. This hike was definitely the longest hike we've ever done with him and also, staying true to form, the <em>first</em> hike in the White Mountains.<br />
<br />
Katy and I got up early, 5:45 AM, and packed our things. Not only were we hiking but we were also spending some time at Lake Winnipesaukee afterwards so we had to prep for an overnight trip. After we got organized, we woke Toby up, had breakfast, and all piled into the car for the trip north. We were on our way by 7:30 AM. It was fun to make that drive early in the morning like we had done so many times before in years' past. We arrived at Lafayette Campground before 10:00 AM and then ... changed and fed the baby? Oh how life has changed. Toby enjoyed exploring the picnic area as we fed him his morning snack and organized our gear, you know - water, snacks, diapers, and wipes.<br />
<br />
Once we put Toby in the back carrier, he didn't want to be anywhere else. He laughed and played the whole way up and pointed at and identified everything he saw - "Wa Wa (Water)", "Mama", "Dada", "Ra (Rock)", "Up", "Rara (Rabbit)", among others. The hike to the hut is not a difficult hike but it was hard work carrying Toby on my back. We got there in less then an hour and enjoyed the views, the lake, and the perfect weather. Toby loved the inside of the hut and also talking to the ducks down by the lake. We had a snack and before long, were heading back down.<br />
<br />
On the way down Katy and I discussed possibly tackling the <a href="http://www.nhmountainhiking.com/hike/lists/52view.html">52 With-A-View</a> list of smaller hikes with nice views in New Hampshire. It's a nice list because most of the hikes are small enough that Toby can handle already (as long as we carry him most of the way!) so he can come with us. It's a tentative plan, and one I hope to keep up blogging about as we progress. For now, though, enjoy some photos of our recent trip to Lonesome Lake.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBj4y-V55CF2D3-vuH_kecwnG03SBhyG3uko7pTsOkrJAAWwvFJn1P4LU4yjFdg4sVLiK5fXtFsNlSkIXlOaxFTaWetFz4dLHsr4Q190S47vuHf2rD8FZZH0PhgJ0lyHD_JlHiHOkrcq6//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lonesomelake1" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1124" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26N2QnZ7xcovHEGgBR6Jg4SiL4z_r72VojDjdNB65feBXCtCJGa2eARPpGArt955c4FMpJ9lVldlWEX132Gmc5kpHgYanIE-VykZjVKsrHji39KsnU97J1LcDM2N_44Jk2etHSjSdIJWt//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXwvXNeGnUFyBslWZQ40GULaMuZD85OYj0_ee-qEO3abD25KdlOo_cCtJ3xkZ1KUzBaYw2kHyyjzl1QfqBqOkA-K3Ib7Wjj4Z6W8r5pJwGrPUgMYYInhRAvr6ztaH_7D1fImZDIzRVwid//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lonesomelake2" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1123" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IOu9jGocWHTxGKdPe8LZf4FDpUKkYx7zmO0D3egHDGDuS1ivGGdlstZz9C3155R9MJLty5PwLWAXwW7jo5puddLhmr0txJPWdXHJ_ABDSbosuvXAJr7UkG08lhDxfpr5wcw6XUEPqH_D//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9WDsQaEh-Q8N3P7XN5tjP9ETSd6RgAmYsiTIBCGpjwUno0J6NityFF-4QkfDvwSt8QKbIDAOhTFtuDu3kGQLbCiAX2ZMEzvOLxDiESzTQ0Rj-nACLVdtKAvaQnZAwK2DLrhxHEAcTGPs//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lonesomelake3" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1122" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPeU4qI2A5jUYE23DVqi8j5SvZJ7k1q0zKJDEAoEPUpQMSqH68nB7gMQ-NK4fzvNEdjywkvRlOimeck6he_U3qG1neeTus2mNubCyEcZyTdTDnD6RgMStasJQ8b0XdAbnBg0EGWf8MnqI//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtT_t2L8qrPpKRe6IKyjRGD9xSQU3INdw3aDZ-E8o8gIs56XpF34-RFUOLbiT3Vu6jGNWiUMYlX7SQrlboO7D9CEuNk8Mpdh4WL5Ma7fe3y-35aRDGJQRq4zuZ2_bj7qH5o7MTYvMVFHg//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lonesomelake4" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1121" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGb_WMjpWy_GveFdt7sa08wf3HV5fSTvPuwX9d-ok_xcG8HgjVFmzLqxE24PlKYNlMxobIx4cXay79Leg9uqJFhuPUfCYLQPpZ8WsnZB3Sdq6NjPB1Bq3v3iYT1Kaqr3oPltc6AiSFxNA//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxwhV9Oix73QcFTJn0d7Se0c2YJ_U4pFn74PKuubBkETMdQM_DqeBq0_tCKxb-HDdyU-um4c6jG4IK9mFO13C8tBEMxtx_qsXva3JJDgRNTwXoeTaAGQ6mHw5lDbBh7sRsYDOf9X-KHgA//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lonesomelake5" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1120" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqA6xS09r9FX1qeulg54htI7a8d1TwymELmikf_ob3FhBGPqT8xHdaobfnjDNLt60e_H2z6PE8jdZ37Hk7-4hN7-iVmW0YdSjyts36cpjvWww0hlqYr5X_w6AeZ5iyThK00syfKv1bdf8//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG710kRqjhwPlhxPihYiahw-FUUEwWYByS9cdPncCevabK1XZbs1wlYQSYSox1laepR_5_AeFjhRtqzQB6FdHv-gPuJ1ChgYTxix0ggyxzclSbbVb9DKkKJP-H9ehHJY3hwldm4PE_6T4j//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lonesomelake6" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1119" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhyphenhyphen_8TbxP2AJLBfAHOn7NJG8l__NsTjEvdS4Gf3_8yubK8EgaCxKSWnN7jBO2rVWHcxmg-yyEVeHQl8wYTwnHpwH7Oot36p8G9K0dv5kGQicMRTjxe9BAhU2EmHPb49gpHDd1_cWiDoJ6//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizb-bQS4jV59gvCcwMLua_KnLmbiwcN-5evn6x5nuWJXtPGwQzpaGjehruoaIT8mmOdOMqqrDkSEbAbFT89M4zQSEv0KxGjcS7A5gFXHbh7jlj_ZjaGBwvBkuPJqiWEWa1iov0enPOWxfj//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lonesomelake7" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1118" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieERwpCU6XLMh7H66-s7DkgtTcFw0sBa_YTWZTRgyurJVDEf8LZVGzD_Ur6JctmEP7fdOfsMiDlMWfXah-Qh8WSbU7ttW17n6ZuXnMXgGyuJZEHdvpWasZEeWZ0JppSSujVramFzRoQAK7//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPY6rlMoZj_KGSkH9US0EyzNdC5p6B_09AcWHdN_AwdCQD5783UirIoGECIMLk1o5W_mIr4akqtz7KNGOPVpzlLGRjlE5Njq9qpfLqrm5Dh_db4hpOXkGtwoO9PytLapG5o3HdAOsq_Z-o//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lonesomelake8" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1117" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO47KW8cMfoTMLYSW2NcvhNwFn5saSnbI1Pd67Y_RkroKEX2KIeS21x7Ce7O-5gzHEfruHrM2bpZQZTwGDbEAPBpDwiV2DjlDBF2BQ8_VkAKA8yu_5s3ygJ8GvqloknNIplp1HFAnLmIu//" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukmL1VUF9yDwRTn3fHyZPJVO-5iIWtaegtTp-rLVz0576UZjRAN4505lLLJb2cLFmVFQusnP-eycHVSaUyWDXTflaCC4fE7lKkXf0A5JsRYJgkfEGnQuDhlyePG0vFIvHOIWO0UX6gHIv//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lonesomelake9" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1116" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9AVY-MDMuBWKsWPxoi7fOo-QgatL3IHKPL45CRHUjS2smG3eKer8N_vrzR-7JhYOfKdz3c3yYGcY2hCemp8UymyEAuC4i8gkOWgZ63XkZeS3Z7GmUPOjpiivBYxQBE42yTmEQRCWsRi9//" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2TpfIhWPy6OYprINqWwI_tgfcxNnaBnDJABqrOHmXlomGt5CP28NLKnEAQQ3-Zdnm9SbXTmIdqGleBZUfGr-fyy9Cgfn1eP3TC9JP6Ns-Nzq43kCDkU6g3nponVZLDfdJnXdqRzrMXPF//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lonesomelake10" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1115" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMinqXr1vsC2FQlBzSnpTFfOy9v-tsRCIDAY-smGNiJdG9ic5ElfC00KMGvDREVBcoU5q4FEIAdamF6SwgJTRkJZlLYlbJU24owWBcH700FL3XMUuhpLuFCL9_aGu6Uhh6OZlJ9NISAHw4//" width="550" /></a></div>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-63384725054738565152012-12-18T16:49:00.001-05:002015-11-04T10:38:24.738-05:00On Hiking All 48 White Mountain 4000 FootersAfter a couple month delay, Katy and I finally filled out the <a href="http://www.amc4000footer.org/apps.htm">AMC 4000 Footer Club Application</a>. It's sitting on the desk next to me right now, waiting to be mailed. A completed application consists of a full list of dates of each ascent as well as a personal account of your final peak (or any other peak if you choose). Naturally I thought it would be suitable to include a copy of my <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/10/15/mount-carrigain-finale/">Mount Carrigain blog post</a> to satisfy this requirement for my application. However, Katy has also written her own reflections on our 4000 footer journey to go along with her application. She suggested that I might post it to this blog and so without further ado, a guest post from my wonderful wife:<br/><br/><em>December 16, 2012</em><br/><br/><em>Appalachian Mountain Club<br/>Attn: Four Thousand Footer Committee<br/>P.O. Box 444<br/>Exeter, NH 03833</em><br/><br/><em>Dear Sir or Madam:</em><br/><br/><em>Thank you so very much for reviewing my application for the Four Thousand Footer Club of the White Mountains. I am writing to provide a brief account of the ascent of our final peak and to perhaps share a few other musings of my adventures in the Whites.</em><br/><br/><em>Let me begin by telling you that I am no “wilderness woman.” My husband, Owen Kellett, and I climbed our first 4,000-footer on October 4, 2009. At the time, Owen and I were not married – we were not pregnant. He already had a dozen or so 4,000 footers under his belt, whereas my mountaineering skills were virtually non-existent. He invited me to climb all 48 of the 4,000-footers out of the blue one evening at home. He told me that if we finished them, we would attend a pizza party and receive a patch and a scroll. Since I am not one to turn down a good adventure (or pizza and an award), I was “all in.”</em><br/><br/><em>I recall climbing Mts. Lafayette and Lincoln, our first hike, and thinking to myself that I wanted to gnaw off both legs and die on a rock. I enjoyed the hike overall and my time with Owen, but I found that I was not mentally or physically fit for the challenge. I anticipated that the climb would be a struggle, but I had recently finished the Boston Marathon, so how hard could it possibly be in comparison!? Well, it was much harder than predicted. Despite the challenges of our first climb, we decided to persevere.</em><br/><br/><em>Owen and I climbed all of the 4,000-footers together. We became moderately obsessed with hiking! We were married on June 12, 2010, and we hiked the Na Pali Coast in Hawaii on our honeymoon. We returned from our honeymoon and hiked some more. Then, I started law school. Hiking became our outlet. We hiked during my semester break and every long weekend. We bought snowshoes and hiked during the winter. We vacationed in Acadia and hiked there. Summer weekends consisted of waking up at 5:00 a.m. and driving up north to complete our day hikes. Then, our hikes got longer! We became much faster and could handle five peaks in a single day. I thought to myself, “Presidential Traverse, here we come!”</em><br/><br/><em>We never did complete all of the Presidentials in a single day, but we finished our last 4,000-footer, Mt. Carrigain, on October 13, 2012. Sawyer River Road opened and we jumped at the opportunity to cross our last mountain off the list. We bundled up when we arrived at the trailhead because it was much nippier than any of our recent summer hikes. Owen’s sister joined us on the trail, but we secretly had another tag-a-long with us as well, because I was more than two months pregnant! We cautiously climbed Mt. Carrigain at a much slower pace than usual – I could not get enough peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and I craved icy cold milk. We had previously climbed Mt. Zealand and the Bonds in approximately eleven hours, yet it took us eight or so hours to climb Mt. Carrigain alone. Crossing the ridge and climbing the fire tower at the summit of Mt. Carrigain gave me such a bubbly feeling because well, there were dozens of other hikers celebrating their final peak with champagne, but also because I realized just how far we had come since climbing Mt. Lafayette. I reminisced with Owen on the descent back to the car and realized that, even though Mt. Carrigan was our last 4,000-footer in the White Mountains, this was only the beginning.</em><br/><br/><em>Owen and I are looking forward to climbing the New England 4,000 footers, but our next adventure will be a journey into parenthood. We plan to introduce our child to the White Mountains once s/he is old enough to walk – and we hope that s/he has similar hiking adventures in the future. The White Mountains gave us tranquility and the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of Boston city-life. I suppose I am a “wilderness woman” after all.