| |
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Pick any one of these mountains to hike and you won't be disappointed with the views. No off-trail hiking needed for the best views.
_x000D_
_x000D_
Just the day before, I saw what I wanted in the forecast, chance of showers dropped from 50 to 30%. Sweet. I've got committments the next couple of weeks, so this would be my last chance to get out for a while. After going to bed at 12:30, I woke at 6 thinking, jeez, morning's here already. I knew I should probably sleep more, but like always, the little boy in me is all excited to get out in the mountains. Finally at 6:30 I get up, take care of the pups, pack up the rest of the stuff, kiss the wife goodbye and am out at 7:30. I wish I had gotten up earlier, as it'll be 9:30 before I hit the trail for a 11.5 mile hike of 3 mountains. Ah well.
_x000D_
_x000D_
I started at the Davis Path lot on 302 just south of Crawford Notch. I only thought of my usual 3 point check (wallet, keys, phone, repeat often) nearly to the bridge, and oops! No phone. Argh. After finally getting underway, I was surprised to see at the end of the near side of the foot bridge a parking area for residents only. It finally became clear, that the residents on the other side of the Saco have no auto bridge to their house. Cool and a pain all at once for them, I'm sure!
_x000D_
_x000D_
I was able to pass a large group hike early on and started the huff and puff-fest. Onward, onward, onward, and when it starts to get reasonably steep, short stretches of slow plodding followed by 30 seconds breaks. Repeat. For some reason, I feel the mountain is kicking my butt this morning. Could have been the Friday night partying, or the 5 hours of sleep? I'm thinking that would be, ummm, both. Doubts creep in about my ability to make it over to Stairs and Resolution. Am I expecting too much of myself? A quick check and then I realize I have climbed 1400 ft. in an hour. Good Lord, why am I complaining? I am buoyed by this, and a reminder that after Crawford, the map shows a lot of flats to recover my strength. My wife always says she never has to make me feel guilty, because I'm so hard on myself. Guess that goes for hiking, too.
_x000D_
_x000D_
So I slow down the pace and relax. The way it should be. I'm concerned about the amount of time I'll need to complete this, but all seems well for now. Soon the trail cuts directly up the hill, and I know I'm now close to the Crawford spur trail. Then it starts to level off, and I'm treated to the first ledge view off to the west. Wow. And the summit promises better. As I enjoy, I am viciously attacked. The 3 billion little black fly buggers that treat me like I treat a good steak. They were biting below, and I'm not waiting to find out if they're biting here as they crawl on every inch of exposed flesh, so on goes the Ben's. Hallelujah! On to the spur trail and the short climb up the ledges and then I hit the summit.
_x000D_
_x000D_
Holy cow, the views are unbelievable and I don't know where to look first. Well, yes I do, it's chilly up here with a strong wind! I'm looking in my pack for my wool sweater. Ah! Toasty goodness! I haven't seen this perspective in about 20 years (from Jackson) as I'm start ID'ing the peaks and soaking it all in. I also have a clear shot to my next goals. How awesome looking.
_x000D_
_x000D_
Finally I head down and I hear the large group out of view just about to the spur. Off I sneak to Stairs mountain, and it's all that I needed right now: packed down, flat dirt. Cruisin' time! It's along this stretch that I'm reminded just how thin the soils are in places up here. At one point the trail passes over white rock, and you can see no "curb" in the dirt. There's probably barely 1/4 inch there. At one point, a large thin, area of dirt has lifted up, taking down 4 decent sized trees in the same clump. A nice try for the trees, but there was no way they were going to survive long on that spot.
_x000D_
_x000D_
More views. Views of the stairs, views of the pebble piles on Resolution, views back to Crawford. The trail junctions come quickly now. I pass a ranger who happily accepts some bug spray from me. I guess he wasn't expecting this level of activity yet either. I'm gald I could give him some relief. In return, he promises great views on Stairs. Again, the climbing seems to be kicking me, but I'm realizing it's really not. Slow and steady does it. I come to a fork, and there's the downlook. Yikes. I have a horrible fear of sharp heights, despite loving the views. Bondcliff and the Old Man's forehead (back when he had one) gave me the willys and this is no exception. If you see someone sitting at the edge of a cliff, rest assured it's not me. I get down on all fours and creep towards the edge. I'm spectacularly clumsy (I thought a good nickname for me would be Stumblefeet), I more prone to losing balance if I been doing heavy work like this and not paying attention, so I can justify my fear. But I must have the views. They are wonderful. I back away and let certain parts of my body stop trying to regress inward
_x000D_
_x000D_
I go on to Stairs mountain, and am greeted by what I knew would be here. More cliffs! Again, lovely views, and I am fascinated looking down at the next stair. That looks like an interesting hike sometime. What's on that little island? The flat top of Resolution is plainly before me. I enjoy for a while, call my wife to check in and let her know where I am on the plan and that all is well, and then resume my trek.
_x000D_
_x000D_
It's just after 1:00 now, and I've set a hard turn around time of 3:30. With a half mile bushwhack, doubts again creep into my mind. Well, dummy, let's go off to the west Resolution summit FIRST and see what's there. Again, it's mostly easy hiking with some breath catchers needed once I hit the Parker trail, but I made quick time over the many ledges before arriving at Resolution. A fellow hiker I run into spies some cairnes heading east from the main trail. We follow these for a short bit where they and any path dies, and at that point I decide to go for the east peak in what is likely the true summit. There are rumors of northerly views there! The going was mostly easy. The very modest col has the thickest stuff, but it's pretty much push/squeeze-through bare branches. Some moss mats here, a ledge there. Much sooner than I expected given last week's Wolf Cub nightmare, I can see the hump ahead to my left. I see a summit cairn and what would really be some great views to the north if the Presi's weren't obscured in clouds. Still it was worth the effort, and I'm thrilled with myself for not giving up on the bushwhack, however tiny.
_x000D_
_x000D_
I spend a while here, and I can't help but feel more uneasy, however. The cloulds have threatened showers all day, but now it just seems darker, the wind sounds more foreboding, and I will feel happier once I'm off the ledges. I've been keeping an ear open for thunder all day. I make it back to the trail with little incident. Now I feel better. In fact, I feel elated. I've challenged myself with three peaks with great views in one day, and managed to get some bushwhacking fears out of my system. I doubt hard-core long distance whacking is for me, and I'm certainly not encouraging anyone to ignore there's not a higher level of risk with this, but it's good to know I can still get around ok. I did Eagle Cliff (open woods) and the Old Man (herd trail) years ago, but that's about the extent of my off trail experience in the Whites.
_x000D_
_x000D_
Arrived quicker than I had would have imagined at the trailhead at 4:30. Where the lot had 10-15 cars in the AM, it was empty save for mine and another group's car who had also just arrived back. I slept very well and peacefully that night |