Doodles
Active member
A phone call to Zer0-G resulted in a last minute decision to head to the Whites for a completion of the 48.
Saturday on the road by 4:00am in the pouring rain, I was headed North to hook up with Zer0-G and Jason at the Barnes Field campground where the VFTTs were based for the weekend. The plan was for Zer0 and Jason to do Moriah in the morning and another when I arrived by noon. We were all on time and on our meeting and Zer0-G and I set out for Isolation.
We went up the Glen Boulder Trail which was a spectacular Alpine Zone route, but proved to be a bit of a climb. After hitting the summit we decided to make a loop out of the trip and go back down via the Isolation and Rocky Branch trails. We omitted the climb but found the trail to be a bit of an ankle twisting route. Once back at route 16, Zer0-G used his charm with his shorts hiked up to catch a ride back to the car at the other PA. Thanks for the pick up to save us the road walk. We went down the road for a quick bite and some live Irish Folk music.
We got back to the campground after dark and found the whole group assembled around one of the best after hike campfires I have seen in a long time. I did not get a chance to meet everyone there since it was late, but it was a real pleasure being in the great company of so many VFTT members.
Sunday everyone was packing up and heading their own ways. Zer0-G, Jason and I were headed for Cabot. It wasn't the original plan, but we went up the Unknown Pond Tr, tagged the Horn (I'm told on of the HH, but not a list of mine at this time???), over the Bulge and on to Cabot. Zer0-G and Jason were headed home after this so I said my goodbys and headed down alone since I had Waumbek still on my agenda for the day. Zer0-G and Jason, thanks for the company for the day. I made my way down on the Bunnell Notch Tr which made for another great loop hike.
Seemed like a forever drive, but I finally arrived at the Star King Tr for the up and down trek to Waumbek. Real nice easy trail up and down. Made for a nice finish for the day.
Mondays plan was Monroe and Eisenhower. I went up the Ammonoosuc Ravine Tr over Monroe and over to Eisenhower. I was going to backtrack but as I came down off of Eisenhower, once again decided on the loop, so down the Edmands Path I went. A change of scenery and the road walk that I was dreading turned out to be quite scenic as well. With this all being completed by around 1:30 I decided to start on the next days plan. Regroup, resupply and set up for a backpack into the Pemi.
Food and shelter on my back I started up the Gail River Tr. Watered up at the Hut and ran up Galehead for #44. Came back down and chatted with a few folks at the hut, then needed to move on for a place to hang. Found a pair of trees and settled in for the night with a big day ahead of me.
Tuesday was going to be a hot day. Up at 4:30, hiking by 5:30. The first bump in my was was South Twin. Didn't need this one, but it is a fabulous peak. Had my breakfast up there and headed over to North Twin #45. A real hazy morning so the views were limited. Headed back for my second climb of South Twin in as little as 2 hrs.
Departing South Twin again I was Bonds bound. I grabbed them as they came up. West Bond was a great point for a vista from where I came and where I was going. The vastness of the Pemi Wilderness appeared before me as I gazed in all directions. #46 was a great peak.
Onward I continued over to Mt Bond. Allthough only slightly higher than West Bond, I had a greater feeling of the remoteness of the Bonds.
With #47 down, it was time to go for the finish.
Looking over from Bond, Bondcliff looked like a castle atop a mountain. The trail over to Bondcliff looked midevil like. The sun was hot and the trail rugged. I made my way past one hiker who later joined me on the summit. My quest for the 48 was complete on a remote mountain in the majestic Whites.
It was time to retrace my steps back out. No loops today. I did remark to myself as I started up South Twin, "I can't believe this is the third time I am summiting this @#$%^&*! mountain today". Well, if you have to go up and down the same mountain three times in one day, it might as well be South Twin!
I made my was back down the Gale River Tr, a quick shower and a 300 mile drive home to complete my day. It doesn't get no better than this.
