Homer
Member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2005
- Messages
- 65
- Reaction score
- 7
I’ve now completed the NH 48’s. I’m fairly new to this website and have often been just a lurker reading all the great info that is presented here. It’s an incredible tool. Thank you Darren for creating this wonderful webpage. Anyway, a little background on me. I live in Connecticut. The name ‘Homer’ was given to me by a northbound thru-hiker this year while up on South Carter. He said he gave me that name because I’m an operator at a nuclear power plant and it reminded him of Homer Simpson. So it stuck. I started hiking up here with my father when I was a kid. Primarily a couple of trips a year, mostly involving all of the huts. My first 4000 Footer turned out to be Madison when I was 8 years old. My first ascent of Washington was when I was 10 in 1980. As I got into high school and college, other sports prevailed and I never got up to the Whites from about 1984 to 2001. A huge gap! Then I decided it was time to head back up to the mountains. It was awesome! It was like reliving my childhood all over again. I couldn’t believe I had stayed away for so long. Anyway, I took my fiancé on a couple of hut excursions for her to experience as well, and then I did a full hut traverse a little later. In the middle of all this in 2003, my father passed away at the age of 65. This was very crushing to me. My brother and I decided to place his ashes on the summit of Mt. Washington and vow to hike up Washington each and every year on his birthday, August, 1st. This is something I have and will do every year. This year also marked 25 years since my first ascent of Washington, so that was special too.
Meanwhile, I also found out about this whole Appalachian Trail thing. Man did that sound cool. However, knowing I couldn’t get the amount of time off to do a complete thru-hike, I decided I would start section hiking it. I’ve since done several hundred miles of the AT. At the same time I caught on to this whole 4000 Footer thing at the beginning of this year. When I started adding up what I had done, I had already completed 20 of them. Then the mission was on. I knew I could knock these things out. So in June I took my finance and son up and did Mt. Hale on our way to Zealand Falls Hut. My son was 6 and loved it. He now wants more. And he’ll get more.
As this summer went on I made 5 separate trips up to New Hampshire and would do several peaks at time. That led me up to last week where in 4 days I completed Isolation, South & Middle Carter, Moriah, Owl’s Head, North & South Kinsman. That left me with only 3 to go, the Bonds. Time was running short and my schedule was not going to allow me very much time to get away again this year. That was until Monday morning came around. I decided early that morning that I would drive up that day and stay overnight and get an early start on the Bonds. I knew the Zealand Rd. was closed and the best way in for me would be from Lincoln Woods. So at 0555, with a headlamp on, I headed down the Wilderness Trail. As stated, very flat and boring, but in the dark it added some excitement. By 0715, after 4.7 miles I hit the Bondcliff Trail. A little ways up at one of the Black Brook crossings I stashed a full water bottle in the brook so I didn’t have to carry the extra weight up, but would have something in reserve on the way down. Bondcliff Trail is an easy way up to Bondcliff. It is a moderate grade and only has one short rock scramble towards the top. Nothing to worry about. Thanks to Steve Smith for his hard day of trail work out here last Thursday. I had stopped in at the ‘Mountain Wanderer’ to see Steve several times to buy some books, get some signed and also get some advice. The trail was in great shape. Anyway, the trail guide is right on for trail conditions and brook crossings. I passed a couple who had camped overnight somewhere because the previous day they couldn’t get across the ridge to Guyot Campsite due to 80 mph winds. The woman’s trail name was ‘Flatlander’. If you’re reading this, Hi. I hit the summit of Bondcliff at 0910. Not bad. 9.1 miles in 3:15. To my dismay it was a complete fog out. You couldn’t see more than 100’ or so. How disappointing. I knew there was supposed to be magnificent views up there. There was one gentleman there who had spent the night at Guyot and was heading down. I headed over to the summit of Mt. Bond at 0950, still in complete fog and no views. Another man and his dog were there who also had stayed at Guyot. And then it was down and over to West Bond for my 48th at 1015. There was nobody on the summit to share the moment with. I waited half an hour to see if someone would show and be able to take a picture but it would not happen. Now the fog was starting break up and some sun was starting to show through. I then headed back over to Mt. Bond, but the top was still in the fog. Then, as I descended Mt. Bond towards Bondcliff the sky cleared up. I could actually see the ridge over to Bondcliff and the valley below. It was like a completely different hike now. I could see back over to West Bond where I had just been. I was really cool. It hadn’t cleared up enough to see over to Franconia Ridge however Owl’s Head did come into sight. Back over on Bondcliff at 1145 and two nice guys there to take my picture on the famous cliff that is shown on the current White Mountain Guide. They came out great. Really great views to be had on Bondcliff. I know they could have been better, but for me at least the sky opened up from when I was there earlier in the morning. Now it was time for the 9.1 miles down and out. Made it back to the brook where my nice cold water bottle was waiting and soon the Wilderness Trail. 4.7 miles didn’t really seem to bad to me, but then again, knowing I had just finished the 48 made it that much more enjoyable. I made it back to the parking lot by 1430. So, 22.6 miles in 8:30, and I felt great. Now the 48 are done and the next list waits, the New England 4000 Footers. And I’m almost certain I’ll be doing these all several more times with my family along with a bunch of AT section hiking as well. That’s my story. Hope it wasn’t too long and boring.
