IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN

Date:  Saturday 4th August

Route:  From I-93 / Exit 28 Waterville Valley Ski area Mt Tecumseh Trail 5 miles out and back

Goal: #13 Mt Tecumseh SUCCESS

Weather:  Sunny 30% chance of Isolated T-Storms

The day started with my younger daughter showing me the weather report... "See daddy it's gonna rain" knowing that ice cream motivates... I promise a huge ice cream at the end of the hike.... her eyes lit up and after a quick breakfast we headed up north to Waterville Valley.  The trail was a PITA to find :( We parked at what ended up being the wrong trail head...

DO park at the WMNF parking area, if you'd like to hike Greeley Ponds or even the Tripyramids, however if a 10 mile loop is not plans... then keep going up the road and park in the Ski parking area the trail head sign is tiny and you'll miss it.... like we did


No really the sign is tiny and set back.  Can you find it?

This trail is very easy and I would recommend it as a first 4,000 footer for kids.  It was a hot and humid day and both girls did really well and was not winded like they were from the Exit 31 Trail head to the same summit.





Had lunch, soaked up the beautiful views

and chat with a very sweet couple we meet on the Summit.



We stopped and had a refreshing dip in the river... felt sooo good

 

 

Sooo, about that ice cream.... wasn't there an ice cream parlor near the visitor center at one point?  Well I think it was replaced by a Dunkin Donuts :( are they taking over the world?  Anyway... we headed up to Lincoln and all had super huge ice creams.  The girls were very happy :)

On the way back home as we approached the Everett Turnpike Toll booths..... we ran into a huge storm the lightning was amazing ...

Such a fun day with the girls....... Oh and I can officially check Tecumseh off the list :)



Trip Stats:On Trail @ 9:55AM
Summit of Tecumseah @ 12:05PM
Started back down @ 12:35PM
Back to parking area @ 2:23PM



Goal: #13 Mt Tecumseh FAIL

Date:  Sunday 8th July

Route:  From I-93 / Exit 31 Tripoli Rd.  Mt Tecumseh Trail out and back 6.2 miles

Goal: #13 Mt Tecumseh FAIL

Weather:  Sunny 0% chance of rain

After spending all day Saturday on the beach.  I decide I would be hiking Sunday.... I was accompanied by my friends Nelson, Natalie, Mirna and all but 2 of the kids.  Readings suggested that Tecumseh was one of the easier 4,000 footers.  I found that with a group of 9 the hike was difficult, as everyone pace was a bit different.

We noticed a number of these along the trail.  Does anyone know what this is? I know... it looks gross



About an hour and 1/2 into the hike one of my friends experienced chest pains and once I caught wind of this I immediately wanted to turn around.  Not having a GPS I didn't know how far away we were from the summit and still being concerned about her chest pains I made an executive decision that we would call this the summit:



Everyone was a bit disappointed, so after having a snack and a break we decided we would do a bit more walking.  We continued down a slope and walked on for about 20 minutes... we then collectively decided to turn around.

Everyone, especially the kids did well and we all had a wonderful time.  Although, this would not be my 13th 4,000 footer I enjoyed spending time on the trail with my friends :)



Oh Dear!!! That's a Bear

Date:  Tuesday 10th July

Route:  Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail to Mt Monroe (Out and Back)

Goal: #14 Mt Monroe
Weather:  10% Chance of rain during the afternoon

Arrived @ parking lot 7:15AM stretched for 2 minutes and hit the trail.  Walking with my head down as I fiddled around with my trekking poles I finally got them set, only to look up and meet eyes with a HUGE Black Bear no more than 10 to 15 yards away from me.  The Bear and I stopped dead in our tracks....I then uttered the words... "Oh &*$*ing $hit"or it could have been "Are you *&$^ing $hitting me?" can't remember really, but I do remember that the Bear then let out this strange puff of air .. not a grunt..... nor did he show his teeth.  Well!!! at that point everything that I learned to do or NOT do when encountering a bear went right out the window... I did not run, however I did turn my back to the Bear and slowly walked in the other direction, I took quick looks back to make sure that he was not walking after me... The Bear walked into the woods and I seriously considered getting in my car and heading back home, but I didn't.....I walked up to the Cog Railway passenger parking lot and entered the trail from there.

Trip Stats:
On Trail after Bear encounter @ 7:25AM
Gem Pool @ 8:10AM
LCH @ 9:30AM
Summit of Monroe @ 10:03AM
Started back down @ 10:10AM
Gem Pool @ 11:20AM
Back to the Cog @ 12:05PM

Cog heading up to Mt Washington

Did someone steal the USGS marker?

Mt Washington was free of clouds for the duration of my visit :)

Lakes of the Clouds Hut

Was an awesome day and I'll never forget it :)

Did I get to South Kinsman?

Date:  Friday 25th May

Route:  From Lafayette. Lonesome Lake to Fishin Jimmy Trail to Kinsman Ridge Trail (Out and Back)

Goal: #11 North Kinsman and #12 South Kinsman

Weather:  30% chance of rain

I needed a WMNF parking pass, so I made a quick pit stop in Lincoln only to find out that the visitor center opened at 8:30AM..Oh well I napped for 30 minutes.. purchased my yearly pass and headed off to Lafayette campground.  From the moment I hit the trail the rains came and it rained and rained and rained .....well you get the picture.  These would be my first 4,000 footers for the 2012 season and it felt good to get out on the trail despite the 30% chance of rain!!!!!!!!!!!  Anyway...I had a great day. I bagged North Kinsman, but I'm not sure, if I got South Kinsman.. There were no views... I was a bit tired and the wind and rain at the "summit" of South?? was a bit much.  I snapped a pic of the Cairn and headed back down. Take a look that the picture of the Cairn and let me know, if I reached South Kinsman.  I have to redo this trip, because I must experience the views on a clear day...