Caribou 2014

    Today’s hike was a good workout in preparation for a backpack I’ll be doing the end of the month. After a long layoff I’m back in the mountains and loving it.

The beginning of the trail

    Caribou Mountain is located in Western Maine in Mason township and Batchelders Grant near West Bethel and Gilead. It is also entirely within the White Mountain National Forest and The Caribou-Speckled Wilderness. There are three trails to the summit. The first is actually one trail that approaches from two directions. The Caribou trail is about 5 miles long and starts on Rt. 113 in Evans Notch at the Caribou/Mud Brook parking lot, climbs to the saddle between Gammon mountain and Caribou, descends and ends at a gate and parking area at the end of the Bog Brook Road off Rt. 2 in West Bethel. It can be done from either end and in conjunction with the Mud Brook Trail, accesses the summit. The Mud Brook Trail as I said, starts in the same parking lot on 113 and Climbs the Southwest side of Caribou.
    In winter Rt 113 is not plowed so that would mean a long road walk to the trail head. We instead chose the Bog Brook access. The road is plowed to the Pooh Corner Farm in most years. This year it is plowed to the summer parking area at the gate. We didn’t know that and having a two wheel drive vehicle, parked just beyond the farm. This decision led to a 1.5 mile longer hike but was all flat and well packed/plowed. Arriving there at 8:30 we wasted no time getting geared up and getting started.
     We hiked the road to it’s end and began the trail proper. The trail had not been used in several weeks but was nicely packed before that. The couple of inches of snow that fell since it was used was just a nice cushion. We worked our way up the drainage between Gammon and Caribou, commenting on animal tracks we saw there. Coyote tracks. Rabbit, Squirrel both Red and Gray, Deer, Mice and Voles and once a Spruce Grouse.

Mouse tracks in the snow

 All these tracks were left in the fresh snow with their stories to tell to anyone who followed.  The snow was getting deeper as we climbed and it was time to put on snowshoes. Gaining elevation, we came to the sign marking the edge of the Wilderness.

The way now steepens for the last bit before the saddle. We took a quick break at the intersection and headed up the Mud Brook Trail toward the summit.   

    Getting near the top of our climb, the terrain flattened a bit and shortly the views began to open up.  We topped out at about 12:30. An approaching front caused a high overcast but didn’t diminish the views and 30̊ temps and light winds allowed us to sit in the open and enjoy them. I pulled on my down jacket, got a closed cell pad to sit on, grabbed my lunch and enjoyed the vista. After finishing our lunch, we snapped a few more photos, packed our backpacks, put the snowshoes back on and headed down.
    The hike down was uneventful and we arrive back at the car about 2:30.

Moses at the summit

Nice lunch spot with Kezar Lake in the background

   
HikeSafe is a joint effort between the White Mountain National Forest and New Hampshire Fish & Game Department to educate hikers on the inherent risks of hiking and how they can become better prepared before beginning any hike.


Hiker Responsibility Code
You are responsible for yourself, so be prepared:

1. With knowledge and gear. Become self reliant by learning about the terrain, conditions, local weather and your equipment before you start.

2. To leave your plans. Tell someone where you are going, the trails you are hiking, when you will return and your emergency plans.

3. To stay together. When you start as a group, hike as a group, end as a group. Pace your hike to the slowest person.

4. To turn back. Weather changes quickly in the mountains. Fatigue and unexpected conditions can also affect your hike. Know your limitations and when to postpone your hike. The mountains will be there another day.

5. For emergencies. Even if you are headed out for just an hour, an injury, severe weather or a wrong turn could become life threatening. Don’t assume you will be rescued; know how to rescue yourself.

6. To share the hiker code with others.

Kearsarge North 2014

        It’s been a long time since I posted here but I have good, well...some excuses, honest! I won’t bore you with all that. Suffice to say, I have not hiked anything meaningful in well over a year.  Today’s hike of Mount Kearsarge North was long, long, long overdue.
    Kearsarge North while not a big mountain, provides nice views and a cool fire tower in which to have lunch and take a break. I hadn’t been here since Chris and I stayed overnight, (see previous post) in February, 2011.  Kearsarge also provided the right level of workout for a middle aged hiker after a long layoff.
    We came equipped to deal with a variety of trail conditions. It turned out to be almost exclusively ice, with a few short sections of bare , wet trail. There were a couple of other guys getting ready to go when we arrived, they were wearing full crampons. Probably overkill for this mountain but I used them once here too, to get used to them before I had to use them where I absolutely needed them. I started out with my Hillsound microspikes and used them the whole way. Chris started with bare boots and soon switched to Yak tracks. We also carried snowshoes but soon after starting we ditched them a short distance off trail. I marked their location with my GPS and we continued along. As the trail steepened it became clear the Yak tracks were not going to cut it and Chris switched to micro spikes.

