Waterville Valley (Tecumseh -10)

The in between month. Aaah November… The so called Stick Season. When the mobs of leaf peepers go back to the flats, leaving a eerily quiet mountain land void of the vibrant colors and foliage, with gray skies colder air and weaker sunshine giving way to hints of winter on higher elevations. When I finally post this a year later, I just recently finished a hike that had only few of these characteristics. The warm sun was out and the sky was blue which seemed to bring out what little color was left. But there were a few things that brought me back to this little hike which took me a bit by surprise and was more typical of the season.

Well all ever think about now is my favorite place in the world! The mountains are calling my name, pulling me in, touching my soul. I’m not ashamed to admit that I am completely obsessed with the list. It’s an addiction I never want to break. I am 3 hours away from them, and yet they are right here with me every moment of every day. I don’t feel tired at all, just excited to be going home to a place that is real, a place where I can lose myself and find myself. I have been reading every trail description, studying maps reading blogs and going on the 4000-footers facebook page to get every bit of info I can from an amazing network of hikers that share this same passion that has taken over every fiber of my being.

It’s 6am and I am getting up out of bed after 3 hours sleep from a gig the night before just so I can squeeze in one last hike before winter gets here! 3-season hiking is my comfort zone, but the thought of winter hiking seems like a huge undertaking to me. You need special equipment clothing and skills to do this. But the thought of being away from the Whites for 3 months is almost unbearable. I must figure out a way to keep going! They are, after all, named the WHITE mountains!  But for now it is only November. Most of the leaves have turned and many have fallen as I head up to what should be an easy hike up Tecumseh in the southern region of Waterville Valley. It is the smallest of the 48 and a good one to tackle today.

As I pull into the ski area lot I am one 7 or 8 cars parked. After looking around a bit I locate the trail head and start my ascent. The trails are somewhat wet and muddy this morning but nothing major. We are heading into one of two of the so called shoulder seasons, in between the main summer/fall hiking season and the winter one which I have yet to figure out. So the trails are quiet today. And quiet is exactly what I need at the moment. My ears are still ringing from Lou’s Café last night where we had another night of Mayhem, rocking with Full Circle, the band I have been in since summer, 2010. It was Gary’s birthday, the co-founder of the band and guitarist, so that added to the madness and we always crank up the volume at Lou’s… So yeah, peace and quiet is just the thing.

About a third of the way up, I am just thinking how nice and easy this hike is, and then amongst the dark brown fallen leaves ahead, I notice a familiar contrast in color. My suspicions are confirmed as I approach closer… Yup, SNOW!! Just a little bit but I was not expecting this. Hmm guess I learned my lesson – ALWAYS check the weather and trail conditions before you head out on your hike. Well I am ready for cold with plenty of layers, (although some are cotton, which I have been reading is not the best choice for cold weather due to its high drying time making you susceptible to hypothermia)  and although I don’t own any spikes yet, I think my boots should be ok with this small amount of the white stuff. I suppose I will turn around if it gets too sketchy but let’s see how it goes. It is the smallest mountain on the list after all.

As I continue upward, the ground snow amounts start to increase a bit, and so does my amount of concern.  Still, I have the whole day to climb this little mountain, so I’ll just slow down and take careful steps making sure each one is gripping and not slipping. I look to the side of the trail and grab a large stick, wrap the end in a bandana and a piece of chord I have in my pack to help as a walking stick. I have seen many hikers using hiking poles these days, even in good weather. I hear they help cut down on knee wear n tear and help with balance. I can definitely see the benefits in these conditions and I must put these on my long wish list for hiking gear. This stick will do fine for now though. In the snow I see footprints of bare boots, of hikers ahead of me, so that is reassuring. If it’s ok for others, it’s alright for me at least for now. But one thing is clear, if I am going to pursue this winter hiking, I’m gonna have to sink some serious cash into gear… or be on the wicked nice list so Santa is good to me!!
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Getting to a higher altitude now, I have entered a winter wonderland! Wow winter comes quick up here! It is so pretty with the white coating on the dark evergreens. Yes I can see the attraction of winter hiking, so we definitely have to make this happen. I’ll get some spikes, appropriate snow wear and maybe some snowshoes and start out on the local trails (when we get snow) at first to gain confidence, then come back to the mountains more prepared. I’ll pick out the easier ones on (and off) the list and save the alpine zone for the warmer weather. I’m excited now!! I hope we get some good snow this year!!!  ( <– little did I know the winter that was in store for me!!)

