una_dogger
Well-known member
Often times, they say "what happens in the woods should stay in the woods" but this just wasn't one of those days.
Warning! There is no valuable hiking information contained in this thread.
Cast of Characters:
Forestgnome, Rocket21, Terra and Madison -- the Traildogs, "he who may wish to remain annonymous" AKA Eric Rathbun
, and the Bachelorette, yours truly, Una_dogger.
The Plan: Lafayette, Lincoln, doubleback to Truman, Lincoln Slide, Bushwack across Pemi, Bushwack Northwest Slope of Owl's Head, Brutus Bushwack, Black Pond Bushwack. Yes, this was a peakbagging mission, Forestgnome needed Owl's Head.
The Meet up:
Lincoln Woods, 7am. Make that 7:20 am. I am late, but not because I was drinking last night. I am relieved, because Forestgnome is still preparing his loaf of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on his tailgate, while Rocket21 paces anxiously, stating, "Its okay that you are late, we are still waiting on Libby Knuckledragger". I have no idea who Libby is, but she apparently never showed, and soon we are in our cars heading to the starting point.
10 Minute Parking Only Lot near bushwack jumping off point for Greenleaf Trailhead:
Rocket21 : "Do you think its safe to park here for 12 hours?"
Forestgnome: "You never told me this hike was going to be 12 hours!"
Una_dogger: <insert thought bubble here> "Oh, its going to be one of *those* days!">
After a bit of pondering the potential outcomes of leaving a couple of cars for 10 min x 60 min*hr-1 x 12 hr; we decide to move on over to the Cannon Tramway Lot.
Urban Myth Debunked:
Heterosexuals drive Subaru Foresters.
The Greenleaf Trail:
Lots of political talk, with the NH primaries being held recently and all.
I don't think the guys noticed when I slipped my Ipod Ear buds in.
Greenleaf Hut:
A quick break. Coffee. Spice cake.
Una_dogger: "Oh looky, there's that AMC leader Dude who yelled at me on Carrigain last year".
Lafayette:
The guys find someone else to "discuss" politics with. Its that "Leader Dude" so I slip away, pretending to take photos. I've left my camera at home....Blah blah blah blah.
Truman:
We are joined by Eric and Madison, who tagged Liberty and Flume first. After a brief chat with Becca Monroe, we head to Lincoln.
Back at Truman:
Una_dogger, looking east: "I've always wanted to go to those Ponds."
Forestgnome: "me too."
Now the fun begins. We pick our way down through the scrub and enter the slide. What a GREAT slide. Its sunny, skies are blue, everyone is happy, including the dogs. We take our time enjoying the descent and the"new to us" views back toward Franconia Ridge. Easy going down the slide. I check out a potential left exit point, and dub it the "sidesubslide". The guys want to head more down along the main slide, so I rejoin them, but I'll be back to check out this route someday !
Shortly after the left hand and right hand slides join, the slide narrows into a gully and a brook forms. Lots of rockhopping back and forth. We break for lunch. This is one of the most amazing places in the Pemi I've visited.
We leave the slide to the north and climb the banks, enter the woods. Lolligag around a bit testing different contours, then opt to stay close to the sound of the brook, which proves to be easy going.
Moose tracks everywhere.
Things get wet, we are in between the ponds. Without giving away all the surprises, if you ever happen to find yourself here, at the edge of the north pond, you will be rewarded with some very special views.
A bit more due east walking, a tattered blue strip of flagging tape, and then voices. Forestgnome has intersected the Franconia Brook Trail, and manages to step out of the woods the moment two hikers are passing by.
The Deliberations:
Rocket21: "I think we should follow the line of hardwoods to the top, we'll be north of the new summit"
Eric: "I think the trail will be faster". (Eric has completed his Owl's Head Grid, and this summit should not be interpreted as a start of a 48 x 12 x2)
Forestgnome: Neutral glance.