Some of the trail was bare

First views

    There was a high overcast, with the forecast calling for snow later in the day. We were hoping to get to the summit before the views were obscured and to get on the road home before the traveling got bad.
     We didn’t meet anyone until we got to the top of the ledges where we met a couple with a couple of dogs. They warned us about some ice near the top that their dogs could not negotiate. Not sure if it was the dogs or the owners that got nervous but Moses the hiking dog handled it with aplomb.

Moses shows how to do it

Chris on a sketchy section

 As we got nearer the summit, after the last switchback, we met a few other people headed down. We were within sight when a young couple with a dog overtook us and as the dogs made friends, we hiked the last bit to the fire tower.  Once at the summit the wind which had been nonexistent all day, picked up enough to make us take notice as we took off the traction devices and climbed the steps to the cab of the tower.

    Once inside, I wasted no time. I tore into my pack and first got out my puffy down parka and second grabbed the stuff sack with the food in it and a water bottle. I was famished. As the four of us ate lunch, we made small talk and found out the couple was from Peterborough, New Hampshire. Their dog, a nine month old Border Collie seemed well behaved. I meet many people while hiking and the overwhelming majority of them are nice folks, these people were no exception. We chatted back and forth for about ten minutes until they began to get chilled. Having brought no additional warm clothing with them, they had to get going to stay warm. This was the case with most of the people we saw.  We headed down and encountered probably a dozen more people on the way up. As we neared the parking lot we picked up the snowshoes we had ditched off the side of the trail.

View of the Presidential Range

    We were asked twice if we were staying overnight, a polite way of saying “Wow, your packs seem big for this mountain”. What most people don’t think about is, what happens if for some reason say, injury or being lost, you have to remain motionless for a significant amount of time. These folks were chilled after ten minutes of inactivity and it was 25 degrees in the fire tower with no wind. How would they feel after an hour or two in the wind and below zero temps that can frequently be the norm in winter?
    In my winter day pack I have;

1   closed cell foam pad
1 Pr. insulated Gore-Tex pants
1 Pr. Fleece pants
1 Gore-Tex hooded jacket
1 800 fill hooded down jacket
1 balaclava
1 knit hat
1 pr. Extra socks
1 pr fleece lined wool mittens
1 Outdoor Research Bivy bag
A small first aid kit
A small repair kit
1 headlamp
1 small flashlight
At least two means of making a fire
1 Stove and pot (optional depending on where I am hiking and if hiking with another person who has one.)
2 1 liter water bottles
Food for the day plus
Map and compass
GPS (optional)
Camera

My winter day pack is also my summer backpack. All the stuff I carry weighs about 25 lbs including food and water. If the trail conditions are completely unknown or likely to change while I am out, I’ll also carry snowshoes whether I need them to start or not. This adds 4.5 lbs. I don’t carry this stuff because I like to punish myself, I carry it because I MAY need it. It might help me or another person in distress be more comfortable.
I learned to be comfortable outdoors in winter a long time ago and learned more when I started climbing mountains in winter more than fifteen years ago. I have no intention of perishing or suffering due to something I have control over. Be safe out there.

