Mt. Moosilauke - 4/29/09

Moosilauke was another one of the places I had really been wanting to get back out to. I have a great view of it from many of the hotel rooms at work and always find myself looking at it, vowing to get up there soon. This was the day. It was gorgeous and fairly warm, so I set off for Ravine Lodge Road. To my delight and surprise the gate was open and I didn’t have to hike up the road like I was planning. I was already off to a good start. The Gorge Brook Trail being the chosen route of the climb up. What a pleasant walk it was!

Lovely, open section of the Gorge Brook trail

It never really seems to have any long sections of climbing and travels through some lovely forest and has some nice viewpoints along the way. It almost feels like cheating. This probably explains why it’s the most popular summertime path on “The Moose”. Before you know it, the trees are getting smaller and you pass an area with a great view back down to the Ravine Lodge.

Looking down on the Ravine Lodge

Right after passing this you emerge from the trees with the broad dome of the summit ahead. This summit is broad and rocky , but is also blanketed in an expansive alpine meadow and is one of the windiest spots I've encountered in the whites.

Approaching the broad, dome-shaped summit

The 360 degree views are seemingly endless, with as far as Canada and as close as Lincoln all visible from the same spot.

View over Lincoln toward the Franconia Range, Pemi Wilderness, and Mt. Washington

This mountain also has a long history. Including the Carriage Road, the hotel that once stood at the summit, and the nation’s first downhill ski race was held here back in 1927.

The remains of the foundation where the summit hotel once stood

After a quick bite to eat behind one the wind shelters, and a marathon picture-snapping session, I set off toward the South Peak, a spot I had yet to visit in my travels but had heard much about.

The South Peak seen from the main summit

After a nice walk along the ridge, with many interesting views off to either side, I arrived at the spur path leading up to the southerly knob and after a quick climb up I was admiring the sights.

The main summit seen from the South Peak

In addition to fine panoramic views, this peak also offers another perspective of the main peak and a great bird’s-eye-view of Tunnel Brook Notch, it also feels a bit more remote than the main peak. A great side trip.

View from South Peak; Looking down into Tunnel Brook Notch, Black Mountain behind on the center-right

Before long I was back down and on the Carriage Road, which was also an interesting trail. I was imagining horse-drawn carriages, not to mention Model-T Fords, going over it in years past. Shortly I arrived at the Snapper Trail, which also didn’t have a sign at the junction and, having had much less traffic, barely felt like a trail at times. I highly enjoyed the slightly more “wild” feel of this route. Not long after I arrived back at the Ravine Lodge and looking back on a great day.

Franconia Ridge - 4/13/09

Since finishing the 4000 Footers, I’ve been really excited to get back to a certain few places. The Franconia Ridge was at the very top of this list. The first time I was on The Ridge (May ‘08) it was on a very cloudy day. In fact once above treeline, I couldn’t see much of anything, especially not the views I'd heard so much about. So with the goal of soaking these sights in, I set off on a bright, sunny morning with hardly a cloud in the sky.

After getting geared up in the parking lot I set off on the Old Bridle Path. This particular trail is one of my favorites. Built in 1852 as a path for horses, hence it’s name, the lower section is fairly flat and makes for a great warm-up walk through some lovely forest. The going gets a little tougher, and at around the 2 mile mark you come out on a series of ledges with incredible views across Walker Ravine to the peaks along the ridge. After this you ascend the steep little humps along what is known as Agony Ridge. It received this name from the AMC crews that must pack heavy loads of supplies up to Greenleaf Hut. The hut is reached at 2.7 miles and sits right below treeline next to the Eagle Lakes. After taking a refueling break here, I strapped on my crampons, knowing to expect a mix of ice, snow, and rock once in the alpine zone.

Mt. Lafayette rises over the Greenleaf hut

About an hour after reaching the hut I had climbed the mile up the summit cone to the top of Mt. Lafayette. As expected, and forecasted, the wind was very strong today and it was much more so up here. I did however get every bit of the view I was denied on my previous trip here. The view off toward Mt. Washington was amazing, as was the sight of the snow-covered dome of Moosilauke, but the true gem was the greatest perspective of the Pemi Wilderness I’ve ever seen. I especially loved looking off toward the Bonds. I had to duck behind a large rock after snapping a few pictures every minute or so to avoid being frozen in the wind, but it was worth it.