Una_dogger: "Lets Bushwack. I'm sick of taking the trail up there"
We quickly find a good crossing point and are over the river and through the woods. Up and up we go. Open all the way. Steep. Takes less than an hour to reach the ridge. We hit a small col that we were aiming for dead on. The worst of it is the last 0.1 mile as we track south to the new summit. Herdpaths are everywhere here; as is nasty blowdown...guess people don't know they are on the Noo Troo Summit of Owl's Head until they start going downhill, then double back. Shame on you, USFS! IMHO, there really needs to be a designated summit here.
The Noo Troo Summit of Owl's Head:
Collectively: Huh, whaddayaknow? Eric and Madison took the *trail* and aren't here yet.
Eric and Madison arrive about 15 minutes later. After a brief moment, we head on.
Down the Brutus. Over the creeks. Down the trail. Back into the woods. Out of the woods. Into the dark. The collective wonders if Elvio's Pizza delivers to Lincoln Woods. We have no cell service here, drat. Black Pond. Last light. Wilderness Trail. I stub my toes several times, obstinant and hiking "blind" without a headlamp, stumbling in the dark.
The Osseo Junction. More stumbling. The Ten Minute Bridge. We know this trail so well. The river. Away from the River. The river again. The sandwich board sign. The BRIDGE!!!
Lincoln Woods:
Una_dogger: "Let's get pizza".
Yes Ma'am.
Later, at Elvio's:
Three dirty hikers stumble in, eyes wide, hungry.
"how long for a large pizza?"
Pizza Lady: "Nine ten".
We take this for the New Hampshire colloquial translation "nine or ten minutes" and are shocked that it will be ready at 9:10 pm. It is now 8:40 pm.
The Beer Run:
We drive a block which is comical considering the day we've had. We buy beer. We drive back.
The Pizza:
Was frakkin' excellent.
Its so good to have friends like these, to do these great things with. To have awesome adventures, to laugh and smile and admire great views with. To be our silly selves with. It just doesn't get any better than this.
Oh, yeah, thanks for the male strippers. Best bachelorette party, ever.
Warning! There is no valuable hiking information contained in this thread.
Cast of Characters:
Forestgnome, Rocket21, Terra and Madison -- the Traildogs, "he who may wish to remain annonymous" AKA Eric Rathbun
, and the Bachelorette, yours truly, Una_dogger.The Plan: Lafayette, Lincoln, doubleback to Truman, Lincoln Slide, Bushwack across Pemi, Bushwack Northwest Slope of Owl's Head, Brutus Bushwack, Black Pond Bushwack. Yes, this was a peakbagging mission, Forestgnome needed Owl's Head.
The Meet up:
Lincoln Woods, 7am. Make that 7:20 am. I am late, but not because I was drinking last night. I am relieved, because Forestgnome is still preparing his loaf of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on his tailgate, while Rocket21 paces anxiously, stating, "Its okay that you are late, we are still waiting on Libby Knuckledragger". I have no idea who Libby is, but she apparently never showed, and soon we are in our cars heading to the starting point.
10 Minute Parking Only Lot near bushwack jumping off point for Greenleaf Trailhead:
Rocket21 : "Do you think its safe to park here for 12 hours?"
Forestgnome: "You never told me this hike was going to be 12 hours!"
Una_dogger: <insert thought bubble here> "Oh, its going to be one of *those* days!">
After a bit of pondering the potential outcomes of leaving a couple of cars for 10 min x 60 min*hr-1 x 12 hr; we decide to move on over to the Cannon Tramway Lot.
Urban Myth Debunked:
Heterosexuals drive Subaru Foresters.
The Greenleaf Trail:
Lots of political talk, with the NH primaries being held recently and all.
I don't think the guys noticed when I slipped my Ipod Ear buds in.
Greenleaf Hut:
A quick break. Coffee. Spice cake.
Una_dogger: "Oh looky, there's that AMC leader Dude who yelled at me on Carrigain last year".