Sunday River WC

September 16, 2012

Sunday River Whitecap has to be, (I've said this before), my all time favorite Small Mountain. For a half day hike, it offers gorgeous views, extensive above treeline exposure and great wildlife viewing opportunities. I introduced a friend to it today and he was taken by this little charmer of a mountain as well.  At 45 minutes, the drive up route 26 is shorter for me than all of the 4000 footers in New Hampshire and most of the trails to similar sized mountains in Maine. The added advantage is the solitude.
The trail we hiked is an unofficial “bushwhack” from Grafton Notch.  It begins on Rt. 26 on a dirt road which it follows for about a mile. It then leaves the road and ascends to the Grafton Loop Trail via an old overgrown road that has been in pretty much steady use for at least 25 years. I had tried on three previous occasions to locate the path and in 2011 finally located it and marked its location on my GPS.
Larry picked me up at 7:00 and we made the drive to the parking area.  The road was gated so we walked the mile to the actual start of the trail. The first quarter-mile is steep but it then moderates as you turn left on a side road. As I said, I had a waypoint for the beginning of the trail and that saved us time because it is unsigned and rather obscure. We started up and soon saw tracks of a moose, made this morning. I was hoping we would catch a glimpse of him but it was not to be. As it was, the vegetation along the trail is so high and close to the trail, you couldn’t have seen it, had it been thirty feet away. Last time I had only followed the lower portion of the trail and that in winter so it looked very different. Clearly  maintained by someone, the trail climbs, steeply at first and then moderately. A mile on, it intersects the Grafton Loop Trail at the northern end of the saddle that connects Slide Mountain and Sunday River Whitecap. Turning Left on the trail, we crossed the saddle and then began climbing the Northeast shoulder of the mountain. About twenty minutes after hitting the GLT, we got our first Views of the day and stopped for a rest and a snack. The view is East over the area that encompasses the East side of the Grafton Loop trail and the mountains it traverses, East and West Baldpate, Long and Puzzle.

We continued on and I began to hear voices on the mountain above us.  We soon met two guys in their twenties, who were completing the loop. They had stayed a Sargent Brook campsite last night. We had a nice chat with them and then moved along. The views, as always were amazing. To the North, Old Speck

 and Grafton Notch draw you in. Climbing higher, the Mahoosuc range comes into view to the west. And finally, West South West, the Presidentials and Carter Baldface Range appear. At the top there are 360 degree views and today the weather was clear so we could see to the horizon.

Nearing the summit, the wind was howling. Thirty-five to forty miles per hour it was blowing and at 49 degrees, it was cold. We put on nearly every piece of clothing we had in our packs and were both wishing for gloves. We spent about ten minutes at the top, enjoying the scenery and taking photos. Soon, we headed down and as we did, the wind seemed to strengthen and since I’d decided to use hiking poles on the way down, My hands were freezing. We hustled down the trail to a spot that was sheltered from the wind, sat and had a lunch. 
We continued down the Grafton Loop trail to the saddle. At first I was keeping an eye out for the bushwhack trail then, engaged in conversation, I  suddenly realized I didn’t recognize the section on trail we were on. A quick look at the GPS revealed, we had gone past the junction. We retraced our steps a few yards to find the correct course. I kept hoping we’d see some wildlife. About halfway down, we heard a  rustling in the bushes and saw three young partridge, just able to fly scurrying out of the way. Onward and downward, we went, soon getting back to the road leading to the vehicle.  We walked down and headed home.
When asked recently, what my favorite 4000 footer has been, I thought for a moment and replied, “My favorite is not  4000 feet high, it’s Sunday River Whitecap.”  Short hike?, close to home?, phenomenal views?, no crowds? What’s not to like?

The Kinsmans

Saturday August, 17 2012,

I had an awesome hike today for many reasons. First, I hiked with a friend who, through some nagging injuries over the years, thought his hiking days were over. Second, the weather forecast all week had been for rain and it turned out to be an awesome day. These were also my 45th and 46th peaks so I now have only two left.
Larry picked me up at 5:00 AM. I let him pick the departure time, thinking he’d say 6 or so. Turns out, an early start was a good plan. We drove to Franconia Notch with one pit stop at the Beaver Brook Rest area on Rt. 3. Parking at the Lafayette Place parking lot we got ready for our hike, donning hikers and checking our pack one last time to make sure we had everything. We were on trail a few minutes after 7:00 and as we walked up through the adjoining campground, I suddenly realized I was talking way too loud for this early in the morning, (sorry folks). I stopped yakking and we silently hiked on until we were out of earshot.

 I hiked the first part of the trail to Lonesome Lake, last winter when I climbed Cannon Mountain with Chris so I knew what to expect as far as the lake. We got the lake around 8:00 and from the hut on the other side, we could hear people getting their day started.