I get to the summit where there is a clearing and I get my first view of the whites in all of their whiteness! What a beautiful sight!  It’s amazing how the time of year makes such a difference on a landscape transforming it to something completely different with each passing season!

After a while on the summit, enjoying my lunch, I am joined by a mother/daughter duo of hikers. They seem to be even more caught off guard than I was by the snow, having very little in the way of layering. I asked if they needed an extra sweater or something from my pack, but they say they are ok and won’t be stopping long. We chat for a bit, then I make my way slowly and carefully downward.

This trail runs parallel to the Waterville ski slopes, so I cut across to the slope to get a better look at the views. I start heading down the slope for a bit, which would make for a great quick way down with views all the way, but then I think “Wait, is this against the rules for the NH48?” …So not knowing if I would get credit for the climb, I figured better play it safe and get back to the trail, Although I did cut across a few more times for a view break. Tecumseh turned out to be a nice little intro to winter. Bring it on!

Franconia Ridge (Liberty-8, Flume – 9)

…As I look these words over from a year plus gone by, something occurs to me. There are many days along the trail when I find meaning in life where there is seemingly none, or find answers to the questions i have been asking and agonizing over, or gain a sense of perspective or insight on my whole existence… And then there there are days when I have NOTHING: nothing to work out in my head, nothing that has been troubling my heart, nothing that has touched my soul. On these days I can just walk the steps, see the landscape, hear the critters, smell the leaves, taste the gorp, breathe the air, touch the earth, and…. just…. BE!

I am posting this the day after yet another act of hate and terrorism has been unleashed upon yet another city in our world – this time it’s Paris, France that suffers these attacks. It makes me think that if only everywhere and everyone was as loving, simple, peaceful and full of beauty as i find in my escapes to the mountains and the other places. Sadly that is not the world we live in and as much as I try and find the good in the world, I know that there is so much of it that is not. I do think the good generally outweighs the bad but at times like these it seems the other way around…

BE that as it may, here is a summary of the steps, sights, sounds, smells, breaths, tastes, and textures I encountered on that October day. On this day all was good, all was loving, all was simple, all was peaceful, and all was beautiful in the world…

Well Columbus Day weekend is here. A week ago at this time I decided I wanted to climb all the mountains after an almost religious experience doing the classic Franconia Ridge Loop (Little Haystack, Lincoln, Lafayette). Since then I spent the week reading up on the Whites and all of the different ranges and trails. Come to find out there is actually a NH48 list that many hikers complete every year. For those of you who don’t know (as I didn’t), this list is comprised of the 48 highest peaks in NH, at least 4,000ft in elevation above sea level and with at least 200 ft of prominence above the low point of a connecting ridge. The list goes from Tecumseh (4003) to Washington (6288). The act of completing this list, and other lists, is a game hikers play called “peak bagging” , which has a few rules: 1. Hike under your own power ( on foot, snowshoes, skis or sled), and 2. start/end at a trailhead) and you get this nifty patch when you finish and get to go to the annual AMC awards dinner to celebrate your accomplishment. There are other official AMC lists including the NE67 4k, NE100 highest, and all of these in Winter. There are also many unofficial variations of the list (ie. all 48 in every season, the 48×12 ”Grid”, northeast 111, etc) This is all stuff I have been finding out over the past week along with the best routes to the peaks, and the gear and skills needed to safely complete the lists. I have caught the bug in a big way and am eager learn all I can about it and presently to spend another weekend in the Whites.

I’m heading up solo again, this time to set up camp at Waterville campground and start out in the morning to finish up the Franconia ridge, or at least Mt. Liberty. I will either head up the flume slide trail which I understand can be tricky in wet conditions, to Mount Flume and then over to Liberty, or just up Liberty springs trail to grab one more summit. I have no time table for completing this list, only to complete it eventually, so bagging as many peaks as I can in one shot isn’t top priority. The most important thing to me is to experience every bit of every hike and to have a unique connection to each. To push myself when I am inspired to do so and to pause absorb and connect with every sight -sound -smell along the way. To leave the civilized world behind, and enter completely into the natural world… well at least to the portion the trails lead me to anyway.

I arrive at Waterville expecting to see a registration office cabin of some sort, like I am used to. Instead just a check-in area with a map and some general info posted, including Bear country warnings. Nice quiet campground with spacious sites, an outhouse, and a water pump. I set up a small simple camp and take a short walk along the trails that connect to the campground to explore the area a bit, before heading back for some grub, a campfire and a good night’s sleep.

