Pucknuts61
New member
The summit may be the goal but it’s the people you meet along your journey that make each trip unique each and of itself.
We started out from my house about 6:30 AM. I was so excited about this one that I was surprised I had slept at all the night before. Usually an early morning start means a night of restless sleep in eager anticipation of the day, but I was able to get in a solid 3-4 hours of sleep for this one.
I picked up Brian and we were off. The skies were blue and the temps were in the low 40’s….but we were still in Massachusetts. By the time we hit Franconia Notch the clouds had come in and it looked like it was going to be an occluded summit but without any rain. For that I was thankful.
We hit Zealand Rd and were at the Halebrook trailhead about 8:45. Brian (New Hampshire) and Jen were already there and geared up. Brian (Quint) and I were getting ready when Darlene surprised us. We were together when we finally made Isolation in winter last year and is always a welcome hiking partner as she has some of the most incredible knowledge of so many areas to hike in with the US/Canada that just hearing her stores makes one eager to see what other parts of this world have to offer.
Then Diane (Creek Critter), Julie, Freddi, and Dave came in followed by Steve and Christa and soon Tom with his 2 daughters, Heather and Kerry, rounded off the team for the day.
While the 2.2 miles may seem like a short summit (and it is), it wasn’t exactly the walk in the park I thought it would be. The trail is fairly muddy so gaiters are highly recommended but the steepness of the trail was the biggest surprise. There aren’t a lot of level areas along the way and water really isn’t a problem, it’s just that the entire trail is a long steady uphill climb for the entire 2.2 miles.
The mood was upbeat as the sun kept poking its’ head out and every so often we had some views of the northern Presidentials and within 2 hours we were approaching the summit of the last NH 4000 footer I had never set foot on. Steve explained the customary tradition of being the last one up so I stayed back with Tom while all other passed. We also met a solo hiker here so I have to give a special hello to ScenicNH who I had met on Hike-nh.com.
With the rest of the team waiting on the summit cairn I made my final steps to the top of #48 amid high fives and hearty congratulations. Granted I still needed to get back to the car to make it official, but we had a great celebration at the top with Julie bringing cupcakes and Tom bringing some celebratory Mile High suds. Then we had to recognize Tom for his upcoming birthday (I won’t say the number but it rhymes with “nifty”!).
After many pictures and trail tales we began our descent to the cars. Steve, Christa, Brian, and Jen decided to do the Lend-a-Hand loop so we said our good-byes and parted ways.
In what seemed like just a few minutes, we were back at the cars and on our way home by 2 PM or so with my first White Mountain list being completed.
There are a few special people I need to thank. I have learned over these 48 mountains that the summit is not as important as the journey to get there is, and good friends are what make the journey. I have been blessed with some extraordinary friends:
First and foremost is Brownie my lifelong friend and hiking partner who started with me on this trip some 30 years ago and is always an incredible source of knowledge and friendship. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be where I am now. Jeff…you rock!
I have also had the pleasure of meeting an awful lot of people through the hiking boards that have helped me renew my interest in back-country fun. Julie, Dave, Freddi, Paula, and Diane were the first ones I met when I started my winter hiking and I thank them so much for including me in their group activities and being there for me on so many trips. Then there is Wildpeaks (Tom) who has been an incredible source of information and support and has to be one of the most veteran people I’ve met in the Whites and always has a smile and a story. I have also had the wonderful opportunity to hike with Mountain Magic and GhostDog on so many trails that some people will never set foot on, that he continually reminds me to not always take the path most used.
Sometimes it’s the most innocent that bring reality into balance, and therefore I’d like to thank Brian (NH) and Jen for being a true source of inspiration (more than they will ever know).
The hiking boards are always abuzz with activity but more importantly it’s the administrators/owners that dedicate so much time and effort to create these boards that it’s a pleasure to finally meet the faces behind the scenes. I have been very fortunate not just to have met them but to have become friend and hiking buddies: Thank you Chris from Hike-NH.com, SilentCal from Flags, Darren from ViewsfromtheTop, and Bob from Rocksontop. You guys deserve an awful lot of credit for your contributions to hiking in the northeast.
I’d also like to say thanks to several very cool people I’ve met along the way including: Cousin Janet, Brian and Di, Sherpa John and Sarah, Bob (Hikerfast), DougEh, Tuco (Eric), Rhihn, Bob K, Bob and Geri, MEB, Karen, Grouseking, Giggy, PoisonIvy, CapnCaper, Darlene, and an almost endless list of others I’ve met along the way.
I also need to give a huge amount of thanks to my wife Brenda, my son Nick, and my daughter Biranna. While Nick and Bri have joined me on several hikes, I really need to thank Brenda for even allowing me to attempt such a list. She’s never said a word about this crazy hobby and has been one of the best sources for gear for almost 20 years. Honey, I love you!
I also thank the hiking community! You constantly hold your hand out to help others unlike any other sport or hobby I’ve seen and you have hearts of gold. Stand and be proud for the simple reason that you care not just in words but in actions.