Lonesome Lake

We quickly covered the last section to the hut and sat on the porch for our first short break of the day.
Lonesome Lake Hut is about a mile and a half from Lafayette Place Campground. The trail climbs a ridge with moderate grades and easily descends the last few hundred yards to the lake. It then follows the contour of the shoreline on bog bridges for another 4 tenths of a mile.

Cannon Mountain

 The short hike and  easy to moderate grades, make it a great place for young families to bring small children and get them acquainted with hiking and the outdoors. There is also a place for the kids to swim.

Kinsman Pond Shelter

We pushed on to the next trail which is the Fishin’ Jimmy Trail, so named for a local character who once frequented the area. I have heard people complain about the PUDs (pointless ups and downs) on this trail but on the way up I didn’t notice too much.

Fishin' Jimmy Trail

We covered the 2.1 miles to Kinsman pond in about an hour and a half an took a longer break there.
We checked out the new shelter and ran into the caretaker who seemed a bit anti-social compared to most of the other folks employed by the AMC. Perhaps she was just having a bad day. We had a snack by the edge of Kinsman pond, beautifully situated under the ledges that make up North Kinsman’s East side.

We headed up the last push to the summits. North Kinsman first, arriving there about 11:30. On the way up, we met three AT thru hikers. I think they must have stayed at Eliza Brook or Beaver Brook shelter the night before.  After a quick photo, we headed over to South Kinsman a bit less than a mile away. While Climbing North Kinsman, a couple of guys we had seen at the pond, passed us. We saw them for a second at that summit before they moved on. We got to the South summit and they were just leaving. We had half an hour with the top all to ourselves. We admired the views which had actually improved through the day. Franconia Ridge, which was previously obscured by clouds came into full view while we watched. We took some photos and then sat for a while and had a well deserved lunch.
We began the five mile hike down to the parking lot, meeting people ascending. We probably met 20 hikers before we got back to Kinsman Pond. From there, the Fishing Jimmy lived up to it’s negative press. The PUDs which had seemed to be no problem on the way up, became agony now that our legs were tired. I just wanted to sit on that porch at Lonesome lake and have a long break. We were still making pretty good time but had slowed to avoid a fall. We did eventually make it to Lonesome Lake hut and took a good break on some steps on the North side of the main lodge. There were lots of kids running around now and I was wishing I’d known places like this existed when my kids were little. I’ll have to think about bringing my granddaughter here in the future.
We continued on our way and met many people on the trail. I continue to be amazed by the range of preparedness of people hiking the Whites. We saw well prepared, fit people, overweight, ill prepared people and everything in between. As we wound down the ridge to Lafayette Place,  the traffic sounds increased and we welcomed the thought of sitting in the Jeep.  We arrived at the parking lot about 3:00.
After a stop at a bookstore in nearby Lincoln, a nice chat with the owner and a new book, we headed to North Conway for dinner.
It was a great day in the mountains.

Pemi Traverse

July 7th & 8th 2012

A traverse through the Pemigewasett Wilderness, for the serious hiker, is a must do, can’t miss, just gotta have it.  The “Pemi” is a 45,000 acre wilderness area between Crawford and Franconia notches. Once a barren wasteland created by indiscriminate logging and a devastating forest fire, it has recovered in the last hundred years to be a vast forested area with jaw dropping views and unsullied by sounds of civilization. It contains four of the forty-eight 4000 foot mountains of New Hampshire and is ringed by sixteen others.  Sixty miles of trails, a half dozen ponds and a river with a couple dozen tributary brooks which have waterfalls galore, complete the experience that is the Pemi.

I know it sounds like I’m gushing a bit and I’ll admit to being a romantic about wild lands but The Pemi delivers the goods. I’ve been reading trail descriptions and trip reports about this area for years, seen photos and talked to folks who have been there. I finally got to go myself and it was well worth the aching muscles from the long miles of hiking, it takes to get there.

I met Chris and Moses the hiking dog at their place in South Paris at the appointed time and we drove the two hours to the Zealand Trail parking lot to spot a vehicle and then drove South through Franconia Notch to the Kancamagus Highway and then to Lincoln Woods where we parked. We got on the trail about 10:00 AM.

Chris and Moses at the start of the trail.

Rail left over from the narrow gauge railroad.