</em><br/><br/><em>Many thanks,</em><br/><br/><em>Katy Kellett</em><br/><br/><em>Enclosure</em>Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-86277187786739432992012-10-15T18:16:00.001-04:002015-11-04T17:01:07.788-05:00Mount Carrigain Finale!We've done it. On Saturday, Katy and I hiked Mount Carrigain to complete our goal of hiking all 48 of <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">New Hampshire's 4000 footers</a>! Our original plan for the finale was to hike on Columbus day weekend, but with scheduling conflicts and sub-optimal weather, we decided to push it out one more week. The result of this move had several positive side effects. First, Sawyer River Road, the access road from 302 to the Signal Ridge Trailhead, has been closed to vehicle traffic since it was damaged during Tropical Storm Irene over a year ago. Hiking the road turns the normally 10 mile out and back hike into a 14 mile slog which is something we were fully expecting and prepared to do. However, to our pleasant surprise, the road opened just this past week! We didn't do anything and we were already four miles closer to our goal. Second, the weather on Columbus Day weekend was ok, but plagued with clouds and showers. Saturday, on the other hand, turned out to be a perfectly clear day, and an early preview of winter with crisp temperatures and snow on the summits. You couldn't have ordered up a better New England blend of the seasons if you tried. Finally, with our original schedule, our most frequent hiking participant would have been unable to make it. With the delay, however, my sister Mo was now available to join us for "The Final Thing!" Like we've done in the past, we coordinated an early meeting time of 6:00AM at the Park-And-Ride lot in Nashua on Saturday morning. We met Mo there in the dark of the pre-dawn hour and continued north to begin the last adventure of this hiking chapter!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvX_aWghD1E3i8L7WO0AF_GNJEcmgAst_HZ2j1gBy27iFDSZtkA-nropg0JK6JyWXumbMecA1QqXLoSKGuMl7C3JlgVJ4b503K8iAwvoZaWx4BZf8usQ2P_5cImH1_G7NHPMowSdHyP0_x//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1022" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7LRKbEYoVC020JS1PZNc47PkiG6GbqN6tfVkRhIRIzndnOcNfJOO2-YCGkeuvdHsRHx73pDnyUeUy8T_uWICgM4LgtOC3aJdo8FHd1CmmV3hhaQDVwcEQiNG0N2TShOed7AhzAaseTa3h//" title="carrigain1" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUm0fA734ztuJLq7EpbYdeWnu_PxjYpX23a33rtIAVG-OYKgizCbvWacZGvFQ6_YSZ7h83yTeWqhqES4CA-AnY8nXSsIcDQuPiVyR5quwnHEblAaSstRfdPACg1bJdUYaQK5slAxvNrDsd//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1023" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcOg9ZcQILIOAE9UzqRL36a0Na4AdnFm8mQ3m9j-c8KwZEYAmm3F42ufp6A3igb-cj5bHYZFJrPeR-vlrsNmq0p77v5TJnXBEdzGVtrpW7PX51FSTODLfDgnB9ON4dTXnDJLLvbtIUsEQ//" title="carrigain2" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIggaxUBK8OhU38l6W23TNfUqO_eTsp1clCojpHHlqYlcynUYg1PWETXdymQz7CtmlV57DlBGFAqVYo8RcVDC-FHj8RhtkeE3anKv8hDddWOHrwxxli1Nr2XLn0_xVS-S4q6Ey6RvLtEIf//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1024" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRw9A7GR0UEcuzXSMZcN9laW63631XSCO15pws42QNT1WQrIgeW7Tuxf9MHOn_gQYByyeBGNEi8R_nYg-7zctdUXrpfEAcaE3TLg5Fb5-o3ifYlYmH901QZJGTnUrCqJc8RWJASFt0PA-//" title="carrigain3" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkhxRkc513WAIKq-q9Na8eRHNYY7yCKqE89HetJ_YpeJzAvunFMt4FTHuxiWl98uF3jgvpVpbNCAG0VcUBc2CCjVlptTI3VVyXHyVTp_CzrNX0aSvS_5piq4I29nxKJaBf7w1HsUPr-yr//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1025" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWz55l3thw3_sp1tS52doeCPUCTbRPoSjY1vExgSOIuz2ZME7pQK3PeZxdDA65qrN4OB2vdksxDv_PO6tV_ZAkNR0sV_vm5w4h9AwBEpaHH4gWlApmR-_il34RwWdBhHLIroYGBZEWn7O9//" title="carrigain4" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGKtwmL7BnRTOpvjUtW0aZ2QwfXfof8_urNx3G0CCpg9c0NeqU3i6Raq8uv2ZZDyD9Qgo3QjJ_k6uhTBPmL-gZzGpuWD8UuEByrhVBNpP1pkl6GgkQ3bIUP8gCazXOtlSafuqSybe_-gr//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1026" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgko_GxqJ3960FWDWPCCOSOVB3sO3JvSev0inbuuaEL9yI7UJTlzlSWCo1HUxv3DPKmfQYU8RbZN9tx_BWNSuaop5-Bn6lS7dEgB9DAegY_YXIQO859LpfJh0zx9XuVcFAcxMaQPc-cK0-v//" title="carrigain5" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQInZhjnybsPGP0h8SE3X5SR5cPw12p2QrNKBXMf1CCqN2PVftXEwUa_PZDcgrntfQGKRvN_t1zjbqTjDFwAU63CzEIUaJzBwbcypti4sxvCL5a7YDH5BoguMUeT0ZAcPKDUDKNDT-OD0m//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1027" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGivvYGIReNyrF-43Wz-2xO1QT9_yd1mPtouVWioXezPeVUOxqYX-w0d3gbyh04Rz7gVzzondpnJYA0gysq-Zbma5WqWIpbGgEcGMsYKyx7a0j3kTR6Xd2GK_fy-hzshG1OaLdixnGZqyr//" title="carrigain6" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihv_gHVzIQgQx6t5d_LMuqOhDRGwkz9keN9jv0QcvxuFzHdxZCZ5QMfRHnL58qBgnvhJClO1VTd_XLof51_uBZxrQJKuYL02HjsW516QwCZBvtMrNbHlVdvfUL3J50HZaW8G8PhKEC_9ai//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1028" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HDkKwOfC6jklptVx_1_qFjbcTKVk24dst7OLMvFWftMVq94X1P7eAmHclJIKo7D1UfRs97sUkcfDf7sdj9SdtkyXcF_AnlbJGDmEAqaVGOh2BkB0KXBRD4XVLIrfEVSEKhudoYM2tA8s//" title="carrigain7" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmupCSlN0zRdFAD_ywLU5uDar57w7OmkMlBgPhfWsQfslSs0kZmCOTEtNt7eF6Lumk6XLzTAwjtufNHXSRb9zf0UFX_oF0pDIFavrKeNGc1zr1gG4l5f6GIYJkWrbzYEFiAeHdHOjE7KQE//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1029" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLC0Yv-fEF8Oax6Fy0dDgandlkCumRFuuYb56sqTIz69Av2wodu04Vsg9DPidAnKll2shgWZdyLgTerdgfTx_teucDyhPTOz0ORc2CyitsrshGdbq6ZRcm1t2uD9MX_T5U37KTyLBGpIZ5//" title="carrigain8" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We arrived at the trailhead at the end of Sawyer River Road before 9:00AM to a mostly full lot. It looks like we weren't the only ones glad that the road was open! The skies were clear but the temperature was a brisk 28 degrees. After gearing up, we took a few photos and then were off to tackle the five mile trail to the summit. The first two miles or so of the Signal Ridge Trail are easy and mostly flat. I had read that the first quarter mile of the trail had been rerouted very recently to bypass a difficult river crossing. This first section of trail was clearly in its infancy but in good shape and easy to follow. After following it we quickly joined up with the much wider and more pronounced original trail and continued at a leisurely place through the fallen leaves. There was one fairly straightforward river crossing about a mile and half in which we navigated without issue before reaching the only trail junction on this route at 1.7 miles. We continued on, at this point starting to see some signs of snow on the trail.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3snSOEu4TYazzTZ31QYajQ78r6ZCdIi6hTlrvzsOCVgDIQnTokOCCdtrQPo7TdNOc0QJhdCyW8dF6QeGhDstbzep_ct7oc6XQhfETdvU18pqzDDyFiErewsyiT6SWmGXU10ftrSP2TRr//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1030" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbFgh3Tj4tgUIS4XMHbnbN4wVw4lvoGFMS96tlU4u5LABm8kwBZworhfJmjtmXS_VwayiGQIFdkxJQcIrcovycoENmQCCaxnU5xEhh90ThSEBnNjF5hjSAhzMhbJ5rRekpRcZTRiPch7j//" title="carrigain9" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGODVJaOAbeUQ8FJRmHEs5sTsZck78X_BwRZNBAEZRoOiK4dp8a9RYmZ8ePCjEpgLrlUBrefbWZxOczk2pov1JTCGb6_oR7H6TlKDX2iLI-WAi81zFG4wVIWyTB5Bt7fUg20LjalNHgX1//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1031" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxECryMvYy-D6EMqoQxTtj96TIXRi2Rb9M3f28igItV7gv875kvVxQb1ZMg2YFICEElxSTD8SVYcR_uYLc0jwVsMWC3pTM7F8lhj5-HK-hNJT9k9q-jFx22IHql2uGQsy1dEWx749ERCVO//" title="carrigain10" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIwTKZD7cWlKUdY-ZHODlFwgleBBx2jQcqHYzjusE3jFCzMgGxWetIxS1jPyrvNn_w9K-43F6yGsI2gi9wnui753cMkz9oVSPZk83IIFqYjGE46s9q44HR7p5JUfvRmnlxs0bfGnIrlGJ//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1032" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLY6fFe70SyXBrMrBYQi141y_dNoXer9NyFrcaosXAcrcTyf6c0FopHPmcXJJOVV7dRwVkTSgndS5ELX-0Ai_igzHq70xSstMfzMgKh6zSQ6nImXoC4lYS5KhNoNvyBCmK3f5OSCR1x2nW//" title="carrigain11" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvAURxAAvNkOlT0W2Bn6ODlb8csiWl3OqgWQGck5phM08N7ARimcGRpaKy50qeAQ9n-p3FUq__j89KWrHaJxJtxUW-FlvBAmvyu0Jx4UeeebpFN3m9mOuLr_jLaD_kVgt3oCLo1vL65Oj//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1033" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRepL-wz8lFt6d01gLlhERaiuPp6Aa7RUs1jKtf2AAPUFUoC28mMt_2zh66-zjUI169O_q2HsgDCmZQK3D1ILhbOvgUvmht4rLtIQuy5t6yXr8WNsuvTvuuRPV4eybR77xW6sJg2R7qms//" title="carrigain12" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmUxRLVm4hfdhQqZdiLnm7HgZbv7Osk0K9sH6MGmUCj7_6nUb6mZutbPMKPaufisk1x6N1W-YLN2tKbX3VOx0n76lok_1uA4fSsDmTl1G73_sBXOXmoemow-5YkneFDS3NrOTujy1kyY0//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1034" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZ_697NgJGNzshkztPz9zqS_qNk2ZdjucsWUQuIw420V8GBMeoX76pPkDl09mRJXJu5KronIMclWjxlWUMoGbTa3Jn7sQgcWfdZ-PDmdp7KrkoZuVeZ7l3HYaS57E4jT4qCE_4aX1JQuN//" title="carrigain13" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
After pushing past the trail junction, we started climbing. The grades on this trail were easy, with moderate steepness the rest of the way. It wasn't long before the trail was mostly covered in snow. There was less than an inch for the most part and not really a need or use for microspikes, but there was just enough to make the trail a bit slick and icy in spots. We carefully continued on, and began to bump into a few other hiking groups on the trail. It was at this point that an interesting phenomena began to happen. Now, we've definitely had conversations with other hikers in the past about the 4000 footers, how couldn't you? Certainly not everyone you see hiking these trails is a peakbagger, nor has everyone even heard of the 4000 footer club, but when you hike all 48 of them, you're bound to have a conversation here and there with someone who has this common goal. Up to this point, though, we haven't bumped into anyone (that we know of) that was finishing their list on that very hike. When we reached the semi-exposed ridgeline about a half mile from the summit, two girls were coming down who had just finished their 48 list that day! Congrats! we say, and we're finishing too! We were nearly there and the celebration was on.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZdZqUD6oyJl5pykPlDBNxbMS1UxTpUl4kesL5BMnKZJN-hVS9-SFZ7DTWxZmyxd7AiV04DpKlmpGga4r9MrXGpQLfeEhC6ufPS90WFb_7TfX88WPVeqYj5NvwY4hzbjJcjx9tVbbyP4m//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1035" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KXVBlYYHMW4Hq_9VqoPylhrY6q2IjWAnUrH-emfjF-8Ivr-__xe3j9FCJz6vgNNXihKYG7A6IfnhKxqhFDzIpXIuHSuPI1MIHwCMeZABZJ4wSuCxEYbLIIZP4t7Xt_0MgUv21cMOac4e//" title="carrigain14" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8A_3RABkR-rBeR3gfEyJIsB5OhGDalKeKTra9frjEY5fsXFn2YzQrsp_i6XhzUdYGlP8NXuobKUKEUdTsgDXsjGLfs_QN-xdhezL0UK3rwEbdDy392X0K0sN7_F0B0XTdq2LMr_jFnpp//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1036" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4OhuBVULoMK6LWnmYogyECuoCxWXM_tmR47-262XbbW9hGWdt5Qd-uu6aJPuc1rL_OJdmyZ4iAa-PciOomLKDq9tVgRgOCOZVgQf2i8cPcRxsWoYAOj88MESM1KFnX9aN4mHkG3S9g38//" title="carrigain15" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnGEkQFjyKvCqRJSj9UOCNkPhkW8HEOmrqtMv07KMpKqWKRpk90ogtUxQISQ_YnBq7xgqy40G4Z14xDWqojpun-JqHYBS_4d4rpkdpzTEYTM_OiSB6XXX1fvPTUNsJ-EIM6Y6snoYYNy-//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1037" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFiXoGgRB1r9YBeo8nZBjWbMgIwMOHzr1-Y-SqPB8GaE20jsROntF4sgHsjmzLBrg8ODvUdXJ0jwZHd0BlPtwmvOlZPlARjPxo42_FCev67cUFykXqxZb0HhuEOaT9gvyF53Oc3dIAa7X//" title="carrigain16" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPMzAZJ10RGQsZYxzZusxXK92AGrrLtb9J7ReSq5jgUWTYh9kQCgT1JPZmS-BRgd9DrEAcJs1IlCG4mwrlQ117A3RhHMkWBGcKs-q0z4kPCMchVzoiyNSaacUg9-6pqCYicmVTLle9D-6//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1038" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSmnYfQxx6raEUMRIsFegGRVyr88EjpyQbMUXm0or2DyQ9lpXS74UBaiX8G-pZ4XAyFZNwfgYEHpuSm06iianId8hYfPKCKofHBwFsS22PkyCkdrXOUarTWOmCTv0oMeNVdQqFWXEeTaRf//" title="carrigain17" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrqr88sB92q2VrtpwbfLdyZ-RZo7lOYuGXwzWdKViL0UqJoWJF3UdSd_-rld-kyiV3FbP7MUKAQ9EXRZctftgjaIBGIpKxWwq2am0MwZpbWMAGnxV6jQyx8f3xNuTbziSW_Qow1e1W1lI//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1039" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8FLfruJa7yM2YABvGjwRGLuMQch50KDn5ijG7NODdhMkOm7vZGzMp4da1vV2An5pvQ0AL-LOYkbKVM9qegKp6WmEek_8QuaLCg3SIzGoR8M1aQzKrC7uK5La6vJXn2Aqobl9UEkSyqaYy//" title="carrigain18" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SUcfi-RAhfXXhpJCtH1S95ZcQDF4c-EtEmUWUmAtavCPxjIMN3tTMgLDZ3cGXOZ5DOtiP7bZPHO0a570xj9Zbp2LBgouXClg_6KPbYf1GO4NwH9Os2G0whXBo_2RfHpvf_E70VSOQdBE//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1040" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5bZDvp6kAf7150NqrFqb3lxAysTKfn4nfwACne44NBPWf772xJz8H3FUEC-0Koal1ypdflfLdOb5hKxJ8WuvEd0f-Sc4bJ4NYK3Zy-2bCXRQhr5C9Jdx_vZc0QWB-zKvDr8WusksDDWf//" title="carrigain19" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYp0GdYMUMoA1RwZtTfOJQEW4Vc7FD44GwdImCzKPvl3LufVq6c7waqd8PMukaSmgumiXH1F_lXZDpX-_JmmC1C2TA7NGk9-vWXKNdFUjaYx1jovIQTwpSGn9xVYiV08dohEmLJxXrwXz//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1041" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAQ9CeW2LSXOBss-YJG12BMqOLCs7WAMAAcwMDqGqn9eRtmJ7F0P8c286eyn9M6Wa_IhiiTy2G3S1cgJTtGb6tBSVfjS_XDqzgjG9-HwjHDypfGOTWYVMN9np9eAdiv2DVrrM8jPP_D0r//" title="carrigain20" width="412" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
