Pierce or Clinton (both have an awesome view!)

Saturday was still bluebird sunny and cold. I had another short hike with sweet views planned. I headed up the Crawford Path from Crawford Notch towards Mt Clinton/Pierce and perhaps Eisenhower. The Crawford Path is one of the oldest hiking paths in the US and since it was originally made for horses it is a consistent and gentle grade. The peak I was headed to was originally named Pierce but has since been named Clinton. There is still some controversy as to which is the correct name.

It didn't matter to me as the skies were clear and sunny in all directions. I'm sure there is a trail and some sort of summit marker but in the winter it was all snow and tracks running everywhere. To the west you could see the Twins and further west the Franconia Ridge. To the northeast is almost all above treeline hiking over several Southern Presidentials (Eisenhower and Monroe) leading to Mt Washington. This above treeline hiking is what makes the Whites so great. A cold day but stunning views to warm the soul!

Cannon via Lonesome Lake

Friday was still sunny and clear but the temperature had dropped considerably. I headed to the Lafayette campground parking area and headed up the Lonesome Lake trail. No need for an early start for this short hike. The trail switchbacks it's way up the 1000 feet over the first ridge to the hut at Lonesome Lake. Microspikes would have been sufficient as there was just a slick crust. I wore my snowshoes since I don't have any spikes. The coldest spot of the day was at the lake where the wind was howling. The view across the lake of the Franconia ridge is definitely worth the hike. I took a lot of photos and went inside to warm up and get some water. In the winter the hut has a caretaker so you can stay there and use the kitchen and woodstove. On the way up I met a guy who was carrying up supplies for a big party on the saturday night.

I headed up the Lonesome Lake trail to Kinsman ridge. It was supposed to be less steep and I hoped not icy. It turned out to have a nice firm crust and about 3 inches of powder. The steepest section of the day was the Kinsman Ridge trail. Two steps up and one slide back. Thankfully it was short (but steep). I was busy etching an arrow in the snow when I noticed the trail sign that was all but burried by snow. The views from the top were stellar and you can see down the ridge to Mt Flume and points south. Heading back down was a blast. I butt slid down the steepest section, 20 minutes up and 5 down!!

Another stop at the hut for a welcome cup of tea to warm up and a chat with some of the people staying the night and the rookie caretaker. I don't know if she knew what she was in for the next night! This is a great short hike (3.5 miles to the summit) whether done in winter or autumn and the run up the lake (1 mile) is also well worth it.

Sunny day at Wildcat

I have long had my eye on a hike of the Wildcats in the autumn to combine the fall colors with the stunning view of Mt Washington. But since I have walked to the top of many mountains it seemed appropriate to ride a chairlift for once! After all the recent cloud and rain, it was finally a warm sunny spring day and the temperatures were going up to a high of 50F. The views from Wildcat are truly spectacular. You look directly across the valley into the two bowls (Tuckerman and Huntington Ravines) and the summit of Mt Washington. To the right you have a good view of Mt Madison and Adams and to the far right you can see both Carter Dome and Mt Hight.

I stuck mainly to the beginner and intermediate runs and a lot of time gazing at the view instead of watching where I was going. Many stops to whip out the camera for yet another perfect shot! By mid afternoon the temperature was affecting the snow so that it would go from slick to sticky depending on the exposure to the sun. This was a great place to ski. The only ski hill I can compare it to in terms of view would be Lake Louise. I will be back to do this again for sure.

Note for back-country skiers there is a trail from the summit of Wildcat south to the town of Jackson. A vertical drop of almost 4000 feet (and a wild ride I bet)

Sunday River

After some spring peakbagging in the Adirondacks I decided to take a vacation and combine spring skiing and hiking in the White Mountains of NH. I located a great motel deal in Goreham that is in a good spot close to Mt Washington and a short run from Crawford and Franconia notches. The first day it rained all day but that was ok as I went shopping in North Conway (no sales tax!!). Day two it was snowing and since Wildcat was closed I headed to Sunday River which is a half hour away in Maine. This was the first time on skis in several years but my twenty year old skis still worked and I couldn't have asked for better conditions. There was about 3-4 inches of fresh powder. Although the low cloud cover hid any views it was a great day to rediscover how much fun spring skiing can be. I gotta get some new equipment and do this more often!

