Carter Notch Trip With HS Outing Club...

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w7xman

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Sep 25, 2005
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Location
Epping, NH
Many of my trips to the White Mountains are made purely for the enjoyment of the mountains, and the hope of sharing that enjoyment on film. Leading the Outing Club at the high school that I teach at on trips adds an extra dimension to that sharing. Students get to experience the outdoors, gain an appreciation for natural systems, and become open to the beauty in the world around them, all while participating in healthy activities that they will hopefully continue for the rest of their lives. I consider it a true investment.

This weekend, I led a trip to the AMC’s Carter Notch Hut via Pinkham Notch for an overnight stay. The conditions were perfect for winter hiking: hard packed snow with minimal ice, seasonably mild temperatures in the teens and 20s, light wind and an occasional gently falling snow. The first day went just as smoothly as it could go!

Sunday morning I awoke in the notch at a bit before 6AM to capture the sunrise, and crawled out of my bed to find a fox on the front porch. Continued wandering found limited light, but much of the fine feelings of waking up in a place that inspires awe with its beauty. When I returned to the bunkhouses, the students were excited that the fox was still around. He was curious, inquisitive and though a bit skittish, was clearly tolerant of our presence. I managed to get a few nice sets of shots off before he moved on.


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On the trip down, we took a break next to the Nineteen Mile Brook. With the absence of recent snowfall, all of the detail and beauty that is usually concealed in a frozen stream was on display. I concentrated on some areas where open water was surrounded by a frozen landscape, and was most pleased by this shot about a mile from the bottom.


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This shot would have capped off a perfect trip, but unfortunately, there was a cruel Valentine’s surprise waiting for us at the bottom. Overnight, vandals had smashed my and my co-leaders cars in the lot, and made off with some of our electronics.

As teachers, we like to make every moment a teachable moment, but to our students who lost their cell phones, ipods and innocent sense of security that morning, there was little we could we could do to console them after their return to the oft cruel, civilized world. The cold drive home didn’t help either…

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This morning, I have a new window, a new checking account, and have a new Wolverine portable storage devise on order. A minor setback, a major inconvenience, and a lesson learned…but certainly one experience that can't dampen my love of the Whites!
 
Jim --

As always, your photographs are a treat to see...pure eye-candy.

Well, except for the one of the vandalized vehicle.

(Very sorry that that happened. It's happened to me and it just truly sucks...the wind out of one's sails after coming back from a great hike, too.)
 
Nice report and great pics up to the sad and infuriating ending. I guess one of life's sad lessons is that ipods and cell phones are replaceable material possessions. One of my retirement past-times will be loitering in lots and catching these creeps.
 
One of my retirement past-times will be loitering in lots and catching these creeps.


Excellent! If you want company, let me know.

Jim, excellent report. Congratulations on spending your time in such a valuable way -- sharing your love of the outdoors with the young folks. They are lucky to have you as a leader.
 
I must say that I consider you to be the best WM photographer. If you ever produce a book, I'd definitely buy a copy. Jerry Monkman is pretty good, but I find your work more appealing.

That said, I really like the fox shots. Reminds me a bit of one I ran into on Willard one morning, but sadly my longest lens that day was only 75mm.

Bummer about the car. Hasn't happened to me yet, but I do worry about it when I'm nearing the TH.
 
Jim, many things in nature are wild and wonderful (such as fox and the 19-Mile Brook so wonderfully captured in your photos). And then there are the things that are wild, but far from wonderful, like the vandals who broke into your car.

Thanks for posting!
 
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