When we reached the summit, there was a crowd of over a dozen people there. Katy and I high fived and then began to ascend the summit lookout tower to take in some of "the best views in the Whites." As we started up the stairs, we heard the cork of a champagne bottle pop. Another group finishing their 48 at the same moment as us! I knew that Carrigain was a popular peak to finish on, but this was quite the coincidence. Maybe everyone was just holding out until Sawyer River Road opened up? Whatever the case, it was quite the party atmosphere at the summit despite the snow, the cold, and the wind. We went up to the top of the lookout tower for the panoramic views and for the summit photos on the 48th. It's no joke about the views, they are definitely some of the best and we braved the icy wind chills for as long as we could before seeking shelter down below. Also, for those who have been following along you may have noticed that Katy is likely the first person to do a "ninja jump" at the top of all 48 4000 foot peaks. While I can't claim the same, I did promise Katy that I would do a ninja jump with her on our final peak. Now you've seen the proof!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNWoTQju5oYy63zj5l8XCX-evdoUcYhttFHuaRmsr2H6FrqJem2IR7SzcsTvSDJmjlg6IRepmOTx7_-cGoRWBSqGorLTP4RKylYMY9h9Px1mfmzZ-5-iK-Rt4Kc8wiH5fZEyeKUg-3Zja//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1042" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_f_EPzA4c3lsqsf0O8RvS2BHk_7vKzG2e9dYHyewf2K29rGGC0nLnkWxy1H7z3gYRmAlXgY85Ik1YROBC4DozxnjEsnYa16diN6UBWcNtPOn5jQOlcmznPoMEKCBLvHXZhJUYHdssGNlJ//" title="carrigain21" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXl0gO9ZB5WFHd3gSDtakJyGrCzTNdLh3Z3ZSPJsNTqJVjP828gd0yVdWZAZwN4ZiuzNiqQi1MTiwLmZGAbwLjxLp1ZsYj85ACS6LEEggFQEAG1LEqRYh_hEyeIpFzQ74L87rjETYnQciG//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1043" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6twVm6xYObQxakk57mMwAQ6v8VvgRjNkyfo9RJo8JQEbeRZeY7qrujUWtEZUol854d_FyREU1D7DGrBNowwIwOJwXnPLXV2_msWKxiGL3r2wNEbwtaoiRNthyphenhyphenCKKH3_Y-lNB56C6Xp6WL//" title="carrigain22" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkndM7hY9nKj55rT7aFvKmDcZl6eHpTKeDQUh6CUkgs9TYATYgREB5oym_TC1C2cG_cwdUwoe6VkSfGHzvKTid27lQvoQfQ6fTxbbWQKmKeqK-9CiblquOTfHGcAcZP9DIJxaR_06u_42q//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1044" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXTqgD7fSpCpL03bX8ja9rl3J01eayNQPV8BULgMFCSUBolQk5CbzM_OMA4I9avLXhvC_K9Pup3z4MBeGbTk-NizQ9tNSBd8dVzAK9YqgJz46L8gKnjD9IkLRsfe-tn3xqTKzuD3k-hJ2//" title="carrigain23" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GuSqJaJow_YsG8q0CtjWm4zFst9ldVC-nj4amxj17dprl46vXHgULJw5dBUJcgvjd7Y61Xje-4-RuIjp5goGAV2rIxVe4FSl0g1-LQhpGjRmmm-0u1lCWUWiHZsB7qOOaxKXwaigf90i//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1045" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKQcoM8mOaPUUEWGSWPSO3Op7egndtE6V63pqV5LGD8VBYqvF7Jf5ZdUUv_xHjVeF60Oda4_Wvax3YlcGtq1r6FBd3VoMBn4PrK7M6mlhq_StOPo-JLAMn5-d4k3szvCF-FstmXWnf23r//" title="carrigain24" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
After some time at the summit, we ducked a little ways down the trail under the shelter of some trees away from the wind to eat some lunch. At this point another group of hikers came that also had some 48 finishers among them! Somebody on the trail tallied it up and by his count there were at least 15 individuals who finished their list of <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">New Hampshire's 4000 footers</a> on that very day. Incredible! All of this summit celebration was very exciting, but there was still one important piece of administrivia to take care of -- getting down. It's important to note that we weren't actually finished until we reached the bottom under our own power and were safely back at the trailhead. After our lunch we continued on, taking care on the snowy, and still slippery upper section of the trail. We continued through the seasons and gradually made it back into the autumn conditions with the snow gone, fallen leaves on the ground, and slightly warmer fall air. After a bit of a slog through the last couple miles, we finally "emerged victorious" at the trailhead as the newest members of the <a href="http://www.amc4000footer.org/wm4.htm">AMC 4000 footer club</a>! (Well, until about 2 minutes later when one of the other finishers on that day came off the trail right behind us!)<br />
<br />
It's been just over three years on this journey and I couldn't have picked a better teammate to tackle this goal (Love you Katy!). Looking back over a constant thread like this makes you realize how quickly time can go by and how much things can change in such a seemingly short period of time. It's not just the mountains that have been the constant, though, it's the friends, the family, and the loved ones that have joined us, laughed at our stories, followed our progress, and cheered us on. Special thanks, of course, goes to Mo, Brian, Anne, Tim, Kate, and UP on coming with us, some for just a few miles, others for many many more. A lot lies ahead for me and Katy, and there will still be hiking with the <a href="http://www.amc4000footer.org/ne4.htm">67 New England 4000 footers</a> as a potential long term goal. For now, though, here's a look back at our adventure.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2009/10/07/lafayette-lincoln-loop/">Mount Lafayette</a></td><td>2009.10.04</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2009/10/07/lafayette-lincoln-loop/">Mount Lincoln</a></td><td>2009.10.04</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2009/11/16/cannon-mountain/">Cannon Mountain</a></td><td>2009.11.15</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/04/24/mount-tecumseh/">Mount Tecumseh</a></td><td>2010.04.24</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/07/27/mount-moriah/">Mount Moriah</a></td><td>2010.07.24</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/09/05/the-kinsmans/">North Kinsman</a></td><td>2010.09.05</td><td>Mo, Anne</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/09/05/the-kinsmans/">South Kinsman</a></td><td>2010.09.05</td><td>Mo, Anne</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/10/13/mounts-tom-field-and-willey/">Mount Tom</a></td><td>2010.10.10</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/10/13/mounts-tom-field-and-willey/">Mount Field</a></td><td>2010.10.10</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/10/13/mounts-tom-field-and-willey/">Mount Willey</a></td><td>2010.10.10</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/05/29/north-and-south-hancock/">Mount Hancock</a></td><td>2011.05.28</td><td>Mo, Brian</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/05/29/north-and-south-hancock/">South Hancock</a></td><td>2011.05.28</td><td>Mo, Brian</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/04/the-wildcat-carter-traverse/">Wildcat D</a></td><td>2011.07.02</td><td>Mo, Brian, Kate, UP</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/04/the-wildcat-carter-traverse/">Wildcat</a></td><td>2011.07.02</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/04/the-wildcat-carter-traverse/">Carter Dome</a></td><td>2011.07.02</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/04/the-wildcat-carter-traverse/">South Carter Mountain</a></td><td>2011.07.02</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/04/the-wildcat-carter-traverse/">Middle Carter Mountain</a></td><td>2011.07.02</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/14/mount-osceola-and-east-osceola/">Mount Osceola</a></td><td>2011.07.12</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/14/mount-osceola-and-east-osceola/">East Osceola</a></td><td>2011.07.12</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/28/whiteface-and-passaconaway/">Mount Whiteface</a></td><td>2011.07.23</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/28/whiteface-and-passaconaway/">Mount Passaconaway</a></td><td>2011.07.23</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/31/liberty-and-flume/">Mount Flume</a></td><td>2011.07.31</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/07/31/liberty-and-flume/">Mount Liberty</a></td><td>2011.07.31</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/08/08/mount-hale-and-zipline-tour/">Mount Hale</a></td><td>2011.08.06</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/09/05/pierce-and-eisenhower/">Mount Pierce</a></td><td>2011.09.04</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2011/09/05/pierce-and-eisenhower/">Mount Eisenhower</a></td><td>2011.09.04</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/01/02/mount-waumbek/">Mount Waumbek</a></td><td>2012.01.01</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/01/29/mount-jackson-revenge/">Mount Jackson</a></td><td>2012.01.29</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/02/19/the-tripyramids/">North Tripyramid</a></td><td>2012.02.19</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/02/19/the-tripyramids/">Middle Tripyramid</a></td><td>2012.02.19</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/04/07/mount-garfield/">Mount Garfield</a></td><td>2012.04.07</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/05/13/mount-isolation/">Mount Isolation</a></td><td>2012.05.12</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/05/27/galehead-mountain-and-the-twins/">North Twin Mountain</a></td><td>2012.05.26</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/05/27/galehead-mountain-and-the-twins/">South Twin Mountain</a></td><td>2012.05.26</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/05/27/galehead-mountain-and-the-twins/">Galehead Mountain</a></td><td>2012.05.26</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/06/17/mount-jefferson/">Mount Jefferson</a></td><td>2012.06.16</td><td>Anne, Tim</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/06/23/mount-moosilauke/">Mount Moosilauke</a></td><td>2012.06.23</td><td>Brian</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/06/30/madison-and-adams/">Mount Adams</a></td><td>2012.06.30</td><td>Brian</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/06/30/madison-and-adams/">Mount Madison</a></td><td>2012.06.30</td><td>Brian</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/07/28/washington-and-monroe/">Mount Monroe</a></td><td>2012.07.21</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/07/28/washington-and-monroe/">Mount