Finished the 48! Carrigain, Aug. 26

vftt.org

Help Support vftt.org:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Unoman

New member
Joined
Aug 18, 2006
Messages
30
Reaction score
4
Location
King Ravine Lounge
As my good friend Pete (JWalker) and I drove to Dunkin for coffee, the skies looked promising for a great hiking day. Based on our hiking history, we fully expected rain!... We arrived in Conway Friday night, staying at a friends cabin and made a full weekend out of this special hike with our wives. After a hearty breakfast and alot of coffee, we headed for the Sawyer River Trailhead. The parking lot was filling up fast at 8:15am and alot of hikers were heading up the Signal Ridge Trail. After the first 2 miles of flat hiking, we began the long ascent to Signal ridge, full of both short and long, broad switchbacks that afforded good, dry footing most of the way.... and best of all, no bugs...Great temps for hiking ...All along the way, we leapfrogged many groups...As it turned out, most of them were hiking to join a mutual friend on top who was climbing Carrigain to finish his 111....

As I ascended towards Signal Ridge, I began thinking about my hiking experiences. About 10 years ago, while enjoying a summer cottage on Winnepesaukee, my wife would often come up with things to do with our children. After a few hikes with them to Arethusa, Ripley, Mt. Major, she came up with the idea of hiking Mt Washington via Tucks. She managed to drag me away from Salmon fishing to go along. It was an awe inspiring hike. As a boy growing up in PA, I did alot of camping and running around in the woods, but nothing as spectacular as this. Over the next year or two we hiked Lafayette and did a hut trip to Lonesome to hike North Kinsman (of course in hindsight, S. Kinsman would have also made sense!). In '99, I was diagnosed with cancer and had major surgery. In recovery, I picked up the AMC guide and read about the 4k's. It was then that I set a goal to allow this list get me out and see the all of the White Mountains from different perspectives. Back then I had no idea that this long road would lead to so many great times and experiences...multi day backpacking trips, long day hikes, hut to hut adventures with family and friends, sleeping under the stars on Isolation with my son....not to mention meeting and conversing with so many fellow hikers out on the trails....So many stories to tell...There have been many hikes in between the 48 and many repeats along the way...I consider myself a hiker, not a peakbagger, but nonetheless, this was a very rewarding goal to reach.

Well, soon enough, we hiked out of the scrub and onto Signal Ridge, surrounded with great views. Looking ahead we could see our final goal, the fire tower topped with quite a few hikers admiring the view. After a long,broad switchback we approached the summit and could see the base of the tower ahead of us. It was than that I felt the joy of this accomplishment....after 7 years... I heard that 4 or 5 hikers also finished their 48 on Carrigain this day and I was able to exchange congrats with the gentleman who finished his 111...I counted 3 bottles of champagne opened (including ours)..and I might add Pete and I quaffed a pint (can) of Guinness to satisfy our desire for some celebratory carbs needed for our descent. Thanks to Pete for his companionship and look forward to many future adventures.

Tapping the marker on the summit with my wife was the best. I was elated that she was there with me on this day...and I will never forget it...Here's to you, Collette....

I am an AMC board regular and new to VFTT ....I look forward to meeting you on the trails

K



PIX HERE:

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=viewAllPhotos&albumID=553532734&security=IsFgbR
 
Last edited:
6+ list completers in one day? That's why every descending party I passed on the way up seemed in such good spirits! I opted for a late start to enjoy some afternoon solitude on the summit, but I'm now genuinely sorry I missed the celebrations. Congrats!
 
Last edited:
twas a good time evilhanz...celebration time was around 12 noon...but mellow enough to handle that long down to the parking lot....great day, great hike...thanks
 
Congrats Unoman, et al!

I must have passed you on the way up as I left my bike at the trailhead at 8:30 and summitted at 10:30. I believe I did hike for a bit with your friend Pete. Good guy, who told me he was finishing his 48 and had some Guinness :) MMMMM.....Guiness..... You guys picked a fine one to finish on (and have an awesome taste in beer)...

I also met up with Dave Langley (Maine AMC leader), who I haven't seen since last winter and hiked with him for about 45 minutes.

Who was the person who was finishing the 111?

I am bummed that I missed the legendary Evilhanz! Unfortunately I had a date with the Willey Range via the Desolation/Shoal Pond/Ethan Pond/AZ Trails, otherwise we would have crossed paths...
 
Frodo,

Thanks for the congrats...we passed you driving to the parking lot as you rode your bike in...i commented that you must be dropping a car and biking in...I also commented that you were wearing a Yankee cap...my buddy and I said hmmmmmm.....for sure that was my partner in crime you hiked with (Pete)...the one who left his hiking boots at home and had to hike with Tevas...he blasted away from us early on....I chose to hike with my wife (and his) at a slower pace, taking in the moment and appreciating the day with no need to rush (staying in Conway)..but I do remember you passing us on your way with the guy from Maine and the Golden retriever...I saw your VFTT patch at the stream crossing and shouted out but you were well on your way up the trail and didnt hear me...Yes , my buddy and I have good taste in our toasts...we tipped our guiness cups and also cracked some Moet... (check the pix) ....I dont personally know the 111 guy but you also passed the guy who presented him a patch at the top...I leapfrogged with him most of the day as his wife was hiking with a bad case of Plantar....big group of people rootin for him...probably 12 in all....we met them again in the parking lot after the hike out....where I heard another cork pop .....

see you on the trails...K
 
Last edited:
Congradulations Unoman!! A great accomplishment without surgery let alone with. I am happy to hear that your cancer surgery went well, and it is nice to know that it helped you in your decision to hike all the NH 4kers. It's a great thing to hike in such a wonderful place as NH (Maine too of course :)).

I hope to meet you out on the trails sometime, or in a bar for a pint of the good stuff.

Keep on hiking!
 
Thanks Danno,

Hope to hit some Maine peaks next season....got a few to do in NH this fall...something this weekend, not sure yet and then up for the flags over 48...then off to the Land of Darren for a couple weeks.

Pub sounds good...

K
 
Top