McRat
New member
With a 50/50 forecast of rain and the possibility of scattered thurderstorms, I decided to take my daughter Squeaky out for #3 on her list, and my wife's Uncle Jodi's first. Such is your fate when you must pencil your hikes in weeks ahead. I could complain that these trips are outside the range of our weather wizard's crystal ball - but it's not like they can predict the weather from morning to afternoon anyways...
Since Jodi relocated to Alton, he became enamored of hiking and had most of the Belknap range under his belt and was looking to try a 4K. We stayed over his house the night before and awoke to fresh blueberry pancakes, cloudy skies, and an unchanged forecast. Part way up Rt. 16, we had begun to question our decision as the skies opened up and we discussed that Squeaky should look intro a career as some sort of rain shaman.
Around Tamworth, the clouds relented in their magical attraction to Squeaky, and soon the fog was wafting off the Kancamagus. Still, we decided to consider the weather fears and keep our options open. We decided to take the Zealand trailhead up to the hut, if weather went wrong, we'd have a place to dry off and an easy walk back. If all went well, we could then take Lend-a-hand up to Hale and pick whichever route back as the weather might dictate. Besides, we had a mission - four dozen ice cream sandwiches on dry ice as I work towards my Fool Scoul trail magic goal of handing out five hundred on the trail.
The skies were brighter as we walked the Zealand trail. The lower section that follows along the river was a tangled mass of mud and tree roots until just before the ponds. After that it is a nearly flat walk though some beautiful woods and pond scenery.
Just before the junction with the Twinway, we could already hear the crash of water. Looking to the right and up, we could see the Zealand falls and the chimney of the hut. The last pitch to the hut was the only arguably steep part of the hike, and we arrived at the hut fairly quickly.
For the compulsively social like myself, huts have a attraction - much like a bugzapper. I can't resist, and always wind up staying longer than planned.
The ice cream sandwiches were, as usual, well received. We left some for the crew, one of whom asked if we were also the "April Fools Turkey Dinner" people - a great feeling that our foolish legend has spread further. There were three thruhikers up from Georgia, three southbound, and a northbound hiker, continuing from where he broke his ankle in VT on his previous thruhike attempt. I know some purists wouldn't consider the latter as a 'true thruhiker' but I felt he had more than earned his "two for thruhikers" bonus.
After we enjoyed a bowl of the Croo's turkey soup, and wandered up the trail. Just up the trail is a strange water-pump device that (while I'm sure it efficiently does whatever it is supposed to do) looks like Rube Goldberg was let loose at Sanford and Sons. We ran into an enthusiatic northbound thruhiker. We asked him if he knew of any behind him, and he told us he got a late start and would be surprised if anyone else was behind him.
I walked to the start of the Lend-a-hand trail and decided to take a wade at the falls just a few more yards up the twinway. It was here that we met another hiker, with the unmistakable smell of many many miles of trail.
"Care for an ice cream sandwich... no I'm not kidding.", I asked.
"Really, that's... wow! No charge?"
"Nope, just give us the wrappers or promise to pack 'em out. So, are you thruhiking?"
"Yes, straight up from Georgia."
"Odd, we just saw another who said he didn't think any thruhikers were behind him?"
"Blonde guy with a frizzy beard?", he held his hands to his face to indicate the volume of beard.
"Yup, I'd say so, he's only about 5 minutes ahead.
"That f**&%*n b^%*!", he shouted before looking at Squeaky and apologizing profusely. "I'm sorry about the language man, but I've been walking with that guy since Virginia."
The water at the falls was, per usual, a refreshing grade of freezing. The feeling of sore feet quickly became the feeling of cold feet, before progressing to almost numb. Squeaky, to her credit, could not be fooled into diving under, but leaved up to her name long enough that Jodi said, "no thanks, I'll just watch.
Soon we were headed up the birch filled Lend-a-hand trail. This trail would have been a lot more fun in drier conditions. Lots of mud and water, and many of the puncheons were collapsed or rotting away. I suspect they are scheduled for repair soon as we found a couple of locations where florescent ribbon was tied to mark where helicopters had dropped supplies.
While the trail is gently graded for most of the walk, with warm weather and novice hikers, it seemed longer. Particularly after I made the mistake of suggesting that the visible hump along the way was the summit. The false summit experience is no fun on tired legs, and I apologized for the next 1/4 mile or so to the true summit.
At last, up the trail - a parting in the tree cover, the aisle of trees opening to blue skies and clouds.
We stopped for pictures and an each had an ice cream sandwich. While views were limited by trees, from atop the summit cairn they were only limited by a haze which still presented the outline of the ridges at least as far at Carrigain.
While we had lunch and a quick rest at the summit, a group of younger hikers helped finish off the ice cream sandwiches, and even offered to take the empty boxes and wrappers with them. I folded up the cooler and packed it away.
It was 34/48 for me, 3/48 for Squeaky, and the first 4000 footer for Jodi - a tribute to years of carrying letters for the post office. The SherpaKroto tribute towel bagged it's 10th peak, and my Ice Cream Sandwich count was 144/500. I guess accomplishment is where you find it.
We took a fairly slow walk down the Hale Brook trail, and bumped into Hikerfast and HikerAmiga on thier way up the trail. While it was meant as an apology, I'm not sure, "sorry I gave the last ice cream away just a few minutes ago" was all that comforting.
Soon we made it back to Jodi's car at the trailhead. I asked, "aren't you glad we brought the second car rather than make another mile of road walking?"