Washington</a></td><td>2012.07.21</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/07/29/mount-cabot-plus-bulge-and-horn/">Mount Cabot</a></td><td>2012.07.28</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/08/05/mount-zealand-and-the-bonds/">Mount Zealand</a></td><td>2012.08.04</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/08/05/mount-zealand-and-the-bonds/">West Bond</a></td><td>2012.08.04</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/08/05/mount-zealand-and-the-bonds/">Mount Bond</a></td><td>2012.08.04</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/08/05/mount-zealand-and-the-bonds/">Bondcliff</a></td><td>2012.08.04</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/09/03/owls-head/">Owl's Head</a></td><td>2012.09.02</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/10/15/mount-carrigain-finale/">Mount Carrigain</a></td><td>2012.10.13</td><td>Mo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-55678675941645194632012-09-03T16:41:00.001-04:002015-11-04T16:57:56.813-05:00Owl's HeadYesterday Katy and I embarked on another <em>long</em> hike, about 19 miles in total, to reach the peak of Owl's Head. It was the 47th 4000 footer for us on our quest to hike all 48 of <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">New Hampshire's 4000 footers</a> and leaves just Mount Carrigain between us and eternal glory! Owl's Head is one of those peaks that requires maximum effort for minimal reward and is rarely collected early on a peakbagger's list. The trail is long and monotonous with tricky river crossings and very few views. In addition, there is no officially maintained trail that goes all the way to the summit, with the final mile or so of the hike following an unmaintained herd path up an old rock slide. Despite these challenges, we were ready to make this hike a good one, and arrived early at the trailhead at Lincoln Woods yesterday at 7:30AM. We had been tracking the forecast all week long and the weather looked perfect with sunny skies predicted and a 0% chance of rain. As we geared up for the hike, though, it was overcast with rain showers spitting at us. Oops!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIQwjZSTfd8P1c-790I2FrNfFna8sBOqsZ2zE54sEbuIWpyuywaX-5GnbpRZV1qYyxYTAYT9suAEQWOj0VF4nQ6nLz9x7CBqsQKPbUvHA2WQ9XI-0KWC7nxKCtGvXqIPZz3jKnJPl78zz//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-993" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmTmH8MRCfSI1LfU-msfWSSlGweh_fozUIOb3p_2IJARX6uLtjH7UgIR2teYE6g96_G6KuSlYWNx2SClCEvljAyWxp2TLLKcErlp_Ef7bgedQ9aCxA8uDnA71amvkYe0oEFHXrAd0jLT8//" title="owlshead1" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIT_mGq5bVkM8wUbcuJtMJJotVVAqsGdr8XtQQxDC2Bl8OX9Bl45s4vhJ7nuKDwb243_SyyMHDvlnGKYC6Lom86SN4ENVdMnCUi7SK-J0fP53_hcjhYA9qnBmzAAlbTaO861bhIr98zLaW//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-994" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdeFZvJ4UcdpfM7-0Pyk01uZHyTUtnjGkloPH_Q637q6rB7JHEGmNbTSrRCwXAfTr_I0Rp84xy3cVhS5bPaNn4B7n5-FSY4SivVG_isPSyvrCf7Yc-zybFiV8FfAo-11EvyOy5Tqn9R2RW//" title="owlshead2" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmb011EMvpjTmRXidTDJu4NbOd4GBlKXk8lip7_3jz1AePh87SlUzZYpgDxY3AEGunom0xVTzofWpwxkbWFN5txT10tG5taHYEYmTNAyBwEffyGY9r-NWm9A-2Xgr2AdqLtiJC2qtSocs//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-995" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhYpnGdsXQTS3X3w55oWgyj7aXm0zHmME0kMVmnN58kH5xfBpLZmE-uSr90JQ_EMhHS2RpeSZ68jbxp5yPVLBnrgkPjC8C2TdZpSXVkBgiIska6RgBedH4HAcfiTTnHsh0bJ8ddU7qUSC//" title="owlshead3" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTluLB6EbmTCnII51ThVAodN1Uj-jOe8FyFndMibwbQdmhwZXamOAzwmrPl6Tz9SeAO9ZESquiwQaEd0ep5YbbaFmETviiSjP_gO-OuKEww3BgnzEtmF1d6JXHyM88ZEwmC8NPbr2gpJb//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-996" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEnCOTe2bTzS_p86aHA2Kavm8L8SmQAb_Y1D3DxLITHyg30LyBpKHZKVrdAjrOExWqi7cnpJuLyp4Ev6TVlcvrpuFeENYGGS__56_oh9QCZXSzJFB7iCIXBS77bO0NyS3ufLzpL9QkAXf//" title="owlshead4" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaOpH1LSd6qLfFGfFsdHUvHVd0k5KaatedU5_JFtWPg9ITWgGngykJCYs98x_C4tHCJYxWR2tWdsO7XqhVR2MSt0jDRoc_lxy0OzBJoYbd7f3OA2gjOqiFIN7uia3oHf0hpYNbL2nzkbv//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-997" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3GlLOxdkV6RSBftR3zPLJlDl_qU7hAmgs2XGpAxELVkn18d4Oo9TxaoaSX3-tCt-x9zbO91yaYaJOBoyMiVIMRm4wxEQfLrwRcn0_X_ccTfsACWnNjddvg0jMt_XSxVEjM97rfRHDLrK9//" title="owlshead5" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHL9Gx6M0tqlxl7fKwznYiURkxyjQM4OgDYhxZ0uwPdEpHqopJCvzHEYf_rndb_k-KBPslNZdrMASyxxNHuoZvWbzUjCAanFL2TkXwIWUBKf8D3ZwdhfATcMo2k98g-Ikga19eyJQYAEz//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-998" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLsqtH9FB4yot4ciM1sf4aAf0g112ubBXh9zL2RXbyLIFVI8BXMxDi-XBXvN7nh3FNkjH_4MA-ph2Kn7uMEv93Xo0bC2eA8b-CVA52nrWQNkpJRWntRhlJYwNKKk0c9nIz8Uwx4UQ5vG4//" title="owlshead6" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We began our journey down the Lincoln Woods Trail and settled in for a long, flat walk. Fortunately, the rain showers ended quickly, and the tree canopy pretty much kept us dry in the meantime. The Lincoln Woods Trail is about 3 miles in length, is very wide, and is almost completely flat as it follows a former logging road. As an access point to the Pemigewasset Wilderness, you'll find more than just Owl's Head goers on it. Early in the morning we saw some trail runners go by, we saw some backpackers hiking out, and we saw a couple bicycles pass us as well. We cruised along and made good time down the trail. As the monotony pounded on our feet, I began to feel my plantar fasciitis start to flare up. A few years back I battled plantar fasciitis off and on for a long time but had discovered an effective strategy to manage it by using tape to support my arches. This allowed me to continue playing ultimate without degeneratively aggravating my heals and arches in the process. Well, after a pain free year, I think my summer league ultimate frisbee tournament from a couple weeks ago put my heals over the edge and I've had minor plantar issues since. I've been back to taping my feet before ultimate games and this time decided to stop and tape up my feet for the remainder of the hike. Katy makes fun of me and my self prescribed injury management "programs" but hey, they do work! I taped up my feet and while I still had some discomfort, it helped a lot with arch support the rest of the hike.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaHm2DkoILmhAKQida8vSiD59GeFfyiZDwnjcO95KHr9FuZa1k-RcvJVsHbULPqth8sh9Xrjrurracl_oLzzDDaZ-HtNKNBQkfmHxJKgYzddKMeVAxk-CoCm57lCr6l1PnVgS5en9u3iLV//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-999" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaC8kxpAEHUY1Y1uwko2a1sp7sszbvLE9lwfBWJnS6jqfc8EAGNT2rnvea3MyWmClswyN-IKSd7RroQaTQe1RwiTixgp_Nr-f8qIHnL9unQgjOLvQVQ7VdYA1CWu-F9gziAno4FVzqlyE//" title="owlshead7" width="550" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWpgIDzww9ZGhTcYt_JzcQ5-yWRia16ymO46SqEj5VJoCSCNOsweGPPjWMZHR3HiMpvVPsx5RC56VAPuSdGRLX0XXr-Fnzx0THvrUvUVpcBCOnqXP1QHpw8LZ9ghXQpYvHQ8bI63_4c1V//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1000" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCCK0vxdSPjFQTkuXQ90wzD9oGvoxtRo9OICYWcCfhTjoQW-6LpKLz3lU3bIGORNt8SvRoYnx2cpvwwt3cU_aUI7lmY2ZF1Yyu6adqWRd2E21KnujyCAUARIAcq0rbt7-oX3o7rxUBhy6//" title="owlshead8" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMynSFnmGUdG_yOEsIaeYqDDpEQc32mWCCk_wsYD8o-mD9UsVhiRhocT2gpKG6qfgp8xqllbD4bkEcWZz8K77JDwkN0Ff07b6TvHVlm-u0CMHYDvEQXGnJGiLnxjrRwjoVAhfqDnVyZre//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1001" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhj3Dz_6QoTbYIyVJcf9rV169SSQrKAnsu0n3zPIIRLx-n0I6kjambCYa_GIRn6WJmBQXlpZ4epJ4YDjW0z5VIY6Q26EAcHrr4XedETUpWwLI923DkwrqKgJuSzrRCESkohMFti6V68w-//" title="owlshead9" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5bUoEY1xiajoAn4WLus8zkFZ8z8cJm7MPP5fMVCYxE-cA261cM5hBYKe2CYZrJUrO2umyN9RrKR6R5hIhuD0_WD6QPFXVfeu2phoNquXClYm-zNkH2UAS6xzXnxAl6du7ZLrYm9NKMOm//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1002" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnzKZkz3Dz6k0JY5WQQFuaovX0tqKJ3M1uOkQzpdEIDqIMeuQgBZVyteCFpZUtnY3-OQQkxckOpsJuQ8mYI9tfLG-pvETAhLyCU2id6bC769SbNoZN8UzTJxIVWs8g-el9jBzdda61iZ9//" title="owlshead10" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTCjEsAmCaoU3m1K9qeH1djEIeSt01G4W_xeDoVCv8sCyaHPHoJs7KH5iC9WQrWRhAlPM7w9sFe6BPAGMooJZ7GPF1Ez3XO8EvUANyiSigSf5Us4fpgP-A-rTxvPLEs0lNwRUO9aB93EO//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1003" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreyGlfijKtRQZv_FG5L1mLgBzoPIup45kx3YbBGHOSlZAWDrLZ1lYpp4bKSxdwzFPkdrVjSmSedgRTUVGQef8hkmsprlc2BxP3m34oim5OxNzA2kd4U3cQS29HsiYfRlYQGsepNBb4-5e//" title="owlshead11" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xhTXdnnNN6CsW_FVkIQIobsJ4lk8_EZ92pKNv_X_5Q8u1pwj3b_kqV9zZH_Dce8EVJvXhcxwjiUzzBgCmmvLgoyStj2hlS-rP8p8XPXN_xOM3BIS0RRvZY_gNY6fAL1tULA87cypJbXc//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1004" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cTFts8Y2tT92PfNPIfHlyDHd7bLjH-6_-a3rWgl8R7okj2AJfaHT3fs8uwsghir_CR0zm3TJp7G0-Ij0AJQ6Fp60eWzxStV8jRL7Ub7lpymrJmtmbEbGB2J6Dk_x7AsKw71PgR6IiV23//" title="owlshead12" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Once we reached the end of the Lincoln Woods Trail, we took a left turn onto the much less heavily traveled Lincoln Brook Trail. After summitting 47 4000 footers, Katy explained that she finally made the connection that if a trail name has "Brook", "Stream", "River", or "Falls" in it, then you should probably expect to do some river crossing. True! We made our way down about 3.5 miles of this trail which brought us back and forth over Lincoln Brook 4 different times. The water levels were not significantly high but they were still a challenge to keep your boots dry. Fortunately, I wasn't too concerned about that and kind of just blasted right through the rivers. Katy did her best to rock hop and kept her feet mostly dry on the way in. After the final stream crossing that put the river on our left, we kept an eye out for the trail junction with Owl's Head Path. Since this is an unofficial trail, there would be no sign. It was obvious when we reached it, though; there was a large cairn built up in the middle of the trail with logs marking the route to our right.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOk2fWh1aBlOvsKo0DOke0oEivkYuXOPX5L3zH8WHic1y7zdJM2Hz_K7lhO3EuQ4xTsMUOG5Wi9YZvhtAefPrcUwCHW-B-IJSqX54438MY4_l6vzno-i_pJL3ExY4fufBsxeZvaglDeN3//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1005" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVz4rbOF9EUi6gzvbFIrFKiQszXOP-7l9V3L1atA9BO2k1kUQAFOhVs_xq96J1tiB5KDQ7kbxC0KcTHZzoULZ2jMh2rgzui66AAw9m6n4ipoiNks2uKhA_5-wPWLv6oC5MFD6jQEFYdMu//" title="owlshead13" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oyTGQUeiIaEAnZ9xgJ8HLIdNTERtHNq_gvDzKg4ree4MtsVguDxxj-U-5B5V7twlrP2GRuBJ68PpyPniuMNDoNw3yP1zM2wQmP4-StWDkbtrFFg0AdE76rzLFCAJx9r_pKuUNbOZ_Vq2//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1006" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXKVFo1uz5gHUY2xE6NyNi5FLmbvzlOtiZjNduEoDrSCcScrgTk3H-XRta9YfDiVZklDeGMal-dt0UwiiNOOJa1640vmh9IVHicmBqcR5TDjni7IDmQHqo0eaxghymnPorU47BdSJpmi-//" title="owlshead14" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wLwDMom9ulG5QEbF4VXbdjkGK7fjsOI0GTwGFfgk67dWBUIaFzAOp8TUzc-wpHdN5ZBHH2zDa76i8yjp1HuMiDiteMdfcSv_YkThu-UbE34FxvlrEgm2F9QlzSexgiTDM9sxCziFgSOo//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1007" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUm_8ydLjAJyUesapRIHaPag6KZpjEafZADPuBldL5ktWy9Oyi8kgz6YqLuSa7OmW-f5BKf6ZrHGhG44bVXHvLtb-7hrVvF6rFdcW6EdjLupQ5rpp8rVn1tKokJBnSqIhlVGLJDlLWW59b//" title="owlshead15" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4eFKlrNcNDBRmRYRZFNbRfdF-ybnwtL_kAltZbnFY-lirkADtCe-Vmfbowc6nrq7i8k8oc1gvPUvPOl33vboUKI1vIh5372CehFrIkDrZIpMvGh6-Z9NrrzYRrQ41gmDk9J2reTgI10m//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1008" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7VvJoNlSLY9WWFhx-WMNV1z-KMCjjxGFftoXvmgrACxUZyEgjEVhaqVOAuXAOD2wjlGWe_f3oGPMIlj7lWhacuw8yNaMBe8skxB_EZMsbNuFw4KjJ5p_97TTXnOfYdnLo1b2F6TXaATy//" title="owlshead16" width="412" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