Trail signs atop Lafayette

After finishing with the pictures, I suited up in some more appropriate clothing and set off along the spine of the Franconia Ridge. This is an exhilarating traverse with wide-open views the entire way. After a mile you come to the top of Mt. Lincoln, with a great view back to Lafayette and Flume and Liberty now come into view. A short walk later and I was at the junction with the Falling Waters Trail atop Little Haystack. I looked back, getting my last glimpses from the ridge for the day, before descending down the trail into the trees. This trail is fairly steep and makes quick work of getting back down while passing by some nice waterfalls. Not long after beginning the hike down I arrived at these falls and, shortly thereafter, my car. I was glad I had waited for a great day to get back up on the Ridge. I enjoyed it the first time but truly appreciated it this time. Now I’d like to get back up there and see it when it isn’t covered in snow. Shouldn’t be long now.

The Franconia Ridge seen from Lafayette

View of Mt. Washington and the Twin-Bond Range

Mt. Monroe - 3/25/09 The Big Four Eight

The weather forecast for my days off this week was looking great, and it proved to be even better in reality. I set off around 9 AM for the Cog Railway base station - the winter trailhead for the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail - under warm, sunny conditions. I arrived, strapped on the pack, and set off on the trail. On the drive in the "Ammo" Ravine looks pretty steep and slightly daunting, but it was a really nice walk. The first mile or so is relatively easy going. Then you arrive at the Gem Pool, from then on the trail is quite steep. This where the vast majority of your elevation is gained. I took a short rest, strapped on my crampons, and was set out for the Lakes of the Clouds hut.

The Ammonoosuc Ravine

After climbing up through the woods, you slowly come out above treeline. The summit cone of Mt. Washington comes into view off to the Northeast and a broad view opens up behind you. The hut, closed in winter, comes into view ahead. The hut sits in a col between Mts. Washington and Monroe, beside two small alpine tarns (glacial ponds), with Washington being 1.4 miles away and Monroe being .3 miles out. This area is normally pounded by high winds nearly constantly, this being obvious by the roof-high snow drifts on the hut.

Snow-covered Lakes of the Clouds hut

The snow is rather compacted and incredibly icy, making crampons and ice axes required gear (as well as sunscreen, so I found out). Setting off for the summit of Mt. Monroe, I began the steep, icy climb upward. I also met a group of backcountry skiers, who jumped off the East side of Monroe and skied down into Oakes Gulf. It was pretty impressive, to say the least.

Summit cone of Mt. Monroe seen from the roof of the hut

The conditions up there where almost unheard of for these particular mountains. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the wind never picked up to more than a light breeze. The views seemed to never end. I could not have asked for a better day to finish my 4000 Footers, and while I felt accomplishment to have finished them, the prevailing emotion was that of excitement to get back out to these awe-inspiring places.

View Southwest from Monroe, Franconia Ridge are the white-capped mountains in the back


Lakes of the Clouds hut and Mt. Washington


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Mt. Moriah: Round 2 - 3/17/09

What better way to spend a beautiful St. Patrick's Day than atop a mountain? I couldn't think of one so I decided to attempt to climb Mt. Moriah again. I arrived at the trailhead to find that the snow on the trail was packed solid, meaning I wouldn't even need snowshoes this time. A world of difference from the last time I had tried this path.

The Presidentials from summit ledge of Moriah

I made it up and over Mt. Surprise in good time and soon passed the spot where I had turned around on the previous trip. From this point the trail goes over a few PUDs (Pointless Ups and Downs) and over a couple false summits before reaching the small ledge at the actual summit. Here I sat on the bare ledge, had a quick lunch in the sun, and gazed off toward the Carter Range and the Presidentials.

USGS benchmark at summit

I snapped a few pictures of the 360 degree panoramic view from this vantage point before setting off for the car again. See you next time, for what will hopefully be the completion of my 4000 Footers list!

View toward the Northeast