Wahoo only 49 more states to go!
Thank you all!
Bill
We started out from my house about 6:30 AM. I was so excited about this one that I was surprised I had slept at all the night before. Usually an early morning start means a night of restless sleep in eager anticipation of the day, but I was able to get in a solid 3-4 hours of sleep for this one.
I picked up Brian and we were off. The skies were blue and the temps were in the low 40’s….but we were still in Massachusetts. By the time we hit Franconia Notch the clouds had come in and it looked like it was going to be an occluded summit but without any rain. For that I was thankful.
We hit Zealand Rd and were at the Halebrook trailhead about 8:45. Brian (New Hampshire) and Jen were already there and geared up. Brian (Quint) and I were getting ready when Darlene surprised us. We were together when we finally made Isolation in winter last year and is always a welcome hiking partner as she has some of the most incredible knowledge of so many areas to hike in with the US/Canada that just hearing her stores makes one eager to see what other parts of this world have to offer.
Then Diane (Creek Critter), Julie, Freddi, and Dave came in followed by Steve and Christa and soon Tom with his 2 daughters, Heather and Kerry, rounded off the team for the day.
While the 2.2 miles may seem like a short summit (and it is), it wasn’t exactly the walk in the park I thought it would be. The trail is fairly muddy so gaiters are highly recommended but the steepness of the trail was the biggest surprise. There aren’t a lot of level areas along the way and water really isn’t a problem, it’s just that the entire trail is a long steady uphill climb for the entire 2.2 miles.
The mood was upbeat as the sun kept poking its’ head out and every so often we had some views of the northern Presidentials and within 2 hours we were approaching the summit of the last NH 4000 footer I had never set foot on. Steve explained the customary tradition of being the last one up so I stayed back with Tom while all other passed. We also met a solo hiker here so I have to give a special hello to ScenicNH who I had met on Hike-nh.com.
With the rest of the team waiting on the summit cairn I made my final steps to the top of #48 amid high fives and hearty congratulations. Granted I still needed to get back to the car to make it official, but we had a great celebration at the top with Julie bringing cupcakes and Tom bringing some celebratory Mile High suds. Then we had to recognize Tom for his upcoming birthday (I won’t say the number but it rhymes with “nifty”!).
After many pictures and trail tales we began our descent to the cars. Steve, Christa, Brian, and Jen decided to do the Lend-a-Hand loop so we said our good-byes and parted ways.
In what seemed like just a few minutes, we were back at the cars and on our way home by 2 PM or so with my first White Mountain list being completed.
There are a few special people I need to thank. I have learned over these 48 mountains that the summit is not as important as the journey to get there is, and good friends are what make the journey. I have been blessed with some extraordinary friends:
First and foremost is Brownie my lifelong friend and hiking partner who started with me on this trip some 30 years ago and is always an incredible source of knowledge and friendship. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be where I am now. Jeff…you rock!
I have also had the pleasure of meeting an awful lot of people through the hiking boards that have helped me renew my interest in back-country fun. Julie, Dave, Freddi, Paula, and Diane were the first ones I met when I started my winter hiking and I thank them so much for including me in their group activities and being there for me on so many trips. Then there is Wildpeaks (Tom) who has been an incredible source of information and support and has to be one of the most veteran people I’ve met in the Whites and always has a smile and a story. I have also had the wonderful opportunity to hike with Mountain Magic and GhostDog on so many trails that some people will never set foot on, that he continually reminds me to not always take the path most used.
Sometimes it’s the most innocent that bring reality into balance, and therefore I’d like to thank Brian (NH) and Jen for being a true source of inspiration (more than they will ever know).
The hiking boards are always abuzz with activity but more importantly it’s the administrators/owners that dedicate so much time and effort to create these boards that it’s a pleasure to finally meet the faces behind the scenes. I have been very fortunate not just to have met them but to have become friend and hiking buddies: Thank you Chris from Hike-NH.com, SilentCal from Flags, Darren from ViewsfromtheTop, and Bob from Rocksontop. You guys deserve an awful lot of credit for your contributions to hiking in the northeast.
I’d also like to say thanks to several very cool people I’ve met along the way including: Cousin Janet, Brian and Di, Sherpa John and Sarah, Bob (Hikerfast), DougEh, Tuco (Eric), Rhihn, Bob K, Bob and Geri, MEB, Karen, Grouseking, Giggy, PoisonIvy, CapnCaper, Darlene, and an almost endless list of others I’ve met along the way.
I also need to give a huge amount of thanks to my wife Brenda, my son Nick, and my daughter Biranna. While Nick and Bri have joined me on several hikes, I really need to thank Brenda for even allowing me to attempt such a list. She’s never said a word about this crazy hobby and has been one of the best sources for gear for almost 20 years. Honey, I love you!
I also thank the hiking community! You constantly hold your hand out to help others unlike any other sport or hobby I’ve seen and you have hearts of gold. Stand and be proud for the simple reason that you care not just in words but in actions.
Wahoo only 49 more states to go!
Thank you all!
Bill
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