loanshark

When I go, I go big! Love the long hikes...was considering convincing Val and Tim to do a Franconia Traverse last weekend, but five days after a marathon?? They were right to steer the hike to something shorter.

Hey, Skip. Is there any way I can persuade you and Liz to climb Moriah on Sunday rather than Saturday. Saturday has become somewhat complicated for me, but Sunday's still clear. But, of course, don't change your plans just for me, and if I miss you on Saturday, we'll still do a proper celebration in due course.

Well I'm glad that she's doing better! I hope she has a complete recovery soon!

Thanks for the birthday greetings, Skip. Hit the double-double nickel: 55 cuz I was born in '55. And boy, after a long hike do my knees ever remind me of it!

Sounds good Clay.

I appreciate the invite -- but I'm doing one more sunrise shot tomorrow morning (Saturday) on Cardigan before Sunday's warm weather turns the nice snow cover into ice. After that, I'm back to photography anywhere that there's great alpine zone snowcover , and not all at sunrise, either: the Presidentials, Moosilauke, Franconia Ridge, possibly South Kinsman. Want me to keep you in the loop on my plans?

The trip went fine (thank you!)-- on the trail at 3:15 am and on Osgood Ridge above treeline at sunrise and then back at the car by 9:30 am. However, conditions were cloudy so no pictures...which means, I'll just keep on trying this hike until I get the shots I want!

Anytime, Skip. Meantime, looking forward to our next hike. Maybe early Feb?

The dogs and I will see you at 8 tomorrow morning at The Basin parking lot. Really looking forward to the hike.

Great to see you and Liz last night. Wonderful conversation and fun.

/S
TFH

Smart hike Loanshark. Enjoyed the company.

Hi Skip, and Hi to Liz. Some recoveries are painfully slow but I believe Liz has the necessary stubbornness to get through it. So far the MSR's have worked very well for me. I haven't really seen much difference in their floatation and that of my Atlas 1230's. I did purchase the floatation tails but have not yet used them.

Please come with us for a hike. Assuming nothing gets in the way (big assumption), we've got a number of good ones planned over the next few weeks.

Skip - if you can get over the Gale River water crossings okay, you'll be good to go. The top water crossing on the Garfield Trail can be avoided by bushwacking left (going downhill), then using the bridges on the old snowmobile trail referenced in the previous message. Every crossing on the old snowmobile trail is bridged.

Skip - I did this exact hike a few weeks back:

http://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos/NewHampshire/galeheadmtn-2009-0627.php

You'll have to drive to the Galehead trailhead side of Gale River Road, as the Garfield side has bridges out (you can still drive to the Garfield Trail trailhead via the Galehead side of the loop). For this hike, I hiked up to Galehead, over to Garfield, down the Garfield Trail, then took a right onto the old snowmobile trail (very obvious, between the water crossings). Awhile down this trail, there's a sharp right turn (going straight would bring you into the bushes) into a field, then you join a grassy logging road, taking a left eventually and down to Gale River Road, about halfway between the Garfield Trail trailhead and Gale River Trail trailhead, saving perhaps a mile or so.

Welcome to VFTT!