After over 8 miles of long, flat trail, we had reached the steeps! While not an official trail, the path up the slide was well beaten with mini cairns built as trail markers along the way. It was a bit of a free for all, though, as the path often diverged into multiple routes which rejoined each other later down the trail. This was especially true once up past the slide and navigating the ridge line. Since no real trail maintenance work is done, it seems as though rather than clear blow downs people naturally just beat out more herd paths. Nevertheless, we did finally manage to find the summit and found a crowd of 7 or 8 people already there! For such a remote, viewless peak, it was a popular destination yesterday as we saw at least a couple dozen more people heading up once we were on our way down.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQUouVFUheDhpCcGzZbB0so3JLmbe05sY3SuTW7w5fK826uJpj07yEe0iN0-lybQoWXx6QhDFiopVTnmTuFRAp4bF3uvGUmNRatckXuemPcJrU3xg654labmCVf26b9H0gxO7xoAT0s90//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1009" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wtmqVwXoJThy_b-wxmybPj13wCurpEkS8WmCIxv8zpCdR_P9fCF1ljJlzPcotLJQx2Aj84BK1M5DYEaTuiGSwdJMV2xsJWeVeGbt_hyuz2uD-bo6HDV2v9PHBfkdOq9ulv9PyQe5n86D//" title="owlshead17" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnB0u6vCXLeUt_XqX8VpxfG8FzMz0gfkqYYnPP8_6V25voPJQRdrNKCi2TKC6TWP39FNxv3KqXWhHDI89wYWEFfffLokRsdVdyofYcOBltJyaVUnfkgR9G3ewfzjwdkggsk0OWraJRHQQW//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1010" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmHVuD7117FRJsW-3nfbJM3HxEcBzXZHLT7Y71DFWjJSYA_UulO0Ebhb2_op7gFTarnR0-corleU3BaSyWVJVWj9MQdS1H5bGZIU2KxZxt4zNjwdaO2Tt336e_vJuwkytesk94Svw-A0t//" title="owlshead18" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
With number 47 in the bag, we began the long trek back out the way we came. There were tired muscles, achy joints, and sore feet by the time we were down but that made it that much more rewarding when we ate everything off the menu at the Common Man post-hike. And then there was one! Mount Carrigain, we'll see you soon!Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-10580571505417861322012-08-05T17:07:00.001-04:002015-11-04T16:55:40.423-05:00Mount Zealand and The BondsThe Bonds! Ever since we started peakbagging and hiking all of <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">New Hampshire's 4000 footers</a>, "The Bonds" have been looming as the most difficult peaks to conquer. The Bonds are actually a collection of three different peaks, Mount Bond, West Bond, and Bondcliff, all nestled deep in the middle of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. Since they are all near eachother, they are often bagged together on one single trip, but all of the options are at least 20 miles in length. Should we do it as a backpacking trip camping at Guyot Campsite? Should we make use of the Galehead or Zealand Falls AMC Huts which are nearby? These were open questions for a while but as we continued to hike and continued to bag peaks, we decided that we could take on the Bonds in a single day. The next question was what will our route be? A traverse from Zealand Road to Lincoln Woods is the shortest route and has the least amount of elevation gain. The only drawback is that it requires two cars and a fairly long car spot. An out-and-back from Zealand Road is about the same distance but with 1000 feet more of elevation gain. We invited a few different people to come along on the hike with us and potentially help with a car spot, but we had no takers (I wonder why?). In the end it was settled that Katy and I would be on our own on an out-and-back from Zealand Road: 20 miles in length and 5000 feet of elevation gain to bag The Bonds and a bonus Mount Zealand along the way!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAC1uW8_styxOKxL3W16k0JgI46iGDIdyrpaU_u2cBOQmAqjzkwS9V3JA7XI8W6au0EoXp2lb-ah0kUU-W10u1_SePMWd8IM1nEk-MCaRRu0EY9Vek-3_G2C91muvs0G_Q8rET8IdSnIUH//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-947" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuk0jdcVSVImMzlY5agMrhhS84cobagDsY3Yrxlc2ty7a8QFmCyuhlaVk68WGsMGTA4nWpe536kK-6CSfgH7PftErO_fGioqO71W_WS5BrBtr3TeKOZly5fBMq0AZp_fAKKVxPiYjXUeuS//" title="bonds1" width="412" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVrIWm_RY0spwLUU1uM3eaXJIEjVQE0spMX68hlKgW8lKybBcJj34fuqKwdNViRRJNIVi3eZiryIGdAfOyIF21x8pEYnxa17w8jtpyjlgOHCWBAH-psQeaKUKrB93H7FQdpaRiy3HDYuf//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-951" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5k3kzh1Tl2nUVvdTh5R1vucYp5AA1VCSyaHmAA7uUsZFU1uEEYgKV-AChaAeB-QObe47TaezzO7nyOIw28pMzsI0BJUzA03UUz3O0_-k_pML4bnr9vpoMo4enakfD_FZAxyw4THQP9CNP//" title="bonds2" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpU4319vJ5f01vwWaeSFzz1Yf6eJTWdLSPVwlJOhGYxVmitvSmtENAtkx4MJUb321XfLJkNoTDM11tJnhBVyTYK0Tocxw_T2g8JCVFMwkhsXlabVqPnKi8MCAwlRbnafa6o4Hv_BXmBmzc//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-952" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYecGT3smqqcLZrjXfh6ZmOxhNqoi84E2MSdHHZ7wbGha3z43ozpkTCdCgurjTn43viHxOjpP8QdsLwfUg6zkVTQ8z2pQSw3DQpclWEpU8oQSDAZaro24Rc4iPMENEW53kD0li6_McQFH9//" title="bonds3" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz68kpw7QOFO5nxDKaxPTNgoEXDy9ngikhST0mkHKNfMqFkrwq_ipD9wyNWbC8P7iOu4hAS8pLO_mBmplbeJsAj4vMVKGTN7q7HVzei83kRnGMEsGlZFEl_8kLKwQN9RTSNq7sVuA5ds2h//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-953" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5AKrjFiQfJbHkOsIn12XbifBfxsXafJnb6e8GTuhbkkiiETAlCCLnZDm5WEUIAEdrB9horBrfPw-M2gXZJRg1b0_d0zihGJAwMu4gjOjF51ksPjSFkMaGXNABBZDz7c616O8ddOYO2u3//" title="bonds4" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
In order to simplify things for ourselves, we decided to check in to the Above the Notch Motor Inn down the road from the Zealand trailhead on Friday night. I estimated it would take us about 12 hours to complete the hike, but an early start on the trail would be much easier if we don't have a three hour drive in the morning first. We woke up early yesterday morning and were at the trailhead at 5:30AM. Surprisingly, the parking lot at the end of Zealand Road was already about half full with cars. No doubt many of these were of people staying overnight at the Zealand Falls Hut, an easy two and a half mile hike from the trailhead. We snapped some photos and headed off right as the morning sun was rising. The first section of the trail was mostly flat and easy, and although possibly sleepwalking at times, we made it to the hut in about an hour.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvTTe7NcMyRL8Hg1jL4wzC-a82m-PjZq1x-PRozD2sufZiKphparAAtxwKY3tkr7V1qCi7AcTJOKst7FMEiT4CNNvXC3LDOd4zLEXK17IP8vrzdv2_AUd_fjbyR-AxjMUADkJd0Wgwqqp//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-954" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6HVDkyaP-W2HZkaMY9khoMhpFs8FRusw7zt6k8TUF0wJa1wAfmlhzkCgi5RM2zrJeiqbS0bj-zBwxdao1eAXlAF8TRLiry0XFcCs7GxRVkerclvJ5fvsrG-_DgDSnz5-gotTEvEYTJf0//" title="bonds5" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB506aB-S-Sok4vcuU-Zvv96zFqElGFViynNjnwTclF9U8NABv8SUpFFAw4iwICqtqOsd58ASKPFCVXgEvUuscrlcBcQYHa9YMK5RlcISGmYpvqbmCAyV-KY40fKJVH14_CuqsVMW-2CKu//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-956" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxj9oDKFgj4KesUZaYH893HEjKZaUb-ZhlXFZtckpUco_N8yDqOhl0rJWAWA6RO2mvz9E7w_wUwXmTGaBA33jxX97cCip3R4pC8DDeW3KZts4FzVSaieIR0FSfI7f1JJYw1wF2AVZ7eJJn//" title="bonds7" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLQGJ60G-qPKuYeMdptdeP9gYVWvqLb3fD6IpkMKaDiTLYGdSHmWm4tX6e-LC4rkcpvbpjPYKKWJMryXDHbbG8DtwKKHY9hEIM68P-kVJeAm2BM-bKpZese5DsS4qKMatMQ2bRFsKYp3b//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-957" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKszzPPB0LrBOyHCvWNYaTwgSlTmgq41wwUW4QGhUy0JXK24zKQpr3lRqrouEJlqkerZmck-4W6UOBhCjgUG7yvIHDZMdE8l_1awTRd4D5C0xq-hr0TF5YmlTpv4G8UF3cqaSIduf6eyQ//" title="bonds8" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We didn't stop long at the hut, maybe a minute or two, but wanted to push on as it was still early and we had only been on flat trail so far. It was about three miles from the hut to our first peak of the day, Mount Zealand, and once we left the hut, we started to climb. I'm not sure what it was, maybe the early hours, or maybe this section really was pretty steep, but this early part of the hike seemed tough. We quickly settled into a groove where we were concentrating on climbing and the conversation died down for a bit. After a couple miles of climbing up, the trail finally began to level off and we both settled enjoyed the reprieve from the steeps. Before long, we were at the spur trail to Mount Zealand and hiked the 0.1 miles in from there to bag the viewless summit. Number 43 done!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxevfPulwCQUlxF_Z3nnx-r9nIZ5X5MXIorjfs3hP7SDCKYcMs8TvT0ulDoTDuTCqB0epIBXOpvZVUCHFb_JPzWI8gix-sUJbY_4BoQ1-dpc-aXxYplqP-1VeYlDH3qbmpnxqcNklzbpE//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-958" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Rcv8WByZPQIlx2uDBZqCY5XXIAr1gp4XG_B_Dvq5B2nU9KqalQ6eMqquZVBUpaNi7zq4A6nQiUDCeU1t8N7Y-3ApU5rUe3jRmj4fJPlhngrB8hqVVhBAi9Ej99QXr2QT1-sCKMKzXX-L//" title="bonds9" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwJ1j58826jWMqxUT8iHu77Ocfphiu8jZfDnd8hIJehDk1oLFP2FHyauv92tWzA_QNTzlOJDBZXu6FM-eMdUcXV5hXu2yh1W3jh93wMJ3iGgWlTOZ2oOmmfy3GWGNNySlqhL1-SsI3DbH//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-959" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RqSB1X7r_GfUDT73IWWKx9zWdHirm1WKZhV7KGbUqMbcp6DcyDVQFVYPwN6AJK6GFP_yOWe46_-1YnqirbVB3gv3Jc7KqTbMm4lsMn3gHWuARrROuvGZXXOL7cLPXpTGDipOD3-QUink//" title="bonds10" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzmfeTS4HevwEWodBhoKDnTJSbwBxuP2RpLZMQ0F-MUQLWZF4MdkiN5paNTzL6OtGSmKihotzMpX-vK8ZB1AtxaaP7jN1fSaZO-hldVfyWN3kc7gin5SIcbYKuHYdy6aPiuOxDHxDL746//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-960" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerw-GvvMNyejdKy6FZvKWn1jPwUeZDwqtaGYfml_K33a-k83uIWwiwH5gPmCYvdr3D1yfAx0oliKp599arNIapC_4Aj8YyyWFLsUkGpqrsncVg_sE8TEgMc707f1G8Zu2fFuMpNvWbJkr//" title="bonds11" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
At this point the only other people we had seen on the trail were at the Zealand Hut. After coming back out from Zealand's summit we finally bumped into another hiker on the trail. Civilization! We continued on towards Guyot, now on a section of the Appalachian Trail and bumped into a few more hikers on the way. One such hiker greeted us with a cheerful good morning and then: <br />
<ul><br />
<li>"Hey I just want to double check, am I still on the AT?"</li>
<br />
<li>"Yes you are!"</li>
<br />
<li>"Oh good I wasn't sure since I haven't seen any white blazes in a while"</li>
<br />
<li>"Where are you coming from?"</li>
<br />
<li>"Georgia, happy to still be alive!"</li>
</ul>
<br />