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After a bit of a chilly night on a deflated air mattress, I wake to a crisp fall morning. They are forecasting nothing but blue skies today. I fix a quick breakfast and make my way north to Franconia Notch once again. Some really nice mountains in the Waterville valley area that I will have to read up on for next time I’m up this way. I couldn’t ask for a better day to hike. It has been a wet week but is picture perfect now. I get somewhat of a late start, as I head out on Whitehouse Trail to ascend up Liberty Springs trail to the summit. We’ll see how I am doing for time, and if I want to add Flume to the day or not. The trail starts out fairly easy and merges with a paved bike path at one point. A pretty wooden bridge crosses a river before the trail gets to a somewhat steeper grade.  Postcard photo ops galore! The scenery is once again amazing! So much life around every corner! Fall in the mountains is everything I remember it being and more! It is definitely my favorite time to be here. It is past peak but still plenty of colors! I love the solitude of these solo hikes with just enough human contact for a friendly hello to passers-by, and the rest is just me and the mountain! Don’t get me wrong I love to share this with friends and family as well, but I am totally fine heading out alone. They are two different vibes each with their own benefits. I will keep putting out the invites, but it’s good to know I can get just as much enjoyment without depending anyone else’s availability.

As I make my way further up the trail I keep thinking how lucky I am to be able to do this and I am glad I rediscovered it the way I did. I am thankful that I have set my new goal from a desire inside myself, not knowing about the NH48 list that so many others take part in, sharing the same objective I strive toward. I doubt the numbers have much to do with many a hiker’s experience though. I am sure most people do this for all the many ways the mountains offer food for the mind, body, heart and soul. The list is just solidifies our goal in a tangible way to keep on track when our spirit may falter.

My pace feels good today as I make quick (but not too quick) work of the 3250 foot , 4 mile ascent up the West slope of Liberty. I hope I can maintain my current level of health and fitness for years to come, and don’t get set back by injury or unhealthy decisions. So I continue the steady climb and eventually meet up with Franconia Ridge. Not too far from here, after a few rocky scrambles,  I approach the summit , and am greeted by one of the bluest cloudless skies I have seen, giving me 360 degrees of clear detailed views to close by and distant mountain ranges.

A large group of hikers linger at the summit today, taking full advantage of this perfect day! Spectacular views of the ridge where I climbed the week before (Little Haystack closest, then Lincoln, and Lafayette towering behind) are to my North. Beyond the remote Owl’s Head below, Garfield, Galehead, and the Twins run to the Northeast. In the distance I get a clear view of the Presidentials, including a snow covered Washington. Snow! I wonder if I can tackle winter hiking this year. It would be a shame to stop now that I am on a roll, due to the unfamiliar challenges the white stuff presents. I’ll have to look into what is involved and at least do some skiing in the Whites for the approaching season… Many other mountains, including the Kinsmans, Cannons, Hancocks, and others I cannot yet identify are in every direction. The closest of these peaks is neighboring Flume, which I feel like I can definitely include in today’s hike. The question being, should I attempt a challenging possible dangerous descent down Flume Slide or just return the way I came. My preference is always a loop or traverse rather than an out and back, but safety is not something I am sure I want to mess with. Nevertheless, I will make my way to Flume and maybe ask hikers coming in the other direction how the trail was coming up, and make my final decision after getting a better idea what is in store for me. There is the late start to consider too and beating sundown to the trailhead at the bottom.

As I finish up my PBJ and leave the Liberty crowd, I drop off the ledges into the cover of a dark green forest of firs. The trail descends gently for a while before ascending back up toward Flume. Along the way I start asking hikers how the slide was coming up and if they recommend going down that way. The response is overwhelmingly “WET and NO!” So as much as I prefer not to retrace my steps back, it is looking like that is going to be the safest route. It is late afternoon and it appears as I am one of the only ones going Liberty to Flume as opposed to the reverse.

As I reach the top, I have the place to myself for a while to take in the views uncluttered by human chatter. Being partially wooded, the summit views are pretty much 180 degrees, but very peaceful with a gentle breeze and blue skies, something that is few and far between here. I am joined by one other couple and I ask them to take my picture as I have mostly selfies from today’s hike. I linger a little while longer and begin the reverse trip over to Liberty where the crowd has now dispersed, being just after 4:00 now. There are a few groups up there with me getting their last looks before calling it a day. One dad is tells his 2 sons, “We should get a move-on. We don’t wanna be hiking in the dark”.

