Search results

Bike over Jefferson Notch Jefferson Notch is a wonderful way to get back to Appalachia after a traverse, especially if you've spent the night at Crawford Notch, surprisingly easy just a long slog to the top but not too steep then a long sleighride, a very comfy ride in the woods on a MT bike...

Post hike cleanup A different thought: When hiking I often fill a solar shower (plastic bag with black bottom,hose and shower spout, about 20 bucks) and leave it on the rear deck. Upon return, I walk into the woods and throw the attached rope over a tree branch and take a truly wonderful...

Camel's Hump East vs. West Burroughs trail from the west about 2.3 miles with a fairly long moderately steep section on the upper half. Same with Forestry trail to Long Trail, somewhat longer, easy up to the LT then mixed rocks and fairly steep up to the top. Monroe from the east a mile or so...

Mansfield clarification I believe the stake is in a snow-catching hollow between the nose and forehead, not quite a "snow cave", but you get the idea. Hardly any snow on the exposed ridge from the top of toll road to summit. Probably still some snow on Hazelton, suggest calling Green Mt Club...

Mansfield and Camels Hump As of yesterday, the Mansfield Sunset Ridge and Laura Cowles trails were just about 100% snow free and quite dry. I think there's quite a bit of snow and slop on some of the western trails including the LT and Hell Brook from 108, so the aforementioned are probably...

Camels Hump As noted the trails are "closed" until Memorial Day, but, in terms of real-world conditions, the Camel's Hump trails (as of yesterday) are barebootable, with 2-3 feet of snow in the shady spots but nothing you can't handle with decent footwear. Mansfield likely similar, especially...

Petrology hike Barring a spring storm, Monadnock should be no problem. Another alternative it Ascutney via the Weathersfield trail. I took a geology hike there and it's a very rich and rather unique geological place and much of the good stuff is only a short way up, before and at the cascade...

Agree with all the above, I was there last year and a highlight was 2 nights camping by river in Coyote Gulch with daytrip in between to the Escalante River. New sights and incredible geology and history everywhere you turn in Utah! Enjoy. John

VT dayhikes Stratton from the south (mostly gentle to moderate, Killington from the west (Buckin trail mostly gentle to moderate, but at least one brook crossing near bottom may be tricky and summit pitch from hut to top may be tough without crampons but there are trees to grab on this short...

Hike Bike loops Some of my NH favorites are: 1. Leave Bike at Jefferson Notch, hike up any of the several routes from Appalachia, or from the cog base up Ammo or Jewell, either way it's a hoot riding down. 2. Leave bike at 13 mile brook, hike up via AT from Rt 2 over Moriah and northern...

Ellen summit Agree with other posters. Though the Ellen sign sometimes disappears, I did the Monroe Skyline this afternoon and the wooden Ellen sign on the tree was there at 8 tonight, along with the small cairn and concrete base of the former sign. The trail was just a bit muddy in spots...

Semi-manual camera I recently got a Canon A710 IS to replace a camera that's now at the bottom of a spruce trap somewhere between N. Bro and Fort. Definately not the smallest, but seemed like good compromise, with great telephoto, IS and other good stuff. So far, so good. -John

Forest City trail access... As said by the last poster, the road is plowed to the end, which is at the Burroughs trailhead as well as the Forest City Connector. About a mile from the end, you'll be able to pull off at the Forest City trailhead. I believe the lodge is always open, eg. I've...

Winter patches I don't know the current status, but when I got mine, the ADK46 winter patch was a "rocker", an arc which nests below the 46r patch with "winter 46" on it, and for the NE115, a regular 111'er patch which appeared to have white-out applied to the top. Whatever works... -John

Underhill The secured gate is only 1/4 mile or less below the park headquarters and leantos. There's a sign at least a mile below that says road closed in winter, etc, just ignore it if the road's driveable. Main problem is if the road is icy, otherwise you should be able to zoom right up to...

Ellen, Abe For Mt Ellen, just drive up to the base lodge and take the work road which goes up the rise to the left (south) of the lodge; it leads past the mid-mountain lodge then under the upper chair, then a right turn up to the ridge, then a u-turn to the south up the north ridge to the top...

IRL Claws I bought the IRL claws with bindings early last winter, and though I was bummed to bend one of the fangs a bit early on, this was really the result of abuse on the rocks, and I straightened the thing. Since then I used them many times last winter and was satisfied, they are pretty...

Hey P2Piper and Wowser, Another great TR of yet another great experience. Congratulations on: 1. Reaching the "31" point. It's really all downhill from there! 2. Reaching the "maybe I've trashed my hiking boots" point. It's all black toes from there! 3. Reaching the "let's take the road...

Hey Wowser and P2Piper- Nice TR, but 2 questions: What mountain did you go up AFTER lunch, and, how come, with an aussie along, YOU got to eat your lunch? Is the dog getting soft? Next hike is gonna be another killer, right? :-) -John

Just missed you! Hey Kevin, nice to hear of your doin's back east. Pretty unusual I didn't bump into you, I was on Adams at 8 am on the 15th heading south, but then, you could have been 3 feet away and not visible through the black flies. Maybe seeya in September... -John Jaeger