PamW
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- Oct 26, 2010
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What a winter this has been! So many great hikes for me, and with such great weather for virtually all of them. My all-season finish on North Twin was no exception, with bright blue skies, temps in the high 30s and 40s, and a gentle breeze. Add in my first undercast, great views, a little drama, and fun companions and it was a nearly perfect finish!
For some reason, I was not able to assemble a group of usual suspects, so did the trip with an AMC group led by grid finisher Joe Comuzzi. I'd hiked with Joe before and enjoyed his easy-going style and great hiking stories.
This trip will add another tale to his collection.
We started at the end of Little River Road taking the snowmobile trail to Haystack Rd to the summer trailhead. The snowmobile track is rutted, muddy, and wet with ice underneath. Haystack road is sandy and easy on the feet, particularly at the end of a long day. The beginning of the North Twin trail was devoid of snow, but slushy. With Little River running high, the bushwhack on the left bank, which avoids two crossings, is a no-brainer and very easy to follow, mostly higher up on the bank.
At the final crossing, the river is wide and fast with no clear rock hops, although there are a couple of trees uprooted by hurricane Irene in the official crossing spot. They looked dicey to me when I first saw them. Just a bit up-river was a wide snow bridge with faint tracks across. June and I were in the lead, and as the lightest member of the group, she volunteered to go first. After the first 8 ft or so was a section that looked questionable as it covered the fastest part of the stream. Sure enough, one of June's feet punched through. She wisely backed off. Joe, who was at the back of the group, and probably concerned for my finish, said he would give it a try a little lower down where the bridge looked a little thicker. He ventured out making steady and slow progress. We all stared in rapt attention, although two other guys started out as well keeping about 10 feet back (personally, I hate this and am a bit of a snow bridge Nazi-- one at a time! But it proved to be the right thing to do on this hike)
We watched as Joe reached about the 40% mark, and then all of the sudden he disappeared. Now you see him, now you don't. Whump, completely under the bridge, not a shred of him showing, at least from my angle. Steve, who was behind him, thought quickly, dropped his pack and started crawling in Joe's direction, pole outstretched. Joe's hand and head reappeared, then part of his upper body. He grabbed the outstretched pole and Steve helped haul him out, unbuckling his pack along the way. According to Joe, the pack actually saved him, keeping him from being swept under the ice. The current was very strong, he said, but the water was not deep. The bridge, it seems, was several feet above the actual water level. He was able to crawl up on a rock fairly quickly then clamber out. The ice held as the three men returned to safety. Wow, that was scary, and could have turned out much, much, worse. Trooper that he is, Joe got down to business changing clothes and getting on with the hike. Several us scouted alternative routes but didn't come up with much. Then we saw Steve walk across the fallen trees. There is a lower one where you can walk on while holding onto and leaning over the upper tree. After the lower tree ends you climb up and shimmy across the higher tree’s trunk for a while then grab some branches, stand up and walk for 8 ft or so. Steve made it look easy so Jen followed. No troubles. It was actually very easy, in my opinion, and I am pretty cautious about these things. A couple of other people were pretty nervous, but ultimately managed.
Once we were safely across the river, the grade steepened and the snow quickly became deeper. Lots of postholing. Time for snowshoes! I led from here to the summit trying to keep a pace everyone could live with. It is a relentless climb, quite steep in spots. We started to get great views towards the Presidentials with an undercast over the entire North Country. It was my first experience of an undercast and it did not disappoint.
After the grade moderates, there is a great lookout on a rock outcropping. We took a nice long rest and let the slower members catch up, just soaking up the views on this beautiful day. Although I put on a light fleece for our rest stops, most of the day was spent in a short-sleeve shirt.
Then onto the true summit of North Twin for my 48 finish and mini celebration taking advantage of both traditions-- first to the summit and the pole tunnel as well as hugs and handshakes. Then we enjoyed some beer, fancy chocolates, and cookies I had brought for the occasion at the lookout over the Pemi. Great views of Franconia Ridge, Garfield, Owl's Head.
and back to the undercast
No one wanted to leave, but we had another summit to ascend. Luckily the walk from North to South Twin is very easy with very moderate grades and great views along the way.
The bald summit of South Twin is amazing. The undercast had burned off by now, but the 360 views, particularly back to the Pemi are amazing. I had just been on the Bonds the weekend before and it was great to see them again.
We took another long break, eating and relaxing and enjoying this incredible spot in the warm sun.
It was totally appropriate that my final hike of the 48 included South Twin, because it was here, 2 and-a-half years ago that the hiking bug bit, and bit hard. At the time, I hadn't been physically active in years and had joined my friend Peter's trip to Galehead hut. We nabbed Galehead the afternoon we arrived and South Twin the next morning. I had a great time despite being so out of shape my muscles literally could not hold me up on the walk out. On the gentle Gale River trail I fell about 9 times, my legs shaking. I could barely walk for days. But I couldn't get the mountains out of my mind as they had lodged in my heart. When I recovered sufficiently, I started training, doing daily short hikes up local hills with a weighted pack and then in the Blue Hills. When I felt ready, I tackled my first winter ascent, Tecumseh, five months later solo. I was ready I guess, as I beat a group of 20-year old meetup hikers that started just ahead of me to the summit by about 20 mins. South Twin on Saturday was my 22nd winter peak.
The hike out was pleasant. More great views, brilliant sunshine, fun companions. A bit of slippery, sticky snow, and an occasional snowshoe posthole but that is to be expected with temps this warm. What a great hike and a fitting conclusion of my 48 list. Many thanks to my family for giving me the space to hike almost every weekend over the past two months in pursuit of this goal, which has been a great excuse to hike just as much as I want to, which is pretty much all the time. If only it paid the bills!