A cloudy day on Tabletop

The weather forecast looked good for one day out of the weekend so I decided to head down to the Adirondacks to get another W peak before the season ends next Sunday. I decided on Tabletop since the views are better in winter as opposed to summer, my camera batteries died the last time I hiked it and I was never quite sure I got to the actual summit last time as I never saw the sign. I made fast time under cloudy skies. Something that looked like a jellyfish was floating over Marcy Dam. Some sleet and light rain fell while I was hiking up to Indian Falls and it helped to cool me down. Views from Indian Falls were nice but again cloudy. The trail up to Tabletop is short and not too steep. I did make it over to the summit sign this time and then a short distance past to a view of the Great range. I even encounterd my first spruce trap as I edged further out to get some shots without the cripplebush in them. No worries as I only went in up to my waist. Back at Indian Falls and only 11:30 I thought about continuing on to Marcy but I did not have much water and my feet were getting sore. On the way back I was glad to have made that choice as the wind was howling and I ended up with blisters on both my shins. It won't be long before bear-booting will be the mode of transport to Marcy Dam but otherwise there is still plenty of snow.



more photos on flickr

Lookouts loop

Another after work ski. Melting was more evident although there is still lots of snow. The track alternated icy or sticky depending on shading from the sun. Poling was the way to move and a great arm workout. I stopped for a nice break at Champlain before heading back to the car. The descent was pretty fast as the track had iced up by then. Hoping to be able to get out again next week!

Phelps

Excited to give this winter hiking thing another shot, I headed early to the LOJ parking lot on Sunday morning for a hike to Phelps. If anything it was a little warmer and less windy than Saturday. A familiar walk from the trailhead to Marcy Dam. From there to the Phelps split is a little more up hill but not much. Everywhere there is still a ton of snow. The trail up to Phelps was less steep to start but got progressively steeper the higher I got. Near the top it opens up so when you stop to catch your breath and let your heart rate settle down you get sweet views. On top it was a little windy but nothing like Saturday on Cascade. Again, coming back down was a joy and a lot less effort than going up with a few butt slides thrown into the mix. Back on the Van Ho trail I met more people on skis than snowshoes. Some had xc skis but others had skins over telemark skis and were headed to Marcy and Phelps. Am not sure where one would ski off Phelps but I'm guessing it involves deep powder and trying to avoid trees!

Starting my W list!

I finally got down to the Adirondacks with my snowshoes after several hikes in Gatineau Park. I did what any rookie would do. I headed to the Cascade Porter trailhead on rte 73. I got an early start as there were only two groups ahead of me. This is a good thing because come midday there would be group after group heading up as I made my way down. Winter hiking absolutely rules. The footing is on a completely flat surface and at an easier grade as the snow has filled in any rocks and holes on the summer trail. And don't even get me started on the downhill which is much easier on the knees. Of course I know not all winter hikes are on well packed trails and on days when the temperature is hovering around 40F but I still say I love it.

The hike seemed shorter and less steep than I remembered it and I had to duck in several places (due to the several feet of snow on the trail) and in a short time I was at the split. I opted for Porter as I knew it would be sheltered from the wind and a primo spot for taking photos. I hung out there for about 30 minutes soaking in the views. I made my way back and headed up to Cascade. The summit was covered in snow so I kept the snowshoes on. It was however blowing enough to make it tough to stay for too long. Just a few photos and thanks to another hiker for stopping one of my poles before it blew off the mountain.

An awesome day ... and sure to be the first of many!



More photos from the hike on Flickr

Sunset at the lookouts

With warmer weather and no snow in the future forecast I decided to head out for an after work ski. I headed to P10 and then skied to Champlain lookout via Huron cabin. The view was great as the setting sun was getting low in the western sky. On the way back via the Champlain Parkway and Huron lookout I stopped a couple of times to take more photos. The conditions were quite slick but just about right for the waxless skis. Not so great going up parts like Khyber Pass but awesome for double poling on flats and coasting down hills. On the way home there were more great views of the sun setting from the Ottawa river parkway. Best to get out and enjoy the snow while it is here!