Willoughby
Member
or, Rehab With A View 
I'm another member of the VFTT ITBS club, having been diagnosed last fall, complete with a hiking ban and physical therapy. This spring I've been trying to rebuild my stamina without reinjuring my knees. Happily, I was given a copy of Scudder's White Mountain Viewing Guide, which I've been using both to choose my hikes and to identify peaks from the summit. This month I have climbed:
Welch - Dickey Great VFTT, including quite a number of peaks I climbed last year. The best views, in my opinion, are from the north outlook on Dickey. There was still snow on Franconia Ridge when I was on Dickey, and it was visible to the eye.
Morgan - Percival I probably wouldn't have made it here without Scudder's book. But what a great loop! M-P are different because the southern outlook is Lakes, not Mountains, and beautiful lakes at that. Thanks to the guide, I could pick out Mt Major, which my entire summer camp climbed every July 4th, many years ago. And I got a jolt of recognition, playing spot-the-peak to the north, when there were Welch and Dickey! I never would have noticed them on my own.
Finally, yesterday, Cannon. I was ready for a 4K, as my knees have felt a little better with each hike. (The right knee is still weaker, and they ache but there are few-to-no twinges. I know now how tight my legs were last year - I never noticed because I had gotten used to it - and that's much improved this year.) The environment on Cannon is very different, thanks to the Tramway, but the VFTT are spectacular. My namesake lake was barely visible through the haze (and less so through my camera). I even felt good enough - and in need of some solitude - that I went across the Kinsman Ridge Trail to NE Cannonball.
I'm still being careful with my knees, and the PT said they may never feel 100% right again. But I'm encouraged that they're getting better, and with Scudder as my guide I'm not too frustrated by my limitations.
Pictures: Welch-Dickey, Morgan-Percival, and Cannon.
I'm another member of the VFTT ITBS club, having been diagnosed last fall, complete with a hiking ban and physical therapy. This spring I've been trying to rebuild my stamina without reinjuring my knees. Happily, I was given a copy of Scudder's White Mountain Viewing Guide, which I've been using both to choose my hikes and to identify peaks from the summit. This month I have climbed:
Welch - Dickey Great VFTT, including quite a number of peaks I climbed last year. The best views, in my opinion, are from the north outlook on Dickey. There was still snow on Franconia Ridge when I was on Dickey, and it was visible to the eye.
Morgan - Percival I probably wouldn't have made it here without Scudder's book. But what a great loop! M-P are different because the southern outlook is Lakes, not Mountains, and beautiful lakes at that. Thanks to the guide, I could pick out Mt Major, which my entire summer camp climbed every July 4th, many years ago. And I got a jolt of recognition, playing spot-the-peak to the north, when there were Welch and Dickey! I never would have noticed them on my own.
Finally, yesterday, Cannon. I was ready for a 4K, as my knees have felt a little better with each hike. (The right knee is still weaker, and they ache but there are few-to-no twinges. I know now how tight my legs were last year - I never noticed because I had gotten used to it - and that's much improved this year.) The environment on Cannon is very different, thanks to the Tramway, but the VFTT are spectacular. My namesake lake was barely visible through the haze (and less so through my camera). I even felt good enough - and in need of some solitude - that I went across the Kinsman Ridge Trail to NE Cannonball.
I'm still being careful with my knees, and the PT said they may never feel 100% right again. But I'm encouraged that they're getting better, and with Scudder as my guide I'm not too frustrated by my limitations.
Pictures: Welch-Dickey, Morgan-Percival, and Cannon.