Well after a quick bounce down the mountain, the last few miles end up being lit by flashlight. Luckily I have a recent memory of the twists and turns and make it safely back to the trailhead and begin my 3 hour drive home. Until next time, thank you Whites for another great day! I am sad to leave but know we will see each other very soon…

Franconia Ridge Loop (Little Haystack, Lincoln-6, Lafayette-7)

Well, this is it! It has all built up to this weekend. After the mishap at the end of the August trip, I immediately booked 2 fall weekends in a row in the Whites, in case one of them turned into a bad weather. This is the first of them. Chad unfortunately cannot join me once again, but I have promised him that whenever we are able to schedule a weekend we will definitely do this loop together. For now, I will hike it solo. As I drive into the Franconia area, I am overwhelmed and almost tear up over the idea that it is really happening! I probably could have taken this trek a lot sooner but I wanted to make certain that I was ready, and the slow build has made this moment that much more meaningful.

I will camp at Lafayette Place once again and start out first thing tomorrow morning. There is heavy rain in the forecast tonight, but then clearing overnight to make way for me as I set foot on the Falling Water trail. The autumn leaves have reached their peak colors, maybe just past, and look amazing as I arrive at my site to set up camp. With the skies expected to open up, I hang an extra-large heavy duty tarp over the picnic table and campfire area, and prepare to settle in and grill up some steak tips on the fire as I admire the surrounding mountain tops I will start to ascend as the sun rises. Morning cannot come soon enough. I AM TOTALLY UP FOR THIS!!

After a night listening to the rhythm of the rain pelting my tent furiously and then fading as I drift off to sleep, I awake to the sounds of birds, chipmunks and other critters, scurrying about and well into their daily routine. I am fully refreshed and ready to get a start on my spectacular day. I fuel up with a cup of coffee and some breakfast; make one last check of my backpack items, get into my hiking wear and make my way to the trailhead. It is a great day for a hike! The fall mountain air is crisp and clean, and the oranges and yellows are everywhere. As I get to the start of Falling Water Trail, there is a ranger greeting everyone and reminding of the 20 degree temps that await us at the summit. My pack is well stocked with some extra layers, gloves and hat in addition to a sandwich lunch, fruit, trail mix and plenty of water.

It’s not long before I find out the reason behind the trail name, as I come upon a series of breath taking cascades. I pause at each of these to take in the tranquility and attempt to capture it on camera, even though I know pictures can’t possibly do it justice. I made sure I got an early start so I could go at a comfortable pace and take in every moment, every sound, every view, and there are certainly more than enough of these.

I couldn’t ask for better day to take this on. The trail is a bit wet and sometimes slippery on the freshly fallen leaf bed or smooth rock slab, but nothing I can’t navigate. All in all the conditions are great and my boots are gripping well. I feel so lucky to be here to witness such natural beauty and be so connected to it all!

Every so often I approach, or pass another hiker or group either ascending or descending and greet them with a “hello” or a “good morning” or “how are you, great day isn’t it?” Normally this would be just polite small talk but it somehow feels more genuine here, like we are all connected in a deep spiritual way that is bigger than all of us and goes back to long before any of us were here. Ok maybe I’m getting a little bit flower-child-ish here, but there is at least definitely a more pleasant way about people on the trail. It also seems the farther North you go, the nicer people are maybe my imagination, but what is usually just a polite nod down in mass is always some sort of kind, engaging greeting up here, and becomes a long conversation in Maine.  As you go down into RI this becomes a strange look as if to say “what? Whatddyalook’nat?” And if you go to NYC it becomes nervously try to avoid eye contact for fear of getting mugged. Perhaps NY is the equator of congeniality because if you go south from here it seems to go back into the nice direction until you get to that famous southern hospitality…. OK maybe this is an unfair generalization. What I really believe is that most of us all over the globe, at our core are generally good natured and kind-hearted. The trail just has a way of magnifying our good side I think…  Silly things like this pop into my head as I find my pace and make my way further up the trail which is no longer filled with waterfalls and has turned into alternating patches of foliage and evergreen with sometimes smooth sometimes rocky trails.
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Other thoughts are fond memories of hiking with my brothers and sister and where I was in life back then and how much has happened since then. Songs of these times fill my head, when I was just getting into bands like Rush and Yes and was very much into writing progressive music with my brother. Now I do it more for fun, and mostly cover bands, just to keep playing and keep music as part of my life… BUT I DIGRESS! That’s one thing I love about this: you are away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and can get lost in your thoughts, and I don’t mean just a daydream, I mean really good and LOST, but never so lost as to not notice the gorgeous surroundings which demand your attention and wonderment.

