Hancocks in the Rain, Ides of September 2015

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Joined
Jan 15, 2013
Messages
151
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Location
Vernon, Conn.
After Flags on the 48 I stayed in the Whites and hiked the Hancocks the next day. It rained overnight, and was raining on and off throughout the hike. There were no real views to be had at all, but it wasn't as bad as that might sound; it wasn't ever pouring, and it wasn't cold at all unless I took too long a break.

I had been on the Hancocks only once before, in February 2008 when they were under several feet of snow, so this was almost new trail for me.

Starting from the hairpin turn on the Kanc I started out on Hancock Notch Trail, which is very smooth and flat. Not surprisingly, I fell twice. After that I started on Cedar Brook Trail. Partway through this I came across a relo, which I took. This was marked with orange or red flagging and its surface was not yet packed down. It was easy to follow until suddenly it wasn't. I found some more flagging in the woods, though, along a much sketchier path, and these quickly took me back to Cedar Brook Trail.

Soon after that I turned right onto the Hancock Loop Trail. I took the look counter-clockwise, going up South Hancock first, because I had done it clockwise the first time. As I remembered it was very steep for not too long up the peak, fairly easy ups and downs along the ridge, and very steep for not tool long down off the other peak. One big difference, though, was that the ridge walk was a lot easier without a high snowpack forcing me to duck beneath branches.

Early on on Cedar Brook Trail I met a group of a dozen or so, who had apparently backpacked, hiking out. Later on Hancock Loop Trail I met a woman hiking out solo. After that I didn't meet anyone.

On the way back I didn't take the relo, partly because I didn't see where it came it. The section it cut out had some sections which are probably quite muddy when we're not in a drought, so that's probably its motivation.

I've been redoing the Northeast 111 in my 60s, having done them previously in my 50s, and South Hancock and Hancock were numbers 23 and 24 in that effort.

Here are the pictures.

--

Cumulus

NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 24/115 (19/67, 5/46, 0/2)
NEFF: 49/50; Cat35: 36/39; WNH4K: 36/48; NEHH 81/100
LT NB 2009

"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll
 
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