A through-hiker! We've seen a few through-hikers before but this guy was definitely the most cheerful and least ragged looking. Good luck to him the rest of the way! We continued on the rolling trail towards the summit of Guyot, not an official 4000 foot peak but one with expansive views and a grand destination all by itself. We were seven miles into our hike and it wasn't even 10 in the morning! We hit the trail junction of Bondcliff Trail near Guyot, took a left turn, now off the AT, and pressed on towards the Bonds.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEa1csdcgwLsKHdOO1LiihCK1mU7n6loCCK76E2MyQq17ZNhzPRgVW0Z7BAQqG_3d69-661lJZXXantioOOFIDu1RwlV5h9FJjYl5mKv3EBz1T866gcru45W-U3vgHRLj5i3lCNEAY0psj//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-961" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5TgeDajb6yanTozyJBlyw_ozDBpgIUpyIB6KSgJimwv9owxMswStFuBJMZu4fWa4rdX47FwLyLZdk50Mm4ws1N3VyaFb6pT4hYlic1LykiTa-YhIJgRkHWFn8_SXlZGqcRfUF-P4JGi1//" title="bonds12" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLbmOKeeIbq0J7imO0dxAYkIGHs5pc-jHBHrjqHw5hsIJ9YF6SfAN34KiPv7jc0CSrFF2RBzEBZsaeUDNoONPk-M0PRoMX0352u1Fe7jdV-Us5Ls5D8KZw1cOumay7BUf2eM-Fn1vuwo6//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-962" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVVtXjmW_pOhyBXEjjJRHCjSsAdrJmOSstBvQCNGlmaTqaAAMgW8_0AJWV8Sz4m0mOWfh2-jgek3wih5P3XC8zHiBuQGA6JAumLAiHFxCwIrLV0UqQFnKQQC28YJm4rFp9LLQNKcnODQ5//" title="bonds13" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFCG65MVhYcSOfjJx5ltRaAMKc6RtZp_uznnCIJJw5YQN6APPkbQobU1DtcNPuXBNLt_1EEyDESFD1peI3Pr5LygpVa9GcYicxAUKOR0W58sLi9iJBLmV-1wHrJGvCIqhC5hQCU7HgBr6//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-963" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjtRnvxs-dkZw_-31z5ynu_tzcdWYW8a8soKFmEfoypMob6jpMjcoVPlScwunrvrcDpkh6LknIQk4D4IXGo2cfVcF1F9ALgvTiOBeGt4iVzpl13Or-tQasl1pym3Ol3kXHOTav6J9rEDQ//" title="bonds14" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmtPAQQr1mcAgF8zzlJCBY9RPReDZZg-2_k3JYqYWqC07TcJ61QOpwWbudDXyPsXdFtG24Ee2jyaXRjcISxX3BtPTvBv60pJVMQet6DSxnuBKd13JjMza-BNAHRWbdeH1b0hMlCvg6YyM//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-964" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_eHzTT-DMn7i88mNf5wz7AvX6IOSeqFdym0D16EiUnxQN5XsP9917IXid5xOgYg4VnRVTZ2JhUb_kTSbu_bOi8Q2LxZSI2nV3JTZmPfVIII6bCHcYPHbppKhfxBN3P2NS_XVBPQv8W7um//" title="bonds15" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLlaW3TAwZk1v6g361uefO1q1LbqxfmhuFW9bCez0rfYJYMHPh6VRSSCKkA9imLWEIcPbntO752QJfqSlUjbppikklvesSuBdcO4lcyNp_auyjV5PGbJdnf7BDrO3-WMDvEuR2sef1nLl//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-965" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6lqxD0OWycFXuX5Kg54hwVbpP6iNnAeBPgui6XevFCpXZPnuZLOGXG2ghkff3jEFzHTTkyeLnMSioUZsfdXYOOOMncFAYqYf2oTdkqRffPEXycunrvp3IFhRPgp0n4ENrH5Ea6-ZF_IO//" title="bonds16" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It was a great day out, but the temperature really began to heat up at this point. The forecast for the valley was for a humid day close to 90 degrees, and even at elevation it likely made it nearly to this level. We quickly made it to the spur trail to go up West Bond and then made the half mile ascent to the summit. The trail up to West Bond is wooded but has a fantastic exposed summit with great views all around.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkavrC0idXB0Bxe4gv62P5HD3fb51Zr4qFTvrVSyf8gTtigDnmwOWoqJk2JUn3hP9yDgX3XadZQyd2vaMzByxUHhxHkBqYS9E5_RVVGuo1OaiB-XA_feEd_Y2MqpaIHFMDzQxLjpm35zFD//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-966" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iteak8W0-ORy-j-0Y7eE9EpUnHSxiarCHbIh7atxqwXSLYnecoNpbJA3ggF6XdP86wDu7m2bA4HJcudGBLX8VuJle2ZVtVKdULvPpRuylHUxGvsDkrCLTRLmv5jQLugP20DpukGqS8l5//" title="bonds17" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFP_N0olJoVn_3gSf5Tt_tfEzycNChqdM4SMmc7oNrbHfjSVcJ-FyWfDnC6wxLWwCsescp9sWL3WHmKelqs7i2mVZohgDTkiAEeUovpXVuYev9WfZPSdUJ8wzYUP-vGL7Lhyphenhyphenhsbm36S4V//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-967" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARQCJB06BTr7-SlWYOYXXoj9ott3ku-FWADD9AW9aFIrTc6jehnTKo0u-4Nn_htUEWBvej69r8w-QcaV-J2ms1Hkr3fNTkp5iTJ-ptuW22MyeTvowp6XPpjOg3ysE7j1AB_3N-1R8mD3_//" title="bonds18" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTXL594n7MADPsc0DVQUZ2QqXtdkE55wHOEYjjFnWq4emo1aoNPIHRfaElupdkHyt9vZdArcOU2J0Nq2QK5qiVTWmvpwyaCPe8imDYGy5VUyw-FvBaWAv-HLxogBJj_Jp-tcYhhLIWkdB//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-968" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcK7HawC8LZGo7xDttWuXUsGEPGqohiVpAFbB-ghvwddxq5N0CihOcFIE1w1oMhE3ZGvcrMOG0txDP008moQMzys-3U1YzuuYZtilQdzowcLKx7Ajkyz3R0JkyEQOYsLsqoq4SXCyACGal//" title="bonds19" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhXwGis8RGZjAmwnnvk_P0PtyuCGHuAEe1hnTX8A4lK87hSS9d3H21YVGPfkGaYPufk0Wpl_Lz0vG3zpJPmI9nklRwuNtACpo9IgxfSZgVXPSqwTgSv75T1mNYtulTeFU6XwGUGh88XqO//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-969" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlHo3IkgkYQ5Ul-zx-OpsxdzCPrQgMnQP2qwbYxVjH4gSxCmegBLypWKFydNxHk9KpLvpnLWt5fVo2cibH23dJRvcM52_-KtMFaLh0XnU_aAMyoTWd0sghQ_L0ctnMzCNmMF2DGQ1Bkaj//" title="bonds20" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dhTq_XN_Pi5cn2r5aAb1vUAjsJ2Em3ul6RU07DBvsVQd_NutZOnCYZQQ9yGla4GreI8bYVODZ5pPhr6VG36PvgeUxSKxTBY61PSSyOTuqUl96HyEhZ-zJoqMyGc51y06IsI6wCLnIzMR//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-970" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgyUScqzOjjIR2Jvyk4vvLz8YylAj5FUwb9HjtQqvhenrxy1QAB6PsDe0I51PVx3pBo3daUrvq5oGR_Ew1ZSm0AQl-T0zlOKP8lTjQlisg32VlLaP0p9kClvm1GvPDulHIQQ_bBZubR3K//" title="bonds21" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
After stopping for a while on West Bond for some snacks and a break, we made the half mile descent back out to the main trail, and were only another half mile from the summit of Mount Bond at that point. We quickly made it up to Mount Bond where we were treated with more fantastic panoramic views. We met another couple of hikers on this summit who were on a backpacking trip starting from the Kancamagus Highway. We saw very few people on Bondcliff trail on this fine day, and even fewer who were on just a single day journey. We soaked in some more views and then pushed on towards Bondcliff.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfQh0_oW7wEjngzQG2SavmrTM8ZppTTHHCzRpwMXmJiNzML2T2CmvSIO1W8syjJriE5motn0Y9_9fyoVtWF5hHhV5YxFX9zsVCy11WWj0VTK2belnubCV6UdmIGqTG68BlMXsMZNtSh5X//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-971" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gCRzUHHXDobbd0K5B2iZAN_zOMOpNm88zMt9flq8IyWavfkUsdyUAvMlxnhOWs-EDv5B4iFP7lfFZFgYKJKoeJhV6_v1L434ETNNCXK7nZ3gqsD233Mm8C9pfq7ZgQBUiHS_OLKG5wIg//" title="bonds22" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpd3lNsCUJxIkXFJuMdMpLFubXr6L9Sq6jJx6__dOveSjxqhDFVEoaz5wUenbO1KJxqyfUoGl4ZoU-33x9MFkv3soK1Acrhg4L382Bfcb4YgiGKJe5t6ONvYFwTxgPOeo9jkurTWhukJF//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-972" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGhfkmQf1-iiMwev7vryC9zsvW_vOWkZQfDM6OqGgov0yydvcqPzku-PXL6v3sX75siiZYe5kzMeUMvmeXBdMULCHutDR_olIhfGL3Mjr2XwsNGkn1sO475FJBnTMKySu5ZuQTU7E0qPS//" title="bonds23" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZQYf74mY_ECkCwN3FSZ18_IeEKi4ZbFN38fXqd3el8Q0G73c9pxZpUbcHMvly5wIaqrcgBVUsXgGtgd0-Cc1O2hYgoI1r00kO90mDRDDX3v7BLGAGmCjMdhJGQzZ062UDs1DKieZjLRo//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-973" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIR44TJapiN6zv79ppuyJXR-KhM-4X9YDeopmyBfau_-ICArSeZ01lp_A3OUTQ-qQRrxhO0hyphenhyphenDYvEi6U9M9vHgsFHTD3pVs12W-LBC3DnOrCfdr8E4L8N0EpEDad72p0S7zNfihWuNWgr//" title="bonds24" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRkFZgcDV0XA4RsPD-1UWTFLWcgC4iNNX1Ve5qMu9dR6yFaCn11NtiG9BoVPZJrrEOrfUvnn9VgCvHaEPW_yVolPIY1m3ptkqiXwz_grZyvf7Soe9SZtNbPQpnEJ-Z4k6EYghWHY-TAq5//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-974" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoJmqd1ItwEka0WBIUPDwQ8dnRcmJr9u3Xn-wOO8eY2Dbi0dMcKFZ34W0PBVS2c1s5Wou4BGWY2-K2mbqswnTprWWIp7t1VVLYHNZlLGswsVmYfEg0BW7GkcpYnpznDC_7gUk4XoC2GXp//" title="bonds25" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sphknk_j2BH0-xtuiBw9bRaH7qe36MktrB9Qj3Yw_vwfsq1CIVOVhGKvEdPp97S-gJnihU_OPZjS5br-VzGeyihWxTjyAXJNpOcSLIZqNkxgw3e9PnqDS1IyEcu4IRrqnFp3ncRuoBGO//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-975" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhEbvimte_VDlThtT8Dc4g8mMLoMOftAAns8fz3kTTD7vtJaVi1XhWBxkdO0h7AVQ_astg0MFouqqOw9f1Nk3-QOya4AdyHK0dlaeSDTkHi5gpHknoegeDjj0guSQPvKypOE45PmPU1ac//" title="bonds26" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBERSsocO18JZeKqRavsVIv6bdiYPNgNsy0OJocn5W7p5Oden4F4oqInoNEtfL2HBhGx2O0_MHrapxiQauNIRLAmEqz-6ubqg4XWx0tX6mwdvgxxCSZlh5yD7CTT-2JtIKAjD4ssTwJTF2//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-976" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJdrWAEE9ASNnvH7ClZXe0vrCLEg7lV85lAEiQunykFjzsbLHQvl95Dx20b19xU33OPNz7VtY4idk1boy-s_oPjXbm8IIWvqBo-_r_UQcTpy1xeMDQyGY2Cci8_vhB4OdOWwHrqkdNS-g//" title="bonds27" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w6ywdzhIeaVnK6tdZVVJwt9ObxYXayszdUBlWfAQxRTy82H5TMNgxAGzbKhKQfhf4Zp2NLa6GcCwu-Oam4EnsMphis9cx5HvHP7wnm9oxsg8_h3A990pc6GujWniyh6cMOFBINAy-rfJ//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-977" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpNdIAQp6zEvRd_ZEI06SZ3Pc0PODMhxiA_lIcxbBq5zzFM6UgGwQo6pVwC8H5F2sHP5Kqv-TCKecRGBDJX2E1z1_D__tELUwsc7cqc5UCraZS6R273ThehLsqMeFgyHNCG2n7aiBk7mW//" title="bonds28" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We arrived at the peak of Bondcliff at around 11:30AM. Six hours into our hike and we were over halfway done. Now just time to turn around and go back! We hung out at Bondcliff for a while, ate some lunch, and rested up for the return trip. The hike back up Bond was a bit of a challenge as we were already 11 miles into our hike and faced a nice uphill climb in front of us. Katy was also developing a pounding headache at this point likely from the hot sun and maybe a bit of dehydration. We found some shade to stop, she took in some extra water, gatorade, and ibuprofen, and continued on. Fortunately that seemed to help and her headache eventually went away. Once we re-bagged the summit of Mount Bond, we coasted back to Guyot, past Zealand, and down to the Zealand Falls Hut. On the way back we passed a group of two hikers, one of whom was blind! We were also hoping to pass Ryan who was attempting the <a href="http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?45902-NH-48-speed-record">NH 48 speed record</a> and whose itinerary appeared to bring him right by us on our hike out. We never saw anyone who looked like he was about 150 miles into a three day trip and alas it appears as though the trip was aborted before the Pemi traverse was attempted. In any case, when we reached the hut, there was a bustle of activity with kids and families arriving and the croo starting to prepare dinner for that evening's meal. We stopped to refill our water and eat some more snacks before continuing on.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWIZ1TYTHyeDn0QNPnf73yb1RKcZuJMIO5hN2AwguYbwUxQrnX132sSpGZtXfDnL1MxEVdnEbpJse0rFnaQnu8pbLGTmjgPtKEGlnccv4A0chAA_r0KDMGYfHmECfdGEOPDw_h5yrto_M//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-978" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPz69bCC33NYHgX24rdkZchRXpgNcn3ZUdny-XU6YleqNzP560KjR_KKfj9dcGsu2syXf2x9HvbCWMfYkBkdav-IyZ9K0fDFuTGZCKmGXSwwN3oo570xiOSWBF_qaH295qd1nl-X0XUoN//" title="bonds29" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9icNplKUSSQrkMd0AEAILG6O3SKPsbOX6aKu05TeI_qJmC3Pj4pPmHgRSs2UyQiQGHhSqod95fQnM0Y5legB3H8Dm0c_5v8dgbZtYEE-Dq6oooijkyHsG9HFrFbrfUrzSdKeZFFd1pBD//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-979" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcfuz964fP-h_1QS3ZPseSm6kwm0brGESCLSe6p6EPei_FJz6xUggbsa6F08CPXzj0U1Jsq1GkbjIV08acoXyGjhfeQEyzshVUdkuSOy0LMgn7S2ONR59ubYpFy_wae_rDLwgjEIDfKhD//" title="bonds30" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFP7fjYHtkrqn4vH4RXLxLmQx_jvppW44Wp-GJlnde0FtYTFW_X3CHr7jnbxwOiKv38K7VRvpDWpUDhbb3C4zYZbTRSPWDmRe6y-AEAe3giCM8Yc2cpNcf7i0cskdUg_unpdCQ43YjiHv1//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-980" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpv9c-Jvfmk5lxOboA0npKVBXu2AUgQzwgv2juwpC1nYKAnufE6HXlynOOd_N0ciAX9ryLaz9YQsPqYasf2vsS18Z4ERf6nDQQHIhMcjaKaxxL8KhU9jMt2ihuvgk8_2jLRjcKAiDqNkHu//" title="bonds31" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdyTMqLIenee7SK379Czp-i4kVJp_ZQxN5_q1mSiXsSGUeQUm4IgHjIOhtGsqzGzhCnrfMj-sC5njS3dBFDO-OCWsWNHW0rlqvk7QErKuqLMiM9rno4V8xuFp_zPwEuIfmH5LbGI6828w//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-981" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36m-PMJtuVBRhkSk7z8r2rwLr1FD-Uo4R_8YnMyHTbzzsm3AjMMFsy4FtAWCgJJe4u5suQGEidB-vuOOZ3e3sAniLS5Yexel8qDuGSKyVnoqF2HilnJK0r9GbzXLwFo5F7I1tAcan22xg//" title="bonds32" width="412" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We arrived back at the trailhead on Zealand Road at about 4:30PM, 11 hours after we had started so early in the morning. Our legs were tired, some joints were sore, a few blisters had formed, but really I would say we were both feeling pretty good. On paper the Bonds may look daunting, but get out there on a beautiful day and they are mostly just rewarding. Granted Katy and I have been working our way up to this trek with our summer hiking blitz, but for any peakbaggers wondering how they're going to tackle the Bonds, fear not. There are many options, and with the fairly tame elevation gain, a single day trip is easier than it looks. With the Bonds done we are now at 46 out of 48 <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">NH 4k footers</a> complete!Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-52375452415080979532012-07-29T14:32:00.001-04:002015-11-04T16:50:42.690-05:00Mount Cabot (plus Bulge and Horn)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwhVpLnfWQuOT5In_XBPSwDr1VsVJmRbdeeH2Ysc2FOMMbUfgVw-Usz1O8zsCclwCsbE3q1LfYirLfefU6hfQlyGx64g0NaCHZdDkH0Vxg-ef5xLN8uGmtlPgq63PGZ3CFegE3K6sgrDr//"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-893" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9NSDy5H-M86k83HRVLbrw6ghyLEXyyQb9teVtfxAFJOFJzrZgqu0Qb3usN6wDCzHpFuvBftT2AYAO2Kk5g_tyMyeoa4stQlkoPdSo-xNqZZVvTWRsI_QqlNwO6-7-7c-e_rdQl791kgv//" style="float: right;" title="cabot1" width="225" /></a>After our trip up Mount Washington last weekend, Katy and I had been planning all week long to finish off our vacation by hiking Owl's Head and checking off one of the most elusive peaks on the <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">NH 4000 footer list</a>. Which day we would go would all depend on the most agreeable weather forecast of the latter half of the week. Unfortunately, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday all had similar forecasts -- cloudy, showers, thunderstorms, unsettled weather. After some debate, we finally decided we would modify our plans and hike Mount Cabot on Saturday. Mount Cabot is the northernmost 4000 footer in New Hampshire, and is off the beaten path of the typical hiking crowds in the Presidentials and Franconia Ridge. As we made the drive up early yesterday morning, the skies were cloudy but clearing, and I was anticipating this would be a simple, pleasant hike. The route we were taking was a loop hike over the top of Mount Cabot and also two lesser peaks, Bulge and Horn, which are not 4000 footers but are on the <a href="http://www.amc4000footer.org/ne100full.htm">New England Hundred Highest</a> list. I mistakenly thought that this route was about 10 miles in length, but upon closer inspection I later realized that it was about 11.5 miles instead. Given the scale and size of recent hikes that we've done, though, this miscalculation seemed to make little difference.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCNln_u0IjPNvVzkg2GJJTdbsZVBu7U1LkQZ08NZzCpSoWqHiPdJ_3VyrpqUl7y-M1p-W9nQHdRKEu_H2EtrMQINIrAMvjRfzBpIPC_1TGPvR3Z8N179uaCcFhJplYY5kbFxmNz_OUulW//"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-894" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZOK1KrnTkWMX6aMg2p7v1GWIy5HKuUKetvLYpSeLou8LEaHfCv69S6QD6gRr08digBkKQ3jO_A_Xy6J4mV0C4XNggNmQPdNMYoTzvab7jZruNCOp5swFIgN38i9aIwhUeWzyGcfeM34d//" style="float: left;" title="cabot2" width="150" /></a>We arrived at the trailhead at the end of York Pond Road in Berlin, NH at about 8:15AM. The gate to the hatchery was wide open (even though the sign said it opens at 8:30AM). I had read recent reports that the gate was being left open 24 hours for the time being, but that was not too relevant for us since we would easily finish before the posted 4:00PM closing time. We geared up and headed off up the Bunnell Notch Trail under partly sunny skies with no real signs of rain. It was at this point that we quickly encountered the weeds. The first mile or so of Bunnell Notch Trail was very narrow and overgrown with three to five foot tall weeds on either side. It appeared to follow some type of old logging road that has been overtaken by the vegetation in the area. Somebody with a free afternoon and a machete could do wonders to this part of the trail. The bugs were also swarming something fierce even after we doused ourselves in bug spray. My anticipation of a simple and pleasant hike appeared to be dashed! We moved along at a quick pace until we finally reached a reprieve where the trail makes a left turn off the old logging road and into a nicely maintained trail in the woods.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYyRUnOlpn5CFVCpO6xJNbJ0aqy3JtsusSBT5lsy22GIInsuDP4HZ1fyFChNBhld325ydG3IoG5QJ5u4nmhl7N4Uera1x1-QAN4ruSaQpwbVelpK8IzmTFcMIEp0YKbtOsXBtvsu5JbOrF//"><img alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-895" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUbFv6xFiBRNDOvYR_3Lsnmc-qIASHojDporm8EsPKma1bpMNnmLy9EA_BiOCwNe2IIzCjArwFW5YsQ6UNBm69kA-_M-1V1LmM1rlpQGYsYmYm_jSfVzPAQCqyBaPHC7f-2LZAcCv68GP//" style="float: right;" title="cabot3" width="150" /></a>At this point the trail began to really climb. We were so happy to be out of the weeds, though, that we didn't really notice. The upper sections of this trail were a much nicer walk in the woods and we made good time to the Cabot Cabin and then past it to the summit at around 10:40AM. The clouds were a little darker at this point, but still no rain. We took the requisite summit photos on the wooded peak and then continued on towards the Bulge. We seemed to reach the cairn marking the summit of the Bulge in no time at all and then pressed on to the trail junction of the spur path to the peak of the Horn where we took a right to climb this peak as well. The hike up Horn was quick but required a very tricky scramble up the final boulder to the official summit. Of all the views we got all day, the views on the Horn were definitely the best albeit under some now darker clouds in the sky. In addition, we finally encountered another hiking group on this peak who we talked to for a few minutes. They were on the same loop as us except coming from the other direction. We told them of the overgrown sections of Bunnell Notch Trail and they seemed to suggest that the lower elevations of the other side on the Unknown Pond Trail were not that bad. Hopeful news! We headed back down eager to complete the loop.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLT21U4Gk-RO0zM-cDm7zVVmbWgyNCdgqNXtkxGnHtFlorKbe_kiW2T3svtYYfGFn8d97bV_QrKKIRatX_6Zm0Ze9NeWb4pUHYEWDjJQS3EJHlJnN_tkfjffhyphenhyphen-4BmHGerehIVAasPq2Lx//"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-896" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_m8D6YrDI39qJuzI7CoOf2P2zBTlODFOmURDiiiB9_DVNuH1pPHEgdHBvoPQ4acYXo-F2Tz1p07pUEUCnQHht-bMzJg7IVe1XTLXxcB9JbY8YsxwfmItDNhyNQFfN5Ia3oP7NxHvwMNX//" style="float: left;" title="cabot4" width="150" /></a>The hike down the rest of the Kilkenny Ridge Trail to the Unknown Pond was fairly uneventful. We took a right turn at the Unknown Pond to trek the final 3.3 miles back to the car. As we descended, we began to encounter short sections of overgrown trail similar to the way we started the day. I don't believe any of these sections were as bad as the first part of the Bunnell Notch Trail but the final two miles or so of the trail was definitely a walk in the weeds which made things a bit less pleasant. To make matters worse, Katy twisted her ankle in a fall and was concerned that she had sprained it. Fortunately, though, she was able to walk it off and appears to have escaped without a serious injury. We powered through this final section of the loop and actually were surprised when we arrived back at the car at 2:20PM, about 20 minutes earlier than I was estimating. We packed up and headed home, with Mount Cabot complete and in our rear view mirrors.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzu9W2AeOzM-TLLeDNUUqh1qv2ARRUnBarheqxtYMDfNxERw-HzPuj-_EET1rOTprdqq4zHgWXpR1yiQyH2HhNyg80j1loJ6wtdG4dePnegmtA5mBZwMbF2YSf-zQWw-XAZZJNWq2VflU//"><img alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-897" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtPzkBXLQ895A72Az2M0bolM9iNPTmJcL9QUngu05niDF2fewWLIm3qqAZpCgvQu_UHn1svZ1dGmuzH8TJlORdhbEnGMxJVDfhRaG40j-n20YsH8H4bheDrZdb2hnSCPRNLkS7Sl2n2FT//" style="float: right;" title="cabot5" width="150" /></a>Most of our hikes in this 4000 footer journey have been fun adventures. I don't think that Mount Cabot left an impression on either of us as one of our favorites. It wasn't particularly strenuous, and even offered some good views and vistas; I guess it just wasn't our day. We both noted that a winter ascent may have been really nice, with some wide trail corridors (the weeds packed down by snow of course), gradual grades, and sheltered trails. Alas, though, we made it up the peak on this day and took solace in the fact that not 10 minutes after we got off the trail and began the ride home it started raining. And not only did it rain, but it rained buckets all the way home. It's probably a good thing that we decided to forego the much longer Owl's Head in favor of Mount Cabot for number 42 out of 48!Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-8461221600783067182012-07-28T19:03:00.001-04:002015-11-04T16:49:49.274-05:00Washington and Monroe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSzRnGsXSB0GDuX7jRMjH4psIxpmzfcCnEhrQGwkxpp7THZzHK6ln1NJPR_ee1jq-iXwHmkC4Neu4VhMxSRACqAb-nIb2NC_YTWat4jq2vHYqvqj2tYPHhuLuoo-gErumGQ6nJop9iGrh//"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-881" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGlc0a9WcjOHxKjp2bLXxj5X1fSha-idtCfxfYnIlSDdu7Py9iBrzsBxiwPgZ3q9PIuPiU49YCIvQFN_mhIjza_SIW6mPdG0iJjXsVjLkkn12-zpJ_7uTAgeH2pXcdjmbtC3UXjoxCCPW//" style="float: right;" title="washington1" width="300" /></a>It's been almost a month since I last reported additional progress on our <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">4000 footer goal</a>. In that month, though, a lot has happened. First, in early July, Katy and I decided to plan a "hiking free weekend" for ourselves and take a trip up to Acadia National Park in Maine. We hiked up Dorr Mountain while we were there (oops!). The following weekend, my sister Megan got married to her long time boyfriend/fiance Chris, and we partied hard to celebrate their day (and a great day it was!). Finally, this past week my family took their annual trip up to Suissevale at Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Just like last year, we targeted this Suissevale trip as an opportunity to get not only some beach-going and relaxation in, but also to continue tackling the 4000 footers. With the weather looking good for last Saturday, the 21st, we decided it was finally time to have a go at the daddy of them all -- Mount Washington. We were also super excited about this hike because for the first time in about a year, my sister Mo had decided to join us. The rag-tag team of Owen and Katy "plus Mo" was reunited and with our plan to hike up the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail and looping back down the Jewell Trail, we would be bagging the summits of Washington "plus Monroe."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_P7tKhDTiyEvRZdctkQH9hxSJ-VSwAoZA12wNG3eDElewkjK3SH6kDCSRvm4aKxK0S-nH02URDZ5HEFngRQMkdavszmACsv6-GF8O2FaC1DEHv21mtOCfnfv_HeLiuTvK7nsv4WY_TLxO//"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-882" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxf1jvaDVa1oDttPzSsc5USvGx9vqxA4gxOvYB9HlDzY62JuPWYZm29EGDgkVRbfR2dDerothMyD6wtuogqybvUC1bLSWO3Zw-cqTTSsMO6LYlv8QBlGhy-SNQRP5X7WRynHBbQVTX0Uzl//" style="float: left;" title="washington2" width="150" /></a>I had not realized until the night before that last Saturday was actually the annual <a href="http://www.seekthepeak.org/">Seek the Peak</a> event on Mount Washington. For Seek the Peak, volunteers raise money for the <a href="http://www.mountwashington.org/">Mount Washington Observatory</a> and then all hike up Mount Washington on this single day. It appeared as though the main festivities kicked off from the Pinkham Notch side of the mountain, but Mount Washington is always busy on summer weekends, so clearly there would be high traffic on all trails leading to the top on this day. I suggested that we try and get there as early as possible, and since we were all heading over to Lake Winnepesaukee after our hike, we decided to meet Mo way up at the Park-And-Ride lot off 93 in New Hampton, NH at 7:00AM. After a quick pit stop at Dunkin Donuts and the gas station, we all continued on together to the Ammonoosuc Ravine trailhead near the cog base station and arrived to a nearly full parking lot before 8:30AM. The sun was out, the temperature was comfortable and warming, and the summit forecast called for partly sunny skies with temperatures rising into the 50's and nearly calm conditions -- an ideal day. We geared up and headed up.