 The first part of the hike is 4.5 walk along The Pemigewasett River via the former railroad bed
once used to exploit the forests in the area. It is nearly flat and so straight, you can see a quarter mile in places. I’ve heard, this part can be demoralizing after a long hike but I found it pleasant enough and in a couple of hours we had completed that section and began the real work of climbing up the ridge to our first destination which was Bondcliff. The forecast was for moderate humidity and temps in the upper 80s so we went slow and took frequent breaks to take on plenty of fluids. We zig-zagged up the switchbacks meeting people who had stayed at Guyot Tentsite, our eventual destination for the night. We were passed by a couple of faster groups, passed a couple of slower groups and leapfrogged with a group that was going about the same pace.

Soon we were approaching the ridge and got our first views of the day. The weather had changed considerably since the morning. It was 65 degrees with a cool breeze, very welcomed after the humidity and warm temps, earlier in the day. Within a few minutes, we were on top of Bondcliff.

Bondcliff

Mount Bond

I’d seen a picture of this spot on the cover of one of the AMC White Mountain Guides I bought years ago. I’ve been looking forward to this moment since. Sweeping views of an area that has no roads, buildings or anything built by man, are the reward for all the work. Chris took the signature photo of me on the overhanging rock that gives Bondcliff it’s name.

 

Looking Back at Bondcliff

We continued along the ridge toward Mount Bond, a little over a mile away. Nearly the whole distance is in the open and I was imagining what it would be like to do this in winter as Chris has done. A goal for another time. Forty minutes later we were standing on top of  Bond and spent twenty minutes or so enjoying the incredible scenery. The hardest work was done for the day and it was all downhill to Guyot Campsite. We headed down and soon reached our destination for the night.

Shelter at Guyot Tentsite

Guyot Tentsite is .2 miles below the saddle that connects Mount Guyot and the Bonds. It has a capacity of about 30. There is an open cabin type shelter and eight or ten tent platforms. All of the platforms were occupied but there was room for a second tent on most of them. We doubled up with a couple from the Boston area.  The caretaker, a pleasant young man named Joe, introduced himself as we arrived and then came around after we set up to collect the $8.00 fee to camp for the night. The only flat ground at the campsite is a small area occupied by two bear boxes, heavy, lockable metal footlockers where everyone’s food is stored for the night. Arriving at 6:00, we quickly set about getting the tent set up, getting water and starting a stove to make dinner. Our meal consisted of a Coleman freeze dried pasta dish. You boil water, pour it in the bag, voila! Dinner. It really wasn’t too bad. Of course I was hungry enough to eat anything. Crackers and cheese rounded out the meal and with no dishes to do we were ready for the next thing.

West Bond

Sunset from West Bond

The next thing was a sunset hike up West Bond, a little less than a mile away. We headed out about 8:00 and by 8:30 we were watching the last rays of sun disappear behind Mount Garfield. Four thousand footer number three for the day. Man, my legs were tired. At least we weren’t carrying heavy packs. We found a young couple at the summit enjoying the sunset. We talked to them for a few minutes and then headed down. We were back in camp by nine and headed to bed. I didn’t sleep much, the first part of the night because Moses was in the tent with us and the only place for him was kind of on our legs. Chris was worried about him wandering off if he stayed outside the tent. Sometime in the middle of the night Chris let him out and we all slept better for it. He hung right around and when I woke up at 5:30 or so, he was right there.

More boiling water in the morning provided hot coffee for us both and oatmeal for Chris. I had bagels. By 7:15 or so, we were on our way. We still had a couple of mountains and 8.5 miles to trek to reach the car we dropped yesterday morning. It was a glorious, cool, clear morning and by 7:30 we were in the open on Guyot and for the next twenty minutes we had views nearly to the horizons.  We soon began to meet people who stayed either at Galehead hut or Zealand hut and this began a steady stream that we would see for the rest of the day.

We made our way over to Zealand Mountain, my fourth peak of the weekend. Zealand is a wooded summit and one of those that would not see visitors if it were not for “the list” and the fact, the Appalachian Trail goes pretty much over the summit. I came across the trail adopter, brushing out the trail and talked with him for a few minutes before moving on. We passed Zealand Hut and went to the falls below to stop for a few minutes and have a snack from the meager rations left in our packs.