He shrugged, "nah, I would have been fine waiting here while you got the car." There was no hint of humor or malice in his reply.
I'd say it was a fairly experienced answer for his first peak.
(Pictures soon)
Since Jodi relocated to Alton, he became enamored of hiking and had most of the Belknap range under his belt and was looking to try a 4K. We stayed over his house the night before and awoke to fresh blueberry pancakes, cloudy skies, and an unchanged forecast. Part way up Rt. 16, we had begun to question our decision as the skies opened up and we discussed that Squeaky should look intro a career as some sort of rain shaman.
Around Tamworth, the clouds relented in their magical attraction to Squeaky, and soon the fog was wafting off the Kancamagus. Still, we decided to consider the weather fears and keep our options open. We decided to take the Zealand trailhead up to the hut, if weather went wrong, we'd have a place to dry off and an easy walk back. If all went well, we could then take Lend-a-hand up to Hale and pick whichever route back as the weather might dictate. Besides, we had a mission - four dozen ice cream sandwiches on dry ice as I work towards my Fool Scoul trail magic goal of handing out five hundred on the trail.
The skies were brighter as we walked the Zealand trail. The lower section that follows along the river was a tangled mass of mud and tree roots until just before the ponds. After that it is a nearly flat walk though some beautiful woods and pond scenery.
Just before the junction with the Twinway, we could already hear the crash of water. Looking to the right and up, we could see the Zealand falls and the chimney of the hut. The last pitch to the hut was the only arguably steep part of the hike, and we arrived at the hut fairly quickly.
For the compulsively social like myself, huts have a attraction - much like a bugzapper. I can't resist, and always wind up staying longer than planned.
The ice cream sandwiches were, as usual, well received. We left some for the crew, one of whom asked if we were also the "April Fools Turkey Dinner" people - a great feeling that our foolish legend has spread further. There were three thruhikers up from Georgia, three southbound, and a northbound hiker, continuing from where he broke his ankle in VT on his previous thruhike attempt. I know some purists wouldn't consider the latter as a 'true thruhiker' but I felt he had more than earned his "two for thruhikers" bonus.
After we enjoyed a bowl of the Croo's turkey soup, and wandered up the trail. Just up the trail is a strange water-pump device that (while I'm sure it efficiently does whatever it is supposed to do) looks like Rube Goldberg was let loose at Sanford and Sons. We ran into an enthusiatic northbound thruhiker. We asked him if he knew of any behind him, and he told us he got a late start and would be surprised if anyone else was behind him.
I walked to the start of the Lend-a-hand trail and decided to take a wade at the falls just a few more yards up the twinway. It was here that we met another hiker, with the unmistakable smell of many many miles of trail.
"Care for an ice cream sandwich... no I'm not kidding.", I asked.
"Really, that's... wow! No charge?"
"Nope, just give us the wrappers or promise to pack 'em out. So, are you thruhiking?"
"Yes, straight up from Georgia."
"Odd, we just saw another who said he didn't think any thruhikers were behind him?"
"Blonde guy with a frizzy beard?", he held his hands to his face to indicate the volume of beard.
"Yup, I'd say so, he's only about 5 minutes ahead.
"That f**&%*n b^%*!", he shouted before looking at Squeaky and apologizing profusely. "I'm sorry about the language man, but I've been walking with that guy since Virginia."
The water at the falls was, per usual, a refreshing grade of freezing. The feeling of sore feet quickly became the feeling of cold feet, before progressing to almost numb. Squeaky, to her credit, could not be fooled into diving under, but leaved up to her name long enough that Jodi said, "no thanks, I'll just watch.
Soon we were headed up the birch filled Lend-a-hand trail. This trail would have been a lot more fun in drier conditions. Lots of mud and water, and many of the puncheons were collapsed or rotting away. I suspect they are scheduled for repair soon as we found a couple of locations where florescent ribbon was tied to mark where helicopters had dropped supplies.
While the trail is gently graded for most of the walk, with warm weather and novice hikers, it seemed longer. Particularly after I made the mistake of suggesting that the visible hump along the way was the summit. The false summit experience is no fun on tired legs, and I apologized for the next 1/4 mile or so to the true summit.
At last, up the trail - a parting in the tree cover, the aisle of trees opening to blue skies and clouds.
We stopped for pictures and an each had an ice cream sandwich. While views were limited by trees, from atop the summit cairn they were only limited by a haze which still presented the outline of the ridges at least as far at Carrigain.
While we had lunch and a quick rest at the summit, a group of younger hikers helped finish off the ice cream sandwiches, and even offered to take the empty boxes and wrappers with them. I folded up the cooler and packed it away.
It was 34/48 for me, 3/48 for Squeaky, and the first 4000 footer for Jodi - a tribute to years of carrying letters for the post office. The SherpaKroto tribute towel bagged it's 10th peak, and my Ice Cream Sandwich count was 144/500. I guess accomplishment is where you find it.
We took a fairly slow walk down the Hale Brook trail, and bumped into Hikerfast and HikerAmiga on thier way up the trail. While it was meant as an apology, I'm not sure, "sorry I gave the last ice cream away just a few minutes ago" was all that comforting.
Soon we made it back to Jodi's car at the trailhead. I asked, "aren't you glad we brought the second car rather than make another mile of road walking?"
He shrugged, "nah, I would have been fine waiting here while you got the car." There was no hint of humor or malice in his reply.
I'd say it was a fairly experienced answer for his first peak.
(Pictures soon)
