.September 16, 2006
It's time to go off to the White Mountains. It has been a couple of months since I have hiked in the Whites. The Whites are my favorite place to hike. Then why so long?? I have been busy hiking the AT in Vermont, Maine, West Virginia, and Virginia.
Today I will be doing a small hike in mileage. Just 9.5 miles. I will be hiking up and over Mount Moosilauke, the western most 4,000 footer in the White Mountains. I originally was going to crew myself with a bicycle by driving to one end, biking to the other end, and hiking back. Lynn insisted on crewing me, so who am I to argue.
The next decision was do I go north to south or south to north. Sometimes I pick what I think will be easier, but today I wanted a really big climb so I decided to go south to north which has an elevation gain of about 3700 feet.
Lynn and I brought Maddie, our newly adopted Greater Swiss Mountain Dog/Mix. She is not disciplined enough yet to be let off the leash and will stay with Lynn today, but we all started off together.
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We crossed a brook where Maddie played in the water. After about 20 minutes of hiking, Lynn and Maddie headed back.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Since I wasn't doing too many miles today, I had time for a side trip. I took the .15 mile side trail to Jeffers Brook Shelter.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The privy was not in good shape. Then I noticed what looked like a small shelter. I got closer. That's an awful small shelter I thought. I stepped inside and realized it was the new privy that was being built. This will be one deluxe privy once completed.
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Today's hike would be strenuous so I was surprised to find this smooth section of trail.
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I came out onto a road and lost the trail. I saw a few large rocks blocking a path. That must be to keep vehicles out. I crossed over and found a picnic area.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I quickly realized this wasn't the trail. I checked my map and realized I needed to go up Long Pond Road.
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I came to the end of the road and made a left onto a paved road (Sanitarium Road).
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The leaves are just starting to change color here in New England.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The AT turns off the road and becomes the Glenn Cliff Trail
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On to the summit of Moosilauke.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Through a field
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I passed two people doing trail maintenance.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ They were cleaning out the water bars. Most of them on this mountain were made from stones, but some were from logs. For any non-hikers that may be reading. These are used to divert water off the trail and prevent erosion. They get clogged with sticks and leaves and need to be cleared a couple times a year. Here is a picture of one that they haven't cleared yet.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As I continued up the mountain, I heard someone coming down. Around the corner I saw someone with a great big pack. That could only be one person, Rambo Ron. I had met him 5 weeks earlier when I was hiking Bigelow with Jason and Brent.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The trail was steep, but it would be much steeper coming down the other side.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The trees were starting to get smaller. I would be above treeline soon.
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This was the first white blaze I had seen for a while.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Less than a mile to the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here is my first view of the summit. It looks crowded up there.
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I love being above treeline.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I have to remind myself to look back once and a while to catch the great views.
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It sure was crowded at the summit.
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With it being so crowded, it wasn't hard to find someone who would take my picture for me. This is my 31st 4,000 for the Whites and 42nd for New England.
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I found this plaque on the summit
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I had an incredible view to the east but to the west I had a blanket of clouds. I thought this picture came out nice. The man is resting on rocks. Ouch!! It almost looks as if he rolled over a few feet, he could be sleeping on fluffy, white clouds.
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With the summit so crowded I decided to find another spot to take a break. I got off the trail for a few minutes. I hopped across some rocks avoiding the fragile alpine plants, found a quite spot, and enjoyed the view.
Here's a beautiful view of the Franconia Ridge.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Back on the trail
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It was a great feeling to walk above the clouds. Surely one of these was Cloud 9.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I could look far, far below to the town of Lincoln. Lynn and Madison were down there someplace.
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I could see trees ahead. I only had a couple more minutes above treeline. I would guess about 1 mile of the trail was above treeline.
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Back in the woods. The Appalachian Trail is now Beaver Brook Trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next I went over Mount Blue. It was more of a hump than anything. I wouldn't have known it was there if it wasn't on the map. This section didn't have many white blazes. For a few moments I questioned whether I was still on the trail. Then I reached this sign.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I was halfway down. There was also another sign stating that the trail ahead was very dangerous especially when icy or wet. Although this day was sunny, the rocks were in the shade and still wet from recent rain. Part way down I decided to check out Beaver Brook Shelter.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I thought the sign on this privy was comical. The reason for the sign is that these privies use a self-composting system. Excess liquid makes it more difficult.
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Beaver Brook Shelter
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View of Mount Lafayette from the shelter.
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I got back on the trail where the trail really drops quick.
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These wooden steps were very helpful. Two steel rods are drilled into the rock and somehow the wood is attached. They always make me a little nervous and I never trust them completely. I am sure they were very secure when they were built, but you never know when one may come loose.
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Then I found one that did come loose.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The trail follows a series of cascades for at least half a mile. A picture just can't capture it.
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As I continued my descent I thought of part of a conversation that Jim and Sue (Runtrails) had as they ascended this side of the mountain. Jim was commenting on how much exercise Sue had gotten over the past few months.
Jim: "You're in better shape than I am, you know."
Sue: "Then how come you're going faster up this mountain than I am?"
I finally neared the bottom of the mountain where I saw this warning for those who were going up.
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The next couple tenths of a mile were easy. I crossed a couple bridges similar to the one I crossed first thing this morning. I met Lynn and Madison in the parking lot. On the way home I saw this crazy 3 wheeled car in Lincoln, NH. It is a 1974 Reliant Robin and was made in England. It apparently was there for show because the note on the side stated it wasn't for sale.
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Following this, we took the Kancamagus Highway and made a few scenic spots that I covered in my last entry.
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