February 1, 2009
I wasn't eager to make the drive back to New Hampshire this morning, but our team had unfinished business. After bagging 5 of 6 winter peaks yesterday, Moriah was still there, challenging us to reach the summit. I got out of my car. I was beat from yesterday's long hike. My legs did not want to move. Heck, none of me wanted to move. I met Cath, Larisa, and Drew and by 9:45 we were off. I looked at the sign at the trailhead and thought, "Usually this is how I feel when I reach the trailhead sign at the end of hike, not the start of a hike." Everyone in our group admitted to be dragging a little after yesterday's hike. Except me that is, I admitted to be dragging A LOT. Fortunately, this would be a short day.
We made our way up and over the summit of Mount Surprise which is just a bump really. Next we headed up to the open ledges. The day was overcast, but we still got a fairly nice view looking down into Gorham.
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Now the real work started. The trail had many, many false summits. It's a trail with little ups and downs that just goes and goes. We stopped for a break. Drew decided to keep going. We wouldn't see him again until the summit. We met Rocket who was coming down. We thanked him for breaking the trail out for us across Wildcat Ridge which we hiked yesterday.
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We continued on. Usually it is up, up, up. This trail is more like up, up, down, up, up, down. Would we ever reach the summit? The trail is tough, but normally not this tough. I was just dead tired from yesterday. There's Drew's pack but no Drew.
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This gave me some hope, at least Drew thought we were close enough to the summit that he could leave his pack behind.
We continued up the trail. Finally, I saw Drew waiting just before the summit.
He waited for Cath and Larisa as I hiked the last few yards to the 4049' summit.
Larisa with just a couple yards to go.
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For the first time that I've hiked with her, I don't think she let out a woo-hoo at the summit.
I think we were all feeling the effects of a long weekend of hiking.
Eric, Larisa, and Drew on the summit.
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Cath, Eric, and Larisa on the summit.
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This was #41 for Cath this winter and #38 for Larisa. I'm not sure of Drew's exact count, but I now it is over 30. I'm the slacker in the group, this was #30 for me. We returned over the same route getting down in half the time it took to get up. We got back to our vehicles about 2:45. Great weekend everyone! 'Til next time.
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