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  1. Sanbu

    Lower elevation peak suggestions

    Baldface sounds really nice. I never heard of it before. Don't even know where it is, gather it's near the NH/ME border, but is NOT the same as Baldpate. I've seen a few pics here and there on VFTT. Would appreciate a link to a nice trip report with pics. My AMC guide is half way around the...
  2. Sanbu

    Lower elevation peak suggestions

    Thanx for so many suggestions, lots to look into, loads to check out. A lifetime plus to enjoy! Kerry13. Ooooo, love that photo. Got out a magnifying glass to see the tiny scrapers. Brought back nice memories. I once was on the summit of Monadnock at sunrise, had a great view towards Boston...
  3. Sanbu

    Help Finding New Boots

    I dread buying new boots, such a hassle. In the past I have found ordered as many as 10 pairs from REI, hoping for at least one pair that fits, send the rest back. Finding that one pair has fortunately happened, several times. On my last trip to the states I had very limited time. Despite...
  4. Sanbu

    Lower elevation peak suggestions

    I'm looking to broaden my horizons beyond popular peakbagging lists. I'd love to hear suggestions for VT-NH-ME lower peaks (under 3800') that offer favored attributes: good views, old growth forest, distinctive terrain, brooks and streams, places of special/historical interest, fire tower...
  5. Sanbu

    Ways to determine summit elevations (outside USA)

    I am currently in the process of writing guidebook descriptions for various mountain hikes in my area. I am using www.OpenTopoMap.org to find summit elevations, or as close as I can get. The contour interval is 10 meters, but the actual elevation for the summits of interest are not listed. Up...
  6. Sanbu

    Did polarized lenses make me cross-eyed?

    I tried out a new pair of polarized sunglasses. OK for a few days. Then came the day when I had to pay close attention to the very rough trail I was walking, picking my way around rocks, etc. I had to focus on the trail footbed for an extended period of time. When I removed the sunglasses, I...
  7. Sanbu

    Hiring A Mountain Guide Service

    I have hired guides, though not out West, so can't suggest a service. What I'd do differently: make sure you and the guide agree on the itinerary. I found that making assumptions ahead of time can lead to disputes in the field. I assumed that the hike out would be via route A. The guide...
  8. Sanbu

    Personal hygiene in the backcountry

    The matter of personal hygiene in the backcountry has become more complicated as I get older. In my younger days I wasn't much concerned. On multi-week trips I discovered that I had to wash at least once a week, or the discomfort level rose too high. I did this by heating up water with a stove...
  9. Sanbu

    Dry out water bottle inside, how?

    I want to store water bottles, but they need to be stone dry inside before long-term storage. The blasted things take forever to dry, like days or weeks. Sometimes it seems they replenish moisture within out of thin air, even when set out in the sun. Any tips on how to dry them out fast?
  10. Sanbu

    Forest reclaiming tundra on Moosilauke?

    I climbed Mount Moosilauke a few days ago. A hiker on the summit told me the forest cover on top is increasing. Is it really so? Does that mean alpine tundra is in retreat, presumably from natural causes? I noticed healthy patches of krummholz close to the summit on the eastern side. I also...
  11. Sanbu

    Where on Mt Lafayette was this photo taken?

    I climbed Mt Lafayette on September 30 this year. At home I found an old photo taken on the mountain in November 1971. It's above timberline, but I can't identify where exactly it was taken. Can anyone help me out? This was on an overnight trip with University of Vermont Outing Club. We...
  12. Sanbu

    Hiking under the influence (of electronics)

    Edit: change “stinging” to “singing”
  13. Sanbu

    Hiking under the influence (of electronics)

    Some people must like the sound of their own voice. One of my Chinese trekking guides had the habit of singing on the trail, then immediately playing back a recording of it from his cell phone.
  14. Sanbu

    Hiking under the influence (of electronics)

    Recently I spent time with trekking guides. Some of them spent a lot of time on their cell phones **while hiking**. I found that disturbing for several reasons. First, as a simple matter of safety. Second, out of concern my guide would be less alert to surroundings, less able to fulfill his...
  15. Sanbu

    Alternative to molefoam, 2nd skin

    Looks like my pad was Compeed. Wikipedia says they were developed in Denmark, so Scandinavian after all.
  16. Sanbu

    Alternative to molefoam, 2nd skin

    Seeing me patching blisters, a fellow hiker offered me a pad and said it would work wonders. I had never seen that kind before, and when I tried it, I agreed it did indeed work wonders. After 10 days of hiking it still worked well and was not affected by moisture. The pad seemed to combine...
  17. Sanbu

    Destination: Klondike Pond

    I gazed down upon Klondike Pond from the Northwest Basin Trail. Earlier in the day I had summited Hamlin Peak and now I was on my way to Davis Pond, and eventually, to Fort Mountain. The route to the pond looked straightforward enough from my vantage point. Almost certainly, this would be the...
  18. Sanbu

    Katahdin bushwhack regs

    Thanks for all the info about Katahdin bushwhacking and regulations. I have started a new topic (Destination: Klondike Pond) for comments about the pond, as it deserves its own thread.
  19. Sanbu

    Destination: Klondike Pond

    On another thread, Tom Rankin wrote, "…anyone ever whacked down to Klondike Pond?" This thread is for folks who may wish to share their experiences of that mysterious place, far off the beaten path in Baxter State Park. I have a few memories of my own to share.
  20. Sanbu

    Katahdin bushwhack regs

    "The best, and probably only viable, routes to the summit are already mapped out and have trails on them. There is also the Fragile Alpine Zone factor." People have many different motivations, bushwhackers the same. Some want to experience what Thoreau and other early ascensionists...
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