Homer
Meanwhile, I also found out about this whole Appalachian Trail thing. Man did that sound cool. However, knowing I couldn’t get the amount of time off to do a complete thru-hike, I decided I would start section hiking it. I’ve since done several hundred miles of the AT. At the same time I caught on to this whole 4000 Footer thing at the beginning of this year. When I started adding up what I had done, I had already completed 20 of them. Then the mission was on. I knew I could knock these things out. So in June I took my finance and son up and did Mt. Hale on our way to Zealand Falls Hut. My son was 6 and loved it. He now wants more. And he’ll get more.
As this summer went on I made 5 separate trips up to New Hampshire and would do several peaks at time. That led me up to last week where in 4 days I completed Isolation, South & Middle Carter, Moriah, Owl’s Head, North & South Kinsman. That left me with only 3 to go, the Bonds. Time was running short and my schedule was not going to allow me very much time to get away again this year. That was until Monday morning came around. I decided early that morning that I would drive up that day and stay overnight and get an early start on the Bonds. I knew the Zealand Rd. was closed and the best way in for me would be from Lincoln Woods. So at 0555, with a headlamp on, I headed down the Wilderness Trail. As stated, very flat and boring, but in the dark it added some excitement. By 0715, after 4.7 miles I hit the Bondcliff Trail. A little ways up at one of the Black Brook crossings I stashed a full water bottle in the brook so I didn’t have to carry the extra weight up, but would have something in reserve on the way down. Bondcliff Trail is an easy way up to Bondcliff. It is a moderate grade and only has one short rock scramble towards the top. Nothing to worry about. Thanks to Steve Smith for his hard day of trail work out here last Thursday. I had stopped in at the ‘Mountain Wanderer’ to see Steve several times to buy some books, get some signed and also get some advice. The trail was in great shape. Anyway, the trail guide is right on for trail conditions and brook crossings. I passed a couple who had camped overnight somewhere because the previous day they couldn’t get across the ridge to Guyot Campsite due to 80 mph winds. The woman’s trail name was ‘Flatlander’. If you’re reading this, Hi. I hit the summit of Bondcliff at 0910. Not bad. 9.1 miles in 3:15. To my dismay it was a complete fog out. You couldn’t see more than 100’ or so. How disappointing. I knew there was supposed to be magnificent views up there. There was one gentleman there who had spent the night at Guyot and was heading down. I headed over to the summit of Mt. Bond at 0950, still in complete fog and no views. Another man and his dog were there who also had stayed at Guyot. And then it was down and over to West Bond for my 48th at 1015. There was nobody on the summit to share the moment with. I waited half an hour to see if someone would show and be able to take a picture but it would not happen. Now the fog was starting break up and some sun was starting to show through. I then headed back over to Mt. Bond, but the top was still in the fog. Then, as I descended Mt. Bond towards Bondcliff the sky cleared up. I could actually see the ridge over to Bondcliff and the valley below. It was like a completely different hike now. I could see back over to West Bond where I had just been. I was really cool. It hadn’t cleared up enough to see over to Franconia Ridge however Owl’s Head did come into sight. Back over on Bondcliff at 1145 and two nice guys there to take my picture on the famous cliff that is shown on the current White Mountain Guide. They came out great. Really great views to be had on Bondcliff. I know they could have been better, but for me at least the sky opened up from when I was there earlier in the morning. Now it was time for the 9.1 miles down and out. Made it back to the brook where my nice cold water bottle was waiting and soon the Wilderness Trail. 4.7 miles didn’t really seem to bad to me, but then again, knowing I had just finished the 48 made it that much more enjoyable. I made it back to the parking lot by 1430. So, 22.6 miles in 8:30, and I felt great. Now the 48 are done and the next list waits, the New England 4000 Footers. And I’m almost certain I’ll be doing these all several more times with my family along with a bunch of AT section hiking as well. That’s my story. Hope it wasn’t too long and boring.
Homer
