Great Gulf Area: Combining Work with Pleasure, or Pleasure with Work? (15-May-2009)

OK, maybe it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I enjoy doing trail work. So much so, I have adopted five trails. Two of these adopted trails are in the Great Gulf area. One is the Osgood Cut-Off Trail, and the other is the 0.8 mile segment of the Osgood Trail that runs from the Osgood tent sites to the junction with the Great Gulf Trail. So, today I did some routine maintenance on these two trails. I never know whether to call this “work” or “pleasure” since it definitely involves “work”, but I derive a heck of a lot of “pleasure” from doing it.

For these two particular trails, it’s certainly a pleasure “commuting” to the job site via the Great Gulf Trail. It sure beats any commute involving bumper to bumper traffic on an Interstate highway!
What is there not to like about hiking along the West Branch of the Peabody River?

Also, it’s a pleasure being able to take a lunch break by doing a short bushwhack to a phenomenal view into the Great Gulf. I personally don’t know of any restaurant that offers any finer vista than this!

And today, I was able to finish up my “work” early. This allowed me time to treat myself to yet another pleasure. Since I was already in the general area, and since I had the time, I took a short drive to Shelburne, NH (just east of Gorham) to do a short bushwhack to a ledge off the Peabody Brook Trail. Here, I got a nice view of the northern Presidential Range with a portion of the Androscoggin River in the foreground.

So, like I indicated at the beginning, I’m undecided if trail maintenance for me is an endeavor that combines work with pleasure, or pleasure with work. I suspect it might be mostly pleasure!

1HappyHiker

Damn John, 5!!!!!!!!! And here I thought I had my hands full with just 2!

Brian

Nice shot of the Great Gulf and Jeff.

I need to get up there, I've never been on any Presi trails north of Huntington Ravine. I'm ashamed, my only excuse is it's on the far end driving wise from down here in the Mad River valley, Thornton. I think my first trip should be a backpack for good measure.

That is a beautiful area, John - glad there's a great person helping care for it!

I love the Peabody - what a wild river! Brings back old memories of a certain spring season with high-water and a crazy trek down the Sphinx trail and through the Great Gulf to Pinkham.

NewHampshire said:

Damn John, 5!!!!!!!!! And here I thought I had my hands full with just 2!

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Well, although it’s technically 5, it’s not really all that bad. The Osgood Cut-Off + the short 0.8 mile segment of the Osgood is really just sort of one trail. Another trail that I have is Martha’s Mile (again, a short 0.8 mile segment) up on top of Cherry Mountain and it doesn’t usually need too much work. Then I have the Ammonoosuc Around-the-Lake Trail which is not an overly demanding trail to adopt. However, the most recent trail that I’ve adopted is more demanding than the other 4 combined, i.e. the Mt. Tremont Trail.
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P.S. I’ve not done my spring clean-up for the Mt. Tremont Trail, but hope to get to it this upcoming week. I note that a recent report under Trail Conditions indicated that there are some blowdowns.

P.P.S. Thanks Chris and Todd for your kind comments!

Looks beautiful, and it looks like spring has spring in the lowland. I'm glad you are able to so often get out and enjoy the whites. Well done!

grouseking

Thank you for all the work you do, John!

rocket21 said:

Thank you for all the work you do, John!

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Hey . . . thank you Jeremy . . . very much appreciated!

I agree!

Thanks John for a great report on one of my favorite, and one of the most beautiful, havens in the Whites!
Keep up the good work!