I go on like this for a while before I come to a point where there is a detour to Shinning Rock. I remember reading about this outlook and the view it has, but I decide to push on as I am on a roll with my rhythm and making good progress toward  this ridge I have heard so much about. Before too long I enter the alpine zone, where I reach for some extra layers and prepare for the drop in temperature. I approach the first of 3 peaks where there are many groups stopped in their tracks, some to bundle up some more, some to have a snack and water break and all to stand speechless and in awe one of the best views in the Whites! All around there are majestic spans of landscape that can bring a grown man to tears. If I look back where I came up I see the granite face of Cannon Mountain, The Cannonballs, Kinsman peaks, and Moosilauke. To my right (south) I see the ridge that leads to Liberty and Flume (which I will save for another day). Ahead of me (east) down in the valley of the Pemi wilderness is Owl’s Head and across the way are the familiar Bonds with the Presidentials in the more distant east.  To the Northeast are Garfield and the Twins with Hale hiding behind them. To my left is the open ridge I will continue to make my way across to Lincoln and then Lafayette. Okay, so I was only able to identify a few of these at the time and only now can I fill in the blanks as I write this. There are many many more mountains as far as the eye can see, too many to name and as I take a 360 video I am consumed with one thought:  I WANT TO CLIMB THEM ALL!!!

As I make my way across the Franconia Ridge toward Lincoln, I find myself walking much slower now as I am continuously looking around in wonder, and there are just no words to describe what I see in every direction I look. I take picture after picture knowing full well this will only capture a fraction of this amazing experience. The song that plays over and over in my head is “The hills are alive, with the sound of music…” which will continue to play on a loop throughout the majority of the rest of the day. And I feel  like throwing my arms up and do that famous Julie Andrews spin, but thankfully I lack the dress so I contain myself.  I reach the Lincoln summit with what seems to be no effort at all, as if I am floating or gliding across the ridge.

I take some more pics of the landslide to my right down to Owl’s Head and imagine the awesome force that took down everything in its path wiping out the entire side of the mountain. I am probably putting more circular miles on my feet than forward miles as I look around at my mountains. Still one thought keeps coming back: I WANT TO CLIMB THEM ALL!!! I wonder if this is possible for me to do. Surely there must have been some that have done it. This is of course before I had ever heard of the NH48, the NE 67, or any other list out there. I would find out about these lists very soon, but for now it was just a strong inner urge I have that has consumed me to my core, down to my very soul. 

I continue on up the ridge toward Lafayette, now feeling the strain on my legs and feet as I climb exposed to the cold wind, starting to feel hunger creeping in now. So I make my final climb of the day along the rocky knife edge ridge. I have decided at this point that this is something I definitely want to research and achieve in my lifetime. I would find out eventually that this in an actual thing many set out to do, but for now it is an idea that was inspired by a day filled with natural beauty and a love for hiking. As I write this now I am proud of that fact, and that this is how my quest was born. I believe this inner spirit will keep me going to reach my goal which is currently to climb all NH 48 first and then perhaps the NE 67. I have since tried a few winter climbs and I love it, but don’t see myself completing the winter version of the list. This could change as I become more comfortable and experienced with it over the years but for now I am content to finish the 48 in no particular timeframe or season, just every chance I get. Certainly plenty to keep me busy for a long while… Anyway I reach my final and highest peak of the day and I know I sound like a broken record (or broken mp3 player for you youngins) at this point, but yes more amazing views in every direction!

It is really cold now so I seek some shelter behind a rock put some warmer gloves and hat on, have a seat on the east side of the summit and look down to Owl’s Head Garfield The Twins and others in the Pemi wilderness as I eat the most delicious bologna and cheese sandwich of my life. Everything tastes so much better after a long hike!!

After I’ve had my fair share of summit views (but not my fill of them by any stretch) I start to make my way down a fairly easy descent on the Old Bridle Path/ Greenleaf Trail toward the Greenleaf Hut. The trails are a bit more crowded now and I find myself in the company of some truly gabby people, and intermittently stop to let them pass so I can get back to letting the mountains speak to me. I pass a small pond and reach the Hut and take a load off for a bit. Now I am feeling the full effect of the days exercise. My legs are starting to feel tired and weak. I am sure I will make it down the final stretch without issue as long as a keep a slower deliberate methodical pace. There are some great views of the west side of the ridge from below here and a few really nice lookout points as well.

Now it’s a steady decline down the Greenleaf trail as my legs are pretty well spent but I eventually stagger my way back to the trailhead across the underpass and back to my campsite where I take a much needed shower, start a campfire and have a great recovery meal and a well-deserved ice cold Sam Adams. I thumb through my pics and reflect on a perfect day and look forward to the newly born journey ahead. Thank You Whites for this new beginning and a chance to see the world again for the first time through different eyes!