Lafayette:
The guys find someone else to "discuss" politics with. Its that "Leader Dude" so I slip away, pretending to take photos. I've left my camera at home....Blah blah blah blah.
Truman:
We are joined by Eric and Madison, who tagged Liberty and Flume first. After a brief chat with Becca Monroe, we head to Lincoln.
Back at Truman:
Una_dogger, looking east: "I've always wanted to go to those Ponds."
Forestgnome: "me too."
Now the fun begins. We pick our way down through the scrub and enter the slide. What a GREAT slide. Its sunny, skies are blue, everyone is happy, including the dogs. We take our time enjoying the descent and the"new to us" views back toward Franconia Ridge. Easy going down the slide. I check out a potential left exit point, and dub it the "sidesubslide". The guys want to head more down along the main slide, so I rejoin them, but I'll be back to check out this route someday !
Shortly after the left hand and right hand slides join, the slide narrows into a gully and a brook forms. Lots of rockhopping back and forth. We break for lunch. This is one of the most amazing places in the Pemi I've visited.
We leave the slide to the north and climb the banks, enter the woods. Lolligag around a bit testing different contours, then opt to stay close to the sound of the brook, which proves to be easy going.
Moose tracks everywhere.
Things get wet, we are in between the ponds. Without giving away all the surprises, if you ever happen to find yourself here, at the edge of the north pond, you will be rewarded with some very special views.
A bit more due east walking, a tattered blue strip of flagging tape, and then voices. Forestgnome has intersected the Franconia Brook Trail, and manages to step out of the woods the moment two hikers are passing by.
The Deliberations:
Rocket21: "I think we should follow the line of hardwoods to the top, we'll be north of the new summit"
Eric: "I think the trail will be faster". (Eric has completed his Owl's Head Grid, and this summit should not be interpreted as a start of a 48 x 12 x2)
Forestgnome: Neutral glance.
Una_dogger: "Lets Bushwack. I'm sick of taking the trail up there"
We quickly find a good crossing point and are over the river and through the woods. Up and up we go. Open all the way. Steep. Takes less than an hour to reach the ridge. We hit a small col that we were aiming for dead on. The worst of it is the last 0.1 mile as we track south to the new summit. Herdpaths are everywhere here; as is nasty blowdown...guess people don't know they are on the Noo Troo Summit of Owl's Head until they start going downhill, then double back. Shame on you, USFS! IMHO, there really needs to be a designated summit here.
The Noo Troo Summit of Owl's Head:
Collectively: Huh, whaddayaknow? Eric and Madison took the *trail* and aren't here yet.
Eric and Madison arrive about 15 minutes later. After a brief moment, we head on.
Down the Brutus. Over the creeks. Down the trail. Back into the woods. Out of the woods. Into the dark. The collective wonders if Elvio's Pizza delivers to Lincoln Woods. We have no cell service here, drat. Black Pond. Last light. Wilderness Trail. I stub my toes several times, obstinant and hiking "blind" without a headlamp, stumbling in the dark.
The Osseo Junction. More stumbling. The Ten Minute Bridge. We know this trail so well. The river. Away from the River. The river again. The sandwich board sign. The BRIDGE!!!
Lincoln Woods:
Una_dogger: "Let's get pizza".
Yes Ma'am.
Later, at Elvio's:
Three dirty hikers stumble in, eyes wide, hungry.
"how long for a large pizza?"
Pizza Lady: "Nine ten".
We take this for the New Hampshire colloquial translation "nine or ten minutes" and are shocked that it will be ready at 9:10 pm. It is now 8:40 pm.
The Beer Run:
We drive a block which is comical considering the day we've had. We buy beer. We drive back.
The Pizza:
Was frakkin' excellent.
Its so good to have friends like these, to do these great things with. To have awesome adventures, to laugh and smile and admire great views with. To be our silly selves with. It just doesn't get any better than this.
Oh, yeah, thanks for the male strippers. Best bachelorette party, ever.
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