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pI5fVqgVqIsjFC6g2t12KjCUBko9wlEqhOK34-RrEEFmjAUxWebNVNQoJsFCVLxQcULzNVzwe2wdFK7K-MFR20q3GSjzZYDwWaknDHtBD6zSZOf_vyk7O5ZAmiq4dL-PPzU7VEqKW4tv//"><img alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-883" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUCwAzUZKDszEjpqhEHgX7wc6OkNpKy3fmgX8AZf5GKd3wD5tUk5PU7ncX4Um7xFLr4hjtNmOg_apiHcOA-R2_OfQZE7b3rmw_96Dyc8ZAIiQ4YA_ropLg1maGCm-YHeww8OX-4ySLh3N//" style="float: right;" title="washington3" width="150" /></a>Personally I've hiked up Mount Washington at least three times in the past and have been up Tuckerman's Ravine Trail, Lion's Head Trail, and the Jewell Trail. However, I had never hiked the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. The trail starts out quite easy with smooth grades and is predictably well maintained. With our faster than average pace we quickly started encountering trail traffic with some large groups and some undoubtedly seek-the-peakers. After an easy mile or two we finally reached the base of the headwall of the ravine and begin climbing. There are some decent scrambling sections on this trail but it was very dry and so we didn't have much trouble navigating at all. The irony, though, is that just as we were discussing how nice and dry the trail was, Mo slipped on one of the few wet rocks and scraped her knee! A minor mishap, though, and so we continued on. We went right past the Lake of the Clouds Hut on our ascent in order to head over and bag Mount Monroe before returning back to the hut for a break. Monroe is a stone's throw away from the hut and offered neat views of the southern Presi's and Mount Washington from its perch. After a snack at the hut, we motored up the Crawford Path, passing several groups of hikers on the way to the summit of Mount Washington. The Crawford Path is a really nicely maintained trail and is like a paved sidewalk in comparison to some of the other bouldery trails that you will encounter at the summit cones of the other Presidentials. When we reached the top, we joined the swarms of other hikers, seek-the-peakers, cog rail go-ers, auto road drivers, and observatory staff that were up there.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjP3IfXCQ5iWf5RZAsNVTTpDttJrSpqCTk_xbh9J16UMxWQ7V9UigxTU4XPU8V5TWwpdHuPP_QiI51QxcWh2aGCmoRM2xpI18VVdoH-uChB2DXEMwTeUYwlwOWOP1BO2a-8fTrIiGbD5pg//"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-884" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNbJg2oG6qJoNq2R_huq9nkPBb59e3bkAgXm1Kdp27OhT7vYqd8htOUBPrsNE1K3zy1-27sJLXjoGx0UzGteO4amvyDwXt8Y4p8omxyzdLve9qcs7IyqqLkfDDSTiJSNIV1FxAKxfPh7e//" style="float: left;" title="washington4" width="150" /></a>We were very surprised to discover that the high volume of people on the mountain meant we had to wait in line to get to the true top and get our summit picture! We waited for probably about 10 minutes to get to the top and then another friendly hiker in line snapped a few photos of the three of us at the top. We then wandered around the summit sites for a while, stopped in at the Observatory building and ate our snacks, and just generally took in the views. It's always busy on the top of Mount Washington, but the beautiful day and the Seek the Peak event made it a real zoo up there. After we finally decided we'd had our fill, we began the trek back down towards the Jewell Trail. Hiking down the Gulfside Trail and then the Jewell Trail was a real treat. We were treated to clear views of the northern Presidentials for the first mile or two and also hiked over and alongside the Cog Railroad tracks for ways as well. Continuing down the Jewell Trail we could see into the valley with the Mount Washington Hotel and the Cog Base Station far below. On a clear, calm, warm day, it was great to be above treeline for so long. We finally dipped back down into the trees and continued the several miles to complete the loop and arrive back at the car.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmztaupg7GXgURpKvQEffsuCqyyoHRcjTLNg1LqaOfdU7FwI1cr83z8aD-Uf_Pqxk1YBbd3h7q0FDCMOXoiAH6DQocjWZS2bTtd_F94RuCHlogeI7dza43cATgZKTc1UHgyDCjAQgTp8H//"><img alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-885" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodueWgvpfkhyfl2K-53l0VAFoFBAT7AmZxK3nhlFuKBzN7vJP7C72i0qWXQvi_YrESJbUNT0afojyETXWfk0798fnSz756QMX6wYC84hr8GQ9ybp1FzJ_ApeLyDABZBk-u-qsia08P9hL//" style="float: right;" title="washington5" width="150" /></a>Mount Washington is the clear king of the Whites and the summit that gets all of the attention. I've hiked it from several angles, and it's a challenge from all sides. As far as hikes go, though, it's not the toughest mountain to bag. Our previous hike up <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/06/30/madison-and-adams/">Madison and Adams</a> was more grueling and had more elevation gain; peaks like the Bonds, Owls Head, and Isolation are more elusive; but you've got to respect the lure and might of the tallest. We checked this one off which sits at the <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">top of our list</a> -- 41 out of 48 now complete!Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8016779305319101687.post-84792012406084694182012-06-30T16:25:00.001-04:002015-11-04T16:49:02.495-05:00Madison and Adams<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqmyifytPSPjupQtw-SgV4KyZVeOOORUgrNJXUN_o3dpTeic4jl0H0UNKZFHQf4BKVHaaXe2xXFANa7YVHRtfTEI76CDq-GH-Taz9ucgoq0sKEtBH-AkPJTykMoFb-rTrSD1VMcdeeUNz//"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-868" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJDkCGNYGs3xxLQMNTYyoLEo5ygVvf9wXxYVUauLoeDKafwcNlanCy6fvj_NcdNATJchnXR_oBDfcGubxpedCjCbjjDpbI9zXCsxGTCHBurn2EHonhOq4_enbOBHGbMC2Jf3Y-pSgHqFi//" style="float: right;" title="adams1" width="300" /></a>After the last minute change of plans on <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2012/06/23/mount-moosilauke/">last week's hike</a>, Katy and I were itching to reload and conquer Madison and Adams in short order. Mount Moosilauke was a great hike, but it felt like just a teaser compared to some of the other hikes we have left on our <a href="http://owenkellett.com/2010/05/07/4000-footers-status/">4000 footer quest</a>. Brian really enjoyed the trip up Moosilauke as well, and with his schedule clear for the summer months, he was up for coming with us again this week. With the weather forecast for today looking perfect, we made plans that were identical to last week's: Meet at the Park-And-Ride in Nashua at 6AM, and continue on together to hike Mount Madison and Mount Adams. We met as scheduled where Brian parked in the same parking spot as last week, we stopped at the same Dunkin Donuts, and we filled up our gas tank at the same gas station. It was deja vu, with just a lower chance of death by lightning. We made it to the overflowing Appalachia trailhead before 8:30AM with the skies clear, the temperature warm and rising, and the Presidential peaks looming above.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtoMIpDUBV0epmRXbR3rMHJ1ecLMYZ9mfJnrFm9q_wctaxyWao3AB4WubZGjJVrpAxIYY4MzZ8VCa-3ICIjjs1-STYra-7Qj1hiZqNcIJ6yZKsb8q4vhLsgLiLT_qwgQsKO6KizMq6TKDY//"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-869" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4n14-zuAYgnsn-1bPrLvpnivjafwqh345hacVfzMeJsUtFY0_bN87Fqo9o4z25oUZMmBYcKYD9AAS44dlaesTLVyynHq21fj6K4TwDpIVpikZajczM6W65sdiHxxXLZAJv9GaIRvfIdZE//" style="float: left;" title="adams2" width="150" /></a>We began our ascent up the Air Line Trail with the goal of reaching Mount Adams' summit first. This trail was in good shape, but right from the start was relentless in it's steep grades. There's no free lunch when going up Mount Adams - every route requires at least 4500 feet of elevation gain to reach the top. We powered through this first section, though, and made it to the Alpine Zone in good time. The Air Line Trail is a fantastic route to take on clear days as there is a prolonged section above treeline with unbelievable views. Today was one of those days, with just a few fair weather clouds floating by and visibility for miles. We continued on up the "mini knife's edge" and soon could see the Madison Hut nearby to our left. The last mile or so of the final ascent up Adams' summit cone was probably the most difficult with the trail sporting large, jagged boulders that required careful footing and scrambling. In addition, the winds were whipping all day long above treeline, with the prediction of 35-50 mph winds appearing to be just about right. With care and concentration we tackled the boulders and eventually reached the top at about 11:30AM. The views from Adams are pretty cool, with Mount Washington dominating the southern landscape. We stopped for some pictures and some lunch before heading back down.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuoqXwUAtEEUsybHrgIz-XieEvfMMovEj7XrwsdoHUDQ1Q6a-bBnHuZy4riulouQZfiUyT6VXeJv9nVrsVgNtE2fNnserSuMLXQ7fnkmUUhHAhPLpY5Wv3zBt-sHXY3vNY5NF_bnEMbWQ//"><img alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-870" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIbN4fAh80nODdc25ogh2PPgrK03jF-lrZyueWx0SUXdiBzCAtHDrNVycRlob8FpM6lssM5ZD0vy5HVSj8JnNcUz0E-ZLEp3MY43t6HFdDDcducjVR2oHA_M_ZodSFvfOqyqVQFsNz2KP//" style="float: right;" title="adams3" width="150" /></a>In order to get over to the summit of Madison, we had to backtrack for about a half mile before heading over to the Madison Hut. We stopped for another break to fuel up and just generally enjoy the day. It was nice to be sheltered from the wind for a bit before heading back out to tackle Madison. Just 0.4 miles from the hut, the summit of Mount Madison is about 400 feet shorter in elevation than Mount Adams, and is an easier ascent. The boulders were smaller and less jagged, the trail was smoother, and we navigated our way to the top without too much difficulty. Again we spent a fair amount of time at the peak, soaking in the views and the sun. A few snacks and ninja jumps later, we were backtracking our way back to the hut to begin our route back to the car.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfvmw256MqNV3E0ultijywfWSdut6LF4-roMS77qVvd9mYWHhjGOSH7_lJ0wq0D0AHwRumX-XLivQRiHFMWoumKfm77oaKhyphenhyphenTM1V8HpmmiASbHAvW-uN6Eln7lrY00VgQIVeorgjVQWB3//"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-871" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7lLItQV2zQGv0pewHCggAOtrqv0Kh-dy3zSnRYuNeb1rXsLxqGj1Bm4KBQwfgyy0MRGr0HkCk2FYSlCYLUMJz3ezqcxZ8g7J99elQ4gBxtTOqH-3XbWnII8Zom-dJUYQOvNgro6Rwsm1//" style="float: left;" title="adams4" width="150" /></a>We took Valley Way down from the Madison Hut, a generally smooth, sheltered, and well maintained trail. It was at this point that knees started to ache and joints started to stiffen, but we remained in good spirits through the "death march zone". I'm not sure I could say the same about the three croo members that we passed hauling supplies up to the Madison Hut, though. One guy and two girls, each with large wooden frames on their backs carrying probably about 50 lbs worth of gear passed us as we were going down. Thanks to them, hikers filling the hut tonight will be enjoying a complete turkey dinner! In any case, we arrived back at the car just after 4:00PM with a magnificent day on the Presidentials behind us. That's now 39 out of 48!Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881633441845486332noreply@blogger.com0