woodland wanderings

Monday, January 11, 2016

Last Mountain Summit with the ERD, East Oscela, December 26th, 2015

I was reluctant to write this blog....
It was a bittersweet hike.
My little buddy had cancer and there was nothing else that could be done.
He shared so many adventures with me.
He jumped into swamps to follow me while I studied vernal pool life, kayaked with me every summer, summited so many mountains, wandered so many woodlands and waterways with me.

The ERD helping me release this yellow spotted salamander

10 lb chihuahua the ERD, always ready for an adventure.

When I started hiking mountains, he was happy to join me, bounding up ahead always looking back seeming to ask, “Why are you so slow?” Without him by my side, I’m not sure if I would have started hiking mountains. He helped take the fear away and kept me company on dark, lonely trails.

He made me smile.

He slept in the car with me at base of trailheads so we could get an early start. I would listen to him snore loudly, annoyed and amused he was keeping me awake. I woke up to him staring at me prodding my face with his cold wet nose letting me know it was time for breakfast.

Our first real mountain together Sandwich Mountain. The ERD wondering why I'm so slow!

Knowing I had little time left with him, I decided to take him on one more mountain hike. East Osceola. It was a short hike and together we could make one more notch in my 4K list. I knew I would have to carry him on the steeper sections, as the cancer had stolen some of his boundless energy and strength.

The day after Christmas was a beautiful 40 degree day and not a cloud in the sky, unheard of in late December. It was a gift. It was a wonderful last summit.

He was an amazing dog.

When I adopted him, I had no idea he would become such an amazing little buddy, a partner in crime on my hikes and in my life. I couldn’t believe he remembered who I was after two long trips to India. I can't imagine any person hiking with me in the pouring rain and looking at me with the love and devotion this little guy did. I have been lucky to have him in my life and will miss him.

Nice steep trail. I had to carry the ERD in my arms.

East Osceola Summit

ERD claiming the summit of East Osceola

ERD on the trail

Views along the way. Views were much better than anticipated

More views

ERD at Greeley Ponds

52 WAVs

1. Mount Webster
2. Sandwich Mountain
3. Jennings Peak
4. The Horn
5. Mount Starr King
6. Shelburne Moriah
7. Sugarloaf
8. South Baldface
9. North Baldface
10. Mount Success
11. Percy Peaks
12. Magalloway
13. Mount Tremont
14. Three Sisters – Middle Sister
15. Cherry Mountain
16. Smarts Mountain
17. West Royce Mountain
18. Imp Face
19. Mount Parker
20. Mount Cardigan (twice!)
21. Mount Paugus (twice!)
22. North Doublehead (and non-52WAV South Doublehead)
23. Black Mountain Jackson
24. Eagle Crag/Mount Meader
25. Mount Shaw/Black snout
26. Eastman Mountain
27. Mount Cube
28. Mount Willard
29. Black Mountain Benton
30. South Moat
31. North Moat
32. Mount Pemigewasset
33. Iron Mountain
34. Potash Mountain
35. Hedgehog Mountain
36. Blueberry Mountain
37. Mount Israel
38. Mount Roberts
39. Mount Hayes
40. Middle (and North) Sugarloaf
41. Black Mountain, Jackson

4000 footers

1. Mount Jackson
2. Mount Waumbek
3. Mount Carrigain
4. Mount Hale
5. Mount Pierce
6. Mount Eisenhower
7. Mount Moriah
8. Mount Osceola
9. Mount Osceola East Peak

300+ geocache hikes
summer kayaking and swamp adventures and two local productions of "Legally Blonde."

RIP ERD

Friday, October 2, 2015

Mount Hale, Zealand Hut Loop

Hale Brook Trail, Lend a Hand Trail, Zealand Trail, Zealand Road road-walk

I had intended on hiking Mount Pierce and Mount Eisenhower looking for some 360 views. I haven't had much luck. The first time I hiked Eisenhower there were hurricane winds and rain. When I hiked Pierce, I was completely and eerily fogged in. Seeing the weather forecast I knew I wasn't going to find my views today, so I set off for Mt. Hale.

I had a miserable cold but I rallied (sort of) fighting through clogged nasal passages and wheezy lungs to the summit. The Hale Brook trail is rated as Easy on some trail logs and Moderate/Difficult on others. If you are a regular hiker this will be a very easy hike. If you are new to hiking, I would consider it a Moderate level hike. There are two main water crossings on the Hale Brook trail. They were fast moving after the previous day's rain, but were easily crossed.

My friend Lisa crossing Hale Brook

I read a few blogs saying there are limited views on the summit of Hale. No. There are no views. It is a pretty summit with a wonderfully large and interesting cairn, but there are NO views.

Mt. Hale Summit Cairn

If you want to make the hike more interesting, hike down the Lend a Hand Trail to the Zealand Hut (it becomes self-service after October 17th) and stop in for a cup of tea, soup, or a wonderful dessert. Continue down the beautiful Zealand trail to see Zealand Falls, Zealand Pond, and a enjoy a visual foliage fiesta crossing a boardwalk through the wetlands.

Even with the heavy rains the day before, I was able to keep my feet dry. The trail was well maintained, very well marked and easy to follow. It is an easy descent all the way down to Zealand Road with a small downhill .9 road walk back to Hale Brook parking area.

The ERD and I on the Mt. Hale summit cairn

Me on the summit cairn

My friend and I celebrating her birthday on the summit of Hale

No clue why this is in the woods on the side of the Lend a Hand trail

Remains of the old Fire Tower

A bad photo of the ERD

A random hiker's shoes

My friend walking through a beautiful stand of trees

mist in the trees

A very wet trail

a rooted section of the trail

The ERD eating his lunch at the Zealand Hut

Zealand Falls

Zealand Pond

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Do you practice yoga on mountains or are they just yoga selfies? What is the significance of the poses you post?

by EssentialYoga Studio

If I am at the top of a mountain with my husband or a friend, the photos are mostly yoga selfies. When I am alone on a summit, there is a practice and each pose relates to how I feel about reaching a particular peak.

There are many photos of me practicing Eka pada Urdhva dhanurasana (one-footed upward bow pose). I practice this and other backbends on summits, when I am elated and feeling successful. They are a celebration, a way for me to embrace the feeling that anything is possible. I also discovered, while practicing this pose on Mount Eisenhower, that it obliterates my asthma symptoms giving me a burst of energy and the ability to breathe

more easily. (continue reading)

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Galehead & Garfield loop

Not really a blog, more of a trail report with photos.

Route: Gale River Trail, Frost Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Garfield Trail.

Gale River trail is relatively flat for the first mile or so, then becomes increasingly rocky and slippery, but even hiking it in the rain it wasn't too much of a problem. The last 0.6 to the Galehead Hut is the steepest part.

Thankfully the rain started to clear and I got to see some nice views from the hut.

The Frost Trail (0.5 miles) to the Galehead summit is a little rocky and slippery at the beginning, but from there it is a quick, easy ascent to the summit.

Frost Trail viewpoint

Heading to Mt. Garfield via the Garfield Ridge Trail starts out relatively easy. The trail descends losing approximately 800 feet of elevation in a mile. Then you to gain it back via a very steep, wet, slippery, rocky, seemingly never-ending ascent.