There were just four of us today as we met at the trailhead: Ed, Jeff, Bill, and myself.
We started off at exactly 7:00.
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Within a couple minutes we reached the junction with the Greeley Ponds Trail but continued straight.
"I started early today, because I have a cookout this afternoon," said Ed. "We should get out by 3:00 at the latest. You still need to climb Mount Tecumseh don't you, Eric?"
"I sure do."
"It's nearby. You'll probably have time to climb it."
"You just read my mind," I said. "This is one of the further White Mountain trailheads for me, so I'm hoping to bag Tecumseh while I'm over here."
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We were making great time on this flat, smooth trail.
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Junction with the Tripyramid Trail
We would be returning this way so Ed stopped to check the water level of the creek we would be crossing. It was low so crossing wouldn't be a problem later on.
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This tree was an irresistable place to take our first break.
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We turned onto the Scaur Ridge Trail.
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This was my third time entering the Sandwich Range Wilderness. It always makes me hungry.
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Now the trail gets steep. About 20 minutes later Bill pointed to someone coming up behind us.
"Is that anyone we know?" asked Ed.
"It's me, Jim," replied Jim. "I was late getting to the trailhead."
"What time did you get there?" asked Ed.
"7:30. I've been going none stop to catch up," said Jim.
It was great to see Jim. I hadn't hiked with him for a couple of months.
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Unexpected Peak
We reached the junction with Pine Bend Brook Trail. We decided to take a little side trip. Ed continued to hike up to North Tripyramid. The rest of us dropped our packs, headed down the trail and then began a short bushwack over to Scaur Peak. What is the reason for this side trip? Scaur Peak is not on the list of New England's 100 highest, but it is on list of New Hampshire's 100 highest. I have no plans to complete this list (at least yet); but since everyone is going there I might as well bag it. It is just a short bushwack and a pretty good herd path has developed. Jim had been there before and had no problem leading us right to the summit. It was Bill's idea to bag this summit so I took a picture of him by the cannister on the 3605' summit.
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We returned to where we left our packs. The cost of the side trip was just 30 minutes. The trail gets very steep after this with some scrambling required. Just before the summit we crossed the junction with the Mt Tripyramid Trail. We reached the 4180' summit of North Tripyramid as Ed was getting ready to leave.
"I was just about to leave you a note and continue on to the next peak," Ed said.
"I'm glad you didn't," I said. "I need my Ed Hawkins 4000 footer handshake."
As he always does, Ed then went around shaking hands and congratulating everyone. That's Ed Hawkins 4000 footer handshake #9. This is also #35 on my list of White Mountains 4000 footers.
Here's everyone on the summit.
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There's not much of a view on this summit, especially on an overcast day like today; but I could see across to our next two summits: Middle Tripyramid (left) and South Peak (right).
I find it a little odd that the three peaks are named: North Tripyramid, Middle Tripyramid, and South Peak. Why wasn't South Peak named South Tripyramid???
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We began the descent into the col where we came across the junction with the Sabbaday Brook Trail. Ed refers to that trail as another one of those trails with no redeeming value. It is the route you would take if you wanted to bag another of New Hampshire's 100 highest. 'The Fool Killer' is a short bushwack off that trail. I figure it's probably best that I stay away from a peak named 'The Fool Killer', just like I would stay away if I ever saw a name like 'Dead Man's Peak' or 'Valley of No Return'.
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Since Middle Tripyramid would also be a new peak for me, Ed let me lead the way so I could get to the 4140' summit first. On the summit, someone had tied a small Texas flag to a tree.
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There would be a couple good views from and near the summit on a clear day, but today continued to be overcast. This was White Mountain 4000 footer #37 for me, and I also got my 10th Ed Hawkins' White Mountain 4000 footer handshake.
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We followed the trail down just a little before walking the ridge over to South Peak.
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We reached the 4100' summit of South Peak. It's over 4000 feet but there is not enough of a drop between here and Middle Tripyramid so it's not an official 4000 footer. Now the fun part, making the steep climb down.
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The trail then opens up as it follows the South Slide down the mountain.
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Looking across to several peaks that I had climbed on March 31st of this year.
Jim said, "This is a great spot in the fall. Color is everywhere."
"I guess I'll have to come back on a nice fall day," I said.
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Ed coming down the very steep South Slide
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Jim took this picture of me coming down the slide.
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"There is a big boulder ahead," said Jim. "I'll take your picture there too."
This trail was extremely steep. It didn't look it would take much to get this boulder rolling down the mountain. Hopefully it will stay put at least until we get down. As we neared the bottom of the slide we met two hikers heading up. Ed and Jeff both knew them. Once at the bottom of the slide, the trail levels off.
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Lots of Trilliums today
I do my best to follow one of the rules of the woods: Take only pictures. Leave only footprints. In the case of the Trillium it is especially important. I looked up this flower on Wikipedia and found out that with this particular plant, picking the flower usually causes the plant to die. As a result, it is actually illegal to pick Trilliums in some states.
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Bog Bridging
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We crossed the creek that we had checked out at the trail junction earlier in the day. From here Ed gave us the 'go at your own pace green light'. Since I was planning on hiking Tecumseh I went ahead. I did make one stop on the way out at Norway Rapids.
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It was nice, but not exactly Niagra Falls.
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I kept my eyes open for a large patch of purple flowers that Jim said we walked by and missed on the way in.
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I arrived back at my vehicle about 2:15 before driving over to the ski area where the trailhead for Tecumseh is located.