Ten minutes later we were on the trail out. With 2.3 miles to go we kept a good pace on the mostly flat Zealand trail, meeting lots of people out to enjoy the woods on this fine day. We arrived at the trail-head by 12:45 and then drove around to Lincoln Woods where we started so I could pick up my vehicle.

This was a fine weekend spent in the mountains. I hope to explore other parts of the ‘Pemi” soon. The brooks, ponds and river beckon my fly fishing soul and Owls Head is one of the four remaining mountains on my list.

Albany Mountain

April 14, 2012

    Another  Day another hike. Chris and I were looking for a nearby hike that was not too long and that neither of  us had done before. Enter, Albany Mountain. I’d ridden some of the trail on my mountain bike, years ago and went by the side trail that goes to the summit but that’s about it. We were going in from the Stoneham, Maine side which for us is a twenty minute drive.  I kind of knew where the trailhead was and we found the sign right off the bat but I couldn’t remember where the trail entered the woods. We spoke to a guy who lived right there and he told us, the road is the trail for quite a way. He directed us to the trail and a spot to park and we were off.  The trail proper begins at a gate at the end of a dirt road, on the back side of  Kewaydin Lake.  Since this was a short hike and we didn’t have to drive too far, we were getting a later start. It was 8:30 or so when we stepped off.
    The first part of the trail has had some recent work done. Probably last fall. Some very nice stone waterbars and stone ditching as well as hardening of the treadway.

   The next part was not as pleasant.  There were many places that will benefit from the treatment, the previous section has had. The trail is muddy  for a quarter mile and then as it passes by a beaver pond on the left it dries up and remains so for the rest  of the hike.  Most of the trail up to Albany  Notch is gradual though there is one short, rather steep section. As you climb into the notch,  the ledges on the South side of Peter Mountain come into view, inviting later exploration. Our destination today though, lies still, nearly a mile away.

  At a trail junction, the  Albany Notch trail continues straight ahead while the connector trail diverges right to  meet the Albany Mountain trail in .4 mi. Crossing a small ridge and dropping into a col that forms Albany Notch, you soon start to climb the ridge . As we  paused at  the trail junction a runner approached from the North. It was someone Chris knew from Bethel. We spoke to him for a few minutes and he continued on and we did so shortly thereafter.

We stopped a couple of times on some open ledges to take in the ever improving views. Soon The very top of Mount Washington can be seen  and  as we gained more elevation, Adams and Madison appeared above the Carter-Baldface Range. In a few minutes, we covered the rest of the connector trail and started up the Albany Mountain trail.. The grade was mild, the rest of the way and we were soon at the top. There are Ledges there facing East and Broken Bridge and Crocker Ponds can be seen. We Sat in the sun and ate a lunch and watched four Red Tail Hawks Circling on thermals.


    Our hike down was uneventful but we both were amazed by the conditions for early-mid April at a time when there could easily have been a couple of feet of snow on the ground, it was bare and largely dry. There is still snow in the higher mountains but it is going fast and spring is in the air. We were looking for a half day hike and Albany filled the bill. Western Maine’s section on the White Mountain National Forest has some very nice hikes, few people and challenging terrain. I’m looking forward to further exploration of this area.

No Gale on Galehead.

March 17 2012

    Galehead is a Mountain with no views from it’s actual summit and is a short hike from Galehead Hut  and the Garfield Ridge Trail. For those reasons it is often done in conjunction with surrounding peaks, most requiring a car spot. Since I was hiking alone today that wasn’t an option. In winter, and I am using the term loosely for today’s hike, you must add a mile to the hike because the road that accesses the usual starting point is closed. There is much to redeem this hike on it’s own though and just being out in the mountains on a day like this was an added bonus.
    The weather forecast was for clearing skies in the afternoon but you can never count on that in the White Mountains. As I drove across Route 2 to Twin Mountain, the roads were slick in places with a light coating of ice from some precipitation that had fallen during the night. I adjusted my speed accordingly and arrived at the trailhead half an hour behind schedule.
    Beaver Brook rest area is a wayside stop on route 3, just South of Twin Mountain N.H. There is a small network of ungroomed XC ski trails there and one of these is used to gain access  to the  Gale River Trailhead in winter. This adds a mile on both ends of the hike. I geared up and left the parking area at 8:40 AM.

