.January 27, 2007 Today, I am rehiking a section of the Appalachian Trail, but this time in the winter. I recently signed up as a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club. One of the benefits of being a member is a subscription to AMC Outdoors. In this magazine I found an entry by Bryan Courtois. He was heading up a couple winter hikes this weekend for beginner winter hikers. Although I have hiked at least a couple thousand miles as a 3 season hiker, I'm new to winter hiking so I signed up. I almost had second thoughts this morning. It was 11 below zero when I left home.
Eight of us met at Grafton Notch in Maine. Along with Bryan was his friend Mickey who is also an experienced winter hiker/guide and who generously came up from Massachusetts to help out. At the start of the trail, there were a couple informational plaques about the Appalachian Trail. I think these are new. I've been to Grafton Notch several times and don't remember them, then again it could be a sign that my mind is starting to go. Starting to go??? Maybe it is continuing to go.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here is a map of today's trail. We will leave from Route 26, follow the AT most of the way, and take the blue blazed side trail to the summit of Old Speck.
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3.8 miles to the summit
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here we go.
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Here's a picture of Mickey with Brian behind him.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Why am I ahead of the leaders? Mickey was teaching us to do a rolling lead. The person in the lead hikes a predetermined amount of steps (in our case 100). That person steps off the trail, allows everyone to pass, and then takes up the rear. Then you just continue this process. This is a very efficient way to travel as a group especially in the winter. In our case the trail was already packed, but if the snow is deep everyone takes a brief turn breaking the trail which is the most strenuous part. In winter, it is essential to regulate your body temperature. You don't want to be cold, but if you are too hot you sweat and your clothes get wet. Once you are wet you will get cold. So it is best to try to stay comfortably cool. So while everyone is passing, you use this time to adjust your layers, drink a few sips of water, and have a couple bites of food.
When white blazes were picked for marking the Appalachian Trail, I don't think winter was taken into consideration.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here's a look ahead to the summit. It's in the center of the picture. It is snow covered and blending into the overcast sky.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A glimpse into the valley
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ With a group it is important to stop at a trail junction and wait for everyone to catch up. This is the junction of the Appalachian Trail with the Eyebrow Trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Beth, the only woman in the group, took my picture. "On most of my hikes," she said, "I'm the picture taker and never end up in the pictures, so let me take a picture of you." Thanks Beth.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As you see from the picture above, despite the cold temperature, I was warming up quick and was down to just my sweatshirt.
Below, Alexander the youngest member of our group. His dad, Roger is behind him and then Jim. (FYI - There's 2 Jim's with us today)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looking over to Baldpate. The AT goes up and over that mountain as well. Some of us are going to tackle that tomorrow.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Winter wonderland
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Another view of Baldpate
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looking west.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here's a good example of why it is a little difficult finding the white blazes during winter.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As we neared the next trail junction we had a great panoramic view.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Mickey at the trail junction. The AT goes to the right. We took a left. It was another .3 miles to the summit, but it was fairly flat.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A few minutes later we reached the top of Old Speck at 4,180 feet. It is Maine's 3rd tallest mountain behind Katahdin and Sugarloaf. There are two official peaks recognized by the AMC on Katahdin, so some refer to Old Speck as Maine's 4th tallest mountain. Here's a picture of the tower at the summit. It was cold enough, so none of us went up. I've been up there before and there is a great 360 degree view.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ If the skies were clear, I probably would have climbed up. There were 2 other hikers today. We played 'leapfrog' with them coming up the mountain. They were a little more ambitious and climbed the tower.
Another view of Baldpate, this time from the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ One of the other hikers was kind enough to get a group photo of us at the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ From left to right: Alexander, Roger (Alex's dad), Beth (Alex's mom), Jim, Mickey, Jim, Bryan, and Eric.
We returned over the same route. It was only 7.6 miles, but let me tell you. Going in the winter is a lot more difficult. I've done 20 and 25 mile hikes in the summer that were easier. We will all sleep well tonight.
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