.January 28, 2007 I'm back for another winter hike. It is warmer than yesterday which is good. It looks like this area got about half an inch of snow last night. I met Bryan and Mickey in the parking lot today. They will be leading the hike again. One of the Jims from yesterday has also returned. We have one hiker with us today who wasn't with us yesterday, Paul. His dog, Annie, is also coming along. Our starting point was the same, Grafton Notch. But today, we are heading north to Baldpate.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Giant Appalachian Trail Symbol on Route 26
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Two miles to the lean-to, our first destination.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I'm glad to see Paul is still smiling
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Winter Wonderland
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The first leg of the hike, the snow was pretty well packed. When we reached the junction with the Table Rock trail it was clear that everyone who had gone before us had headed that way. We continued on the Appalachian Trail. The trail had unbroken fresh snow. We again applied the 'rolling lead' that Mickey and Bryan had taught us that day before. It was even more effective today since the snow wasn't packed down.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We tooked the short side trail to the shelter...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ...where we took a break.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I was at this shelter about a year and a half ago. It was a completely different setting then. It was the middle of summer, very hot, and the bushes were ripe with fresh red raspberries. That's not the case today.
Back to the trail
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Annie must have done three times the mileage as the rest of us.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The trail was getting steeper. Just as Bryan.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We reached the top of West Baldpate.
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We didn't have the time (or the energy) to hit the east peak. Unfortunately, that's where the best views are. I headed up the trail a bit where I knew there was a good view of the east peak. Jim followed behind me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The view was clouded in.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I almost got a view as a section of blue sky opened up.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I headed back up to where the group was waiting.
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Here's everyone at the summit (except for me the picture taker). From left to right Annie (lower left), Paul, Jim, Mickey, and Bryan.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ On the way up, the steepest part of the climb was covered with ice. For the trip down, we decided we better put on our crampons. It was the first time I needed them. They worked great. On the way the weather started to clear, so typical of my hikes. I tried to steal a view through the trees.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We finished the return trip in about half the time it took to go up. I had a great time. Special thanks to Bryan and Mickey for sharing their time and winter hiking skills with us.
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