The Summer Trail head

 The first four miles of this hike are nearly flat and I made great time. The trail was mostly bare of snow for much of this distance with soft ice becoming more prevalent as I gained a little elevation.

Gale River

At about the three mile mark the ground was mostly covered with a few inches of snow.  As the terrain steepened, my pace slowed and I took more frequent breaks. As I paused to catch my breath, I began to notice movement in the woods around me. As the  warmth of the day was building, Old Man Winter was releasing his grip on the land.  Branches, weighed down by snow, were melting out and springing up, trickles of melt water could be heard under the snow and water dripping from branches created sights and sounds that although early, were music for my soul.

Galehead Hut

Field repair to my snowshoe.

     At about the four mile mark, with the snow depth increasing, I began to think about putting on snowshoes. I put it off as long as possible because I go much slower with them on. When I did put them on, I noticed that one of the bindings was broken. This was the first time ever that I’ve had a gear failure. I’m not even sure when it occurred. I used them last weekend for a Relay for Life event and noticed, I was tripping or catching the crampons on them and that it seemed to be the left all the time but I thought it was because I was tired. Anyway, I tried twice to repair it on the trail and it kept coming apart. I didn’t have any plastic wire ties or enough parachute cord to effect a good repair. I figured I’d  dig into my pack and maybe use a drawstring from one of my stuff sacks to lash it together. As the terrain steepened and the snow depth increased, I was increasingly worried, the other side would let go and I’d be screwed. In a winter of more snow I would have turned around and hiked out without a second thought but this year and in this instance I continued on knowing, if it failed completely, it would be unpleasant but that I could get off the mountain.
    I got to Galehead Hut about 1:00 and two hikers who had passed me earlier were there soaking up the sun and enjoying the view. Temperatures were in the mid fifties and I enjoyed the rest on the porch. I mentioned my problem with the snowshoe binding and one of the young men offered a length of  parachute cord for me to lash the binding with. I made the repair and it lasted the rest of the hike. After a rest and a well deserved sandwich I headed up the last half mile to the summit. As I was leaving , a group of four hikers from New York came down off Galehead. Two of them were finishing up their winter 48 on Garfield in a couple of hours.          

Galehead Mountain

The Hut from Galehead Outlook

The Summit

                                                                                                                                                The outlook just before the summit provided nice views down the valley to the Bonds and up to South Twin. After  a few pictures there and at the actual top, I headed back to the hut and then down. I’d been on the summit at 2:00 and with 6.5 miles to go, I knew I’d have to hustle if  I was going to get home by 6:00, which was the time I told Linda I’d be home. The New York Folks were still at the hut and I stopped for a couple of minutes to chat with them as they were preparing to head over to Garfield.
    I stowed my GPS in my pack so as I hiked down, I didn’t know what time it was but I felt like it was getting late and except for a couple of stops for water and a short “pack off” stop to remove my snowshoes, I moved steadily down the mountain. I was really surprised when I got to the parking lot and it was only 4:40. With the short breaks I’d taken, I covered six and a half miles in 2.5 hours. Boy are my legs tired!


Gear Tip
    Take a look at your gear and imagine what would happen if you had a catastrophic failure of  a key piece, miles from the parking lot. Having a snowshoe break is not the end of the world most of the time. It can mean an unpleasant hike out and getting to the parking lot a little later than you wanted to. If conditions are not good as with deep unconsolidated snow or deep and rapidly melting snow pack, a broken snowshoe can mean a life threatening situation. Imagine wading in snow to your waist and how tiring that would be, even for a short distance. Imagine plunging your legs time after time, thigh deep into heavy, wet, clinging snow. One of the things I worry about is having downhill momentum and suddenly breaking through up to my knee and hyper extending a knee. That could be devastating if you were miles from the parking lot with no one around and night falling. I took some nylon twine out of my pack to use for something and never put it back. I also took out the three heavy nylon wire ties I usually carry and I can’t remember why…but that stuff is now in my repair kit again. Duct tape can repair a pack or tent, a couple of safety pins can hold a jacket with a broken zipper together. It doesn’t take much to repair gear well enough to get you out of the woods but you have to remember to keep these things in your pack.