All of the pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/phwilmot/NSTwin48Finish31712#
For some reason, I was not able to assemble a group of usual suspects, so did the trip with an AMC group led by grid finisher Joe Comuzzi. I'd hiked with Joe before and enjoyed his easy-going style and great hiking stories.
This trip will add another tale to his collection.
We started at the end of Little River Road taking the snowmobile trail to Haystack Rd to the summer trailhead. The snowmobile track is rutted, muddy, and wet with ice underneath. Haystack road is sandy and easy on the feet, particularly at the end of a long day. The beginning of the North Twin trail was devoid of snow, but slushy. With Little River running high, the bushwhack on the left bank, which avoids two crossings, is a no-brainer and very easy to follow, mostly higher up on the bank.
At the final crossing, the river is wide and fast with no clear rock hops, although there are a couple of trees uprooted by hurricane Irene in the official crossing spot. They looked dicey to me when I first saw them. Just a bit up-river was a wide snow bridge with faint tracks across. June and I were in the lead, and as the lightest member of the group, she volunteered to go first. After the first 8 ft or so was a section that looked questionable as it covered the fastest part of the stream. Sure enough, one of June's feet punched through. She wisely backed off. Joe, who was at the back of the group, and probably concerned for my finish, said he would give it a try a little lower down where the bridge looked a little thicker. He ventured out making steady and slow progress. We all stared in rapt attention, although two other guys started out as well keeping about 10 feet back (personally, I hate this and am a bit of a snow bridge Nazi-- one at a time! But it proved to be the right thing to do on this hike)
We watched as Joe reached about the 40% mark, and then all of the sudden he disappeared. Now you see him, now you don't. Whump, completely under the bridge, not a shred of him showing, at least from my angle. Steve, who was behind him, thought quickly, dropped his pack and started crawling in Joe's direction, pole outstretched. Joe's hand and head reappeared, then part of his upper body. He grabbed the outstretched pole and Steve helped haul him out, unbuckling his pack along the way. According to Joe, the pack actually saved him, keeping him from being swept under the ice. The current was very strong, he said, but the water was not deep. The bridge, it seems, was several feet above the actual water level. He was able to crawl up on a rock fairly quickly then clamber out. The ice held as the three men returned to safety. Wow, that was scary, and could have turned out much, much, worse. Trooper that he is, Joe got down to business changing clothes and getting on with the hike. Several us scouted alternative routes but didn't come up with much. Then we saw Steve walk across the fallen trees. There is a lower one where you can walk on while holding onto and leaning over the upper tree. After the lower tree ends you climb up and shimmy across the higher tree’s trunk for a while then grab some branches, stand up and walk for 8 ft or so. Steve made it look easy so Jen followed. No troubles. It was actually very easy, in my opinion, and I am pretty cautious about these things. A couple of other people were pretty nervous, but ultimately managed.
Once we were safely across the river, the grade steepened and the snow quickly became deeper. Lots of postholing. Time for snowshoes! I led from here to the summit trying to keep a pace everyone could live with. It is a relentless climb, quite steep in spots. We started to get great views towards the Presidentials with an undercast over the entire North Country. It was my first experience of an undercast and it did not disappoint.
After the grade moderates, there is a great lookout on a rock outcropping. We took a nice long rest and let the slower members catch up, just soaking up the views on this beautiful day. Although I put on a light fleece for our rest stops, most of the day was spent in a short-sleeve shirt.
Then onto the true summit of North Twin for my 48 finish and mini celebration taking advantage of both traditions-- first to the summit and the pole tunnel as well as hugs and handshakes. Then we enjoyed some beer, fancy chocolates, and cookies I had brought for the occasion at the lookout over the Pemi. Great views of Franconia Ridge, Garfield, Owl's Head.
and back to the undercast
No one wanted to leave, but we had another summit to ascend. Luckily the walk from North to South Twin is very easy with very moderate grades and great views along the way.
The bald summit of South Twin is amazing. The undercast had burned off by now, but the 360 views, particularly back to the Pemi are amazing. I had just been on the Bonds the weekend before and it was great to see them again.
We took another long break, eating and relaxing and enjoying this incredible spot in the warm sun.
It was totally appropriate that my final hike of the 48 included South Twin, because it was here, 2 and-a-half years ago that the hiking bug bit, and bit hard. At the time, I hadn't been physically active in years and had joined my friend Peter's trip to Galehead hut. We nabbed Galehead the afternoon we arrived and South Twin the next morning. I had a great time despite being so out of shape my muscles literally could not hold me up on the walk out. On the gentle Gale River trail I fell about 9 times, my legs shaking. I could barely walk for days. But I couldn't get the mountains out of my mind as they had lodged in my heart. When I recovered sufficiently, I started training, doing daily short hikes up local hills with a weighted pack and then in the Blue Hills. When I felt ready, I tackled my first winter ascent, Tecumseh, five months later solo. I was ready I guess, as I beat a group of 20-year old meetup hikers that started just ahead of me to the summit by about 20 mins. South Twin on Saturday was my 22nd winter peak.
The hike out was pleasant. More great views, brilliant sunshine, fun companions. A bit of slippery, sticky snow, and an occasional snowshoe posthole but that is to be expected with temps this warm. What a great hike and a fitting conclusion of my 48 list. Many thanks to my family for giving me the space to hike almost every weekend over the past two months in pursuit of this goal, which has been a great excuse to hike just as much as I want to, which is pretty much all the time. If only it paid the bills!
All of the pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/phwilmot/NSTwin48Finish31712#