A few pictures.
http://community.webshots.com/album/564054452nhHYcN?vhost=community&start=0
Saturday on the road by 4:00am in the pouring rain, I was headed North to hook up with Zer0-G and Jason at the Barnes Field campground where the VFTTs were based for the weekend. The plan was for Zer0 and Jason to do Moriah in the morning and another when I arrived by noon. We were all on time and on our meeting and Zer0-G and I set out for Isolation.
We went up the Glen Boulder Trail which was a spectacular Alpine Zone route, but proved to be a bit of a climb. After hitting the summit we decided to make a loop out of the trip and go back down via the Isolation and Rocky Branch trails. We omitted the climb but found the trail to be a bit of an ankle twisting route. Once back at route 16, Zer0-G used his charm with his shorts hiked up to catch a ride back to the car at the other PA. Thanks for the pick up to save us the road walk. We went down the road for a quick bite and some live Irish Folk music.
We got back to the campground after dark and found the whole group assembled around one of the best after hike campfires I have seen in a long time. I did not get a chance to meet everyone there since it was late, but it was a real pleasure being in the great company of so many VFTT members.
Sunday everyone was packing up and heading their own ways. Zer0-G, Jason and I were headed for Cabot. It wasn't the original plan, but we went up the Unknown Pond Tr, tagged the Horn (I'm told on of the HH, but not a list of mine at this time???), over the Bulge and on to Cabot. Zer0-G and Jason were headed home after this so I said my goodbys and headed down alone since I had Waumbek still on my agenda for the day. Zer0-G and Jason, thanks for the company for the day. I made my way down on the Bunnell Notch Tr which made for another great loop hike.
Seemed like a forever drive, but I finally arrived at the Star King Tr for the up and down trek to Waumbek. Real nice easy trail up and down. Made for a nice finish for the day.
Mondays plan was Monroe and Eisenhower. I went up the Ammonoosuc Ravine Tr over Monroe and over to Eisenhower. I was going to backtrack but as I came down off of Eisenhower, once again decided on the loop, so down the Edmands Path I went. A change of scenery and the road walk that I was dreading turned out to be quite scenic as well. With this all being completed by around 1:30 I decided to start on the next days plan. Regroup, resupply and set up for a backpack into the Pemi.
Food and shelter on my back I started up the Gail River Tr. Watered up at the Hut and ran up Galehead for #44. Came back down and chatted with a few folks at the hut, then needed to move on for a place to hang. Found a pair of trees and settled in for the night with a big day ahead of me.
Tuesday was going to be a hot day. Up at 4:30, hiking by 5:30. The first bump in my was was South Twin. Didn't need this one, but it is a fabulous peak. Had my breakfast up there and headed over to North Twin #45. A real hazy morning so the views were limited. Headed back for my second climb of South Twin in as little as 2 hrs.
Departing South Twin again I was Bonds bound. I grabbed them as they came up. West Bond was a great point for a vista from where I came and where I was going. The vastness of the Pemi Wilderness appeared before me as I gazed in all directions. #46 was a great peak.
Onward I continued over to Mt Bond. Allthough only slightly higher than West Bond, I had a greater feeling of the remoteness of the Bonds.
With #47 down, it was time to go for the finish.
Looking over from Bond, Bondcliff looked like a castle atop a mountain. The trail over to Bondcliff looked midevil like. The sun was hot and the trail rugged. I made my way past one hiker who later joined me on the summit. My quest for the 48 was complete on a remote mountain in the majestic Whites.
It was time to retrace my steps back out. No loops today. I did remark to myself as I started up South Twin, "I can't believe this is the third time I am summiting this @#$%^&*! mountain today". Well, if you have to go up and down the same mountain three times in one day, it might as well be South Twin!
I made my was back down the Gale River Tr, a quick shower and a 300 mile drive home to complete my day. It doesn't get no better than this.
A few pictures.
http://community.webshots.com/album/564054452nhHYcN?vhost=community&start=0
